A Sudden Spark (The Spark Brothers Book 2)

by Liwen Y. Ho

  As the two guys settled down in the living room, Bria headed to the kitchen to clean up last night’s take-out boxes. Between the physical exhaustion from work and the mental stress from Richard’s calls, a lot of things around their home had fallen to the wayside. She wasn’t even sure she had any food or drinks to offer Brandon. Perhaps she’d find something in one of the cupboards or in the back of the fridge.

  When she stepped onto the kitchen’s cool linoleum floor, her heart about stopped. On the counter sat another vase of sunflowers, similar to the one delivered to her at the salon. She snatched the card attached to this bouquet and felt her blood run cold as she read it.

  Bria, Consider this your last chance. Rethink your answer or I will be forced to take this matter to court. You and I both know who the judge will side with. Xoxo, Richard

  No! Bria crumpled the note and threw it onto the counter. Who did Richard think he was? A hotshot lawyer and Seth’s father? Even if he was on both accounts, that didn’t mean he could threaten her like this. Her shock turned into anger as she stared at the vase of her favorite flowers. She grabbed the bouquet, opened the garbage can, and tossed them inside. She considered throwing the vase away, too, but the sound of footsteps approaching from behind stopped her.

  “Bria? What happened?”

  The sound of Brandon’s voice—so gentle and caring—melted her defenses. She turned and shook her head, biting her lower lip to keep from crying. Seth was only a room away. She couldn’t lose control now.

  Brandon took one look at her and stepped close. “What’s wrong? Can you tell me now what’s bothering you?”

  She pointed at the bunch of flower stems sticking out from the garbage can. In a hushed voice, she lamented, “He snuck them in here while we were out. He’s threatening to sue for custody of Seth.” Hearing those words out loud made the situation more real. Bria choked back a sob and wiped at the tears forming in her eyes. “He knows he can win.”

  “He who?” Brandon looked at her, confused. “Who’s doing this?”

  “Richard.”

  “Richard?” Brandon narrowed his eyes. “The guy you dated senior year?”

  She nodded. “He’s Seth’s dad.”

  “I see. And he wants to get custody of Seth?”

  Shaking her head, Bria stepped closer to confide in him without Seth overhearing. “No, he’s never wanted to be a father. He’s only seen Seth a handful of times. What he really wants is a picture-perfect family before he runs for office. He’s on track to becoming the youngest mayor of Newark. But he needs a wholesome image to get him there. Having a kid born out of wedlock isn’t part of it. He wants me to marry him.”

  “M-marry him? Just to advance his career? That’s hard-core.”

  “That’s Richard for you. He doesn’t do things halfway. And he doesn’t take no for an answer.” She planted her hands on her hips. “I made the mistake of going out with him a few weeks ago. Ever since then, he’s been harassing me with nonstop phone calls and texts. And now, this! He’s crossed the line. I can’t believe he got in here. I took his name off the lease a year ago when I paid him back for the down payment.”

  A deep line formed between Brandon’s brows. He crossed his arms as he listened to her. “This can’t be legal, can it?”

  “He’s a lawyer. He knows all the laws and loopholes. He’s friends with a lot of people, too. He rubs shoulders with policemen and judges. I don’t know all that he’s capable of, but I don’t want to find out.” She rubbed her hands down her arms, feeling goosebumps there even though the air was muggy inside the apartment.

  Brandon placed a hand on her arm. “Hey, we’ll figure it out. I’ll help you however I can.”

  She shook off his hand. “Brandon, it’s not your problem to deal with.”

  “You’re my friend, Bria. So is Seth now. Please let me help you.”

  Bria’s heart clenched. Brandon had always been kind, too kind for his own good. “I don’t deserve your help. Especially not after what I did to you.”

  Brandon looked taken aback. “What are you talking about?”

  She would likely regret saying so much, but she needed to be truthful. Brandon deserved to know. “The kiss we shared. I only kissed you to make Richard jealous. I’d just found out the night before that he was cheating on me. So when I saw him pass us after class, I wanted to give him a taste of his own medicine.” She wrung her hands together. “What I did was stupid and so, so selfish. I never meant to mislead you, Brandon. I’m so sorry.”

  He winced, dropping his gaze. His shoulders fell, his whole posture deflated. “That, uh, explains a lot.”

  “I’m so sorry things ended the way they did. When I got kicked out of school the next day, I had to leave right away. I thought it was best not to keep in touch since I wouldn’t be coming back. I also didn’t think—” her voice faltered “—I deserved to have your friendship after what I did.”

  A pained look crossed his face. “Don’t say that.”

  “I did so many terrible, regretful things back then. And I’m paying the consequences now, as I should be.” Bria released a shaky breath. “But I can’t lose Seth. I can’t let Richard get custody.”

  “Of course not. He can’t separate you guys.” Brandon crossed his arms as he pondered. “Don’t judges usually side with mothers in a case like this?”

  “Not this one. Richard’s dad is friends with the judge. It’s pretty much a done deal; he just needs to say the word.”

  “That’s not right. It’s not fair.”

  “A lot of things in life aren’t fair. It certainly wasn’t fair what I did to you. I still feel terrible about it.”

  “Hey, it’s okay. I know you didn’t mean to hurt me.”

  She stared at him in wonder. “How can you be so forgiving?”

  He shrugged. “I guess it helps to have a good imagination. I can imagine what I’d do if the tables were turned. I probably would’ve done the same.”

  “You don’t know for sure. Even still, you have every right to be upset with me. I wouldn’t blame you if you were.”

  Brandon pursed his lips. He appeared lost in his thoughts, his expression serious. When he finally spoke, there was a playfulness in his blue eyes. “How can I be upset with you when you taught me everything I know about women? I grew up with four brothers. I hadn’t even really talked to a girl before I met you sophomore year. We shared some good times together as friends. Plus,” he added with a wry smile, “I write awesome kissing scenes because of you.”

  It took a few seconds for his words to sink in, but when they did, she felt a weight lift from her shoulders. How had she gotten so lucky? Brandon was so humble and forgiving. She certainly didn’t deserve his friendship before and still didn’t now. But here he was, a tangible reminder of God’s grace to her. Even during the midst of her personal crisis, she had a thread of hope to hold on to.

  “You are an amazing person, Brandon Spark. I hope you know that.” She grinned so wide, her cheeks hurt.

  He shot her a bashful smile. “It takes one to know one.”

  Her mood lifted in that moment, until her eyes landed on the vase. All her fears came flooding back in an instant. “I need to change the locks.”

  “The locks?”

  “To the apartment. In case Richard tries to come in again.” She shuddered at the thought. “I’ll need to contact the landlady and ask how soon I can get it done. I have a feeling though that Richard had her help getting in here. He has a way of convincing women to do whatever he wants them to do.” She sighed. “I’ll have to find a way. Otherwise, I won’t be able to sleep in peace.”

  Brandon cocked his head as he studied her. Several emotions flickered across his face, ending with compassion. “You and Seth are welcome to stay at my place.”

  “What?” She couldn’t have heard him correctly.

  “I have a guest bedroom, you know, for guests. You can stay until you get your locks changed.”

  Bria was speechless. She ne
ver imagined Brandon would be coming to her rescue. Yet here he was, her quiet friend, making a loud impact on her and Seth’s lives. She was blown away by his generosity and tempted to accept his offer. After all, what could one night hurt?

  Chapter Eleven

  Brandon

  Brandon looked around his dining room table at the people seated beside and across from him. For the first time since he’d moved in, he’d had to extend the oval-shaped table to accommodate more than one person. Even when his brothers visited, they sat on the sofa, preferring a casual setting. Tonight, however, was his first formal gathering in his apartment. And he had the two most wonderful people to share it with. He never imagined in his life that he’d have Bria and her son over as guests, but here they were, sharing a meal with him. He couldn’t believe how comfortable they all were eating the pasta and meatballs he’d made. Now that he was in his home, he felt relaxed and at ease as well. For the most part, that is.

  Of course, he was disappointed about Bria’s revelation earlier. What guy wouldn’t be torn up to have the woman of his dreams confess she’d used him to make another man jealous? Her confession stung even more because he’d been holding onto the memory of their kiss for years now. It had been stored in his heart, along with all his hopes of a “someday.” Someday, he and Bria would meet again and rekindle their friendship. Someday, they would find a way into each other’s lives and hearts. Well, that someday had come, except it was nothing like the way he’d dreamed.

  A part of him still hoped though. The hopelessly romantic part that still loved to watch chick flicks and daydream and imagine his own happily-ever-after. How else would he be able to write the kind of stories he wrote? Instead of a funny bone, God had given him a fuzzy bone, one that longed for warm fuzzies. And boy, oh boy, he was feeling a lot of sentimental emotions at the moment.

  “This is the best pasta I’ve ever had!” Seth exclaimed as he stuck another forkful into his mouth. The end of a noodle disappeared between his pursed lips in one fluid motion. Tomato sauce splashed onto his cheeks, giving him a reddish-orange mustache. He stuck his tongue out to lick off the traces of sauce.

  Bria laughed and wiped away a remaining stain with her thumb. “I thought you said I made the best pasta?”

  “Yours is good, Mom, but Mr. B.’s is better.”

  “Okay, I’ll admit it. This is yummy.” Wrinkling her nose, she remarked to Brandon, “Care to share what’s in your secret sauce?”

  “It’s just a mixture of tomato and cheese sauce together. I use two jars instead of one. Nothing special, really.” Brandon smiled. “But I’m glad you guys like it.”

  “Well, it’s a lot more special than eating frozen pizza or cereal. That’s as fancy as I get most days. It’s hard to have the energy to cook after a day of work,” Bria lamented. “But I could whip this up, no problem. Thanks for the idea.”

  “Sure. I actually have a lot of pizza stocked in the freezer, too. I eat pretty simply when it’s just me. But it’s nice to have someone to cook for.”

  “Not as nice as it is to have someone cook for you.” Bria beamed. “Thanks for this, Brandon, and for letting us stay over. Hopefully the landlady will have the—” she paused as she glanced Seth’s way “—repairs done tomorrow.”

  “It’s no problem at all.” Brandon understood the reason behind Bria’s casual tone and her choice of words. Seth didn’t know the real reason they were staying over. She hadn’t wanted to upset him, and so far, it was working. Seth didn’t suspect anything was amiss. In fact, he was eating away so happily that he had finished up his entire bowl. “You weren’t kidding about liking this pasta, buddy! Looks like you’re ready for seconds?”

  Seth nodded eagerly. “Yes, please. It’s so good.”

  “One more helping of my famous pasta coming up.” Brandon took Seth’s bowl to the kitchen to refill it. When he returned to the table, he noticed Bria looking at her phone. Her brows furrowed as she put it back into her pocket. He set the bowl down in front of Seth then turned to Bria. “Everything okay?”

  “Yeah, I was just checking my schedule for tomorrow. Thursdays are usually packed.” She propped her chin on one hand as she thought. “Seth, did you bring any books? I have a full day of clients tomorrow, so we’ll be at the salon from nine to four.”

  Seth sighed. “Yeah, I brought two. I’ll try to read as slowly as I can so I don’t run out.”

  Brandon took in their exchange. It couldn’t be fun for a kid to be stuck in a salon all day. Granted, he’d been a bookworm when he was young too and preferred to stay indoors, but that was in the comfort of his home. A whole day surrounded by the loud whirring of blow dryers and the strong smell of hair care products would hardly be pleasant. “Would it be okay if Seth stayed with me? I could take him to the library, and we could go have ice-cream at my brother, Colin’s, shop. We could even take a trip to the fire station where Darren works. I think it’d be a lot more fun than being cooped up in a hair salon all day. No offense to hair salons or the people who work in them,” he added quickly.

  Seth’s eyes lit up. He bounced in his chair and gave his mom a pleading look. “Can I, Mom? Please? That would be cool.”

  Bria gave Brandon a curious grin. “It would be cool. But don’t you have things to do? Like writing a book?”

  “I can work at night. My schedule’s pretty flexible when I’m in between stories.”

  “You write books?”

  “I do.” The awe and wonder in Seth’s voice made Brandon’s chest puff up. No one had ever made him sound like a hero. For once in his life, he had a little taste of the acclaim Darren got when he was in uniform. He had to admit, it felt good to be admired for doing something he loved. “Yup. I’m an author.”

  “You didn’t tell me Mr. B. writes books!” Seth shot his mom an accusing look. “I can’t believe you know a real author. That’s so cool.”

  Bria smiled wryly at Brandon. “Apparently, this isn’t the first time I’ve been guilty of hiding your identity. I guess I should get used to having a celebrity as a friend.” She turned to Seth with a pointed look. “I forgot to mention it. But why do you sound so surprised? You should know I’m a lot cooler than you give me credit for.”

  Seth chuckled. “Maybe a little.”

  “It’s true,” Brandon jumped in. “Your mom is way cool. She took me to see my first shooting star when we were in college. We went up to the top of a hill and waited for hours. I almost wanted to give up, but she told me it’d be worth the wait. And it was.”

  “I forgot about that,” Bria mused with a small smile. “We sure had an adventure.”

  “Can we go sometime, Mom? I wanna see one, too.”

  She nodded. “Sure thing, bud. We’ll figure out a time.” She set her fork down and yawned. “I’m beat. I’m going to crash as soon as my head hits the pillow.”

  “It’s still early, Mom.” Seth pouted. “There’s a whole hour before bedtime.”

  Brandon checked his watch. It was only half past seven, but he could see Bria was having a hard time keeping her eyes open. She seemed to have dropped her guard as soon as she and Seth had stepped inside his home. He could only imagine the stress she’d been under recently due to Richard’s threats. Not to mention the last decade living as a single mom. “Do you want to turn in first, Bria? Seth can help me clean up, and maybe we can watch a movie together.”

  “Yeah!” Seth agreed, his blue eyes shining with delight. “I’ll help Mr. B. You go to sleep, Mom.”

  Bria stifled another yawn with her hand. “At least let me bring the dishes to the sink.” She stood and proceeded to gather up their utensils and bowls.

  Brandon placed a hand on her arm. “I’ve got this. Why don’t you get ready for bed.” His tone was firmer than he intended, but he had a sudden urge to care for—even protect—Bria. She was a tough woman, or she tried hard to be, but it was obvious she needed a break. “You’ve had a long day, and you have another one tomorrow. You should sleep.”

 
; Bria blinked in surprise. “All right, if you insist.” She raised her hands in surrender and backed away from the table. “Be sure not to stay up too late, Seth.”

  “It’s summer vacation, Mom.”

  “You still need your beauty sleep, young man.” She pointed to the dark circles under her eyes. “See what happens when you don’t sleep enough? You end up looking like a panda.” She puffed up her cheeks and widened her eyes in an exaggerated expression, making Seth laugh.

  Brandon joined in on their laughter. Despite her tiredness, Bria was still the fun-loving girl he used to know. She’d made him laugh often, especially when they were supposed to be studying. And she’d pushed him out of his comfort zone more than once. He failed to mention to Seth that she’d made him hike up a steep hill to watch for shooting stars. And that he’d gotten poison ivy when he tripped in the dark and fell into a bush. He never went hiking again after that episode. That was another reason why he preferred the indoors.

  He took in Bria’s relaxed posture and marveled at how carefree she appeared compared to a few hours ago. If only he could bottle up all her worries and throw them into the sea. Sure, she’d made some bad choices in the past, but she shouldn’t have to be paying for them now. He could tell she was trying her best to make a life for her and Seth. His heart longed to see her happy. In that moment, he made up his mind to do anything and everything possible in his power to help Bria. Even if he couldn’t be her leading man, he could still play the part of a hero for her and Seth.

  Chapter Twelve

  Bria

  Bria took off her apron and hung it on one of the hooks on the back wall of the salon. Releasing a long breath, she raised her arms over her head and did a few stretches. It’d been a tiring but productive day, the kind she liked best. Her clients had all shown up, and most of them had tipped her generously. It had also been nice not having to worry about Seth while she worked. She’d called Brandon at lunchtime and gotten a detailed update on their plans for the day. First, lunch at a neighborhood pizza parlor, followed by a trip to the library, and then a stop for ice-cream. Seth had sounded beyond thrilled to be spending the day with Mr. B., as he liked to call Brandon. Knowing her son was well taken care of and happy made her feet ache a little less.