A Sudden Spark (The Spark Brothers Book 2)

by Liwen Y. Ho

  “Of course. She’s the only woman I’ve ever wanted.”

  “Then tell her. Go over to her place tonight and let her know.”

  “Go over? Can’t I send her a text?”

  Colin shook his head. “Cool Brandon doesn’t text. Cool Brandon does things in person. That way Bria won’t be able to resist your charm and good looks when you’re face-to-face.”

  Brandon really laughed now. “Right.”

  “Why else would she have kissed you?”

  Why indeed, Brandon wondered. Maybe it was what Bria had said, that their role-playing as husband and wife had led her to believe they really were married. He’d almost believed it himself. Along with Seth, their little family had seemed so real and so wonderful. He loved praying with them around the dinner table, with Bria’s hand in his left and Seth’s in his right. He loved it when they laughed together, especially when it was at one of his corny jokes. Most of all, he loved the comfortable silences that fell upon them when they were in the same room, him and Seth buried in their books while Bria read a magazine.

  Despite their separate activities, all he’d had to do to connect with one of them was lift his head and smile. The smiles he received in return were immediate and genuine. Brandon had never felt more content than in those moments. Content with himself and confident in his ability to love and be loved.

  He gasped. While he’d been beating himself up for not having his brothers’ strengths, he’d completely overlooked his own. His strength was his heart. The source of his emotions that sometimes overwhelmed him, but also pumped life into his relationships. When he loved someone, he was all in; there was no going back. Every beat of his heart told him he loved Bria and Seth. Loved them as if they were his own. And he didn’t want to be apart from them for another minute.

  Brandon scrambled to his feet, digging his toes into the carpet as he rushed by Colin to the front door. “Good chatting with you!” he called over his shoulder. “Sorry I can’t stay. There’s someone I need to go see. Actually, two someones.”

  The sound of Colin’s laughter followed him out the door and down the sidewalk to his parked car. He hopped inside and started the engine, eager to see his wife and son. Even if they were only his family on paper, he prayed they would soon be his in their hearts.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Bria

  Bria threw one arm over her eyes as she lay down on the lumpy couch in her living room. A hard metal coil dug into her back, reminding her of how much she hated her current situation. It wasn’t just the old couch she had to sleep on every night so Seth could have his own room. Or the fact that she’d have to beg her parents for financial help once Richard’s child support checks stopped. It was the thought that she’d lost the one person in her life who knew her the best.

  Brandon. The thought of him and the way he flashed a shy smile her way made her heart hurt. She thought for sure he liked her, but she’d been wrong. So wrong. He had only shown her kindness because he pitied her and Seth. She had too much baggage for him to accept.

  Hot tears welled up in her eyes, leaving a wet spot on her forearm. She wanted to cry, needed to cry, but it was so hard to let her guard down. Oh, how she longed to have someone hold her. It was hard being strong all the time, especially for Seth’s sake. But she needed to be, now more than ever. They were on their own again, this time for good.

  Brandon’s words came back to her. He’d said God was a father to the fatherless. But what about her? There were a handful of verses in the Bible about the Lord caring for widows, but what about a single mom who’d never had a husband? Did she qualify for God’s love and mercy? It was hard to imagine herself being worthy of His care when she’d disobeyed Him.

  It was times like these that she wished she could have a face-to-face conversation with God. She just needed five minutes of His time, to ask a few questions and receive assurance that she was loved and on the right track.

  As if on cue, her cell phone sounded. She scooped it up off the floor and answered it before the ringing woke up Seth in the next room. “Hello?”

  “Bria, how are you? I had an urge to call you just now. My sixth sense was working overtime.”

  Bria smiled to hear Amy’s voice on the line. Her friend often joked that she had another sense at work to replace her lost vision. Maybe this time it was more than that. “It’s so good to hear from you. I really need a friend right now.”

  “What happened? Aren’t you at Mr. Spark’s place?”

  “No, Seth and I left last week. I messed up, Amy.” She proceeded to fill her friend in on that eventful last evening together. “Just when I thought Brandon and I were finally on the same page with our relationship, the sparks died. They fizzled out before they even started. It was so embarrassing. And I was so mean to him. I wouldn’t blame him if he never talked to me again.”

  “Hm.” There was a lengthy pause before Amy spoke again. “I think you’re reading the situation all wrong.”

  “I don’t know how else to read it. He rejected me, plain and simple.”

  “He said kissing you wasn’t a good idea, but that doesn’t mean the kiss itself wasn’t a good thing.”

  Bria furrowed her brows as she sat up. “So he wanted to kiss me, but he didn’t want to kiss me? That makes no sense.”

  “It makes total sense, girl! You obviously don’t read enough romance.”

  She chuckled. “I obviously don’t. I didn’t even finish that one book of Brandon’s that you lent me. I got stuck in the middle where the girl kept going back and forth about whether she and the guy would work out. They’d just kissed and had so much chemistry, but there were all these other issues in the picture—oh!” Bria’s jaw dropped. It was as if a big neon sign—like the one in her salon’s front window—was flashing before her eyes. “I think I understand what you’re saying now.”

  “Why don’t you enlighten me?” The humor in Amy’s tone was evident.

  “Brandon stopped our amazing kiss because he knew it would make things a lot more complicated.”

  “Ooh, so the kiss was amazing, was it?” Amy squealed. “How amazing was it?”

  Bria placed a hand to her cheek, surprised at how warm it was. Just the thought of Brandon’s lips on hers had that effect on her. “It was like how you imagine a kiss should be, with all the anticipation built up from waiting and the excitement of it actually happening rolled up into one.”

  “Wow.”

  Wow was right. Bria felt like she was finally understanding the bigger picture. That maybe, just maybe, Brandon did feel the same way about her that she felt about him. He was only being cautious because he was Brandon, after all. Between the two of them, he’d always been the calm and steady one. She hadn’t appreciated those traits of his when they were younger, but she now saw them as signs of maturity. Brandon was a good man, possibly the best she’d ever known. She could only pray that he was kind enough to overlook her rash actions and give her another chance.

  “I gotta go, Amy. Thanks for the chat.”

  “Sure thing. But don’t thank me, thank God! He wouldn’t let me sleep until I called you.”

  “I will, I definitely will. Now go to bed,” Bria added with a laugh before she hung up.

  Bria shook her head, in awe of the Lord’s timing. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, the way she used to do as a child, with innocence and faith. She murmured the words she’d been holding onto for so long. I’m sorry, God, for straying. I’m sorry I took Your grace for granted. I know You’re bigger than my problems, so much bigger. Even though my own family wants nothing to do with me or Seth, You’ve given us friends, both new and old, who love us. I thank You for Amy. I thank You for Brandon. Please, please help me fix things with him.

  With a new sense of determination, she sat up straight and opened her eyes. She placed a hand over her stomach to calm the flurry of butterflies there. Everything in her wanted to call up Brandon to fix things, but she also desperately wanted to see him. With Set
h in bed, however, leaving the apartment wasn’t an option. She debated making a video call but decided against it when she remembered she was wearing an old tank top and frayed pair of shorts. A phone call would have to do.

  She dialed Brandon’s number and held her breath. The phone rang and rang until his voicemail picked up.

  This is Brandon Spark. I’m either reading or writing, so please leave me a message and I’ll return your call when I emerge from my cave. Thanks.

  Bria cleared her throat, preparing to leave a much-needed apology. “Hi, Brandon, this is Bria. I’m calling to apologize. I really made a mess of things the last time we talked. I’m sorry. Seth misses you a lot and so do I. It’d be great to see you again. Call me, please?”

  She hung up and fell back onto the couch. The same metal spring poked her in the back, but it didn’t bother her as much. A peace settled over her heart. This change in perspective gave her the hope she needed that not all was lost. She didn’t care so much about material things, but the relationships in her life? They were irreplaceable. Especially that of an old friend.

  Tears pricked her eyes once again, this time from the gratitude overflowing in her heart. She checked the time on her phone. Eleven thirty. The late hour, plus the exhaustion from a long day on her feet, began to weigh on her. Her body relaxed for the first time in a week, and her heavy eyelids began to close. With the TV on mute and the lamp on the side table still lit, she drifted off to sleep.

  Minutes later, a knocking on the apartment door startled her awake. Bria rubbed her eyes and sat up. The knocking grew louder and more insistent with each passing second to the point where she feared it would wake Seth, not to mention their neighbors. She scrambled to her feet and rushed to the door. She peeked through the peephole and felt her heart sink. With the chain lock still in place, she opened the door.

  “Richard?” She eyed the man leaning against her doorframe. Even in the dim light of the hallway, she saw his eyes were bloodshot. The stench of alcohol filled the two-inch gap between them. “What are you doing here?”

  Richard leaned forward, disdain pulling his lips into a tight line. “I should ask you the same thing. Why aren’t you living with your husband? Or was your talk about getting married all a lie? Because if it was, you know what you owe me.”

  “I don’t owe you anything!” Anger flooded Bria’s body, causing her words to rush out like water from a broken dam. How dare Richard come over to accuse and threaten her? “I’m not afraid of you, Richard. I have God on my side. You can do all the shady things you want, but you’re not getting me or my son.” She pushed the door to close it but not before Richard wedged his foot in the doorway.

  He snickered. “Open the door, Bria. I want what’s mine. You can take the easy way out, or we can get the authorities involved. We both know how many friends I’ve got on the force.”

  “Your so-called friends have nothing on my God,” she retorted with a boldness that surprised even her. She had to admit though, with fifty pounds on her—much of it in muscle—Richard was at a greater advantage in this situation. One kick, and he’d have the door down in no time flat. What would she do then? Once more, she urged him to leave, adding in a threat of her own. “You should go, Richard, while you have the chance. I have friends, too. And you don’t want to be here when they arrive.”

  He scoffed. “Yeah, right. Let ’em. I can take them on single-handedly.”

  “I’m serious, Richard. Leave us alone.”

  “Y-you heard her,” a male voice called out from down the hall. It grew louder as the man neared Bria’s apartment. “Bria asked you to leave.”

  Bria sucked in a breath. Brandon! Her heart pounded wildly in her chest as relief then fear washed over her. She had been concerned for her and Seth’s safety before, but now she feared the most for the man she loved.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Brandon

  Brandon clenched his hands into tight fists as he neared Bria’s door. He had shown up to her apartment as Cool Brandon; now he was trying his best to be Brave and Bold Brandon. Even still, cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and the hair on the back of his neck stood up. Every one of his senses told him—warned him—of the impending danger of this situation. The charismatic coed he remembered from college was taller and hunkier than before with an overinflated ego to match. Brandon dreaded confronting Richard, but he feared the consequences if he didn’t.

  Richard had no business harassing Bria like this. She was his wife, and Brandon would do anything to protect her. Even at the risk of his own safety. Besides, he knew God had his back. He wasn’t alone in this confrontation.

  Richard looked over at him with a sly smile. “So the boyfriend finally decided to show up?” He narrowed his eyes at Brandon. “What was your name again? Brian? Brad?”

  Brandon raised his chin and crossed his arms in a stance he often saw Darren take. With more confidence than he’d ever known, he stated, “It’s Brandon. And I’m not Bria’s boyfriend, I’m her husband. As her husband, I’m asking you to leave, before you regret your decision to come here tonight.”

  “Regret my decision,” Richard scoffed under his breath. Despite his expensive suit, he was a mess. His tie hung loosely around his neck, and a trail of dark splotches stained the front of his dress shirt. When he turned to face Brandon, his movements were as unsteady as his face was red. He didn’t look like he’d be able to stay upright much longer. Waving a stubby finger in Brandon’s direction, he touted, “Do you not know who I am? I’m going to be the next mayor of Newark. You better watch your mouth.”

  As Richard stepped away from the door, Brandon craned his neck to see inside the apartment. He gave a tight-lipped smile to Bria who was waving frantically to him, gesturing for him to leave. He mouthed, It’s okay, to her before turning his attention back to the man stumbling toward him. “Take it easy, Richard. Maybe you should sit down.”

  Richard reached out for Brandon’s shoulder to steady himself. “There’s no time to sit. I need to win the election before they find out …” He rambled on, murmuring incoherent words to himself.

  Brandon ducked his head as the acrid smell of Richard’s breath burned his eyes. His stomach turned, filling his mouth with a bitter taste. Uh-oh. It seemed Richard wasn’t the only one at risk of keeling over. Brandon knew he’d have to do something fast for both their sakes. Thankfully, the buzzing of his phone in his back pocket confirmed help had arrived. Heavy footsteps soon sounded on the staircase leading up to the second floor.

  “Guys!” Brandon called over his shoulder. “Over here!”

  Two men immediately came running up the hall. Relief flooded Brandon as Colin and Darren each grabbed one of Richard’s arms and lowered him to the ground. Brandon took a deep, cleansing breath then ran for Bria’s door.

  “Brandon!” Bria burst through the door and into his arms. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine.” He held her warm body against his, savoring the feel of her soft hair against his cheek. It was so good to not only see Bria again, but hold her. “Are you okay? Where’s Seth?”

  She pulled back, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “He’s fine. He’s sleeping inside.”

  “And you? Did Richard hurt you?”

  “No, he was outside the whole time.” She glanced over at Brandon’s brothers who were eyeing them with knowing looks. “How did you guys know I needed help?”

  Brandon gave her a sheepish smile. “I was downstairs in my car when I saw Richard pull up. I followed him and texted my brothers to meet me here as soon as they could.” He motioned for his brothers to come over. “You already met Darren at the bookstore. This is Colin.”

  “Thank you both so much for your help.” Bria shook both their hands. “I don’t know what happened to Richard. I’ve seen him drunk before, but never like this.”

  “I’m guessing he had a bad night,” Colin quipped. “A nap should help fix things. I know it always does for me.”

  Darren nodded toward
Richard who was passed out on the cement floor. “I’ll call one of my buddies on the force and have him come deal with this. I’ll make sure he’s gone by the time your son wakes up.”

  Brandon breathed easy for the first time since he’d arrived. He noticed Bria shivering as a cool breeze blew past them from an open window down the hall. “Why don’t you go inside. We’ll stay here and keep an eye on Richard.”

  A line appeared between Bria’s brows. She answered with a hesitant, “Okay,” before leaving his side.

  Brandon felt a quick jab in his ribs and turned to see Colin mouthing the word, Go!, as he pointed to Bria’s back. As if fearing Brandon wouldn’t understand his suggestion, Colin pushed him in the direction of Bria’s apartment. Brandon faltered in his next steps and had to grab onto the doorframe to keep from crashing into Bria.

  She spun around with a questioning look on her face. “Do you want to come inside?” she asked all three men. “The least I can do is offer you all something to drink.”

  “Brandon will,” Colin answered with a bright smile. “Darren and I’ll stand guard here, you know, just in case.”

  “Yeah, we’ll wait here for my friend to show up,” Darren chimed in. “Thank you for the offer though.”

  Bria’s face brightened considerably at their answers. She held the door open for Brandon as he followed her inside the apartment then closed it behind him. “Have a seat. Would you like a soda?”

  “Sure,” Brandon answered hopefully as he sat down on the sofa.

  She walked to the kitchen and returned with his drink. She handed the can to him and sat beside him.

  Before he could say a word of thanks, she was already talking a mile a minute. “I can’t believe how crazy that was. I thought for sure Richard was going to hurt you. Why in the world did you try to confront him like that?”

  The panic in her voice made him feel guilty. He honestly hadn’t meant to worry Bria. Maybe it hadn’t been the smartest move to make, but he didn’t regret it. “I wanted you and Seth to be safe. I thought if I diverted the attention away from you, he’d leave you guys alone. I just wanted you to be safe,” he repeated with conviction.