The Sweetest Spark (The Spark Brothers Book 3)

by Liwen Y. Ho

  He repeated the previous two steps again, applying more concealer and powder. After repeating this process four times, he was finally satisfied with the coverage.

  “How’s it look?” Candy asked, obviously curious about the pleased smile on his face.

  “You’ll see soon.” He held up the tubes of foundation next to Candy’s face and chose the shade closest to her complexion. With the flat brush, he applied the foundation, once again blending around the cut. He then blended the foundation on the rest of her face and applied another round of powder. When he finished, he set the brush and makeup down and pulled his phone from his pocket. Switching the camera to selfie mode, he turned the screen toward her. “What do you think?”

  Candy took the phone from him and aimed it at her cheek. She looked long and hard at her reflection, her mouth dropping in shock. “Colin, you can’t see the cut at all! It’s completely gone. You’re amazing. I can’t thank you enough.”

  He shrugged off her compliment as he stared down at his hands. Who knew if she really meant what she said. “It’s no big deal.”

  She lowered the phone and faced him squarely. “It’s a big deal to me.” She let out a long breath. “Now talk to me, Colin. What’s going on with you?”

  He blinked. The concern in her voice was real. Her tone—gentle and reassuring—encouraged him to lift his gaze until he was looking into her blue-gray eyes. Still feeling vulnerable, Colin crossed his arms across his chest. “I just need to know something. Do you like Darren?”

  “Darren? Of course. He’s like a brother to me.”

  “No, what I mean is, do you like him? Like man—” he grunted “—woman kind of like.”

  “You mean romantically?” She punctuated the question with a scoff. “I can’t believe you just grunted like a caveman.”

  “It got the point across. So, do you like him?”

  “Of course not. I see how Danica looks at him; I’d never get in the way of that. And even if she wasn’t interested in him, I would never think of Darren that way. He’s not my type.”

  “Not your type—right,” Colin repeated, unconvinced. His heart began pounding, sending blood rushing to his ears. “Then why did you ask him for help, and not me? That day at Carmel—I got to you first. I was there for you, Candy. I offered to help, but you—” he inhaled sharply “—you chose Darren. It’s obvious you trust him and respect him more than you do me.” His cheeks heated as he spoke his fears out loud. He feared what Candy might say in response. Part of him wanted to hear her confirm his statement; the other part didn’t know if he could handle the truth. His ego was more fragile than he cared to admit, especially in Candy’s hands.

  “Colin, it’s not what you think,” Candy began. Her lips twisted to one side as she frowned. “Okay, there is some truth to that, but let me explain.”

  He nodded slightly for her to continue.

  “I asked Darren for help because he’s a firefighter and an EMT. He’s used to treating cuts and broken bones and much worse. I knew he’d know what to do. That’s why I went to him, Colin.”

  He narrowed his brows as he digested her words. They sounded logical and genuine enough, but he wasn’t fully convinced. Why wasn’t Candy meeting his gaze? “Are you sure that’s all?”

  Wincing, she shook her head. “There’s more to the story.”

  “I knew it,” he exclaimed, a little too happily. “What else?”

  Candy shook her head as if she couldn’t believe the truth herself. When she finally lifted her lashes, her cheeks were rosy. “I was mad, but more at myself than at you for what happened.”

  “You mean your fall?”

  She shook her head. “No, I’m talking about the things that happened before I fell. You know, the, uh … drooling.”

  His jaw dropped. “The drooling?”

  Exhaling loudly, she nodded. “I hated feeling vulnerable in front of you, like I did all those years ago when you found me crying in my car. Then there was that kiss. I couldn’t believe I kissed you—again. I felt so out of control.” Her eyes widened in exasperation until he could see the dark ring outlining her irises. “There’s just something about you, Colin, that gets me out of sorts. There’s no logical explanation for why I feel the way about you that I do, but I do. I can’t deny that you bring out a side of me that I’m not used to showing. You help me feel free to be myself. And I’ll admit it, I feel safe and happy when I’m with you. More safe and happy than I am with anyone else.”

  “Hold up—I do what?” Colin blinked quickly, not quite believing his ears. If Candy was truly, finally confessing her feelings for him, he wanted to hear her say it twice.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Candy

  Candy took a deep breath to calm her racing heart. Her cheeks heated as Colin asked her to repeat herself. She rarely blushed around anyone, but Colin was the exception. His dark brown eyes studied her face, searching for confirmation. “I-I said you make me happy.”

  The corners of his mouth curved up to reveal a toothy grin. He puffed out his chest and nodded. “I thought that’s what you said.”

  “Wait—you heard me the first time?” Candy exclaimed. Indignation replaced any embarrassment she’d been feeling. “Colin Spark, I can’t believe you made me say it again!”

  He pretended to pout. “I just wanted to be sure. I’ve confessed my feelings for you more than once; it’s only fair you had the chance to do the same.”

  She crossed her arms across her chest and held back a smile. Honestly, she couldn’t be mad at Colin. He’d just outdone himself by helping to cover up her wound. What other man would do that? She dropped her arms and faced him. “Fine. But only because I like you.”

  His mouth fell open. “You’re finally admitting it. You like me.” He beamed then paused. “We’re talking romantically, right? I just want to be clear, once and for all. You know how precise I like to be.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Yes, romantically.”

  “As in man … woman …?” He wiggled his brows, waiting for her to answer.

  “Don’t hold your breath. I am not grunting.”

  “Fine. It was worth a try,” he quipped. After a moment, however, his expression turned serious. “This isn’t another temporary, just for fun thing like last summer, is it?”

  She picked up on a trace of hurt in his tone. “What—no! Is that what you thought last summer was? Colin, it meant more to me than that. You mean more to me. I just wasn’t ready yet.”

  He nodded. “I was kind of joking, but it still helps to hear you say it. You’ve gotta know, I’m serious about you, Candy. As serious as I’ve ever been about anything, which—” he winced “—probably doesn’t mean much with my track record, but—”

  “Hey,” Candy gently cut in, “Colin, stop. You have the biggest heart of anyone I know. You’re always there for me when I need you. And my parents told me about how you went over to see them when I was in New York. That was a really kind, sweet thing to do. As far as I’m concerned, you have the best track record of all when it comes to caring for people. I don’t want to ever hear you say otherwise. You got that? No one puts down the man I love.”

  His jaw went slack with shock. ““The man you love? You’re referring to me, right?”

  “Yes, you.” Her voice grew husky as emotion overcame her. She really did love Colin and had for a while now even when she didn’t want to admit it. “It’s always been you, Colin.”

  “And it’s always been you for me.” He reached for her hand and clasped it between both of his. With reverence and awe, he placed a kiss on her palm. “You are so, so beautiful.”

  She scoffed softly. “You did a good job with the makeup.”

  He shook his head adamantly. “Believe me, it’s not the makeup. I’ve seen you without it when you had bloodshot eyes and a red nose—”

  “Ugh, don’t remind me,” she cut in with a groan. “I always seem to cry around you.”

  “It doesn’t bother me one bit.” He scoo
ted close to her on the couch until there was but two inches between their faces. “You’re beautiful, no matter how you look or how you feel. It’s a privilege to see every side of you.”

  Candy choked up to see the tenderness in Colin’s eyes. She tried hard to swallow the lump growing in her throat, but it was no use. A single tear fell down her cheek before she could blink. “Here I go again. I’m going to ruin all the work you did.”

  “I got it.” He brushed away the tear with the pad of his thumb. “But feel free to cry. I can easily do my magic again now that I’m an expert makeup artist,” he added with a wink.

  She shook her head. “You are so good to me, Colin. I don’t deserve this.”

  “Hey,” he hushed her gently, “as highly as I like to think of myself, I know I don’t deserve this either. We’re just two imperfect people receiving a huge helping of grace,” he added with a sweet smile. “It’s all God’s grace.”

  She nodded. “He’s so good to us. I wish I’d had more faith in Him and His plan before. I feel like I wasted so much time trying to hold everything together on my own.”

  “It’s not too late to start. Look at me, I’ve stopped and started things so many times, I’ve lost count. The way I figure it, life is about growing, and I’m still working through some growing pains. God’s not done with me yet, just as He’s not done with you either. But that means we can grow together.”

  “I’d like that.” She cupped one side of his face, loving how he closed his eyes at her touch. He inhaled sharply as she ran her hand along the angular slope of his jawline. His skin was clean-shaven and smooth beneath her fingertips. She leaned forward, longing to be closer to Colin. In that moment, she wanted his lips on hers, fully and deeply. No more hiding, and no more running away. She was ready to jump in, heart first.

  Colin seemed to read her thoughts. His eyes opened and zeroed in on her mouth. Without hesitation, he wrapped his arm around her back and pulled her toward himself. He rested his forehead on hers, an endearing smile crinkling the corners of his eyes. They exchanged warm breaths with each passing second, neither one in a hurry to move. When Colin finally spoke, he did it softly but urgently. “I want to kiss you so bad.”

  Candy flashed him a flirty smile. “Why don’t you?”

  “I’d have to redo your makeup if I did. But there’s not enough time for that. Plus—” he frowned “—Darren said not to put any pressure on your wound, so kissing’s definitely out.”

  She pulled back to look him squarely in the eyes. With her brows furrowed, she protested, “Colin, I’m not going to break. And I’m pretty sure you can do it gently enough so you won’t even touch the makeup. You can stop with your excuses and kiss me. Now.”

  He threw his head back and broke out in boisterous laughter. “You’re serious! You really want me to kiss you. I knew I was irresistible, but—wow. You must really like me.”

  “Will you stop playing around and get to it?”

  He pretended to ponder her request. “Sure, but could you do one thing for me first? One little thing?”

  She eyed him suspiciously. “What?”

  “Just one grunt. A small one?”

  “On second thought,” she deadpanned, “I should get to the studio—”

  “Hold up! I’ll kiss you right now.”

  Before Candy could say another word, Colin pulled her flush against himself, one large hand cradling the small of her back. He threaded his other hand into her long hair, leaving his thumb free to caress her cheek. Tingles spread along her skin, making her stomach drop and her head spin. She closed her eyes, waiting for Colin to claim her mouth with his.

  He brought his hand to the corner of her mouth. With a gentle, drawn-out motion, he brushed the pad of his thumb along her lower lip, leaving sparks of electricity in its wake. He also marked each point of contact with a kiss. A touch and a kiss, a touch and a kiss. By the time he reached the other side, he had left a delicious trail of warmth. The half dozen kisses Colin gave her made more of an impact than any one kiss would have.

  Candy reveled in Colin’s show of tenderness and passion, as well as his restraint. She had never felt so loved and cared for by a man. God certainly knew what He was doing when He brought Colin into her life.

  Overcome with gratitude, she prayed she could do the same for him. If there was a way she could help him as much as he had helped her— Almost instantly, an idea came to mind. Opening her eyes, Candy grabbed Colin’s hand and exclaimed, “I know how to save your shop!”

  “You—what? I just inspired you, didn’t I? Man, I should’ve kissed you sooner,” he touted with a grin. “I thought my kisses were good, but I didn’t know they were that good.”

  “They’re amazing, and you’re amazing.” Candy leaned forward and planted a quick kiss on his mouth. “You have such a great rapport with your customers, Colin. We need to use that to your advantage. I have a plan. We’re going to need your brothers’ help, all of them. I’ll explain on the way to the studio.” She rose from the couch and looked at him expectantly. “You’re coming to watch, aren’t you? I’d love to have your support.”

  He chuckled. “Of course I’m coming. I was just letting you get up first, so I didn’t get run over. I’m smart enough to know not to stand in my woman’s way, especially when she’s got that fiery look in her eyes.”

  “You know me well, Colin.” Candy pulled him to his feet and gestured toward the front door. “Now, come on. Can’t you move faster?”

  “I could if I had a little motivation,” he responded with a wiggle of his brow.

  “Seriously?”

  “Come on, I know you want to …”

  “Fine, just this once,” she huffed. With her hands on her hips, she let loose a low grunt from her throat. “Umph! Happy now?”

  Colin beamed. “Yeah, that’s my girl! Let’s go!”

  With a shake of her head, Candy followed him out the door, her own heart brimming with happiness.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Colin

  Colin leaned back in his black metal chair, one of a few hundred seats for the studio audience of The Cookery. He’d watched a handful of episodes before, so he was familiar with the set, but it was still surprising to see it in person. The large rectangular set was made of three walls and two spaces that resembled a high-end kitchen on one side and a small living room on the other. Each area was professionally decorated, the former with stainless steel appliances and open cabinets painted in a light blue color and the latter with a large bookshelf, mustard yellow couches, and colorful throw pillows. Bright, warm lights from overhead lit up the stage portion of the studio while the audience sat shadowed in dimmer lighting.

  From his front row center seat, Colin had the best view in the house. It didn’t matter that he had a clear view of the TV show hosts—two renowned chefs from the Bay Area—because his eyes were only focused on their guest. Candy stood in between them, poised and articulate, as they gathered in the kitchen behind the L-shaped marble counter. Her eyes lit up with enthusiasm as she chatted with them about their topic for the day: desserts. Colin couldn’t think of a better pairing of two of his greatest loves—Candy and sweets. Which were really one and the same when he thought about it. The woman and the food group both satisfied him and made him smile from ear to ear.

  In fact, that’s how he looked at this very moment, grinning like a lovesick fool on a sugar high. He hadn’t been able to stop smiling since Candy had professed her feelings for him. He loved how he’d been able to kiss her, not just once, but multiple times. They’d also held hands in the car on the whole way to the studio. The joy he felt in his heart was more delicious than anything he’d ever experienced, like a giant chocolate fountain filled to the brim and overflowing. God had blessed him abundantly. And he was going to treasure this gift for the long haul. He was serious about settling down with Candy. The only thing standing in his way now was his future, more specifically, the future of his ice-cream store.

  He wou
ld’ve been ready to close up shop and become a full-time tax preparer if it meant being able to provide for a family. Admittedly, the thought made him feel like he’d eaten a dozen too many doughnuts, which was why he’d been overjoyed to hear Candy’s plan.

  On the way over, she had called up Aiden, Brandon, Darren, and Evan to gain their support. None of his brothers had a chance to say no, not to Candy. She’d hardly had the words out before they each willingly agreed to help. He grinned, remembering bits and pieces of the conversations now.

  Each phone call via speakerphone had started out with a five-word announcement from him: “Candy and I are official!”

  Aiden had immediately asked, “Officially what?”

  “Together! As in dating, in love, destined to be together forever—”

  Candy had cut him off with an eye roll. “He gets the point, Colin.”

  “Th-that’s unbelievable!” Aiden had spluttered. “Wait ’til I tell Abby! I probably should wait until after she gets off the air or else the entire Bay Area’s going to hear the news.”

  “Go right ahead, bro,” Colin had suggested. “I have nothing to hide. I want the whole world to know I’ve got the perfect woman for me.”

  “Before you do that, Aiden,” Candy had cut in, “let’s address the reason why we called. We need a favor from you. Colin and I have a plan to get Cherry on Top back in the black. Will you help us?”

  “Of course, anything for you guys. Text me the details, will you? I have a student coming in now for office hours.”

  “Will do.”

  The other three phone calls had gone down similarly. With all his brothers lending a hand in his own unique way, Colin had a good feeling about the future of his shop. As Candy had pointed out, his strength was in making his customers feel at home. Once they walked through the doors of his shop, they often stayed and chatted until they’d licked their last drop of ice cream. It was just a matter of getting people to choose his shop instead of the one across the street. Which would be an easy feat now that they would be offering special events to attract customers.