A Sudden Spark (The Spark Brothers Book 2)

by Liwen Y. Ho

  “Of course I do. But he rarely disobeys me.” Her mouth twisted to one side. “He’s such a good kid. I think it would hurt me even more if he were to go against my wishes because I don’t expect him to. Just like how I was such a good kid before I went to college. I’m sure I disappointed God so much more when I rebelled because it was so unexpected.”

  “That’s not true.” Brandon felt a burning in his heart to speak the truth to Bria. “He already knew what you’d do, and He still sent Jesus to die for you. And even if He was disappointed, it was because of how much He loves you. Just like how you feel about Seth.”

  She paused, seeming to ponder his words. “You’re right. You’re absolutely right. I grew up learning these truths, but for some reason, I believe them more when you say them.” Her eyes brightened. “When did you get so wise?”

  “I always was,” he joked. “I just don’t always say what I’m thinking.”

  She sighed, a wistful smile on her lips. “I’ve missed having you in my life, Bran. I really messed up when I let go of our friendship. I’m sorry.”

  Brandon shook his head. “It’s okay, you had a lot going on. I probably wasn’t mature enough to have helped you back then.”

  “Oh, but you were. You’re even more mature now. Thank you for everything you’re doing for me and Seth.”

  “It’s no problem. I wish I could do more though.” As soon as the words were out of his mouth, a lightbulb went off in his head. It was one of those aha moments he had when he figured out a plot twist to a story. Except this one was crazier than any he’d ever written. But if he wanted to help his friend, he’d need to step up his game—big time. “Actually, there is something I can do to help.”

  “What?”

  He faced Bria and uttered the two words he never thought he’d say out loud: “Marry me.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Bria

  Bria blinked twice. Brandon’s offer was so outrageous, she almost laughed. The only thing stopping her was his serious expression. “Do you know what you just proposed? I mean—wait, you actually did propose.” She bit her lower lip as she digested those two words that had flowed out of him so effortlessly. “I made our engagement up, Brandon. I don’t expect you to really marry me.”

  “It’s the only way you can prove to Richard that you don’t need him.” He paused. “This isn’t anything new. Authors use this trope all the time in romance books. It’s called a marriage of convenience. Two people get married for one reason or another. To secure an inheritance, to get citizenship, to improve one’s reputation—”

  “Like what Richard’s doing,” Bria cut in, nodding eagerly. Her eyes grew wide as the pieces began falling into place. Brandon was suggesting they level the playing field by going along with Richard’s game. “And you’re saying we do the same?”

  “It’s the best way to stop him from harassing you. He said he’d leave you and Seth alone if you get married. It’s your way out, Bria.”

  It was a wild, far-fetched plan, but it might be the best one they had. Even still, she couldn’t believe she was entertaining the idea. “This is crazy but brilliant. But it’d mean getting married tomorrow! How in the world would we pull that off?”

  Brandon’s smile came easily. “It’s a good thing I write romance. I did all the research on this for one of my books. We can get the marriage license and do the ceremony at San Francisco’s City Hall. They perform weddings on weekdays from nine until three thirty, every half hour.”

  “Oh, wow. I had no idea it was that easy.” Bria stood up and began walking the length of the small bedroom. She stopped when she reached the closet door and was forced to turn around. Digging her toes into the carpet, she spun in place. She paced back and forth this way for a few moments as reality began sinking in. This wasn’t right. How could she use Brandon again for her own selfish gain?

  She faced him and shook her head. “Brandon, I can’t let you do this. I’ll find another way. I’ll petition for another judge to handle the custody case or file for a restraining order against Richard. There must be another way …” Her voice broke as she considered engaging in a long, drawn-out battle with Richard. Who was she to stand up against the district attorney? She suddenly felt very small and helpless. Strangely enough, she found herself missing the comfort of Brandon’s arms. The way he’d held her minutes before had brought her more peace than she’d known in a long time.

  As if Brandon could read her mind, he rose from the bed and joined her where she stood near the dresser. He placed a hand on her shoulder and held her gaze. “No one’s forcing me to do this. I want to help you and Seth. Please let me.”

  His words were like a balm for her soul, warming her from the inside out. Her skin heated, especially where his palm rested at the edge of her sleeveless top. She glanced over at his hand, noticing for the first time how masculine his fingers were. His hand was larger than she remembered from their college days, so strong and capable. No wonder she had felt comfortable when he’d held her. She’d always felt safe around Brandon, but this was a new level of security, one that caused flutters in her stomach. Or maybe it was the bean burrito she’d eaten for lunch. It had to be, she reasoned with herself. That was the only explanation that made sense for these new feelings she was having for her old friend.

  When she didn’t answer, Brandon dropped his hand and stepped back. “I know you want to think about this, but we honestly don’t have much time. The sooner we decide, the sooner I can make an appointment online. I have a feeling Friday is their busiest day for weddings.”

  Brandon’s words registered in her brain when he stopped touching her. She inhaled quickly, suddenly aware of how his closeness affected her. His plan was insane, but the idea of marrying him wasn’t as scary as the other possibilities that awaited her. In fact, it wasn’t scary at all.

  It was clear now that God was changing her heart. She’d never seen Brandon as more than her former study buddy, but for some unexpected reason, she was open to marrying him. Practically speaking, there was no man she trusted more. He was kind, honest, and dependable. She knew he would never intentionally hurt her. Instead, he was going out of his way and inconveniencing himself for her sake. He understood love to the extent that he was willing to lay down his life for his friend. Sure, it wasn’t a literal sacrificing of his life, but marriage was a lifetime commitment. This was about as close as it got.

  Romantically speaking though? Well, if the sudden sparks she’d experienced just now were any indication of their physical chemistry, she needn’t worry. Those feelings could certainly build over time.

  There was so much to consider though, so much that would change if they became husband and wife. She wouldn’t be a single mom anymore—oh! “What are we going to tell Seth? He just met you, and now we’re supposed to tell him you and I are getting married? This just about tops the list of things parents would never want their kids to do.”

  “I see your point.” Brandon rubbed his chin as he thought. “What if we don’t tell him yet? We’ll just let him know that you guys need to find a new place to live and you’ll be staying with me until you do.”

  “You want us to move in with you?”

  “You’ll have to. It won’t do you any good if Richard shows up at your apartment and wonders why we’re not living together when we’re married. We’ll need to make it look believable.”

  Bria attempted to take a deep breath. This was starting to sound a lot more complicated than she imagined. She didn’t mind the changes—Brandon’s place was so much nicer than hers—but how could she upend Seth’s life like this? “If we move, Seth will need to change schools. I don’t know if that’s a good idea. He has such a hard time making friends. All he does is sit in the library every day during lunch.”

  “I get it. It may be hard to imagine—” he grinned “—but I was the same way when I was younger. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves though. We shouldn’t worry about the future when there’s enough to worry about tod
ay. I think the most urgent thing right now is to check if City Hall has openings for tomorrow.”

  “Right, tomorrow.”

  “Do you think you can take the day off? And find someone to watch Seth?”

  “I have a couple of appointments booked, but I’ll call and reschedule for next week. I’ll ask Amy if she can watch Seth for a few hours.”

  “Great. Then let’s make our appointments.” Brandon grabbed his laptop off the side table and opened it. He sat on the bed and motioned for Bria to sit next to him.

  Bria peered over his shoulder as he opened a new browser and typed in sfgov.org. After navigating through a few screens, Brandon found the page that read “Office of the County Clerk” and clicked on the drop-down bar under “Services” for “Marriage.” At the bottom of the page, he hovered the cursor over a large green button that read “Book Now!” in capital letters.

  He chuckled. “It’s like we’re making a reservation for dinner.”

  “A very important dinner,” she joked.

  “Definitely.” He paused as he took a deep breath. “Are you ready to get a table for two?”

  When Brandon turned to look at her, Bria felt the same tickly feeling in her stomach again. It wasn’t surprising or strange this time; it was pleasant. Realizing this gave her the assurance to nod in agreement.

  He clicked on the green button. Another page appeared with fields asking for their personal information. He filled in the blanks and continued to the page with the schedule for the next day. Fortunately, there were two open slots remaining, one at twelve to get their license, the other at twelve thirty for the actual ceremony.

  Brandon turned to her and remarked, “I guess no one wants to get married at lunchtime. Do you mind if we grab a quick bite on our way there?”

  “That’s fine. We don’t have much of a choice, do we?”

  “No. But I’m thankful there are still openings for tomorrow. Looks like God’s paving a way for us.”

  “He must be.” Bria breathed a sigh of relief as Brandon booked the appointments. With each click of the mouse, she felt a weight lift from her shoulders. She was finally going to be free from the consequences that had been haunting her for the past decade. Both she and Seth would be able to have a new start in life without Richard’s threats hanging over their heads. “This seems too good to be true.”

  Brandon smiled as he patted her knee. “It does, doesn’t it? Just one more button to click, and we’ll be all set.”

  Bria’s entire body warmed from his touch, causing her face to flush. Now she was the one blushing while Brandon remained cool and collected. Funny how they had switched roles. “I think this is the right thing to do, but I can’t help feeling nervous.”

  He eyed her with concern. “There’s no need to be. It’s not like we’re signing our lives away.”

  She begged to differ. Marriage was a lifetime commitment. How could he remain calm? “But by this time tomorrow, we’ll be married. Like actually be husband and wife.”

  “Sure,” he agreed, “but it’s only temporary. As soon as things settle down with Richard, we’ll get an annulment.”

  Bria blinked. “An annulment?”

  “It’ll be like the marriage never happened. That way you won’t be stuck with me for the rest of your life.” He nudged her arm playfully before hitting the “submit” button.

  “Uh, of course.”

  Bria hoped the waver in her voice didn’t betray her true feelings. Disappointment formed in the pit of her stomach like a boulder. What had she been thinking? This was a marriage on paper only. She’d been foolish to assume Brandon would want anything more, especially after the way she’d taken him for granted in the past.

  No wonder she didn’t enjoy reading romance novels. Her life would never be as picture-perfect as the kind of stories Brandon wrote. She’d lost her chance at her own happy ending, and she had no choice but to accept this fact.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Brandon

  Brandon placed a hand on Seth’s shoulder as he walked him up the steps to the two-story condo. He had offered to drop Seth off at Amy’s since he had several errands to run on this Friday morning, his wedding day. Bria had already told Seth that she and Brandon would be running errands and getting ready to move them into his home. Seth had accepted the situation with no qualms and seemed okay—even excited—about the change.

  When they reached the doorstep, Brandon paused and knelt in front of Seth. Smiling up at the young boy who reminded him so much of himself, he stated, “Your mom and I will be back to pick you up in a few hours. If you need anything, just ask Ms. Amy. You can also call us anytime, even just to say hi.”

  Seth nodded, his blue eyes trained on Brandon’s face. He pushed his lips together as if he were trying to decide how to respond. When he spoke, his expression was serious. “I’ll be okay, Mr. B. It’s my first time at Ms. Amy’s place, but I know she’s nice. This isn’t half as scary as going to the sandwich shop by myself.”

  Brandon’s chest swelled with pride. Seth wasn’t his son, but he had a glimpse of what it must feel like to be a parent. It wasn’t easy for anyone, much less a child, to overcome his fears. He placed both hands on Seth’s shoulders and smiled. “You’re very brave, Seth. Much braver than I was when I was your age. But it’s okay if you feel scared. I always pray for God’s help when I am. He’s always there for us when we need Him; we just need to ask. Remember that, okay?”

  Seth nodded readily, his blond hair falling into his eyes. “I know.”

  “Good.” Brandon rose and knocked on the door.

  Footsteps approached before a female voice called out on the other side, “Who is it?”

  “Hi, Amy, it’s Brandon. Brandon Spark. I’ve brought Seth over.”

  The door swung open to reveal a woman with a bright smile on her face. “Mr. Spark, it’s good to hear your beautiful voice again.”

  Brandon shook her outstretched hand. “It’s good to see you. Thank you so much for having Seth over.”

  “It’s no problem at all. Hi there, Seth,” Amy greeted him. “I heard you brought some books with you. I have a comfy beanbag chair all ready for you to read on.” She stepped aside and motioned for the boy to enter.

  Seth glanced up at Brandon before he inched forward. “Thank you,” he murmured as he passed Amy.

  Brandon gave Seth a thumbs-up when he turned around. “We’ll be back in a few hours. If you need anything, Amy, don’t hesitate to call Bria.”

  “Will do. You two take your time. Enjoy your day together.”

  “Thanks. I’ll see you soon, buddy,” he called out to Seth before heading back down the driveway. He paused, however, when the sound of soft footsteps came running after him. He turned around in time to see Seth bound up and throw his arms around his waist. “Hey! What’s wrong?”

  Seth let go and looked up. “Nothing. I just wanted to say bye again.”

  Brandon reached out to ruffle his blond locks. This little boy was quickly worming his way into his heart—big time. “Thanks, buddy. I appreciate it.”

  “I also wanted to say I hope you and my mom have a good date.” He punctuated his sentence with a wide grin before running back to Amy’s house.

  What just happened? Brandon shook his head in amusement. Where had Seth gotten the idea he and Bria were going on a date? And what did a nine-year-old know about dating anyway? He’d have to tell Bria about this. He was sure she’d have a good laugh over her son’s comment.

  He made his way to his car and pulled back onto the road. As he drove, he reflected on the situation at hand and almost laughed. For once, his real life was a lot stranger and more entertaining than the fiction he wrote.

  He was marrying Bria today. Sure, it wasn’t happening the way he’d always hoped, but he’d come to accept that the chances of his dreams coming true were zero to none. He’d concluded this over the past few days. Having Bria over had reinforced the fact that she only saw him as a friend, maybe even a brother.
There were no signs of flirtation on her part as far as he could tell. And he’d written enough about lingering looks and intentional body contact to know when a woman was interested in a man. Bria did none of these things, so he’d given up on hoping anymore. Once in the friend zone, always in the friend zone.

  Therefore, as Bria’s good friend, he’d decided to help her however he could. His offer wasn’t the most conventional one, but it would work. It’d been worth it to see the relief on her face when he brought up a marriage of convenience. And to further lessen her worries, he had reassured her the union would only be temporary.

  He had never associated the word “temporary” with marriage. He believed in love lasting for a lifetime; that’s how his stories always ended. But this situation wasn’t cookie-cutter or picture-perfect—far from it—which meant their choices were limited and less than ideal. An annulment, however, provided a less jarring way out of the marriage. That’s what he told himself. And what he’d tried to convince his brothers of when he confided in their group chat about marrying Bria.

  Colin had congratulated him right away. Darren had reassured him he was doing the right thing. Evan had simply responded with three emojis: a thumbs-up, one of a man and a woman with kissy faces, and a pregnant woman. He didn’t want to consider what their youngest brother was implying with the last emoji. Evan had been making them all a bit concerned lately with the questionable things his character on TV was engaging in.

  Aiden, however, had been silent for the longest time. Brandon could sense his disapproval through the phone. Those three dots showing his older brother typing out a message had appeared on his screen, disappeared, then reappeared. When his text finally came through, it said, Did you tell Mom and Dad?

  Brandon had released a long, heavy breath then, just as he was doing now as he pulled up to the front of Aiden’s home. He parked and made his way up the steps to his brother’s former bachelor pad. Since Aiden had started dating, he’d put away his video gaming systems and gotten some colorful throw pillows to liven up the space. He had also returned to his musical roots and begun writing and recording new songs for a solo record.