At First Spark (The Spark Brothers Book 4) Read online

  He raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. “Believe me, it’s not for lack of trying. I’ve always been better at physical things. Out of the five of us guys, I walked the earliest. My mom says I went from sitting to standing practically overnight.”

  “How funny. I’m the exact opposite. I was never good at sports, and I’m still not. But give me a stack of books to read or an essay to write and I’m a happy camper.”

  “It’s something to do with how we’re wired. You know, it’s in the genes. God gave us all different strengths and weaknesses.”

  “I suppose so.” Danica returned her attention to the toilet paper. Talking about genetics always made her uncomfortable. It wasn’t that she didn’t agree with Darren’s statement; she did. But she lacked the proof to back it up. She didn’t know anything about her birth mother who had dropped her off at a fire station the week she was born. She had so many unanswered questions about her birth parents, as well as her medical history. This was one topic that had been weighing heavily on her mind lately.

  After a minute of silence, Darren piped up, pointing to what vaguely resembled a bow in her hands. “Hey, that’s coming along nicely. You’ve got the magic touch.”

  “Thanks. I think this’ll do.” She held up the finished product to her waist, then to her shoulder. “Where do you think it should go?”

  “Hmm … how about we make it into a necklace?”

  “Sure.” She grabbed another strand of toilet paper long enough to wrap around the middle of the bow, with some remaining on either side. She brought it up to her neck and began to knot the ends. The task was harder than she thought. Her fingers fumbled and she almost dropped the bow.

  Darren stepped to her side to assess her progress. “Here, let me try.” He moved behind her and placed his hands over hers, gently removing the paper from her grasp.

  Danica inhaled sharply. This time she was the one who reacted as if she’d been burned. A series of warm tingles shot up her arm from Darren’s touch. She immediately dropped her arms as her cheeks heated. Jutting her lower lip out, she blew some air upward, trying to cool her face.

  Friends—that’s all she and Darren were. She repeated the phrase to herself, holding as still as possible even though her heart raced inside her chest. He was so close; she could smell his aftershave. The spicy, woodsy scent made her want to close her eyes and lean back against his chest. When she thought she wouldn’t be able to resist the urge much longer, he moved back to face her. She moistened her lips and asked, “All done?”

  “All done.”

  Their gazes locked for a brief moment. Danica couldn’t decipher the look in his eyes, but its intensity made her swallow hard. It seemed as if everyone else in the room had faded away, leaving just the two of them together. Before she could blink though, he cleared his throat and broke off eye contact.

  Darren rubbed the back of his neck, looking chagrined. “Uh, this is a random question, but are you seeing anyone?”

  “What?” Danica blinked twice. She couldn’t have heard him right. Was he trying to ask her out?

  “What I meant was, would you be interested in going on a date?”

  “Oh, yes, for sure.” Her pulse began racing. Had she been wrong all this time? Maybe there was hope for them yet. “I’d love to.”

  Darren’s features relaxed. “Cool. I have a buddy down at the station who I think you’d get along well with. He’s a bookworm, too. I’d be happy to connect the two of you and set something up.”

  “Oh, um … okay.” Danica couldn’t keep the disappointment out of her voice. She wasn’t just wrong; she was certifiably crazy to have thought Darren was asking her—

  Pop!

  She jumped as the balloon under her dress suddenly burst. The area around her stomach deflated as all the air rushed out of the rubber sac, along with any hope in her heart. The situation couldn’t be clearer. She’d been pushed undeniably and completely into the friend zone.

  Chapter Three

  Darren

  Darren stood with his feet shoulder width apart, balancing a kettle bell with both hands. He bent his knees until his thighs were parallel to the floor, then returned to a standing position. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. With sweat dripping down the sides of his face, he pushed himself through each deadlift even as his legs burned. When he had finished his fifth rep, he let himself rest. He set the weight down and grabbed his towel from a workbench. Chest heaving, he wiped his face and neck that were hot and sticky from his one-hour workout.

  “Something’s going on, Spark.”

  He turned around to see his colleague, Julian, standing in the doorway of their station’s gym, dressed in a black tank top and matching shorts. Slinging his towel back onto the work bench, Darren muttered, “What do you mean?”

  The redheaded, baby-faced firefighter walked in and picked up two dumbbells. In between reps, he eyed Darren with a curious expression. “You’re up before the crack of dawn to work out. And I’m assuming you’re the one who cleaned and mopped the bathrooms already? The last time you did this was when you were getting over your ex. So, what gives? What woman’s got you worked up this time?”

  “Can’t a guy do some work without being questioned?” Darren blurted out more forcefully than he intended. He usually appreciated Julian’s straightforwardness, but he wasn’t in the mood to talk. Especially not with the man he was planning to set up with the woman he liked. In all honesty though, he couldn’t have picked a better man.

  Besides his brothers, Julian was the one guy he felt the most comfortable with. They’d gone through a lot of ups and downs working together for the past seven years. Julian was the only one outside his immediate family that knew about his medical condition. Also a fellow Christian, he took turns with Darren in leading Bible study for the crew whenever their shift fell on a Sunday. All things considered, Julian was the perfect guy to date Danica. Which made Darren feel worse about his current attitude. “Sorry, I shouldn’t be taking out my frustrations on you.”

  Julian set his weights down with a frown. “It’s all right. Wanna talk about it?”

  Darren shook his head, choosing instead to drop to the ground on all fours. A rubbery smell from the workout mat beneath him filled his senses. His cotton T-shirt, clinging to his torso with perspiration, barely moved as he channeled his pent-up energy into a set of push-ups. The repetitive, up and down motion was a good analogy of the way he went through life. One second, he was close to something he desired, yet in the next moment, he was stepping back to distance himself from it.

  Or being forced to pull away.

  He’d been devastated when his ex, Tori, had broken off their engagement. But he couldn’t blame her. His high risk of infertility had been a sticking point throughout their relationship. They had talked about adopting once they got married, but shortly after he proposed, she’d decided adoption wasn’t for her. No doubt, most—if not all—women would feel the same.

  Including Danica.

  This was a reality he thought he’d accepted. He was supposed to have gone through the grieving process already, but all his disappointment, frustration, and sadness threatened to consume him like a raging wildfire. This burden felt like a literal weight upon his shoulders and back, making it harder than usual to push himself off the floor. Feeling defeated, he fell onto his knees, then sat back. “You’re right, there is a girl. She’s amazing—smart, beautiful, and kind. A solid believer in Christ. She’s got the best smile, too. She’s pretty much perfect.”

  Julian beamed as he gave Darren a thumbs-up. “Now we’re talking. So, what’s her name and when are you going to ask her out?”

  “It’s Danica. And I’m not the one who’s going to date her.” He gave Julian a pointed look. “You are.”

  “M-me?” Julian sputtered, his green eyes wide. “Did I miss something here? You didn’t happen to hit your head with a dumbbell before I walked in, did you?”

  Darren smirked. “She’s already agreed to go on a date w
ith you. Is it okay if I give her your number?”

  “No, it’s not okay. I’m not getting in between you and this girl that you’re obviously interested in. Why don’t you take her out yourself?”

  “Because I’m not getting married,” he stated matter-of-factly. “And before you start with your usual ‘What if’ spiel, I already know Danica wants kids of her own. She made it clear at Brandon’s baby shower this past weekend.”

  Julian pursed his lips, seeming to want to say more, but he didn’t. With an exaggerated groan, he replied, “Fine. Give her my number. I’ll be sure to make a horrible impression and talk about you the entire time. This little plan of yours is going to backfire, just you wait.”

  Darren scoffed, shaking his head in amusement. “Just you wait. You’re going to fall so hard for Danica when you see her, you won’t even remember your own name, let alone mine.”

  “Don’t take this the wrong way, Dare, but you’re crazy. Crazy with a capital C. But I still love you, brother. And I’m going to keep praying for you.”

  “Not crazy, just realistic.” Darren grabbed his towel and slung it over his shoulder. “Thanks, man. I’m gonna hit the shower first, then text Danica.”

  He strode out of the gym, still hearing Julian muttering to himself. The only words he made out were, He needs your help, Lord! Darren had to agree. It would be painful when Julian and Danica started a relationship—as he was certain they would once they met—but that reality would force him to move on. But he’d certainly need a supernatural kind of peace to stand by and watch. Only the kind of peace that Jesus gave, one that surpassed all understanding, would keep him sane. The same kind of peace he held onto every time he put his life on the line for his job.

  During his shower, and afterwards as he was getting dressed, Darren tried his best to not give into the envy clouding his heart. He leaned against the counter of the communal bathroom, toweling off his hair. His reflection in the partially fogged-up mirror, however, betrayed his true feelings. There was a sadness in his dark brown eyes that he usually kept hidden, even from his family. He wanted to be happy for his brothers, and he was. But he’d be the first to admit he’d struggled big time when first Aiden, then Brandon, and most recently, Colin had found the loves of their lives. Even their youngest brother, Evan, was in a promising relationship.

  Where did this leave him? Single as usual.

  His cell phone suddenly buzzed, stopping his train wreck of thoughts. Darren pulled his phone from his pants pockets and swiped it open to reveal a new message.

  Hi Darren, how are you?

  He winced when he saw the Spanish word Fuego at the top of the screen. It was silly of him to have saved Danica’s number like that in his contacts. But it was a good reminder for him to not play with fire.

  Another text followed: Sorry to bug you at work, but we need to finalize the details for our Napa trip.

  With just six weeks left until Aiden and Abby’s early August wedding, there were a dozen things to check off the wedding party’s to-do list. For him and Danica, it was booking the activities for their joint bachelor/bachelorette getaway.

  You’re not bugging me, he typed back. I’m fine. How are you?

  Good! Just got a new shipment of books to shelve. No dictionaries though.

  Darren grinned to see the emoji of a flexing bicep at the end of her sentence. He quickly texted back, That’s a shame. Guess you’ll have to use a regular doorstopper. He followed up with a winking face emoji.

  The next text appeared with a series of three emojis: a shocked expression, a tongue-sticking out face, and a laughing one with tears.

  Darren laughed, the sound echoing off the tiled walls. Sorry, I couldn’t help myself, he replied with a sad faced emoji.

  No harm, no foul. Two beaming faced emojis punctuated the sentence.

  The door to the bathroom swung open, allowing a breeze of cool air to penetrate the steamy bathroom. Julian walked in, his cheeks flushed a similar shade of red as his hair. “I see that look on your face,” he teased. “You’re texting her, aren’t you?”

  Darren immediately sobered up and cleared his throat. “I was just about to give her your number,” he called out as Julian walked past him toward the showers.

  Despite the soothing sound of running water in the background, Darren began typing with a sudden urgency. It was a good thing Julian had walked in when he did. He shouldn’t be having this much fun chatting with a woman he didn’t have a future with.

  Put out any fires today?

  Danica’s next text came through while he was half way through writing his. He deleted his sentence and started a new one. Nope. Fingers crossed there won’t be any today. Just a couple of building inspections scheduled.

  A thumbs-up emoji popped up on the screen, followed by: That’s good to hear. I’ll be praying for your safety.

  Darren’s chest constricted. You don’t have to … He stopped himself mid-sentence and erased the four words. In light of the danger that came with his job, he’d be foolish to turn down her prayers. He simply wrote back, Thank you. I appreciate it. So, back to the Napa trip, Abby mentioned trying out mud baths. Anything else?

  Three dots flashed across the screen, signaling that Danica was typing.

  Darren rubbed a hand over his face as he waited. He should’ve stuck to business from the get-go. Now the emojis on his screen stared back at him, taunting him with their smiles. He tapped his sneaker-clad foot, eager to get this conversation over with. No more emojis. No more joking around. He was mentally prepared for anything Danica might throw his way.

  A new text appeared: For the last time, I am NOT asking Darren out!

  His mouth fell open. What was Danica talking about?

  Chapter Four

  Danica

  Danica leaned her elbows on the counter, supporting herself as she typed on her phone. To her right was a cash register; to her left were several piles of the new books she’d been telling Darren about via text. A paperback romance novel caught her eye with its hot image—both literally and figuratively. The gorgeous fireman gracing the cover was in full uniform and surrounded by reddish-orange flames. With dark brown hair and eyes, he reminded her of the man she was messaging at the moment. The man her best friend, Abby, was encouraging her to ask out.

  Encouraging was putting it mildly. Abby wouldn’t know subtle if it hit her in the face. Her most recent text message was in all caps with multiple exclamation points: ASK DARREN OUT!!!!!

  Danica jerked her head up as the bell over the front door sounded. Strands of blonde hair fell into her eyes, confirming that the bun she’d thrown her hair into an hour earlier was already coming apart. That’s what happened when she was left to run the bookstore by herself.

  The two college-aged employees she had hired to help her had taken the week off to study for finals. Which meant she had to field all the customer requests, man the phone, and ring purchases up by herself. She really didn’t have the capacity to also be texting Abby and Darren at the same time.

  Going back and forth between two conversations took so much focus, she nearly replied to the wrong person once. It also didn’t help that she’d saved Darren’s information under the name Amazing. Having his entry appear at the top of her contact list made it easier to find him. Plus, he really was amazing; there was no denying that. But as wonderful as Darren was, she was not going to follow through with Abby’s request.

  Hoping to get Abby off her back once and for all, Danica quickly replied with an adamant text: I am NOT asking Darren out!

  With a new customer walking in, she locked her screen and set the phone behind the counter. She went over to greet the tall blond man who was browsing the romance section. “Hi there. Welcome to Between the Lines. Is there anything specific you’re looking for today?”

  The man who looked to be in his early thirties met her gaze. He was well-groomed and obviously worked a white-collar job with his blue dress shirt and tan pants. He flashed her a grin that showe
d off his dimples. “Thanks—” he stole a glance at her name tag “—Danica. I was hoping to find the latest book by Brandon Spark. Have you heard of him? My sister’s a big fan, and his book is the only thing she wants for her birthday.”

  Danica nodded eagerly at the mention of her friend’s name. “I actually have a couple of signed copies stashed in a secret location. Follow me.”

  She led the man to the checkout counter where she found the paperback he was looking for. “Here it is,” she announced as she held it up. “She’s going to love this story. It’s my favorite one of Brandon’s yet.”

  “Awesome. You’re helping me win the Best Brother of the Year award with a signed copy,” he added with a wink. “I can’t thank you enough.”

  “It’s no problem at all. Brandon’s actually a friend of mine. If your sister has other books of his that she’d like signed, let me know. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind. He really appreciates his readers.”

  “Thanks. I’ll be sure to tell her.”

  Danica slipped the book into a brown paper bag with a logo of an open book with a pair of eyes over it. “I can ring you up, unless you have something else you want to add.”

  The man’s blue eyes brightened. “There is one more book I want. The Time Rift. I lost my copy at the gym the other day. Would you happen to have it in stock?”

  Her eyes widened in appreciation. “That’s one of my favorites. Wasn’t it crazy when Lance got déjà vu?” She promptly clamped a hand over her mouth. “Sorry, spoiler alert! Tell me you already got to that part. I hope I didn’t ruin it for you.”

  The man chuckled, the sound deep and rich. “No problem. That was the last scene I read, so I’m dying to find out what happens next.”