The Sweetest Spark (The Spark Brothers Book 3) Page 2

  The phrase Candy had borrowed from her own mother was one which she’d used many times in the past to convince Aiden to find love again. Hearts did change. Candy believed it and had seen it with her own eyes. Perhaps she ought to pray for God to change her own heart, to help her not feel for Colin anymore. Because in all honesty, she still cared for him deeply.

  “Come on, let’s get back to the table.” Candy walked over to the restroom door and opened it for Abby. They both walked through into the well-lit hallway, past several framed paintings of the French countryside hanging on the wall. This restaurant was one of her favorites in the Bay Area and one of the few she’d given a glowing review to. She especially enjoyed their desserts and looked forward to the chef’s latest creation of his own version of Mont Blanc, a chestnut cream meringue.

  She followed Abby as they headed back to their table, her heels clicking against the wooden floor, until a tall figure stepped in front of her. One whiff of the man’s musky cologne confirmed Colin’s presence, as did the warmth radiating from his body. Candy would’ve liked to wrap herself up in it, especially in this cold winter weather. Instead, she stepped back, careful not to make contact with the man who had a way of worming his way into her heart. “Excuse me,” she stated, trying to sidestep her way around him.

  “Candy, can we talk?” Colin stood firmly, crossing his arms as if he meant business. “Please?”

  “Colin, that’s not a good idea.” Candy peered around him to look for Abby and see if she’d help her out of this situation. No luck though; her friend was long gone. So much for counting on her friend’s nosiness. She crossed her arms and peered up into Colin’s pleading eyes, then immediately dropped her gaze. It was best not to look directly into his eyes. That’s how she’d found herself letting down her guard around him. “I thought I made it clear; there’s no future for us. We’re too different. It would never work.”

  He stepped close, leaning his head down next to hers. His voice was husky when he spoke. “If that’s the case, I want you to tell it to me straight. Look me in the eyes and say there’s no future for us. Then I’ll let you go on your way and never bother you again.”

  “What? What difference does it make how I say it?” Candy turned her head to the side, away from his face. She stared at the intricate pattern of the tiles on the wall, anywhere but his eyes. For some people, sugar was their weakness; for her, it was Colin.

  “It makes all the difference. Because you say one thing, but your eyes say something completely different. I need to know, Candy, what you want. Just tell me the truth.”

  She shut her eyes, her stomach twisting at the dilemma he presented her. Why did he have to be so stubborn and so smart? Why couldn’t he just let her be? She held her breath for a moment and prayed for wisdom. She knew in her heart that it wasn’t right to string him along when she didn’t intend to date him. She’d only agreed to help him sample and name new ice-cream flavors as a one-time favor but ended up spending hours with him, laughing and talking. Days turned into weeks then became months. Soon they were meeting for more than business. Colin was so easy to be around. He had a way of making her forget all her worries … until he became one of them.

  She’d always known Colin had a crush on her, ever since they met as kids. She’d done all she could to help the Spark boys, seeing as how their families had been through so much together. When Colin needed a job the summer before college, she’d found one for him as a driver for the catering company she worked for. That had been around the time her sister’s last cancer treatment had failed. On a particularly vulnerable day, she had cried on Colin’s shoulder after work, which led her to making a rash decision, one she regretted to this day. Standing here now with Colin only a foot away, she was never more sure of anything in her life.

  Lifting her lashes, she forced herself to look him in the eyes. The tenderness and hope she saw there drew her in, making it impossible to think straight. But she knew what must be done, to end things once and for all. With a pounding heart, she stated, “If you must know the truth, I wish I’d never kissed you all those years ago.” She swallowed hard. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to my seat.”

  She walked away with the image of Colin’s shocked face seared into her memory.

  Chapter Three

  Colin

  Colin glanced up when he heard the bell ringing on the front door of his shop, Cherry on Top. To his surprise, Brandon walked in with his stepson, Seth, who immediately ran up to the glass case of ice cream. His blue eyes grew as round as saucers as he peered inside at the colorful display.

  “Hi, Uncle Colin,” Seth piped up, his eyes not moving from the display. “Look, Dad, there’s buttered popcorn with rainbow sprinkles today! My favorite. Can I get that one?”

  “Of course, buddy,” Brandon answered, giving his son a light tousle on his blond head. He met Colin’s gaze and smiled. “Hey, bro, one scoop of Pop A Squat for Seth and I’ll take a Bacon Bonanza, please.”

  “Sure thing,” Colin replied, finally feeling a spark of happiness after the crummy evening he’d had yesterday. He hadn’t wanted to dwell on Candy’s last words to him, but there they were, replaying themselves in his head again. He still wasn’t sure what to make of her comment, but he’d come to the conclusion that Candy hadn’t said no to a future for them. She’d only mentioned the past, something which neither of them could change.

  Personally, he didn’t like thinking about the should-have-beens. Each day was a gift from the Lord with new opportunities to explore. He much preferred thinking about the possibilities than dwelling on regrets. Making up his mind to focus on the positives, Colin gave Brandon and Seth a wide smile. “Since you guys are my only customers so far today, I’ll give you each a double scoop. How’s that sound?”

  “Yeah!” Seth exclaimed before turning to Brandon. “Is that okay, Dad?”

  “Sure. We’ll go play an extra round of miniature golf after this to burn off the calories.” He pointed Seth to a nearby table and suggested he sit down. “I need to talk to Uncle Colin for a second.”

  Seth’s eyes brightened. “Oh, good luck with that.”

  “What was that about?” Colin asked with a chuckle. He took a scooper, opened the glass case, and began filling the order. “What do you need luck with?”

  One half of Brandon’s mouth curved up in an uneasy smile. “So, uh, we’re kind of worried about you. How’s business lately? I know winter is a slow season, but there hasn’t been anyone else in the shop whenever we stop by.”

  Colin tried to keep his tone light, even though he was just as concerned as his brother. “It’s been quieter than usual, but only because of that store that opened across the street last month. You know how it is, people flock to a new place for a couple of months to try it out, then the excitement dies down. Folks’ll come back, especially once the weather warms up.”

  Brandon gave him a wistful look as he took some cash from his wallet and set the bills on the counter. “I hope so.”

  Colin raised his hand in protest. “Keep your money. It’s on the house.”

  “I appreciate it, Colin, but a worker deserves his wages. It says so in the Bible. The book of First Timothy, remember?”

  “Well, I can’t argue with that. Thanks, Bran,” he replied with reluctance. “But once business picks up, you guys get all the free ice cream you want again.”

  Brandon shifted his weight nervously from one foot to another. “Well, about that, just between you and me, I heard from Bria, who heard from Abby, that Aiden’s starting to wonder how long you’ll be in this venture for. Now that he’s getting married and looking to start a family in the near future, he doesn’t know if he can keep funding your ventures. Or rather, he doesn’t know if Abby wants him to.”

  Sighing, Colin handed Brandon the two cones full of ice cream. He was afraid things would come to this point. He’d always relied on Aiden, who had some money saved from his songwriting royalties, to support his crazy, impulsive b
usiness ideas. He’d done everything you could think of under the sun—from being a dog walker and courier to a tour guide—and nothing had panned out. He didn’t blame Aiden or Abby for not wanting to invest in his ventures anymore. Especially if they knew he’d just received a letter from the building management, informing him of a rent increase. He could barely make ends meet now; how was he supposed to come up with another $500 every month?

  He blew out a frustrated breath. “I get it. Aiden has his own family to take care of now. I don’t expect to live off him forever. I’m a big boy. Turning thirty next week, as you well know. I’ll figure something out.”

  “I’m sure you will. You have the most ideas out of all of us.” Brandon paused before continuing in a hushed voice. “Speaking of family, Bria and I wanted you to be one of the first to know we’re expanding ours.”

  “What?” Colin leaped up in surprise and ran around the counter to hug his brother. “You’re pregnant? I mean, not you, of course, but Bria?”

  “We are.” A shy smile appeared on his face. “The baby will be here in late June, just in time for the wedding.”

  “That’s awesome. Congrats, bro, I’m so happy for you.” Colin looked over at Seth who had his face pressed up to the window. “Seth knows already?”

  “Yeah, he’s looking forward to being a big brother.” Brandon turned to the young boy and called out, “Hey, Seth, I told Uncle Colin about the baby.”

  Seth turned around, his cheeks pink with excitement. “Isn’t it cool, Uncle Colin? Can we tell Miss Candy the good news, too?”

  Colin’s head jerked up at the mention of Candy’s name. “Huh? Candy’s not here right now …”

  “I see her across the street.” Seth turned and pointed out the window.

  Colin craned his head as his jaw dropped. Sure enough, the dark-haired woman who’d stolen his heart was coming out of a shop—his competitor’s shop—and walking down the sidewalk to her car. Dressed in a light gray sweater dress with a pair of knee-high boots and her hair falling in bouncy waves around her perfectly made-up face, Candy looked like she’d walked off the pages of a fashion magazine. He knew better though. She was on a mission to sabotage his store. “I don’t believe it.”

  “Don’t believe what?” Brandon asked. “Maybe she’s writing a review for that place.”

  “I bet that’s exactly what she’s doing,” Colin muttered under his breath. Before he could explain, he called out to Brandon, “I’ll be back,” and rushed out the door.

  His body tensed as he reacted to the cold wind outside. The sun was out as it usually was in the Bay Area, but there was a slight chill in the air. But not as much as the one he felt in his heart as he ran toward Candy’s car.

  She looked up, surprise on her face, as he neared. “Colin? What are you doing here?”

  “I could ask you the same thing,” Colin touted with his arms crossed over his long-sleeved pullover. “In case you don’t remember, I work right across the street in that nice little ice-cream shop that you refused to write a review for when I asked you to last year. Don’t tell me you’re here to help out my competition?”

  She bristled. “I’m just doing my job. This is the first all-organic dessert shop in Mountain View, so I had to come check it out. It’s nothing personal, Colin. If I were to review your store, it would become personal, and we both know I can’t do that.”

  “Why not? I think we already crossed that line years ago when you kissed me.”

  Her face flushed a bright red that rivaled the shade of her lipstick. Her composure fell for a brief second. “I thought we agreed to never talk about that.”

  “You were the one who brought it up last night.”

  “So I did.” She crossed her arms as well, her expression guarded. Glancing around, she lowered her voice as she continued, “We both know I was in a very vulnerable state that day. I wasn’t in my right mind. And you, you were so sweet to listen—” She shook her head as if to clear the memory from her mind. “I shouldn’t have taken advantage of you like that. You were barely an adult.”

  Colin couldn’t help but laugh at her comment. Their first and only kiss had been a lot more innocent than she was making it out to be. “I was eighteen, Candy. Sure, I’d only turned eighteen the week before, but I was legal. There was nothing wrong with what we did, especially not that kiss. It was the best one I’ve ever had. I’m thankful you were my first.”

  Her blue-gray eyes twinkled for a moment. “I was your first? Are you sure about that because you kissed me like a pro.” She squeezed her eyes shut and clamped her lips together. When she opened them again, they were more steely and dark. “That’s beside the point. No more talk about kissing.”

  “Okay, fine. No more talk about kissing.” Even though one look at her full red lips made Colin want to do nothing but pull her into his arms and claim her mouth with his. “Back to what we were talking about.”

  She took a step back, her pupils dilated. “Which was …?”

  He grinned, liking how his closeness made her flustered. “About my competition.” He stole a glance at the storefront with its dancing spoon logo. “Tell me the truth. Are they the reason why I haven’t had any business this whole week, besides my brothers who come in just to pity me?” He added a sigh for dramatic effect, which he hoped would tug on Candy’s heartstrings. He knew she was a softie inside, no matter how stoic she made herself come across.

  Candy’s expression softened considerably. “I’m sorry business hasn’t been going well for you. It’s hard though when this place has so much more to offer in terms of variety. Plus, their desserts are on the healthier side, which is what people want these days. I’m sorry, Colin, but they’re good. Their presence does make it hard for you.”

  “So that means you’re going to write a glowing review for them?”

  She hesitated, warring emotions flickering across her face. “Not a glowing one, a decent one. As I said, it’s nothing personal, Colin. I love your shop with its bright colors and unique flavors. But you’re going to need to change things up if you want to stay relevant. Or at the very least, stay in business.”

  Colin’s shoulders drooped, feeling as if all the air had been sucked out of him. He might as well hang up his ice-cream scooper now and join a monastery. For someone used to seeing the glass as brimming to the top, he felt deflated and faithless. Where were the doors God was supposed to open for him?

  Candy must’ve sensed his despair because she reached over and placed a hand on his arm, giving it a soft squeeze. “Maybe it’s time to try something more conventional,” she suggested. “Something more adult?”

  Her words shot straight to his heart, igniting a flame. So that’s what this was about. “I get it now. You don’t think I’m adult enough for you.”

  Her guilty expression told him exactly what he already knew.

  Chapter Four

  Candy

  Candy cringed. She’d never wanted to hurt Colin’s feelings. Sure, she could be a bit brash at times and speak her mind too easily, but not with Colin. She couldn’t do that to him.

  He’d seen her at her worst, when she was the most vulnerable and broken. Seeing her younger sister, Mandy, suffer through cancer treatments had done one thing: hardened her. She’d had to be the strong one in her family, to remain optimistic for her parents, even when all hope was lost. She had never cried in front of them and had certainly never shown her despair to Mandy. The only person she’d ever let her guard down in front of had been Colin.

  He’d found her crying in her car on a February day much like today, except it’d been raining. She had just received a call from her mom letting her know the doctors had predicted Mandy wouldn’t last much longer. That was the last straw, when the last glimmer of hope faded. She’d buried her face in her hands and let all the sorrow from the past year wash over her.

  Colin had knocked on her window to say goodbye after his shift was over. He’d taken one look at her, climbed into the passenger seat of her c
ar, and pulled her into a tight embrace. His strong arms held her as she buried her face in the crook of his neck, wetting the front of his shirt that was already damp from the rain. He’d held her for the better part of an hour, encouraging her to cry. When everyone around her had expected her to be strong, he let her be soft. He had provided her with an unexpected gift that day. The kiss had been great, but the solace he offered her was the real treasure.

  It seemed she had given him a gift as well with that kiss.

  With him standing a foot away from her right now, the two of them on the sidewalk, she understood why she’d kissed him. He was like a breath of fresh air, all smiles and good times. She loved it when he laughed, how the corners of his eyes crinkled and he threw his head back with abandon. He didn’t take himself too seriously, and he didn’t break a sweat when things didn’t go his way. He just bounced back and tried something new.

  Perhaps the only thing he didn’t feel confident about was her. And now, here he was, bringing up the very thing that she’d been avoiding telling him about.

  “Is that why you don’t see a future for us, Candy?” he reiterated, his brows furrowed. “Is it because I’m younger than you?”

  She inhaled, taking time to plan her answer. Why hadn’t she been straight with him from the get-go and stopped all this nonsense months ago? She met his gaze and decided to speak the truth. “Yes, and no. It’s not just your age, Colin. It’s the fact that we’re two very different people with two very different outlooks on life. I know where I’m headed and what I want. You’re … still figuring things out.”

  His brows shot up as a look of indignation crossed his face. “And what’s wrong with figuring things out? I have a lot of interests that I want to explore. I also have a lot of strengths that make me good at different things. It’s just taking me a bit longer to find my place. Not everyone wakes up when they’re five and decides they want to be a food critic.”