Sparks the Matchmaker (Aaron Sparks Series) by Russell Elkins Page B

He wouldn’t have left them, maybe. If I’d have left it alone, maybe he wouldn’t have…” He backhanded the thought and moved on. “I was too focused on revenge. I didn’t pay attention to who else might suffer. Some children grow up just fine without a father, but that girl… she needed her father.”
    Sparks looked very sad to Ollie. He asked softly, “Where is she now?”
    Sparks shook his head and continued to stare at the floor.
    Ollie wasn’t sure what to say now. Remorse and regret poured off of Sparks as he paused again to gather himself. Ollie waited, suddenly feeling less alone. Not only was it a little comforting for Ollie to know that Sparks had normal emotions and feelings just like everyone else, but in a selfish kind of way he found a little relief in knowing he wasn’t the only one in the world who was hurting.
    “After that,” Sparks said, “I started to realize just how different I am. I also saw the path I was starting to take, and I didn’t want to be that kind of person. I didn’t want to be the kind of guy who spent his time picking people’s lives apart. Instead… well, here I am with you.”
    “Not to sound insensitive, but why didn’t you try to find the girl and try to fix—”
    “Because I did try.” Sparks didn’t allow him to ask the whole question. “I tried to help her when her life started to spin out, but she wouldn’t hear of it. Remember how I said some people won’t accept any help? She’s one. I’ve tried to go back more than once, hoping for a chance. But every time I only make it worse. Maybe… hopefully someday, but not now.”
    “And I suppose this also explains… uh, your stubb— er, your personality?”
    Finally, a smile. Sparks made eye contact and let a small laugh slip out. “I know. I know. I’m the life of the party.”
    Ollie felt satisfied that he had a general idea about who Sparks really was. He was still, however, left with one question in regard to himself, and it was the big one: what— specifically— was Sparks here to help him with? He knew he wanted help getting back on his feet somehow, but he felt like he needed to pin it down better than that. He didn’t quite know how to articulate it.
    “I’ll be back in the morning, Ollster. You can tell me on your way to class what you’ve decided you want out of me.”
    “You make me crazy, you know that?”
    Sparks grinned again.
    “Alright then. Whatever I decide to do, you’ll uh, you’ll help me with it? Whatever I want?”
    “Yeah. I mean, I already know what you’re gonna decide. You’ve just gotta come up with it on your own. And there are gonna be some strings attached.”

    ***

    Autumn wasn’t terribly cold unless it was spent in one of the houses surrounding the university campus. Tall House was big, which made it nice for guests and parties, but it was really hard to keep warm. The old fashioned windows, the roof, the lack of insulation sucked every bit of warmth right out of it. When the roomies at Tall House got their first utility bill, they freaked out and decided unanimously that each person would use a space heater to cozy up their own room at night rather than keep the entire house warm while everyone was sleeping.
    Ollie had taken out his small space heater a few days earlier, placing it in the center of the floor. It had a built in thermostat, so it turned itself on if the room got too cold. The coils inside glowed orange as it worked to heat up the room, periodically illuminating everything around as it buzzed. Every three or four minutes the room lit up enough so that Ollie could see the hands of the clock hanging on the wall across from his bed.
    He lay on his back, eyes fixed on the clock, his brain fixed on Anne. Maybe she is better off without me. Maybe I’d be better off moving on as well. And if he did succeed in getting Anne back into his life? How would things go after Sparks was gone? Surely he wasn’t going to be sticking around forever. I