Page 78 of Sparking Sara

I could lie to her on the phone, but somehow, I find it difficult to lie to her face.

“This has something to do with Oliver, doesn’t it? When he pulled you aside at the cab yesterday, he said something. Or you did. But both of you changed after that.”

I contemplate telling her that he asked me to back off. But what good would that do anyone? The objective here is to acclimate her back into her life. Getting her mad at Oliver would not accomplish that. And besides, he’s just looking out for her. He loves her. He brought her cheeseburgers.

“I just told him I had more responsibilities I needed to deal with, and I wouldn’t be able to spend as much time with you.”

Huh. Turns out Icanlie to her face.

“Oh.” She looks sadly at the deck of cards.

“Hey, that doesn’t mean I’m not going to visit,” I say. “I just can’t be here all the time. No biggie. You want to play cards?”

She shrugs. “I’m kind of worn out. I was hoping you could read to me.”

“But we finished the book a few days ago.”

“I have a new one. In fact, I have a lot of them.” She nods to a cloth bag next to the bed that I didn’t notice before.

I pull out some of the books and notice a familiar name. My eyes snap to hers. “Baylor came to see you?”

“She did. And she brought me those. Your friend Ivy came with her. That’s where the daisies came from. They said you were all out to dinner the other night and my name came up. What a coincidence that I was doing a painting for her.”

“I know. Small world, huh. And Sara, youaredoing a painting for her, notwere.”

“I hope you’re right.”

“I’m never wrong. You wouldn’t know that about me yet, but I’m not.”

“Oh, really? Now who’s being the self-centered one?” She laughs.

I peruse the blurbs on the back covers of Baylor’s books. “You don’t really want me to read you one of these, do you?”

“Sure. Why not?”

“They’re romance novels, Sara.”

“So?”

I shake my head, laughing. “Okay.”

Then I have a terrible thought. “Sara, could you read them yourself if you wanted to?”

Her eyes fall to her lap. She shakes her head. “I … I have trouble with words sometimes.”

I knew she was working with a speech and a cognitive therapist, but most of those sessions happen in another room when I’m not around. I wasn’t aware she was having so much trouble.

“I mean, I can read,” she says. “I’m not stupid or anything. But sometimes my brain just doesn’t see the right words or something.”

“Jesus, Sara. I would never think you’re stupid. We knew all these things would take time.” I pick one of Baylor’s books at random. “And until then, I’m happy to read to you.”

“Thank you,” she says, her head settling on the pillow. “Because you have a really great voice.”

I smile as I open the front cover and start reading.

Two chapters in, the main characters finally meet and you can sense the instant chemistry. I’m beginning to see why Baylor's books are so popular. From the first page, she draws you in. Who knew romance novels could be so intriguing? Baylor doesn’t hold back with her language, and every time I read the workfuck, Sara giggles.

“Did anyone ever tell you that you’d make a great audiobook narrator?” she asks.

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