Read Online Hidden Gem Short Story Collection (9781301405985) by India Lee - Free Book Online

of the old man that had
ushered them out of the place the night before.
    “ We’re closed!” he said,
waving a rolled up newspaper in front of him as he made his way
towards Tyler. “And you were just here, what, eight hours ago?
Please give us some time to recover, for God’s sake.”
    “ I’m sorry,” Tyler
replied. “For me and my friends last night, I know we well
overstayed our welcome. And I’m sorry to bother you now, especially
since you’re not yet open, but I have a quick question about the
server who did the night shift? Sophie?”
    “ What do you want with
her?” the old man said, crossing his arms over his red and
black-checkered hunter’s jacket. His grey beard frowned with
him.
    “ I just wanted to ask her
a quick question.”
    “ It better not be for a
date. Sophie doesn’t go for hooligans like you.”
    “ No, not for a date.”
Tyler tried not to laugh. He had never been called a hooligan
before.
    Just in time, the front door of the cabin
swung open. Sophie stepped out, dressed in a cherry-blossom-pink
turtleneck dress over ivory tights. Pulled over her tights was a
pair of fur-lined, knee high boots. Her pale blonde hair was loose
and scattered over her shoulders, framing her face and catching the
sunlight as she walked towards Tyler and the old man.
    “ Hey Pop Pop,” she called
out. “I can’t find the drill bit to fit the trees out back. Do you
know where to find them?” The old man’s face softened as Sophie got
closer. He turned to give one last snarl at Tyler before turning
back to Sophie with an unrecognizably sweet smile.
    “ Sweetheart, you shouldn’t
even be doing that type of work, the doctors said you need rest,”
he said. “I’ll take care of it, please. Your mother would have my
head if she found out I let you get hurt, then made you work
through an injury.”
    “ I think my mother would
have my head if
she knew I let her elderly father do as much heavy labor as you
do,” Sophie said, wagging a playfully threatening finger at her
grandfather. Tyler couldn’t help but smile. He watched as Sophie
gave her grandfather a quick kiss on the cheek, leading him back
into the cabin. She glanced over her shoulder at Tyler, giving him
a “one-minute” sign and a flash of a smile as she disappeared into
the restaurant.
    Tyler stood there, alone, staring at the
door and waiting for it to swing open once again. The moment it
did, he felt a strange rush of excitement. He hoped it didn’t show
as Sophie made her way back towards him.
    “ Hi there,” she said. “Did
you forget something?”
    “ No,” he replied. “I was
actually hoping for… breakfast or something.”
    “ We’re actually not opened
for breakfast this time of year,” Sophie’s pretty lips turned down
into a slight frown. Tyler was mesmerized by it. “We’re just here
early to tap the trees and keep an eye on them.”
    “ Oh, that’s a shame, I
really liked it here,” he shrugged. “I’m leaving later today and I
was hoping to eat here again before I left.” He felt the lie escape
his lips with so little effort, that he surprised himself. Sophie
looked at him for a moment, narrowing her eyes at him as her frown
turned back into the coy smile that she had worn the whole night
before.
    “ You’re here to apologize,
aren’t you?”
    “ What? No,” Tyler started.
“Why would I…” He stopped for a moment. She’s not talking about the concert. “Oh, you mean my friends yesterday.”
    “ Yes,” she nodded. “But
don’t worry. I know you guys were just having fun. It seemed like
it’s been awhile since you all saw each other or
something.”
    “ Yeah, sort of,” he said.
Tyler looked at her arm, resting in her sling. “So, uh…”
    “ Hey, you know what?”
Sophie said. “I was actually about to make myself something to eat.
Do you want to come inside? I can cook for you too.”
    ~
    The air was thick and
smelled sweet – decadent , even. He couldn’t see the
speakers, but the