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

radio was playing softly and it filled the room
with a warm hum, the bass of the music thumping like a peaceful
heartbeat.
    Sophie was surprisingly quick with her
hands, for a person with limited ability to use them. What had been
two apples and a slab of dough just moments before, quickly became
two handmade tarts ready for the oven. She poured Tyler a cup of
coffee, convincing him to try maple syrup as his sweetener over his
usual two cubes of sugar. While they waited for their food to bake,
she told him about herself, how she was a student at Bennington who
opted out of university housing and was living with her grandfather
to save money. She had grown up in New Hampshire, right next door,
but the commute was just easier from his place and she liked
helping out at his restaurant.
    “ And I’m not the only
commuter. The states up here are small, so some of my classmates
are even coming from New York,” she shrugged, refreshing his cup of
coffee as it began to ran low. Tyler smiled at the gesture,
wondering if she was still in server mode, even if their breakfast
was technically unofficial.
    There were no lights in the cabin, not
during the day. Instead, the sunlight came in through the slat
windows that adorned the wall of the entrance. It came in beams,
picking up the hazy smoke coming from the kitchen, looking almost
like a tranquil, country version of his view while performing on
stage. He laughed at the thought, remembering only then the reason
why he had come to the restaurant to begin with – he wanted to know
if Sophie the server was the same Sophie that was at his concert
that night.
    But before he could ask, a
familiar melody came on the radio. It was an old song. A song from
his past, though not his own. And it had been ages since he had heard that song
anywhere. God, why now.
    Queen Bee’s song, “My
Choice , ” was
suddenly playing over the speakers – coming through clearer than
any other song that had played before. Gemma’s voice wafted through
the thick air, penetrating his skin. What
the hell… He tried not to make a face, not
when Sophie was still talking calmly, telling him a story of the
restaurant’s history, how long her grandfather had owned and worked
at the establishment.
    Well, Tyler thought. If that doesn’t
answer your question. If Sophie knew who
he was, she would have had to have said something right? Acknowledged
how awkward it
was that Tyler had gone silent at the sound of his ex-girlfriend’s
song playing over the speakers?
    He felt his hands gripping his coffee cup
tighter and tighter as the song went on.
    “ Do you want your
tart à la mode ?”
Sophie disappeared behind some shelves as she busied about the
kitchen. Tyler watched as she reached up for something on a top
shelf – and suddenly, the radio was off. “We have vanilla and maple
pecan ice cream.”
    “ I’ll take vanilla,” Tyler
replied, trying to ease the tension in his chest by sipping on his
coffee. “Thank you.” Sophie returned from behind the shelves with
two white plates, the glistening warm apple tart sitting atop them.
She placed one in front of Tyler, scooping a generous scoop of
vanilla ice cream beside it. Tyler looked up at her, taking in the
sight of her moving about casually, as if her arm wasn’t in a
sling. Sophie’s eyes met his, crinkling with a warm
smile.
    “ Vanilla’s my choice too,”
she said with a shrug, scooping some ice cream onto her plate as
well. “It’s underrated.”
    “ Come sit with me,” Tyler
beckoned, watching her flutter about behind the counter. “I feel
bad enough that I’ve essentially forced you to open your restaurant
for me, cook me breakfast, and all the while you’ve got your arm in
a sling.”
    “ It’s my pleasure,” Sophie
laughed, licking her spoon and throwing it into the sink before
coming around to the other side of the counter. She sat on the
stool next to Tyler’s, facing him. She let her knees graze
his.
    “ So,” Tyler started.