Lix by Emily Hayes

Author:Emily Hayes [Hayes, Emily]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-07-22T22:00:00+00:00

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Quinn sauntered into Café Fresh, looking cool as a cucumber, but inside, she was feeling like death; hungry and in desperate need of caffeine. The gentle chime of the front door clanged inside her head like a pair of symbols.

Quinn had been to Café Fresh on occasion; many of her Lix regulars raved about it. Quinn was not a strict vegan by any account, but like most L.A. women, she appreciated quality produced and healthy cuisine and excellent coffee, even if it meant the odd, deep-fried tofu dish.

As Quinn slinked in, a chipper server came over to greet her. “Welcome to Café Fresh; would you like a seat inside or outside?”

“Uh, inside is cool, thanks. Would you mind bringing me a coffee and a glass of water right away? I have a killer headache.” Quinn removed her sunglasses and rubbed her temples.

“No problem,” the server cooed. “Right this way.” She led Quinn over to a table and placed a menu in front of her. “One coffee and one water, coming right up.”

The server scurried off, leaving Quinn to peruse the menu. Quinn carefully laid her sunglasses on the table and rubbed her eyes once more. She sighed and looked around the restaurant. Picking up the menu, she scanned the selections.

From her peripheral vision, she saw her coffee and water, making its way over, as the server balanced the drinks on a tray. “All set to order?”

Quinn pointed to the menu. “Yes, I will have the jackfruit tacos with a plate of French fries, please.” The server jotted down the order, giving Quinn a quick nod and a smile. “Excellent choice. And just let me know if you need any more coffee; refills are on the house.”

Quinn looked gratefully at the server whose name tag read ‘Cassie.’ “Thanks a bunch; cheers.” Quinn raised her cup to the server, with a weak smile.

Suddenly, Quinn felt as though someone was staring at her. A tingle ran down the back of her spine. She looked to the left of her and saw Lauren.

Oh my god, no! Of all of the restaurants in West Hollywood, you had to pick this one. Quinn chided herself. Quinn felt frozen as she met Lauren’s surprised stare. She wanted to disappear under the table.

Lauren didn’t say anything, and Quinn knew that she would need to be the one to break the ice. Maybe this is a sign from the Universe? Quinn felt both nervous and nauseous.

Quinn gave Lauren a small smile and a meek wave. “Hi,” she mouthed the words, although the sound was barely audible. Lauren, who continued to stare, did not respond.

Quinn let out a deep sigh, and her entire body sagged. Quinn felt gutted, knowing she had hurt Lauren. She recognized that this was her cue to apologize. She rounded up her courage and called out to Lauren from her seat. A bit louder, she said, “Could I come over to your table for a sec?”

Wordlessly, Lauren bobbed her head in agreement. Quinn slinked

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