Barefoot by Lillian Francis

Author:Lillian Francis
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: british, short story, homeless, heartwarming, feelgood, twink, misunderstanding, short read, bearcub, under an hour read
Publisher: Lillian Francis

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A couple of loaves of bread and two packets of bacon. Hardly the haul of the century. As the supermarket’s sliding doors opened in front of me, I trudged out into the chilled evening air and sighed heavily. My despondency had little to do with the lack of interesting pickings on the cheapie shelf, though. There’d been no sign of Sam today, not at the kiosk or the self-service tills. I’d even scanned the rest of the tills, but he’d been nowhere to be found.

I’d probably scared him off. Introducing myself, because I thought he’d been flirting, when in reality he was probably only being nice.

Trying to push Sam out of my mind, I forcibly turned my thoughts to what I could make with the bacon. Before I could come up with any ideas, though, I heard the slap of running footsteps hitting the pavement behind me. I moved to the side to allow the runner to pass while I carried on walking.

“Finn!”

I frowned, but continued on my way, certain that I’d misheard my name in the howling of the wind.

“Finn! Slow up, mate.”

The wind rarely managed to compose full sentences, so I did as instructed. A hand landed on my shoulder, then fell away as I turned around.

“I almost missed you,” Sam said, words forced out between each inhale as he attempted to get his breath back. “I finished my shift and was waiting in the CCTV room for you to appear on the screen. Okay, that just sounds creepy. I’m not stalking you or anything. I just…I hoped you’d be in today.”

He hoped I’d be in! My heart skipped a beat, and I felt giddy with excitement. I had to remind myself I was twenty-seven and not a teenager with his first crush. Sam held up two sturdy carrier bags—the type you have to pay for—bulging at the seams, then proceeded to throw metaphorical cold water all over my brief flare of joy.

“I have no idea what I would have done with all this stuff if you hadn’t shown up,” Sam said, opening one of the bags to reveal it stuffed full of discounted food. “Everything was going so fast, and I didn’t want you to miss out. So I bought some bits for you. I hope the stuff I picked up is suitable. I didn’t know how much of it you could use.”

“That’s…” Not at all what I’d been expecting. Or hoping for, but I took the bags from him anyway, “very kind of you.”

Luckily, Sam was rummaging around in the messenger bag slung over his shoulder, so any disappointment that I wasn’t adept enough to hide went unnoticed.

“Here. I got you some shoes, too.” He pulled the trainers from his bag, his gaze dropping to my feet as he held them out to me. “Oh, well. I—”

“They’ll be greatly appreciated,” I assured him as I reached for the shoes. My cold fingers brushed against his warmer ones and I couldn’t stop the shiver that ran through my body at the contact.

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