Take My Hand - Lashton

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

-

Even in the mundanity of supermarket shopping, life will always find a way to make it more difficult than it needs to be.

"Luke hi! I didn't expect to see you here!"

Luke quickly looked down and smiled awkwardly at Stella. "Aaron's busy so I said I'd do the shopping." Just seeing her face, feelings of guilt swirled around in his stomach. He wondered if she knew if Ashton had told her. She knew she suspected feelings towards each other, and she seemed sceptical about their ability to control them to protect their partner's feelings. 

Stella looked down at his basket and frowned. He was already four aisles into the shop and there was nothing in the basket. "Are they out of everything you want?" she queried.

Luke laughed and shook his head. "I don't really know what to buy. Aaron didn't give me a list and I never do this."

Stella cocked her head, and gently placed her hand under Luke's chin pulling his head up to meet her own. He was a little bit taller than her, but she felt a lot bigger. She could understand why Aaron liked him. "So you're not good at shopping, or makeup! How did you get that, it looks nasty!"

"It's not that bad! I've always bruised easily. I was cleaning my bookshelf and bunch of books fell on me. Aaron was worried I had a concussion!"

Stella wasn't convinced, but she knew better than the press further. She wasn't like her fiance. She believed only at the right time something could be told, if it was forced out too early then complications would only arise. Much like the early delivery of a baby. "You really don't know what to buy?" she asked sadly.

Moving away from one of the aisles, so a woman could grab a tin of beans, Luke let his head fall to the ground again. "I don't know. There's so much choice. It's overwhelming!"

Stella inclined her head understandingly. She looked down at her own trolley that didn't have much in. She wasn't sure why she even got a trolley, she only needed a couple of items. She supposed it was because she enjoyed the power it provided her with. A big metal contraption that could easily push people to the sides so she could walkthrough. "Do you want me to help you?" she queried. "It's my day off and I was only going to watch a film."

"No, I—" Looking up Luke scratched his head awkwardly. "It's just it's a bit more complicated than it looks." Stella could see the basket shaking in Luke's hands. If there were a fizzy drink in there, it would need hours before it could be opened. "Aaron wanted me to do this alone."

Despite the implicit nature of Luke's word, Stella knew what he meant. Taking a deep breath, Stella looked at her watch. "Aaron doesn't need to know you had a little help, does he? Besides, this isn't something you can do alone. Maybe that's why I happen to be here!"

-

"Here," Stella said as she sat opposite Luke in a little cafe. She had just ordered them both a coffee and insisted she got them both a cake. She passed him a small makeup brush. "I'd offer you my concealer as well, but wrong shade!" she chuckled, gesturing to her skin. "You will attract unwanted attention then!"

Luke held the thin tool in his hand and stared at it awkwardly. A symbol of hiding. "Are you sure? Do you not need it?" he asked nervously. It felt wrong to be holding it.

"Of course! That's just my handbag one! I have plenty more at home!"

Gently looking up, Luke smiled at her with true gratitude. "Thank you!"