Page 24 of The Token Yank

“Condensed soups mean you have to add water. You pour the soup and a can full of water into the saucepan.” Eamonn pointed to the directions on thecan.

“And it doesn’t tastewatery?”

“No.”

“Do I need a saucepan? Where do I pick oneup?”

“They sell them here,” Eamonn said. “Aisle seven Ibelieve.”

“Wow. Asda haseverything!”

“You can spring for the better canned soup.” Eamonn picked up a different can. “This one has chicken and wildrice.”

Eamonn held it out tohim.

“That one is double the price,” Rafesaid.

“One wholepound.”

“It addsup!”

Another laugh and head shake from Eamonn. Another private swoon forRafe.

Eamonn placed three cans of better soup in the cart. “These are onme.”

“You don’t have to dothat.”

“I insist. Condensed soup is honestly rubbish. It’s watered-downshite.”

“Thank you.” A quiet suddenly came between them. It was too quiet. “They have cannedravioli?!”

Rafe sprinted down the aisle. He pointed the food out to Eamonn, and this time did an actual jump for joy. He put as many cans as could fit in his arms. His mom never made him this kind of food because of the salt content. But Rafe was in charge of his culinary destiny these next four months. And by George, he was going to eatravioli!

When he turned around with his arms full of canned goods, there was Eamonn staring with a look that could burn a hole right through him. He wasn’t smiling or laughing or shaking his head, but something was going through his mind. Nobody had ever looked at him this way, like he was someone worth taking notice of. It both unnerved Rafe and made his insides melt like a Klondikebar.

I need to get dessert,too.

“Do they have Klondike bars inEngland?”

“Yeah—yes,” Eamonn croaked out, a little flustered. “I mean, of course we fuckingdo.”

“Do you think they’ll melt before we get back tocampus?”

“Only one way to find out. It’s all part of theadventure.”

“Thanks for today.” Rafe leaned against the front of the shopping cart. A part of him wondered if there was more to Eamonn’s friendliness, or if it was all out ofpity.

“Anytime.”

“I didn’t realize grocery shopping could be sofun!”

Rafe still detected a slight mood shift, like he wouldn’t be getting anymore head shake reactions from Eamonn. “I think it’s time to check out. We have to carry all this crap back tocampus.”

It was a fifteen-minute walk from their dorm to the train, something Rafe had not taken into consideration during his adventures ingroceryland.

Eamonn put a guiding hand on Rafe’s lower back and the other on the cart and led them to the checkout section. He knew how to get there, but he wasn’t going to stop Eamonn. Even when they got in line, Eamonn’s hand lingered on Rafe’s back until they had to start emptying their cart. It was what he would remember most about his very first grocery trip, even if it was probably just him beingnice.

Eamonn