Goldie crashed right into a young man turning the corner at the same time, sending him sprawling across the sidewalk.
The young man landed flat on his back in a filthy puddle of slush, and the headphones he was wearing were knocked askew. He stared up at Goldie with wide eyes, clearly dazed.
For a split second, all Goldie could do was stare.
The young man wasgorgeous.
He had full lips, a round nose, and big brown eyes framed by lush lashes. His skin was as white as the snow glittering on the adjacent porticos with a rosy blush coloring his cheeks. His hair was a thick mop of brown curls, and the way they framed his angelic face immediately conjured comparisons of a Botticelli cherub. He had to be half Goldie’s age, maybe even younger, but wow, he was stunning.
“Oh! Shit! I’m so sorry!” Goldie broke himself out of the spell to help the young man up. “I wasn’t looking where I was going, just trying to hurry up and get home.”
The young man wobbled, but he was able to get to his feet with Goldie’s assistance. He still looked dazed, and he gawked up at Goldie in absolute awe. He appeared to be in some kind of shock, and he grabbed Goldie’s arm, squeezing hard.
Goldie wondered if the young man was simply starstruck. It had been a long time since he’d been recognized in public, but it was certainly possible he’d just so happened to bump into a fan. The young man’s youth didn’t matter as people of all ages could watch Goldie’s old matches on the Internet, but no, this…
This feltdifferent.
It wasn’t merely the enraptured gaze of a starstruck fan. The young man was looking at Goldie as if he was something truly divine, and the sheer amount of raw emotion he found in those big eyes was both humbling and unsettling.
“Hey, are you all right?” Goldie asked gently. He still had a hold of the young man’s arm, and he felt him trembling. Afraid that he might fall over, Goldie grabbed the young man’s waist. “Hey, hey, easy now. I got you. You’re okay.”
The young man said nothing, helplessly swooning against Goldie’s chest.
Goldie’s heart fluttered at the unexpected contact, and he hugged the young man close to steady him. “Hey, hey. You’re okay. Just take a few deep breaths, huh?”
The young man nodded feebly.
He was slender but tall, maybe six foot one, six foot two or so. Goldie still had at least half a foot on him, but that wasn’t so unusual as Goldie was taller than pretty much everyone he met. Goldie noticed that the young man was only wearing a thin hoodie despite the freezing cold, and it was wet from his spill in the puddle.
“Crap, you’re soaked. I’m so sorry. You don’t have anything warmer than that to be out in?” Goldie frowned.
The young man frowned back but still said nothing. His jeans were stained and torn, and his sneakers had visible holes in them. His backpack had definitely seen better days, as one of the straps was ready to snap right off, and his fancy headphones were held together with duct tape.
Goldie’s heart ached to think that this young man might be homeless, and he immediately took off his trench coat. “Hey, come here.”
The young man shook his head, and he waved his hands as Goldie offered the coat.
“It’s twenty-something degrees out, and you’re wet,” Goldie soothed. “You’ll catch your death out here, and hey, I’m the jerk who knocked you over, yeah? Please let me help you.”
The young man blinked, and he slowly dropped his hands.
Goldie smiled. “Is that a yes? I’m going to take that as a yes.”
The young man’s lips twitched, and he nodded.
Goldie helped the young man take off his backpack so he could put on the trench coat. He didn’t question why the backpack was unusually heavy, easily distracted by how cute the young man looked in his coat. “Sorry it’s way too big for you, but it’s dry and it’ll definitely keep you warm.” He held out the backpack for the young man to slip back on. “There. Better?”
The young man nodded. He smiled and put his hand back on Goldie’s arm like before.
Oh, that smile.
It was dazzling and sweet, and it lit up the young man’s whole face. The golden haze from the nearby streetlight made the young man practically glow, and Goldie swore there was a literal spark sizzling between them. He’d even forgotten how cold it was, lost there in the young man’s pretty smile.
“Hey,” Goldie said, “do you need something? Some kinda help? No offense, but you kinda look like you might.” He smiled reassuringly. “I don’t have much, but I’m really great at ordering Grubhub if you’re hungry—”
The chatty couple had finally caught up to them.
“No, that creep totally got what he deserved,” one was saying. “Didn’t you hear what they found when they went to his house?”
