Page 20 of A Certain Step
6
WILLA
Jay Callahan’s resting expression switched into a natural smile when Willa and Sahar walked into Amanda’s Coffee the next morning. Almost every cast member had been coming here for months now, which meant most of the staff recognized them.
“Sahar, Willa, morning,” he said.
“It’d be a better morning if we weren’t so knackered. How’s it been today?” Sahar asked.
His communication softened even more. “Eh, fine so far. Nothing too irritating yet. The usual?”
“Yes, please,” Sahar confirmed.
Willa looked up from the pastries she’d been eyeing.
She watched Jay’s countenance as Sahar paid for her drink and everything bagel. There was something distinct about it she couldn’t place, and as she thought on it further, it was fascinating how he always said Sahar’s name before Willa’s. It was also riveting to suddenly recall that he didn’t smile as much on the rare occasions when Sahar wasn’t with her.
Perhaps it was because Willa would never start conversations with him the way Sahar did. Maybe it was the similarities they had. Regardless, taking note of it today was an intriguing distraction from her own anxieties.
She approached the register next. “Add a guava cheese strudel and a plain iced Americano to my order, please.”
“You’re getting Ethan’s coffee, too?” Sahar asked.
Willa consented with a nod. She had texted him this morning saying she would, wanting to go back to their routine of sorts—break the metaphorical ice she’d piled up herself.
“You got it,” Jay confirmed.
Willa tapped her phone against the pin pad, tuning herself out of the conversation Sahar and Jay resumed over some new game.
Dahlia, the other barista on shift, handed Willa Ethan’s drink first. Then, she called out for her iced Americano with Irish cream syrup and a splash of oat milk, along with the pastry in a brown paper bag. “Thank you, thank you,” Willa acknowledged, stepping aside while they waited for Sahar’s drink, which Jay was making himself while they talked.
She placed the pastry carefully inside her backpack, freeing her hands to carry the two liquid lifelines.
A slew of six people came into the shop at once, the sounds of their chattering bringing Sahar and Jay’s conversation to a stop. They seemed to take a beat as they stood back to look at the menu. Dahlia moved to the register and another barista came out from the back.
Jay handed Sahar her drink and some type of note on a purple Post-it before heading to the register.
It was a good thing for them that Amanda’s Coffee wasn’t as crowded as the Starbucks down the block. Or even Tom’s Bagels across the street. It made it easier for them during busy days.
“What’s that?” Willa asked curiously.
Sahar folded the Post-it note in half and placed it in the back pocket of her jeans.
“It’s a new game code. His mate was part of the developing team, so he had a few extras to give out.”
“Nice!” Willa remarked.
After signing in, Willa beelined straight toward Ethan’s dressing room, noticing the door slightly ajar. She knocked lightly.
“Come in.”
She pushed it open, finding him seated on the sofa, looking up from his Switch. She strode inside and handed him his order. “Your coffee, sir. How’s your head?”
Ethan smiled, popping out the straw by tapping it against his thigh muscle. Willa’s eyes trailed toward his forearm, marveling at how it flexed with the motion. “Better. Thanks again for the drink. How are you?”
“Only slightly hungover but fully functioning, thankfully.”
“Did you guys drink a lot?” he questioned.
