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Taking The Penalty
Taking The Penalty 1
Willow
Forsomepeople,everything comes easy. They breeze through life, never having to worry about a thing. They’re rich, popular and have the world at their feet. I’m looking at a table full of them right now. The beautiful people, graced with perfect figures and pretty faces, like to hold court in the Bay Diner where I work every evening after school. As usual, my wicked stepsister, Celeste, is among them.
She and I have little to do with each other. We’re complete opposites. While I’m what you might call pale and uninteresting with mousy brown hair, she practically glows, the golden girl of East Bay University. I’m the type who likes cozy nights in with a good book, and she’s a social butterfly. She’s Queen Bee around here, and I’m not even deemed worthy to be one of her drones.
Currently sandwiched between Hunter Belmont and Trent Barclay, two of the most entitled pricks I’ve ever come across, Celeste laughs delicately at some joke and flips her hair back over her shoulder. While she holds everyone’s attention, it’s the guy sitting across the table from her who captures mine.
With his arms stretched across the top of the banquette which he occupies with Celeste’s best friend Daria, Jace Conley gives off an air of arrogance that permeates the room. It’s like he owns the place, and everyone in it should bow down to him. It might be because everyone in town is currently kissing his perfectly toned ass. He’s a star soccer player, come to lift our team from mediocrity. I don’t think that accounts for his inflated ego, though. I suspect he was born cocky. From what I hear, his mother comes from wealth and his father manages some big soccer team in England.
Even if he wasn’t insanely privileged, people around here would trip over themselves to get close to him. He’s totally hot. With a muscular body and fallen-angel good looks, he’s the type of guy every girl wants, but he’s not for me. Not that I’d have a shot, anyway. Though I’m not exactly a cave-dwelling troll, I don’t invest in my appearance the way other girls around here do. Jace is far more likely to go for someone like Celeste, who knows her way around a make-up counter.
“Another coffee please, sweetheart.”
I smile as Jim Warner waves his empty cup and pulls me out of my reverie. He’s a good friend of my stepfather, Russ Harrington, who coaches the university’s soccer team.
“I hear you’re hoping to go to the UK for your sophomore year.”
Russ must have told him I’m thinking of getting away. Though I love living with him and my mom, I want to get a real college experience, one where I’m out on my own.
“Yeah, St. Andrews in Scotland.”
He blows out a breath. “That won’t come cheap.”
He’s right and his concerned expression tells me he thinks my going abroad to study would be too much of a financial burden to lay on my mom and stepdad. It is a big ask, since we had to sell our house after my dad died and move into a smaller place. Though marrying Russ took some of the pressure off of mom, he came out of his divorce with barely a penny to his name. He earns a decent wage, but lost his house and a chunk of his savings in his divorce. Besides, I’m not his daughter, and he needs to put Celeste through college.
“I’m hoping to get a scholarship, and I’ll look for a job to pay the bills while I’m there. It won’t be easy, but I’ll manage.”
“You’ll do great, Willow. You’re such a hard worker.” He glances over his shoulder to where Celeste is now pawing at Hunter while keeping a flirtatious eye on Jace. “Unlike some.”
“I don’t know. Looks like she’s working pretty hard to me.”
I didn’t mean to say that out loud, but Jim throws his head back and laughs. As he gets up and lays a couple of bills on the counter, Hunter Barclay snaps his fingers to get my attention. Asshole.
“Don’t let them treat you less than you’re worth,” Jim says, before heading for the door.
“Oh, I won’t,” I murmur under my breath. I come out from behind the counter and approach the table. Celeste doesn’t acknowledge my presence, and Hunter spares me only a fleeting glance as he demands another round of sodas. “Certainly, sir.” My tone drips with sarcasm. “Anything else?”
“I’ll have some chips.” When Jace speaks in that dreamy British accent, I turn to find him staring intently at me. His big blue eyes are stunning.
“Do you mean potato chips or French fries?”
“Ah.” He taps his forehead like he’s just remembered we have different words for some things than they do in England. “Fries.”
“Should you be eating fries when you’re in training?” I ask before I can think better of it.
“Just because my father’s shacked up with your whore of a mother, it doesn’t make you an expert on sports nutrition.”
Daria giggles like the good little lapdog she is while my beloved stepsister fixes her eyes on me. Celeste’s glower would probably knock me off my feet if I wasn’t well used to her dark glare. I stare right back at her until Jace clears his throat.
“The occasional sin never harmed anyone.” There’s a gleam in his eye that suggests he indulges in more than the occasional sin.
“Okay, then.” I jot down his order as if I’d somehow forget it. “Coming right up.”
As I walk away from the table, I glance back to find Jace still watching me. There’s a moment of connection. I feel a strange tug toward him. I think he senses it, too. His lips part and there’s a glimmer of interest in his eye. Then Celeste speaks, drawing his attention back to her. She can’t stand not having everyone’s eyes on her. I send the order for the fries to the kitchen and pour their drinks. When I take them over to the table, nobody thanks me. They’re too busy discussing some party that’s happening at the frat house this weekend.
