Page 127 of Balancing Act

Beth was stillfuriousthat Jamie had run, that she had left her in the dark. That she had made her lie to Lily because she was too scared to face what was happening.

But more than that, Beth was scared too—scared for what this phone call meant for the woman she loved.

Right now, Jamie didn’t need her anger.

Right now, Jamie neededher.

She swallowed past the tightness in her throat, pressed her lips to Jamie’s hair, and whispered, “You didn’t let me down. But you did scare the hell out of me.”

Jamie let out another shaky breath.

“I watched Lily’s competition,” she said, through hiccups. “I need you to know that I did. I texted Lily on Saturday. I didn’t let Lily down.” She was trembling again as a new wave of tears came, and her breathing grew more ragged.

Beth closed her eyes for a brief moment, exhaling slowly as she held Jamie tighter. God, this was breaking her. Seeing Jamie like this—so raw, so small, so completely undone. This wasn’therJamie—the one who always held herself together with sheer force of will, even when everything inside her was crumbling.

She ran a steady and slow hand through Jamie’s hair, choosing to believe her. If Jamie had said she talked to Lily, then that was all that mattered. “I know, baby. I know you didn’t.”

Jamie shook her head against Beth’s shoulder. “I didn’t know how to talk to you. I thought—I thought if I stayed away, if I didn’t have to say it out loud, then maybe it wouldn’t be real,” she choked out, the words tumbling over each other. “But it is real, and I don’t know what to do, Beth.”

Her chest cracked wide open at the brokenness in Jamie’s words, creating a chasm.

Jamie had always been the strong one. The stubborn one. The one who carried everything alone, never letting herself lean on anyone. And now, she was unraveling right in front of her.

Beth pulled back enough to cup Jamie’s face, making their gazes meet.

Her beautiful brown eyes were red-rimmed and glassy, cheeks wet, lips trembling. Beth swiped a tear away with her thumb, then another. She wanted to make all of Jamie’s tearsdisappear, carry all her burdens, and give her a break from their weight.

“You are not alone anymore,” Beth murmured. “You hear me? You don’t ever have to do this alone again.”

Jamie fought back another sob, but nodded. Her hands had come up to rest on top of Beth’s as they cupped her cheeks, and she felt it—the moment Jamie finally relaxed into her touch.

Beth kissed Jamie’s forehead, her lips lingering there for a moment. “First thing in the morning, you’re calling the doctor’s office,” she said, her voice firm, “and we’re gonna get answers. Together.”

Jamie let out a ragged breath, nodding again. “Okay.” She hiccuped.

“And you’re not running from me again.” Beth tipped Jamie’s chin up slightly. “I need to hear you say it.”

Jamie blinked up at her, eyes swimming, and nodded. “I won’t. I promise.”

Beth studied her, searching for any hesitation within the promise, but all she saw was exhaustion. Fear. And beneath all of that, trust.

She tugged Jamie back into her arms. “Good,” she whispered against Jamie’s hair. “Because I love you. You don’t get to shut me out.”

Jamie let out a broken laugh, muffled against Beth’s shoulder. “Bossy.”

“You love it.”

Jamie, still shaking, still holding on to her like she was the only thing keeping her from falling apart completely, whispered, “Yeah. I really do.”

Beth woke up the following morning to the warmth of Jamie still beside her.

For a moment, in that in-between space where sleep still clung to her and clouded her mind, she thought everything wasfine. That Jamie had stayed over like she usually did, their limbs tangled together in the effortless intimacy they had built over the past few months.

But then she blinked fully awake, and reality settled in.

Jamie hadrun.

Jamie hadbroken.