Page 40 of Balancing Act

“Onlygreatthings.” He smirked and reached into his pocket before pulling out a business card and handing it to Jamie. “My card. If you’re ever in the market for some art, call me first.”

“Really, Sean? Ease off, please.”

“That’s how you build an empire, B,” Sarah’s voice added, as she joined them, taking the spot directly next to her and placing a hand on the small of Beth’s back. “You’ve got to always be on if you want to succeed. Sean knows that. That’s why he’s got such a thriving operation.”

Beth froze at the feeling of Sarah’s fingers lightly grazing her back. She shifted her weight, slightly, thankful when Sarah dropped her hand.

“Wow, look at that. We agree on something,” Sean glared, making no attempt to hide his mild disdain.

“Play nice, you two,” Beth added under her breath, while Sarah continued, pretending not to have heard Sean.

“We’re going to make our way over to the suite. I’m corralling everyone now. So, if you want to start heading that way, that would be great.”

Their group slowly made their way to the stadium, Beth trailing slightly behind them and Jamie standing beside her. The morning had turned into early afternoon. Gray clouds had rolled in, and Beth regretted not bringing a heavier jacket. With the sun now behind the clouds, she was starting to get a little cold.

“You look like you’re freezing,” Jamie said, taking in the goose bumps that had risen on Beth’s forearms.

“I should have brought a jacket. That was dumb on my part. I’ll buy a hoodie when we get into the stadium.”

“No need for that,” Jamie countered quickly, tugging her sweatshirt over her head, her shirt creeping up enough and—oh God, those abs. Beth couldn’t help the involuntary way her eyes lingered on the exposed skin.

“Oh, no, really, I shouldn’t.” A nervous laugh left her as she gestured helplessly with her hands, her protest feeble and half-hearted.

“Too late.” Jamie handed over the sweatshirt with a playful flourish. “Besides, it’ll look better on you than it ever did on me.”

Beth accepted the sweatshirt, her fingers brushing Jamie’s, making her jump at the unexpected jolt. Beth pulled Jamie’s sweatshirt over her head, and the scent of eucalyptus and spearmint enveloped her. It was intoxicating, calming her in a way she hadn’t realized she needed. She hugged the fabric closer,feeling as if she were wrapped in Jamie’s warmth and not just a borrowed piece of clothing.

Jamie smirked. “I was right. You pull it off much better than I did.”

Brown eyes searched hers for a moment before she spoke again.

“Are you doing okay today?” Jamie asked. “You seem a little—I don’t know—not like yourself.” She cocked her head to the side in question, and Beth hesitated. She should say something. Anything. But she couldn’t bring herself to admit how tangled up she felt.

“Yup,” she replied instantly. “Totally fine. Everything is great.” Her tone was off, her smile forced, and she knew Jamie wasn’t buying it.

Jamie studied her for a second longer, then nodded. “If you say so.” She shifted her weight as she pushed up her sleeves, revealing the tattoo of the snake wound around lavender that adorned her right forearm.

“Tell me about your tattoo?” she asked, desperate to change the subject to anything else but how she was feeling.

Jamie nodded slightly, understanding that whatever it was, Beth wasn’t ready to talk about it, and pivoted. “Not much to tell. I got the lavender tattoo the day I turned eighteen. I wanted it sooner, but my dad wouldn’t consent for me. It’s for my mom. She passed away from cancer when I was thirteen. She loved lavender.”

They continued their walk toward the stadium.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Beth said. “I didn’t realize...”

“There was no way you would have known. You don’t need to apologize.”

A moment of silence passed between them as they walked.

“What about the snake?” she asked softly, genuinely curious.

“I got that five years ago. I’ve always liked the symbolism of snakes. Rebirth, healing—all that stuff.” She shrugged. “Like I said, not that deep.”

Inside the stadium, the pair flashed the lanyards Sarah had given them to the security guard, who ushered them through, pointing the way toward the suite.

“Woah,” Jamie said, letting out a low whistle as they entered the suite, perched high above the vibrant hustle of the soccer stadium. Beth wandered over to the window, which had panoramic views of the soccer field below. The afternoon sun had come out and cast a golden hue through the expansive windows. To the right, a large table was laid with food and beverages. Beyond the windows were a few rows of leather stadium seats reserved for their group.

Lily waved them down to the row of seats she and Dylan had claimed. Beth and Jamie filed in, Lily insisting Jamie take the seat directly next to her, leaving Beth on her other side. The whistle blew, indicating the start of the match.