Page 47 of Balancing Act

She sighed, pressing her thumb to the screen and bringing the phone to her ear.

“Geez, Jamie, when I said take the morning to enjoy yourself, I didn’t think you’d actually take the whole morning. Where are you?” Amanda’s voice crackled through the speaker. “You are still planning on coming in today, right?”

Jamie glanced at the clock on her dashboard. Shit. She was late.

“I’m on my way,” Jamie said, her voice hoarse. She tried to hide the way her voice cracked. “I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

“What’s wrong?” Amanda’s tone switched to immediate concern, which made it harder for Jamie to hold back the tears she’d been fighting off.

“N-nothing,” she stammered unconvincingly, trying to even out her voice.

“Clearly it’s not nothing. C’mon, talk to me.”

“I can’t, Amanda.”

“Can’t or won’t, Lyons?” Her tone was exasperated again, which only made Jamie feel worse. Why was it so hard for her to talk about her feelings? “Do you need the day off?” she asked quietly.

“No. I’ll be fine once I get to the gym.” Her heart rate was beginning to return to its normal pace. “I need something to do, to take my mind off things.”

“Okay. Please drive safely. And you’re staying with me tonight.” Jamie started to protest, but Amanda cut her off. “Notup for debate, Lyons. We’ll order in, put on our comfy clothes, and start Grey’s Anatomy from the beginning. That always makes you feel better.”

“You’re right, it does usually work,” she said quietly.

Amanda always knew exactly what she needed, and if she were being honest with herself, some time away from the island, even for an evening, would be good.

“Remember, Jamie, everything is figure-outable.”

Jamie smiled to herself at Amanda’s words, taking comfort in the familiarity of that phrase, one Amanda had reminded her of so many times over the years.

“I know.” Her voice had calmed by now, and she was starting to feel her nervous system return to normal. “I’ll see you in fifteen.”

She hung up and tossed the phone onto the passenger seat before gripping the steering wheel tightly. Jamie took one last deep breath, then started the van, the engine roaring to life beneath her. It was time to go, even if she had no idea where she was heading anymore.

Not long after, Jamie stepped out of the van in the carpark of the gym. She had been driving in a daze, replaying the conversation with Beth in her head, analyzing every word and every movement. Why did Beth have to call her out like that? Asking her if they were really just friends. And why did Jamie care if she and Sarah were still sleeping together? Jamie shouldn’t care. Shecouldn’tcare. But she did.

And she was pretty sure Beth knew that now.

She walked briskly toward the gym entrance, her heart still pounding in her chest. Amanda was inside, leaning over the counter as she sorted through a stack of paperwork. Her red hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, and she was humming softly to herself. Jamie tried to slip by unnoticed, but Amanda’s instincts were as sharp as always.

“Wow, you’re really going to try and sneak right past me,” Amanda called, her teasing tone fading as she got a better view of Jamie. “Woah. It’s worse than I thought?”

“It’s not. I’m fine.” Jamie waved her off and walked faster toward the gym floor, hoping to escape before Amanda could prod any further. The last thing she needed right now was to unpack her feelings.

“Jamie.” Amanda’s voice softened, the teasing edge gone. She stepped around the counter, concern etched in her expression. “You don’t look fine.”

“I don’t want to talk about it. Not here,” Jamie said, through gritted teeth. She kept her eyes on the floor, trying to keep her voice steady and not let the cracks show. “I promise we’ll talk about it tonight.”

“Like I was going to let you not talk about it.” Amanda wrapped Jamie in a hug, giving her a gentle squeeze, and for once, Jamie didn’t feel the need to pull away.

“Yeah, I know,” Jamie muttered, before slipping inside the gym’s training floor. She needed to focus. The gym had always helped clear her mind, helped her feel in control when everything else felt like it was slipping through her fingers. It had always been her source of calm, which is what she could use right now.

She spotted Lily warming up by the uneven bars, her blonde ponytail swaying back and forth as she stretched. Normally, she would greet Jamie with a smile and an excited, rapid rundown of her day. But today, she barely acknowledged her as Jamie approached.

“Hey, kiddo. You ready to get to work?” Jamie asked, forcing her voice to sound upbeat, like nothing was wrong.

“Yeah, I guess,” Lily mumbled, pulling at the edges of her grips.

Jamie’s brow furrowed. Lily was off. Her usual spark was missing, focus scattered. She had worked with her long enough that she was starting to understand the teen’s sometimes turbulent moods, but this felt different. Something was eating at her, and Jamie didn’t like it. Still, she didn’t push. She knew Lily would open up to her when she was ready.