Page 43 of Balancing Act (Soulmate #1)

Beth grinned, feeling that flutter in her chest again. “You’re the one making it. I feel like I should be the one teasing you for caving.”

Jamie laughed softly, but didn’t say anything.

“I like what I like,” Beth teased, shrugging her shoulders.

Jamie shook her head in mock defeat. “Guess I really like the girl who likes pineapple on her pizza.”

Beth smiled as the warmth of their banter filled the space. She walked over to the counter where Jamie was working, unable to resist the pull any longer.

“You’re good at this,” she said softly, her arm brushing against Jamie’s as she reached for a piece of pineapple, popping it in her mouth and smiling, watching Jamie work the dough with her strong hands.

“Do you want to help or sit there and look pretty?” Jamie teased.

Beth raised an eyebrow, her grin widening as she moved closer, fingers brushing Jamie’s flour-covered hands. “I’ll sit here and look pretty,” she quipped, her voice dipping into a lower tone.

Jamie laughed, and God, Beth couldn’t get enough of that sound. “Okay, fair. You’re good at that.”

Jamie had finished slicing the vegetables, and as she slid the pizza into the oven, Beth found herself watching her—really watching her.

It was easy to imagine Jamie fitting into her life.

The quiet moments in the kitchen, her laughter as they prepared meals together.

But then, unexpected, a thought crept into her mind. What happens when she leaves?

Jamie had made it clear that she was planning to return to Oregon, at least for a while.

Beth’s heart gave a slight, uneasy twist. The idea of Jamie being hours away wasn’t exactly the future Beth had envisioned for them.

She could already picture the long drives, late-night phone calls, and missed moments.

Would they be able to handle the distance?

But Jamie’s easy smile melted her worry away, at least in that moment. They had time. They didn’t need to figure everything out tonight. She needed to trust that whatever this was, it was strong enough to survive.

Jamie, sensing the mood shift, stepped closer. Hesitating before speaking. “This feels good,” she said, her voice low. “Being with you feels good.” Her fingers trailed along the edge of the counter before finally looking up. “Like, really good. I don’t know how to explain it.”

“It does feel good,” Beth agreed, moving closer and slipping her arms around Jamie, pressing their bodies together.

Their lips met again and it started soft, like earlier, but quickly deepened—like they were both finally giving in to the feelings they had held back for far too long.

Jamie’s hands slid to Beth’s waist, pulling her closer as Beth let her own fingers tangle in Jamie’s hair. There was a heat between them, electric, making Beth’s whole body tingle with excitement. This was really happening. She and Jamie were together.

Jamie’s hands explored her freely, the same way Beth had been dreaming about for weeks. But as the kiss began to build, Jamie gently pulled back, breath coming in soft, shallow bursts as she rested her forehead against Beth’s.

“I—wait,” Jamie whispered, her voice shaky, hands resting on Beth’s hips. “I want this, I really do. But...”

“But what?” Beth asked, puzzled.

Jamie stepped back, fingers running through her hair. “I want to take this slow,” she said quietly, glancing down before meeting Beth’s eyes again. “I know that’s probably not what you expected, but this feels different. You’re different. There’s a lot we still need to talk about.”

Beth blinked, surprised. Slow? It felt counterintuitive after how they’d started—Jamie showing up unannounced in September, sparking an undeniable attraction between them.

And yet, as Jamie’s words sank in, Beth realized it wasn’t a rejection—it was the opposite. Jamie cared. She wasn’t pulling back because she didn’t want this; she was doing it because she did .

Worry lived beneath Beth’s smile. Slow made sense. But slow also meant uncertainty.

“Slow?” she asked, wanting clarification.

Jamie nodded as she met Beth’s eyes again.

“We can go as slow as you want,” she assured, intertwingling her fingers with Jamie’s, gently squeezing her hand. “There’s no rush.”

Jamie’s shoulders relaxed, lips curling into a smile. “I just—I lo?—”

Beth’s ears perked up at the word Jamie had been about to say.

Jamie blushed, quickly correcting herself.

“I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.

I’ve always been so sure that I was better off keeping things casual, you know?

Easier to protect myself that way. But you’re different, Beth.

And Lily’s part of this too, which makes it—I don’t know.

It makes me want to take my time. Make sure I do things right and that I don’t mess anything up. ”

That. That was exactly why she had fallen for Jamie in the first place—she was so incredibly caring.

Beth reached out to brush a stray curl away from Jamie’s forehead.

“I think it’s really sweet,” she admitted.

“And honestly? I didn’t expect you to be the one asking to take it slow, but I like it. And I agree.”

Jamie let out a soft laugh, clearly relieved. “Yeah?”

Beth nodded her response.

The oven timer beeped, and Jamie flashed her a small, apologetic look before checking on the pizza, pulling it out to cool.

They sat at the table as they ate. Beth had been concerned that there may be some awkwardness following their conversation, but she was pleasantly proved wrong.

She liked that about Jamie. Hard conversations never left them feeling unsettled, only opened them up to a deeper understanding of the other.

“Well,” Jamie said, as she leaned back in her chair. “I really, really don’t want to be one of those cliché lesbian first dates that last for hours...” She smiled, but there was a softness beneath it—tentative, like she was still feeling her way through this new territory with Beth.

Beth glanced at the clock on the wall. It was well past four in the afternoon, and she felt a warmth bloom in her chest at how much time had passed without either of them noticing.

“Time really does fly when you’re having fun,” she said.

“Sarah usually drops Lily off around seven, so we still have some time if you want to stay a little longer.” She kept her voice hopeful but light, not wanting to pressure Jamie.

Jamie bit her lip, eyes flicking toward the kitchen as if she were considering it. “As enticing as that sounds,” she began, “I think I should head out.”

Beth tried to keep the disappointment from showing, nodding understandingly instead. “Yeah, of course. That makes sense.”

There was a pause, a kind of lingering silence between them, and Beth could sense Jamie was hesitating—like she had more to say.

Jamie shifted in her seat, her fingers fiddling with the napkin’s edge on the table. “Before I go, though, I’ve been thinking... about Lily.”

Beth tilted her head slightly, her attention entirely on Jamie. “Yeah? What about her?”

“I’ve never dated someone with a kid.” She sighed. “I don’t want to mess things up for you or her. Maybe we should wait to tell Lily until we know where this is going.”

Relieved, Beth nodded. There it was again.

Jamie’s thoughtfulness on full display. She loved how considerate Jamie was of Lily in all of this, how much she cared.

But at the same time, part of Beth longed for the day when they wouldn’t have to tiptoe around it.

She imagined Jamie cooking in this kitchen with Lily bouncing in, and she wanted that future more than she’d realized until now.

It felt right, but what if pushing too soon, too fast, could unravel everything?

“That makes sense,” Beth said softly. “We don’t have to rush into anything. But I do want you to know I really think you’re someone who could fit into our lives, mine and Lily’s. I can see that. And it’s not something I take lightly.”

Jamie glanced at her, eyes wide, almost startled by Beth’s words. “You really think that?”

“I do,” she replied. “But we can take it one step at a time, like you said. There’s no rush. And when the time is right, we’ll figure out how to tell Lily.”

“Thanks. I was a little worried you might take that the wrong way.”

Beth shook her head. “Not at all. I’m really touched by how much you care—about me and about Lily.”

Jamie’s smile widened, her gaze warming as she squeezed Beth’s hand. “I do care. A lot.”

Beth felt her heart flutter at Jamie’s words and, for a moment, all the worries about how this new thing between them would happen disappeared.

She leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to Jamie’s lips, the gesture slow and tender.

When they pulled back, she whispered, “We’ll figure it out, one step at a time. ”

They sat in comfortable silence before Jamie finally stood up, grabbing her jacket. “I’ll head out now, but I’ll text you later?”

“You better.”

Jamie grinned and leaned in for a quick kiss before approaching the door.

“Hey, Jamie?” She called after her. Jamie spun around at the entrance to the hall.

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for an amazing first date.”

“Anything for you.” Jamie winked as she turned back in the direction of the front door.

Beth watched her go, her chest filled with hope. This felt like the beginning of something solid, something real. One step at a time, they could build a foundation that would last.