Page 44 of Balancing Act (Soulmate #1)

SIXTEEN

JAMIE

The last week of December arrived faster than Jamie expected.

She had tied up all her loose ends—wrapping things up at the gym, saying goodbye to Lily—and had spent a quiet Christmas on her own.

Initially, she planned to head back to Oregon during the gym’s holiday closure, but a particular blonde artist had been quite persuasive in convincing her to stay in town a few extra days.

Jamie tugged her coat tighter around her body as she stepped into the warmth of Pho King Delicious, the small pho restaurant where she and Amanda agreed to meet to review a few business concerns regarding PGTC.

A bell above the door jingled softly as she entered, and the smell of simmering broth, herbs, and spices wrapped around her like a comforting blanket.

Amanda was already seated at a corner booth, her red hair pulled up in a messy bun and a smile on her face as Jamie approached.

“Hi!” Amanda said brightly, motioning for Jamie to sit. “I already ordered us some spring rolls and an extra-large pho each because I’m starving, and I know you’ll want enough to swim in.”

Jamie laughed, shaking off the cold as she slid into the booth across from Amanda. “You know me too well.”

Amanda leaned back, eyeing her suspiciously.

“Can I help you?” Jamie smirked.

Amanda’s grin only widened. “Oh, it’s nothing. I’m just wondering where you’ve been keeping this sparkly, shiny version of my oh-so-serious best friend.”

Jamie rolled her eyes, ignoring her comment but not attempting to hide her smile as she reached for the glass of water in front of her.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said facetiously.

“Well, if you don’t tell me, I’ll have to fill in some blanks myself, and I’m going to guess that the reason you’re so shiny these days starts with the letter B.”

Jamie shifted in her seat, feeling a warm flush creeping up her neck despite the cool air still clinging to her clothes. “Yeah, it does.” Her body melted into those words as all the unease she had been carrying the last few months evaporated.

Amanda’s eyes lit up with delight. “Fuck yes!” she cheered, as she clapped her hands together.

Jamie, bemused, glanced around the restaurant at Amanda’s excited outburst, but the smile on her face was impossible to hide.

“Oh my God. I have so many questions!” Amanda beamed as a waiter placed a plate of spring rolls between them, and they each dug in.

“Are you, like, official? What’s it like dating an older woman?

Have you boned yet? Never mind, I don’t want to know that.

Are you going to do the distance thing? Does Lily know? Oh God, does Sarah know?”

Jamie laughed at Amanda’s rapid stream of questions as she bit into the crunchy spring roll, buying herself a few moments before responding.

“It’s been a perfect few weeks. We haven’t officially labeled anything; we’re taking it slow and seeing where things go.

” Naturally, Amanda had several follow-up questions and didn’t hold a single one back.

Jamie caught Amanda up on everything that had happened since Amanda had given her the lecture about getting out of her own way.

“So, yeah, we’re seeing each other now,” she finished.

Amanda leaned forward, her elbows on the table. “You look happy, Jamie. Like, really happy.”

Jamie glanced down at her hands, rubbing her thumb over a small scratch on the table’s wood. “I am,” she admitted. And it was the truth.

Amanda’s gaze was soft and full of understanding of all it had taken for Jamie to get herself here to this point. “I love this for you.”

Jamie glanced up, meeting Amanda’s eyes, catching the sincerity in her friend’s words. It was still hard for her to believe sometimes.

“I kind of love this for me, too,” Jamie admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’m excited, Amanda. I don’t think I’ve been excited since the 2015 world championships.” She took another bite of the spring roll, thinking.

“So, when’s the wedding?” A broad smile stretched across Amanda’s features as Jamie placed a well-aimed kick at her shins under the table.

Jamie smiled, grateful for Amanda’s unwavering support. Before she could respond, the waitress arrived with their steaming bowls of pho.

They spent the rest of the dinner talking about lighter things, Amanda filling Jamie in on some business items about the gym and a few new prospective elite gymnasts she had her eye on. They had nearly finished their dinner when Amanda’s tone shifted.

“I got an interesting call last week,” she started.

“Yeah? From who?”

“Do you remember Shannon York?”

Shannon York... Jamie racked her brain, trying to recall the face that went with the name.

“The soccer player?”

Amanda nodded. “Yeah. She and a few other athletes are trying to start an investment group focused on elevating women’s sports.

They’re looking for founders. To be honest, it sounds like a cool idea.

I don’t have the time right now, but I was thinking.

..” Jamie watched as she pushed her noodles around her bowl.

“When you do that, I usually end up paying,” Jamie joked.

“I think it would be a good opportunity for you.”

Jamie mulled it over as she absentmindedly stirred her pho.

The idea of joining an investment group for women’s sports was intriguing.

Shannon York, whom she had met several times as an athlete on the world stage, had always been a powerhouse.

Jamie had recalled her to be kind, and if she was at the helm of this new venture, it had the potential to be significant.

But it also came with a lot of weight—responsibility, commitment, and visibility—which gave her pause.

The last time she had been in any kind of spotlight, it felt like everything in her life had turned upside down.

She glanced across the table at Amanda, who was watching her closely, chopsticks poised halfway to her mouth. “What do you think?” Amanda asked.

The thought of stepping back into the spotlight sent a ripple of unease through her chest. It wasn’t the attention she feared—it was what it would mean for the life she was trying to build with Beth.

Jamie chewed on her bottom lip for a moment, weighing her words.

“I don’t know, Amanda. I mean, it sounds interesting.

But you know how I’ve been—keeping things low-key and low-profile.

Less pressure. I’m not sure I’m ready to jump into something that big. ”

Amanda set her chopsticks down and leaned back in the booth, crossing her arms over her chest as she studied Jamie. “I get it,” she said, after a moment. “But I’m just saying, maybe you’re ready for more than you think you are.”

Jamie took a sip of the broth, feeling the warmth spread through her.

“I don’t know,” she said quietly, setting the spoon back down.

“It’s a lot. I mean...” She let her voice trail off as she considered the possibility.

“I don’t know if I’m ready for all that—you know—the publicity again.

You remember what it was like with the media. ”

Amanda nodded as she listened. “I get that, Jamie, but I also know you. You’ve got this fire inside you, and you can’t hide it forever.

At some point, you’re going to want to do more.

Maybe this is your chance for that. And if it’s not, then it’s not, but I think you should at least think about it.

And also, I hate to break it to you, babe, but you’re not even famous anymore. We’re old news.”

Jamie laughed. Still, Amanda had struck a chord in a way only she knew how. What if she was ready for more than she thought? What if, in the process of building a life with Beth, she could also create a career for herself?

“I’ll think about it,” Jamie said sincerely.

“Good,” Amanda said, grabbing another spring roll. “That’s all I’m asking.”

They ate in companionable silence for a while after that, the clatter of bowls and the soft hum of conversation filling the cozy space of the restaurant.

The potential decision sat heavily on her mind, but at the same time, a quiet thrill was creeping in.

Shannon York’s offer could be big—and who knows, it might even reignite the part of her that had once thrived on competition and ambition.

Jamie felt lighter and more at ease as she and Amanda exited the restaurant onto the busy street in Downtown Seattle.

“Are you trying to beat the storm out tomorrow?” Amanda asked, with concern in her eyes.

“Yeah. I’ll get on the road after Beth and I grab breakfast. I’ll call you when I’m back in Oregon, okay?”

“God, I’m going to miss you.” Amanda threw her arms around Jamie, and Jamie let her. “Thanks again for coming and helping me out the last few months.”

“I’ll be back in a few weeks. I think you’ll manage fine without me.

But I should be thanking you, Amanda. You somehow managed to flip my entire life on its head, and now all the pieces are shaking out in all these ways I never thought possible.

None of that would have happened if you hadn’t asked me to come and help out. ”

“You’re right.” Amanda smiled. “I take full credit for your life. Once again, you would be nowhere without me.”

“You know, after twenty-five years of friendship, I’m starting to think you might be onto something.”

She said goodbye to Amanda with a hug and promised to really consider Shannon York’s offer before heading toward the ferry terminal.

The ferry terminal was mostly empty and quiet except for the occasional murmur of conversation or the shuffle of feet across the wet pavement.

A fine drizzle fell steadily from the sky, misting the cold December air with a damp chill.

Jamie pulled her coat tighter, the conversation with Amanda still echoing in her mind.

Maybe she was ready for more. Things with Beth were good, in a way that made Jamie feel elated but still a little uneasy.

They were moving slowly—by choice—but it was working for her.