Bellinger Sisters, #1
It Happened One Summer
by Tessa Bailey
Contents
Chapter Eight
Overview
Dominic stalls on his therapy assignment to write Rosie a heartfelt letter, feeling the pressure to express himself with words. A new coworker, Wes, arrives, and Bethany’s visit sparks sharp banter and crucial advice: focus on meaningful details. Remembering intimate moments with Rosie, Dominic finally begins to write.
Summary
During a lunch break at the construction site, Dominic isolates himself in his truck to complete his therapy homework: writing a letter to Rosie. He fixates on Rosie’s recent inability to meet his eyes and feels urgency, knowing sex is off-limits and words are what she needs.
Stephen and Travis introduce a new hire, Wes Daniels from San Antonio, whose swagger immediately disrupts the group dynamic. Their joking only heightens Dominic’s frustration until he reluctantly admits he and Rosie are in therapy and he owes her a letter.
Bethany arrives to assess the property and draws instant, antagonistic chemistry with Wes. Amid their sharp back-and-forth, Bethany turns serious with Dominic, advising that what matters most is proving he pays attention to the small, telling details that only someone who truly loves would notice.
Left with that guidance, Dominic recalls vivid moments with Rosie—from their rain-soaked courthouse wedding to calls during his deployment and intimate times at home. Those memories crystallize the “details” Bethany urged him to capture, and the recollection finally unlocks his writer’s block.
Resolved, Dominic picks up the pen and begins writing the letter meant to meet Rosie’s need for words, signaling a potential turning point in their efforts to repair their marriage.
Who Appears
- DominicHusband struggling to write Rosie’s therapy letter; recalls intimate memories and finally begins.
- BethanyRosie’s friend and Stephen’s sister; visits site, spars with Wes, urges detail-focused, attentive honesty.
- Wes DanielsNew, confident coworker from San Antonio; flirts and clashes wittily with Bethany.
- StephenSite lead and Bethany’s brother; introduces Wes and manages the crew’s banter.
- TravisCoworker who teases Dominic about the letter and fuels the group’s banter.
- RosieDominic’s wife and the letter’s recipient; her need for words motivates his breakthrough.