Bellinger Sisters, #1
It Happened One Summer
by Tessa Bailey
Contents
Chapter Seven
Overview
Dominic and Rosie attend their first session with Armie Tagart, whose unconventional style unsettles Dominic but keeps Rosie engaged. Guided exercises expose their lost intimacy and mismatched love languages—Dominic shows love through deeds while Rosie needs words. Armie prescribes no sex, allows kissing, and assigns Dominic to write Rosie a letter, setting a path toward emotional reconnection.
Summary
Dominic waits outside a brightly painted counseling office, aroused and wary, recalling his and Rosie’s middle-school beginnings and lifelong attraction. Rosie arrives, and despite Dominic’s skepticism about the hippie vibe, she insists they stay. Armie Tagart dubs them “Team Vega” and promises four sessions to assess their marriage.
Seated on floor pillows, Armie prompts eye contact, which overwhelms Rosie after a few seconds. To ease in, he has Rosie close her eyes while Dominic gently traces her face, reawakening nonsexual tenderness that briefly centers them both.
Armie asks how Dominic shows appreciation; Dominic says he “provides.” Rosie admits it helps but lacks warmth. Armie introduces love languages: Dominic expresses love through deeds, while Rosie needs verbal affirmation. Dominic hopes for a quick fix, but Armie stresses practice.
Observing their strong sexual charge, Armie warns it may obscure emotional partnership. He assigns homework: continue not having sex but permit kissing to build intimacy, and instructs Dominic to write Rosie a letter to practice expressing feelings in words.
Who Appears
- Dominic VegaSkeptical husband who attends therapy, recalls their past, struggles with eye contact, offers tender touch, learns Rosie needs words, assigned to write a letter.
- Rosie VegaSeparated wife who initiates counseling, is overwhelmed by eye contact, craves verbal appreciation, agrees to no sex and anticipates renewed intimacy through kissing.
- Armie TagartUnorthodox marriage counselor who facilitates reconnection, identifies mismatched love languages, and assigns no-sex rule with kissing and a letter from Dominic.