Page 58 of Sassy Love
“We’ll see about that.” I stalk to our designated room.
Inside, I find said resort guide with a ridiculous smile plastered over his face. The clipboard is adorned with pink and blue paper.
Oh, goody.
“Good morning, Miss Carlie,” he quips.
“Don’t you Miss Carlie me, buddy. What’s with the list out there?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about?” He frowns, but the side of his mouth tips up.
I swear to god.
“Mr. and Mrs. Rawlins?” I rest a hand on my popped hip.
“Well, that’s who you are today, for this session.”
I open my mouth to tell him the fuck off, but Lawson rests a hand on my shoulder. “You’re going to have to explain that one for us.”
I glance at Lawson’s calm face.
“Today we role-play, yes?” Manuel turns the clipboard so we can see the colored paper slips trapped under the clip.
“Okay . . .”
“We are going to role-play partner responses and problem solving. Given, this is usually part of the couples therapy. But Serelle wanted us to keep to the original programming as much as possible.”
“For fuck’s sake,” I mutter.
“Alright. We can do this. It’s just pretend, right?” Lawson says.
I hold him with a glare before relenting. “Fine. You want me as your old lady, Rawlins? You got it.”
I snatch the pink slip that Manuel holds out to me. Lawson takes a blue one.
How very retro.
“Okay, so on each slip is a problem that you must bring up with your spouse—well, partner, I guess. We run through one until there is a resolution, and then it’s the other person’s turn. Does that make sense?” Manuel’s gaze alternates between us both. I nod and Lawson does the same.
“Alright, ladies first.” Manuel beams at me.
Eat dirt, Manuel.
I read the slip. Money problems. Easy. I turn to face Lawson and read the words on the paper. “I want to talk about the mortgage.”
He studies my face briefly and says, “Sure. What about it?”
I glance down at the paper. It says we’ve missed the last three payments.
Who does that?
“We’ve missed the last three payments,” I report.
“Oh shit. Okay, well, how are we going to find the money for them?”
“Why are you asking me?”
Manuel leans forward, a finger held up. “Remember to use the language you would like to receive.”
