“Hell. No.” Jason’s arms are now crossed, too. On him, the look is far more imposing.
“Okay.” Rich holds up his hands again. “I’m just offering. Let me know if you change your mind.”
One last knowing smile, and he saunters off.
“Uggghhhhh,” I say.
“No kidding.” Jason shakes his head, then turns to look at me. “How are you doing?”
I know he’s not asking about having been offered couples therapy with Monroe Coco. I give him a tentative smile. “Better than last night. I mean, better than before we talked.”
Better than when I thought you didn’t love me anymore.
He smiles tentatively back. “That’s good.” He puts his hands in his shorts pockets.
“How about you?”
“Okay.”
I nod, feeling guilty in addition to still being scared of what this all might be. He was doing fine until I brought this up. He had no idea there was a problem.
But it’s still good that it came out, right?
Staring down the barrel of being badgered about fake couples therapy, though, I’m not sure anymore.
I want more than anything for there to not be a problem.To find out that I was just plain wrong, end of story.
Which is saying a lot. Ihatebeing wrong.
“Fucking Rich,” Jason says, obviously more comfortable bringing the topic back around to the clear and present danger. Which, admittedly, I am too. “Thinking we’re going to play their games.”
“We don’t have a choice, though, right? I mean, we don’t have to do therapy with Monroe, but we can’t keep them from following us around with cameras, recording everything we say.”
They aren’t recording us at this moment, but the equipment is being hastily readied now that Rich has walked away. We have a few minutes at most.
“God,” I say, tilting my head up like I’m actually addressing Him. “We won’t get any alone time. I’ve seen how they follow the Not-Wives every second.” What is perhaps the most horrifying of all thoughts occurs to me. “I’m going to have to pee with a freaking cameraman following me.”
Jason’s lips twist up. “They can’t air that, though. And it’s not like there aren’t bushes to hide behind.”
“That’s not the point! You know I have a shy bladder!” Shit.That caught the attention of a couple PAs walking by. “Maybe . . .” I trail off, because the idea I had is—no.That’s what it is:no.
Then again . . .
“Yeah?” Jason prompts me.
I let out a defeated breath. “Maybe we can use this therapy thing to negotiate.They want us to do this ridiculous thing for their show, but they can’t make us. So maybe we can make some demands of our own.”
Jason looks dubious. “I’m not doing couples therapy with a Not-Wife just so you can pee in private.”
“Not just that!”Then I shake my head. “No, you’re right. It’s a terrible idea.”
He squints, considering. “Actually, I think it could work. Maybe get us some daily private time . . .”There’s a hint of the sly teasing that would normally accompany us talking about “private time,” but I know he’s notjustreferring to sex.
After last night, we really are going to need time just for us, away from the cameras.
And, well, sex too.
He sighs. “If we don’t want to live under a microscope, it’s probably our best plan. I don’t know what else to do.”
