Page 72 of The Holidays with Mr. Mitchell

“Please act as though you meant it,” she insisted.

He sighed, then gave me that half-smile that always undid me. “I’m sorry, gorgeous.”

“Pet names,” she said. “Deflection through endearment. A manipulative man cloaks guilt with charm.”

My lips twitched; Jim saw it and smirked harder.

“Yes,” he said smoothly. “Seems to work every time,” he played along, finishing with a wink.

“It’s complacency,” she gasped. “And that’s tragic.”

Jake raised a hand. “May I assist my brother in enlightenment?”

“No,” Jim answered with a roll of his eyes.

“Please do,” she said.

“Whenever I mess up,” Jake said solemnly, taking Ash’s hands, “I never saysorry.”

“Oh, yeah?” Jim said, eying his brother. “What do you say then, smart guy?”

“I simply ask forgiveness for failing my wife,” he looked at the teacher as if that just scored him some meditation points.

Ash smiled, perfectly on script. “And I forgive him,” she finished, smiling at all of us.

Jim stared over at them like they’d joined a cult. “You’ve all lost your minds.”

“I tell her,” Jake continued, “that it was never my intention to hurt her.”

Luminara nodded. “Beautiful. Humility wrapped in awareness.”

“The hell it is,” Jim muttered. “It’s just a rebranded sorry.”

“Your resistance is your wound,” she said softly.

“Or my common sense.”

Her nostrils flared, but she recovered in one deep, expensive breath. “We will meditate.”

She closed her eyes and began humming a sound somewhere between a chant and a bird call.

“Now, focus,” Luminara said, eyes still shut. “Feel the breath of forgiveness. Release your need to win against your spouses.”

“That’s literally how I make a living,” Jim replied.

I leaned toward Ash. “What the hell is happening now?”

“Cleansing,” she whispered. “Isn’t it magical?”

“Ash, I love you, but this is insane,” I said.

Laney cracked first, snorting into her sleeve. “If anyone wants cocktails by dusk, I suggest we play along.”

Jim exhaled sharply. “I’m about three more exhales away from checking myself out.”

Luminara opened her eyes like a startled cat. “Distraction and avoidance are the enemy of healing.”

“Then you definitely don’t want to hear what I’m thinking,” Jim said.