He gave a strained laugh. “All right, you caught me. It really can wait, though.”

“No, it can’t.”

“I’m, um, having boy troubles.”

He could practically hear his sister perking up. “Oh? Did you meet someone?”

“Well, yes and no. I did meet someone, but I’m afraid we’re a bit beyond that stage now.”

“Oh my God, Zack, are you dating someone?”

Zack’s chest throbbed at her enthusiasm. “Was. Your little brother just had his first real breakup.”

Bianca was silent for a long time. Zack was certain she was having more trouble processing the news that he’d been in a relationship than the fact that it had ended.

Finally, she said, “You’d better start from the beginning.”

Zack spent the next half hour telling his sister everything that had happened over the course of the past few months—minus some of the racier details. To her credit, she listened without interruption, except to ask the occasional question. By the end of it, Zack’s throat was sore, and he feared he might be in for another bout of crying. He got up, dislodging Ziggy as gently as possible, and got a beer from the fridge.

“So,” he said, resuming his position on the couch, “what do you think?”

Bianca sighed. “Well, not to start off on a negative, but fuck you for hitting him.”

Zack spat out his beer. “What? Out of everything I just told you, the punch was what stood out to you?”

“Of course not. I just want to make sure you understand that you fucked up big time. You’re never allowed to hit anyone, ever. Especially not a romantic partner. It’s abuse.”

“He cheated on me,” Zack protested. “I was pissed off. I acted on instinct.”

“Doesn’t matter. You can’t hit people, no matter how angry you are or how betrayed you feel. You know what abusers say? They say it was their partners’ fault for making them angry. Do you want to sound like them?”

Zack started to argue, but then he huffed. Bianca was right, as always. “Okay, I admit it. I was out of line.”

“That’s putting it lightly.”

“Look, I’m sorry, okay? I promise I won’t ever do it again.”

“I’m not the one you should be reassuring. The next time you talk to John, you have to tell him that.”

“I am not going to apologize to that lying, cheating—” Zack stopped short. “What do you mean, the next time I talk to him?”

“Well, obviously you’re not planning on never speaking to him again.”

Zack shrugged even though he knew she couldn’t see him. “I dunno. That sounds pretty good to me.”

“Zack, please stop being so juvenile. Of course you’re going to talk to him again.”