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He raised his eyebrows at me.

“You shouldn’t.” To my sister I said, “I’m never telling you anything again.”

“Am I not allowed to be here?” Asher asked, still hovering by the door.

“No, you’re allowed,” I said at the same time Zoey said, “No, you’re not.”

I took Asher’s hand and pulled him farther into the room. “When did you turn into an old lady?” I asked my sister.

“I think I’ve always leaned toward old life. Buffets and jigsaw puzzles? Sign me up.”

“I’m mostly looking forward to chair volleyball and golf carts,” Asher said.

“Solid choices,” Zoey responded. “Okay, I like him.” But even with those words she didn’t leave. I had a choice now: my sister or my embarrassing bedroom? I clenched my teeth and led Asher to my room, where I shut the door on Zoey.

Asher looked at me, his smile from when he arrived only half as bright now.

“I’m sorry, Zoey just showed up,” I said.

“It’s fine. She seems nice.”

“She is. Too nice.”

He extended the bag of chips.

“Oh, sorry.” I took them from him. “Are you hungry? I havesalsa.”

“I’m okay for now.”

I set the chips on my dresser and sat down on my childish comforter. Asher glanced around my boring room, then joined me, sitting what felt like a mile away.

Was this how relationships worked? Taking steps forward and then back again? I looked at the space between us and opened my mouth to ask him why he was so far away when he turned toward me and said, “I’ve been thinking about Bean.”

“Okay…”

“We should lean into his less-than-lovable personality,” Ashersaid.

“Um, what?”

He shifted his legs so he was completely facing me now. “Our strategy isn’t working. We’re trying to make Bean come off as some superfriendlycome play with me and fall in love–type dog, but he’s not. The videos are drawing people in, but Bean is not delivering once they’re there.”

“Right.”

“So we lean into the fact that he doesn’t like everyone. We make it a competition.”

“Does Bean likeyou?” I said, catching on. “Come see if you’re one of the chosen few.”

“Exactly!”

“Yes, I like that.”

“It’s good, right?” Asher said.

“Have I ever told you that you’re brilliant?”

“You have, actually. And I liked it very much.”

I smiled. “Then why are you sitting way over there?”