“I scowled defensively. "My conversations don't usually include the subject of erections.""Too bad," he said. "All the best conversations do.”

“I, cruel to Marks? I'm the one you should worry about. After a conversation with her, I usually walk away with my entrails dragging behind me.”

“I realized that my kisses with Dane had become a form of punctuation, the quotations or the hasty dash at the end of a conversation”

“With all due respect," Christopher muttered, "this conversation is leading nowhere. At least one of you should point out that Beatrix deserves a better man.""That's what I said about my wife," Leo remarked. "Which is why I married her before she could find one.”

“No," I said automatically, "don't do anything about Dad. You can't fix my relationship with him.""I can block or run interference.""Thanks, Jack, but I don't need blocking, and I really don't need any more interference."He looked annoyed. "Well, why did you waste all that time complaining to me if you didn't want me to do something about it?""I don't want you to fix my problems. I just wanted you to listen.""Hang it all, Haven, talk to a girlfriend if all you want is a pair of ears. Guys hate it when you give us a problem and then don't let us do something about it. It makes us feel bad. And then the only way to make ourselves feel better is to rip a phone book in two or blow something up. So let's get this straight — I'm not a good listener. I'm a guy.""Yes you are." I stood and smiled. "Want to buy me a drink at an after work bar?""Now you're talking," my brother said, and we left the office.”

“Lucy waited patiently, knowing that he did want to talk, or he wouldn't have put on such a performance when he came in. Heath's door slamming was always an announcement that a conversation was in order.”

“A good conversation always involves a certain amount of complaining. I like to bond over mutual hatreds and petty grievances.”