Page 88 of Come Back to Me

“Sorry, guys,” I say, smiling. “I now have a better understanding of the phrase and I most certainly do not want any of you doing that while you help us move.”

JACK

Ben and I have just finished getting the desk inside thehouse and in the office, so I head back out to the driveway to see if there’s anything else to bring in. We’re running against the clock here for everything to work out according to plan.

Just as I step out the side door, Shayna’s struggling with a small, but heavy, walnut file cabinet as Finn walks toward her.Uh-oh…

“Hey, little lady, that looks too heavy for you. I’ll get it,” Finn says to her.

“Excuse me? What the fuck did you just call me?” she practically hisses, looking pissed as hell.

He rolls his eyes at her, and I can see her anger level rising. Unfortunately for Finn, he doesn’t pick up on it and reaches for the cabinet. I can’t help but chuckle as she keeps her hands firmly on it and kicks at him to keep him away.

“Jesus, woman! I was just trying to help!” He yelps when she lands a kick on his shin.

“You called me ‘little lady,’ asshole! I’m perfectly capable of getting this in the house. I certainly don’t need some He-Man muscled-up chump telling me what I can and can’t do. And?—”

“Okay, Xena, calm down. I won’t try to carry the cabinet. Christ,” Finn says, clearly not used to being put in his place by women.

“What the hell is a Xena?” Shayna asks, angrily putting her hands on her hips.

“You know who He-Man is, but not Xena the Warrior Princess? How super feminist of you,” he says sarcastically.

Oh, fuck, now he’s done it, I think to myself, clearly not dumb enough to say it out loud in front of my sister.

Since they’re so focused on fighting with each other, I walk over and grab the cabinet and they don’t even notice until I’m already at the door.

“Hey!” Shayna yells at me, but I just ignore her and head into the house.

ANNIE

I’m dying laughing as Jack describes the encounter between Finn and Shayna in the driveway. I take deep breaths and try to stop the laughter at the sound of their approaching footsteps coming up the back porch stairs.

“After you,” he says to her, annoyance clear in his voice.

“No, after you,” she replies with saccharine sweetness, clearly trying to push his buttons.

“Jesus, will you just fucking go in?” he says, refusing to go in front of her.

“Fine, but don’t look at my ass when I’m in front of you, He-Man,” she says, bitchily.

“I wouldn’t dream of it, little lady,” he says without missing a beat.

“God, you’re such an asshole!” Shayna snarls.

Jack’s parents are here making lunch for our volunteer moving crew and the ruckus on the stairs has drawn them, Fitz, and Ben into the kitchen to listen with us.

Rose turns to Jack’s dad and whispers, “She gets that sass from you.”

At the squeaking sound of the back door opening, we all bolt out of the kitchen into the dining room to hide the fact that we’ve been eavesdropping.

Once Shayna and Finn step into the kitchen, Jack calls them into the dining room and clears his throat. “Annie and I want to thank you all for being here for us today. We couldn’t have gotten this all done without you and appreciate you giving up a Saturday to help.” He pauses for a second, before continuing, “Oh, shit, Annie,” he says, looking at me oddly. “I forgot to call the dogs in from the back. Would you let them in?”

“What? Don’t you just want to leave them outside whenwe eat? You know Bean will try to steal at least one of these sandwiches and probably a few of the cookies,” I remind him, pointing out the food on the table.

“No, they need to be in because… because there have been a string of dog-nappings in the neighborhood lately and I don’t want to risk them being unattend?—”

“Oh my God, Jack, why didn’t you tell me?” I screech, rushing to the door, hoping no one has already tried to get my babies.

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