I nodded, sipping my coffee.
"So, you're just gonna agree? No argument at all?"
I grinned at her. "Nope."
"You were planning on asking me anyway, weren't you?"
"Yep."
"Guess I fell into your plans then, didn't I?"
I nodded.
"Then I'd better shower so I can help you with your to-do list today."
"We're leaving at seven-thirty, so get a move on."
Sierra made a face at me as she left the room. "Bet I'm ready before you are."
I drained the rest of my coffee.
If my bestie wanted to turn this into a competition, who was I to let her down?
Before I even made it out of the kitchen, Sierra yelped. Well, it was more of a muffled shriek.
I hurried out of the kitchen and bumped into her just on the other side of the wall.
"Ooff," she exhaled when I collided with her. Her face was pale.
"What is it?" I asked. "What's wrong?"
She didn't speak, just lifted her arm and pointed to the French doors that led from the living room into the backyard.
Gary stood on his haunches on the other side of the glass, his little metal bowl clutched in his paws. When he saw me looking, he tapped it against the glass.
"Why is he hitting the window with that?" she whispered. "Is he going to break in and murder us?"
I shook my head. God, she was a drama queen sometimes. "No, he's hungry. I forgot to feed him this morning. Let me go get a scoop of food out of the pantry for him."
"What?" she snapped. "You're feeding that mutant?"
I laughed. "He'll run away as soon as I get to the door. He's really sweet most of the time. I think you just surprised him last night."
Sierra's eyes bugged out. "Surprised? He hissed at me and I swear his eyes turned red. Then, after you went back to bed, I caught him staring at me through the back door like he was trying to figure out the best way to kill me."
The metal bowl hit the glass and Sierra winced. "If he doesn't stop that, he'll break the glass."
"Why don't you feed him?" I suggested. "He'll probably be a lot friendlier then."
"No way! Murder by raccoon isn't on my bucket list!"
I couldn't suppress the laugh any longer. "Oh, I can't wait to tell J.J. you're too afraid to feed Gary."
Her spine went rigid. She knew that J.J. would be relentless in his teasing if I told him she was too chicken to feed a little raccoon.
"Fine, I'll do it. But if I get rabies, I'm taking you down with me."
"What? Are you gonna bite me, too?" I teased.
