Henry throws a surprise birthday party for Tess and invites her sister, Brittany -- unaware that Tess can't stand her. At the party, Henry soon discovers why after Ian and Brittany strike up a relationship that threatens to put a wedge between his and Tess'.

After months of procrastination, Ian finally completes his second book. Just when it's about to be delivered to Audrey for publication, Ian decides himself that it stinks, and so he refuses to submit it. Facing pressure from Audrey, Henry goes behind Ian's back, swipes his manuscript, and delivers it to Audrey's office anyway. Later, Henry feels guilty and breaks into the office to recover the manuscript, only to run into Jake and Ian -- and finally Audrey -- there. Audrey doesn't have any time to prosecute anybody for breaking and entering late at night, since she's too busy believing Ian snuck in to tell her he has the hots for her after she gets the wrong idea about a carded bouquet of roses Henry bought for Tess.

Under Audrey's orders, Henry makes Ian do a round table discussion with Charlie Rose. Henry stops by a funeral home to check out the coffins, where he learns that Henry is freaked out by death. Ian disregards Henry's sensitivities and buys a coffin from the funeral home anyway. Upon getting it home -- where he plans to use it as a piece of living room furniture -- Ian discovers the funeral place accidentally sold him a coffin with a corpse in it. Ian calls them to come pick it up, but before they get there, he has to go to his interview, leaving Henry stuck caring for the dead body in the meantime.