Chapter 39: Act A Scene
There was a knock on the door.
Shane lifted his gaze from where he was folding his clothes. "Come in," he said. The handle twisted, and the door creaked open. His eyes narrowed at the sight of a redhead peeking inside, and he couldn’t help but chuckle.
"Hi," Evie greeted sweetly.
"What’s up?" Shane replied, noticing that Evie walked in with a slightly more lively energy. She was still in her pajamas, having just rolled out of bed.
"Just came to check on you," Evie said, settling down by the side of the bed.
"I’m doing great," Shane assured her, and Evie studied his nose, relieved to see it was looking better than the day before. She decided to take his word for it. Her attention shifted to the fact that he was already assembling his luggage.
Her brows creased as she returned her gaze to him, noticing he was folding a cloth. "Is Ezra awake?" Shane asked before she could voice her thoughts.
"Not yet," she answered. She knew Ezra slept deeply when he didn’t have anywhere to go, and today was one of those days. A nagging concern lingered in her mind about how she felt regarding his presence at home, especially after everything he said yesterday at the event. She couldn’t shake the feeling that the pillow was tossed away deliberately, and she really didn’t want to consider that Ezra was responsible for it. He wouldn’t cross her boundaries, would he?
Shane fell silent, and Evie saw an opportunity to voice her concern. "Are you leaving already?" she asked, her skepticism clear.
"Yeah," Shane replied, meeting her gaze.
Evie’s eyes widened. "Seriously?" She found it hard to believe.
Shane chuckled lightly. "What? Did you forget I have a life outside of this? I have work, Evie; my vacation is over," he muttered.
Right, she thought. It slipped her mind that he had work to return to—he was an actor, after all. But it felt too soon, and she struggled to understand how he could just leave. What about all the teasing, the banter, and the laughter? His presence had brought the house to life, and she dreaded being stuck with a quiet Ezra when he was gone.
"You don’t seem happy," Shane observed, a satisfied grin on his face.
"I just didn’t think it would be so soon... or did Ezra ask you to leave?" she mused, considering that they had a talk yesterday that she wasn’t aware of.
Shane laughed. "Even if he did, I wouldn’t go. Don’t worry, he has nothing to do with this decision," he clarified. "I have a new project coming up."
"Oh," Evie said, her shoulders dropping in disappointment, her lips forming a pout.
"It looks like we’ve grown more attached than we intended. You don’t want me to leave, and honestly, I don’t want to either," Shane teased.
"Maybe," Evie said with a slight shrug, still feeling the weight of disappointment as she stood up and walked over to help him with his clothes.
"You don’t have to do that," Shane protested.
Evie interrupted smoothly, "Let this be my parting gift to you," she said with a light chuckle.
Shane held her gaze for a moment before relenting. "Okay," he agreed, and Evie began helping him pack, gathering his things while they engaged in conversation and laughter. Her attention was soon drawn to one of his documents.
"Is this for the new project?" she inquired.
"Hmm," Shane acknowledged after glancing at it. Evie opened the file, and though he hesitated, he decided to let her read it.
It detailed the new movie, and Evie scanned the plot and scenes. "This looks promising," she remarked, scrutinizing the content.
"Yes, it is. I hope it gets the recognition it deserves once it’s out there," Shane replied with seriousness.
Evie looked at him with confidence. "It’s going to do well." Then she added playfully, "Can you do a little performance right now? It would be great to see an actor act out one of his scenes in real life."
"I’m shy," Shane replied, making Evie roll her eyes.
"Just act like there’s an actual camera rolling and you’re on set," she pressed.
"Please," she encouraged.
"Actually, I’ll need a woman to act that scene," Shane countered.
Evie’s eyes ignited with determination. "I can do that," she declared, and Shane pressed his lips into a thin line. He knew he shouldn’t entertain this idea; the scene they were about to act out was more intimate than she might be ready for. His expression shifted as he focused. "How about you and Ezra take on the scene? It’ll be entertaining," he suggested, a glimmer of amusement lighting up his eyes.
Evie abruptly halted. "He’ll probably decline, plus I don’t think Ezra’s that great of an actor," she countered, attempting to brush off the idea.
"You’re underestimating my boy. He’s more capable than you think," Shane replied confidently.
Evie rolled her eyes. "Nope, I’m out," she stated firmly.
"Why is that? Is it because of Ezra?" Shane chuckled, clearly enjoying himself. "I’ve noticed you seem to clash with him."
"No—" she began to protest.
"Do you have feelings for him? Is that why you’re acting this way?" Shane probed, and Evie’s eyes widened in shock, her face flushing at the insinuation.
"No... What are you talking about?" she shot back.
"You don’t like your boyfriend?" Shane raised an eyebrow, pressing further.
Evie swore softly under her breath, realizing her slip. "I... That’s not what I meant."
They locked gazes, and Shane’s lips twisted into a knowing smile as he placed both hands on her shoulders. "I know about it, Evie. I’ve known since day one. But don’t worry, I’m on your side. I’d like to matchmake you and Ezra. He shouldn’t spend his life alone, and clearly, you’re the perfect fit."
"What are you saying?" Evie asked, confused yet intrigued.
"Just trust me on this. You both clearly have feelings for each other but are too caught up in your charade to admit it. You need to stop playing it cool," he insisted, maintaining eye contact.
Ezra liked her? Evie’s mind raced inwardly... It couldn’t be true. Surely he was joking; she chuckled incredulously.
Just then, the door swung open, revealing Ezra. Both turned their attention toward him, where Evie stood near Shane, his hands still on her shoulders. Ezra’s gaze moved from Evie to Shane.
Shane casually slipped his hand into his pocket. "Ezra, do you have a few minutes to spare?" he asked assertively.
"Sure," Ezra replied, to Evie’s surprise; she hadn’t anticipated this response.
"Excellent," Shane said, eyes darting between Evie and Ezra. He was eager to see them act out that scene, a chance for their buried feelings to surface. He was determined to make them confront what they were both so desperately trying to hide.