Evie stared at the briefcase she had brought from home, filled with documents, black folders, and a laptop. Her brow furrowed; this wasn't the pant, bra, and bikini she had packed.
"Evie, the girls are about to go swimming. Aren't you coming?" Ruby asked as she walked past the bed where Evie was sitting, heading outside to join the others by the pool.
"I'm coming," Evie replied. When the room fell silent, she glanced back at the briefcase.
No, this can't be happening, she thought with a chuckle.
She had made sure to pack her essentials, yet all she found were files. Evie dug through the briefcase again, discovering nothing that belonged to her.
She closed it, examining it closely before noticing a letter attached to the side.
It belonged to Ezra, not her.
Her heart skipped a beat.
"What in the world?" she muttered, covering her mouth with her hand. The briefcase had looked so similar to hers that she had mistaken it for her own. In hindsight, she realized she hadn't taken it from the right spot.
"Evie, I thought you were getting ready," Ruby said, re-entering the room. With her short hair styled in buns and light makeup highlighting her features, she knelt on the bed, clutching a throw pillow. They were on short vacation, wanting to enjoy time together like old times.
"I didn't bring my things," Evie stated. She turned to Ruby. "I thought I packed my stuff, but I mistakenly grabbed Ezra's briefcase instead."
Ruby raised an eyebrow. "You did what?" she repeated in disbelief, stepping closer to inspect the briefcase. It was neatly arranged, carrying that familiar scent of Ezra alongside his files and laptop. "This is bad."
"Exactly," Evie agreed. "I saw it on the bed and assumed it was mine."
Ruby assessed the situation. "What are you going to do now?"
"I can't join you girls. You should swim without me; I need to call Ezra and explain," Evie replied, knowing it was the right choice. She hoped Ezra wasn't searching for his briefcase; the last thing she wanted was for him to be furious. She was all too familiar with how easily he got irritated—whether it was her not making the bed, leaving her makeup scattered everywhere, or taking too long in the bathroom. It felt like he was always looking for reasons to be mad. Their living situation had shifted since Shane arrived, and it had become a bit chaotic.
And suddenly, the ring of her phone startled her. It was just between her and Ruby, and the caller was none other than Ezra.
Evie's eyes widened as she locked eyes with Ruby. The tension in the air was palpable. "Do you think he knows?" Evie asked, biting her bottom lip.
"It's possible. Just answer it," Ruby urged.
"Are you out of your mind? I can't do that. If he knows, he'll be furious," Evie replied, her phone vibrating insistently on the bed. She considered calling him back later, but her heart raced at the thought of picking up. The phone continued ringing until it finally ended.
After the call dropped, the two girls exchanged glances. "You still need to talk to him," Ruby stated firmly.
"I know," Evie acknowledged, "but the thought of it terrifies me."
Ruby frowned slightly. "Look, you made a mistake. He has to understand. You shouldn't be this scared."
"You don't know how Ezra reacts when he's angry," Evie muttered as her phone rang again, her heart racing even faster.
"Sure, he'll be upset, but ignoring him will only make things worse. He's not going to hurt you," Ruby said, rolling her eyes.
Evie remained silent, fixated on her ringing phone. Why was she letting fear take over? She could explain calmly that she accidentally took his briefcase because it was on the bed, and she thought it was hers. Just as she resolved that, the call ended.
Then a message chimed in, jolting both girls. "Are you intentionally avoiding me after what you did?" the accusatory text read.
"Oh, he knows," Ruby chuckled. Evie shot her a glare before grabbing her phone to type back a response. "Good, explain to your lover that it was a mistake," Ruby said with a grin.
Ruby felt a sense of relief that she wasn't the one stuck in this situation.
Evie was ready to type. "Did you switch my briefcase on purpose? Why are your things here instead?" Almost immediately, she received a reply, the irritation clear in his tone.
"It was a mistake. I took yours from the bed, thinking it was mine," Evie responded, striving to remain composed.
"And you didn't bother to check it?" he demanded. "Because of you, I had to cancel an important meeting—I have your underwear instead of my documents"
Evie's eyebrows furrowed. "Can you stop blaming me every time something goes wrong?" she fired back. "You could have checked it too before taking it with you," she said, flipping the narrative.
Ezra clenched his jaw on the other end. His meeting was off because he lacked the necessary materials. Presenting Evie's underwear to his client was simply not an option. Now, to top it all off, she had the audacity to be upset with him when she was the one who caused this chaos.
"I'll see you at home," he sent, his words draped in an ominous tone that Evie couldn't ignore.
She tossed her phone onto the bed and ran a hand through her hair. "What's going on?" Ruby asked, eyeing her.
"He has my briefcase, and I have his," Evie replied, frustration in her voice. Ruby couldn't suppress a laugh. "He said I'm the reason his meeting was canceled and that we need to talk when he gets home," she added.
"You should have just stayed a single Pringle like me," Ruby teased. "But seriously, this is your issue to work out, and I know you'll handle it."
Evie slumped on the bed, stretching her legs. "You should go join them; I'm not going," she said decisively, considering that her belongings were nowhere in sight. They were a thousand miles instead.
"Nah, not happening," Ruby replied, shaking her head.
"Let me grab us something to drink instead, alright?" Evie couldn't help but smile softly and nod. She appreciated Ruby wanting to be there for her, especially with the pressure she was facing.
***
"So, what's Ezra like when he's mad?" Ruby asked, holding a bottle as she observed Evie's flushed face—clearly the drink was hitting hard.
"He's terrifying," Evie responded, her hair a messy halo around her. "Like a monster," she added, recalling the stark contrast between his usual demeanor and his annoyance. He could be cold and unpredictable.
"Really?" Ruby pressed, still processing Evie's state as she enjoyed her own drink.
"Yeah," Evie acknowledged, her thoughts drifting back to that last message. "When he said he'd see me at home, it felt like a threat." She sighed.
"I just want the six months to fly by so I can move on and be done with Ezra for good."
"Huh? What six months?" Ruby asked, eyebrows raised.
Evie chuckled, her words a bit slurred. "Six months, and we'll both walk away without any ties," she explained.
"I don't get it," Ruby said, her expression growing serious at Evie's revelation.
Evie leaned closer, her cheeks flushed as she whispered into Ruby's ear. "Ezra and I aren't a real couple," she stated clearly before leaning back against the pillow.
Ruby blinked in surprise. "What?"
"We're not a couple at all. It's all under a contract," Evie clarified.