Fated (A Chris Evans Series)

Made For Loving You

Chris and Denise decided to spend the night before his fortieth birthday having date night at his favorite steakhouse. It was easy getting the night off with Grandma Lisa around, she practically chased the couple out of the house with a broom so she could have some time with her grandson. It was expected his family and friends from Boston were going to fly to LA to celebrate his fortieth birthday. It was a huge milestone, and if they'd been willing to fly in for their son's first birthday- there was no doubt they would fly in for Chris' fortieth, especially after receiving the glamorous invites Denise designed.

The black and gold invitation decorated with white feathers and shimmery pearls informed the recipients that the party was going to be a Gatsby themed night. Those who knew Denise well knew her obsession with the 1920s, and since she'd missed the chance to have a 1920s party herself for her twenty-first birthday- she decided to throw her gentleman one instead. This party had been one she'd been gathering bits and pieces for since he told her to "save it for the big four-oh." With a little help she'd managed to get the contact of Baz Luhrmann, otherwise known as the brilliant director of 'The Great Gatsby'. A chain of emails and a few FaceTime sessions later, she'd organized the perfect Gatsby party; one that Mr. Gatsby would've been proud of her for.

"I can't believe you are officially forty tomorrow," Denise said then laughed when Chris buried his face in his hands, groaning. "C'mon," she reached across the table, wrapping her hands around his wrists to pull his hands from his face. "It's a good thing," she told him, withdrawing one hand while the other's fingers interlocked with his, "you're getting wiser."

"You're just saying that to make me feel better about being old," he quipped and she winked, making him laugh. "Do you want to know what I can't believe?" He quizzed and her raised brows prompted continuation. "That you are officially a twenty-three year old with a forty year old husband tomorrow. That's a little-" He snickered when she rolled her eyes. "What, you couldn't find guys your own age?"

"I'm sure I could've, but this incessantly persistent old guy wouldn't leave me alone." He doubled over the table, howling with laughter and drawing attention from the other diners. "Shut up," she hissed, trying not to laugh too loudly herself, "we're in a fancy restaurant." His laughter subsided and she felt him press a kiss on the back of her hand before sitting up right. "Okay, I'm going to order dessert so it doesn't look like we're just sitting here disturbing the peace." She pulled her hand from his so she could politely wave the closest waitstaff over. "What?" She asked when she turned back to him and saw the smile he had playing on his lips. It was a smile she saw often, but one filled with multiple meanings that she could never decipher on her own.

"I'm praising myself for taking my own advice when it came to you," he answered. "'Whatever you're scared of, push yourself into it.'" He elaborated before she could ask, and she felt her eyes narrow slightly because yet another new piece of information.

"Chris Evans scared of little ol' me?" She teased and earned a roll of his eyes. "I do have resting bitch face so that's understandable." She looked around the restaurant for a member of the waitstaff, sighing when she couldn't spot one close enough. "Do you think my face is the reason we can't get someone to take our dessert order?"

"Let me finish then I'll personally go and grab a waitstaff to come take our order." He chuckled, placing a hand over hers. She quickly returned her attention to him, smiling at him to show he had it. "I wasn't scared of you, per se. Though I was incredibly nervous when I finally, and successfully approached you at that Starbucks." She chuckled every time he mentioned his failed attempts, she was definitely glad he persisted otherwise she wouldn't have the life she had now. "No, I think it was the idea of you and what you could mean to me. From the moment I saw you, I knew you were going to be person capable of drastically changing my life. And then I found out you were the girl who wrote 'Perfect' and I realized I was right. I had to stop and ask myself, 'if her writing has the ability to affect me the way it has, what is she- as a person- going to be able to do to me?' I'd just gotten out of something big with Jenny and I wasn't sure if I was ready to jump right back into something big, y'know?"