A Chance Meeting | Chris Evans

Chapter 56

She didn't have to wait too long - he turned up before the next song had finished.
'Hey.' He said.
She turned around and smiled, but he wasn't looking at her. He was the picture of misery and embarrassment; his hands were stuffed in his pockets and his head was down, looking at anything except her.
'Hey there.' She said. 'How are you feel-'
'I'm fine.' He interrupted harshly.
O-kay. I guess we don't want to talk about it.
There was no point in pushing it - when he was ready to talk, he would. She turned back and leant on the railing again. Chris stayed where he was.
'I've been standing here listening to Scotty sing - he's really quite good.' She said, changing the subject.
'Yeah.'
'How long's he been a singer?' She asked.
'Forever.'
Okay, we're not in the mood to talk about that either. Maybe I'll just wait him out.
So she just watched Scotty sing and didn't try and engage Chris in conversation.
He didn't move from where he was standing, but after a minute he blurted out, 'do you want me to take you home?'
'What?' Becca said, turning round to look at him in surprise.
'Do you want me to take you home?'
'What, now? But Scotty's only sung a few songs.'
The current song finished and she turned back to the railing to clap.
'We don't have to stay.' He said, gruffly. 'I know I ruined the night. You don't have to pretend everything's fine.'
She could hear the pain in his voice, and all she wanted to do was give him a hug and tell him everything was fine, but sometimes tough love works better than reassurances.
'Jeez, is this an actor thing? Are you all such drama queens?' She said, rolling her eyes at him.
He blinked at her in surprise.
'So, you had a panic attack.' She continued. 'I'm sure it was very embarrassing for you, but it's hardly going to ruin the whole evening, is it?'
'Not unless you let it, anyway.' She added and turned back to the railing to give him time to think about it.
After about thirty seconds, he still hadn't moved or said anything, and she started to worry that she'd played it wrong.
'Can I get you a drink?' He blurted out.
Becca smiled to herself. Ah, tough love.
'A bottle of cider would be great, thanks.' She said and smiled at him.
Chris nodded and she watched him walk towards the bar. Halfway there a guy stopped him.
Oh no, has someone recognised him? Is he in the right frame of mind for that?
But she watched as Chris chatted to him for a minute and let him take a selfie before he moved on.
Nothing to worry about - I guess he's an old hand at that now.
After a few minutes he came back and leant on the railing next to her.
'Thanks.' She said, as he passed her a drink.
They watched Scotty for a while in companionable silence.
'I'm sorry.' Chris said.
'For the panic attack? Or for freaking out after the panic attack?'
'Either. Both.'
'Don't worry about it. No apology needed. For either thing.' Becca said.
'If anything, I feel like I need to apologise to you.' She added.
'Why?'
'For not believing you to start with that you hadn't set up this meeting with Scarlett.'
'That's okay.' He said.
'And I hope...I hope that me being mad at you didn't make the panic attack worse or set it off or something.' Becca said.
'No, not at all - the way you handled it, you were amazing.' Chris said sincerely.
He sighed. 'To be honest it's been building for a few days. I should have been monitoring myself better - I've had some things on my mind.'
'Anything you want to talk about?'
'It's partly going to Seoul - I hate to fly, I hate being away from home, and I was...um... I was stressing a bit about bringing you here tonight, you know, in public.'
'Not because I didn't want to be seen with you.' He added quickly. 'I just wanted to spare you from the more unpleasant parts of my job - the crazed fans and the paparazzi.'
'Oh.'
'But as I said, I should have been monitoring my anxiety levels better. If I'd taken a Xanax earlier on this wouldn't have happened.' He added a bit morosely. 'I never even introduced you to Scarlett.'
'That's okay, we introduced ourselves.'
'Oh God, I just walked off and left you with her, didn't I? I'm sorry.'
'It was fine.'
Time to change the subject, I think.
'How about we just draw a line under it and forget about it?' Becca suggested, finishing her drink and putting the bottle down.
'Okay.' Chris said. 'Do you want another drink?'
'No thanks. What I'd really like to do is dance. Do you dance?'
'I'm actually known for my dancing.'
'Because you're good? Or because you're so bad?' Becca teased.
He smiled at her, 'Couldn't say.' He said, gesturing to the dance floor. 'Ladies first.'
She walked down the steps and onto the dance floor and weaved her way over to where Scarlett, Matt and Sam were dancing.
While Matt and Sam greeted Chris, Scarlett leaned over to her. 'Is everything okay?' She asked.
Becca nodded.

****

He was a good dancer, not that she'd expected any less - he moved with an easy grace that was very sexy. What is it they say about guys who can dance?
By the time Scotty's band finished the first half of its set, she'd danced to so many songs that she was feeling elated. Dancing always made her feel like that - just happy and light.
She was equal parts disappointed and relieved however that Chris hadn't tried to dance with her, just stayed dancing in the group. But she told herself that it was probably for the best - she didn't want to attract lots of attention.
By the time they got back to their seats, an unfamiliar man was sitting there.
'Hey, Nick's here!' Matt called out.
'Hey man.' Chris said and gave him a quick hug.
'Hey everyone. Sorry I'm late.' Nick said.
'Nick this is Becs. Becs, this is Nick, Scotty's better half.' Chris joked.
'Hi Nick.'
'Hello Becs, nice to meet you.' He said.
'Let's get some drinks in.' Matt said, and he and Chris went off to the bar.
Scarlett came over, in the process of putting her phone away.
'Hi Nick.' She said and kissed him on the cheek.
'Hey. Everything okay?' He asked, gesturing to the phone.
'Yeah, I was just talking to Colin - he's been sorting out the sitter, but he'll be here in five minutes or so.' Scarlett said, sitting down next to Becca and giving her a small smile.
Okay, small talk with Scarlett Johansson. I can do this.
'Oh, do you have kids, then?' I asked.
Kids was an easy one - everyone liked talking about their kids, right?
She looked at me strangely. 'A daughter.'
'How old is she?'
'Just turned three. But you must know that.'
'Err...no. Chris hasn't really said much about you other than you're old friends.'
And that you're quite guarded, which I have to say, he wasn't kidding!
God, is this how Chris sees me?
'I meant, it's pretty easy to find on the internet if you do a search on me.' Scarlett said.
Ah, she thinks I've been googling her. No wonder she's guarded - I'd hate to have everything about myself online for every stranger to know about.
'I'm sure it is, but I haven't looked.'
'Really?' She said sceptically.
Becca shook her head.
'Next you'll be telling me that you haven't looked up Chris.' Scarlett continued, but with less scepticism.
'I haven't. I mean, I thought about it, but it just felt wrong to read all about someone's life and their secrets online - like sneaking a look at their diary or something. Does that sound stupid?'
'Not at all.' Scarlett said, looking at her differently. 'Quite refreshing actually.'
'So I know virtually nothing about you - I don't think I've even seen anything else that you've been in other than the Marvel stuff.'
Scarlett paused for a second, then she smiled at Becca.
'Her name's Rose,' she said, 'and she had her third birthday a few weeks ago. Would you like to see a picture?'
'Sure.'
Scarlett showed her a picture of a smiling little girl.
'Aww, she's so cute.' Becca said. 'I love that age.'
'You wouldn't say that if you'd witnessed the tantrum she had this morning because I cut her toast wrong.' Scarlett said, rolling her eyes.
Becca laughed. 'Was it impressive?'
'I swear my ears were ringing from the screaming for at least half an hour.'
'This is me, Rose and Colin.' Scarlett said, showing her another photo of the three of them cuddling.
'And Colin is your friend, or boyfriend, or husband?'
'Fiancé.' Scarlett said, wiggling her ring finger at Becca.
'Wow. That's a very large and very sparkly ring.' Becca said.
'I just thought 'you know what? This time I'm getting the ring I like, to hell what anyone else thinks.'
'Good for you. It should be the one you like - you're the one who will be wearing it after all.'
'Yeah.'
'This is a lovely picture of the three of you.' Becca added.
'Yeah. Colin's great with Rose.'
'He's not Rose's biological father.' Scarlett explained, when she saw Becca's look of confusion. 'Not that you'd know it, how the two of them are with each other.'
Chris and Matt came back from the bar and started to hand out the drinks.
Chris paused. 'What're you showing Becs?' He asked Scarlett.
Scarlett smiled evilly at him. 'Think of the most embarrassing photo I've got of you.'
'Not the one from New York?' He said, looking horrified. 'You didn't Scar!'
Scarlett held the evil expression for a few seconds before she laughed. 'No, of course not!'
Chris almost sagged with relief.
'She was just showing me a picture of her daughter.' Becca said. 'But I really want to see this New York picture now.'
'Never going to happen.' Chris said firmly.
'Spoilsport.' Becca replied.

********