A Chance Meeting | Chris Evans

Chapter 67

A/N: A quick update for those of you that have been waiting for it 😉
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'He's coming round again?' Ella said, laughing, when Becca told her. 'Jeez, he's here more than I am.'
Becca shrugged, not knowing how to reply to that.
'What's up?' Viv asked as she walked into the kitchen.
'Chris is popping by.' Becca explained.
'Why?' She asked. 'Not that I'm complaining.'
'He said that he wanted a chocolate before I eat them all.'
Ella laughed. 'That's the lamest excuse I've ever heard! He just wants to see you.'
Becca felt herself blush and tried to change the subject. 'So the lectures last night were as boring as I thought they'd be.'
'Stop trying to change the subject.' Said Ella with a laugh. 'So when's he coming round?'
'About ten minutes.'
'Has he been in touch much since he's been back?' Viv asked.
'He's messaged a few times, why?' Becca asked.
'Oh nothing, I'm just surprised that he hasn't been round before now.'
'He wanted to, but obviously I was busy at work last night and we've got Charlie's party tonight.' Becca said. 'I think he thought I was avoiding him.'
'Maybe you should bring him along to Charlie's party.' Ella joked.
'Don't.' Said Becca. 'You know he actually hinted that he wanted to come!'
'What?!'
'Yeah, he said "maybe I'll join you all". He said it like a joke, but I'm pretty sure that he was hinting.'
'And you didn't invite him?' Ella cried. 'Are you mad?'
'Of course not! It's not like inviting a normal guy along is it! He's Chris Evans, movie star! People would ask questions. I don't want to have to explain what my relationship is with him, when I don't even know myself.'
'Just tell them that you're waiting for him to ask you out.' Joked Ella.
'Oh ha ha!' Becca said.
'Plus, it's been very low profile up to now - I mean, you two are literally the only people I've told and I've tried not to go places where people will recognise him.'
Ella frowned. 'But you went to see his brother's band, and you said people recognised him there.'
'Yeah, but we were in a group most of the time, and if anyone came over to him, I kind of...sidled away.' Becca admitted.
'Why though? You can't be embarrassed to be seen with him?'
'No, of course not. But he's said before that if he's pictured with a girl, the tabloids go a bit crazy. And if that happens it'll be 'goodbye low profile' and my life would get a lot more complicated.'
'True.'
'So what did you say to him when he was hinting?' Viv asked.
'I panicked and told him that it was a girls night so he couldn't come.'
'Smooth.'
'And that's the real reason that you're not inviting him tonight, is it?' Ella asked.
'Yes.'
Not exactly.
'Hmm... I smell bullshit!'
'Ella!'
'You sure that you're not just using this tabloid thing as an excuse to keep him at arm's length?'
'Of course not!' Becca said.
Ella gave her the look.
Becca sighed. 'Truthfully? Maybe I am trying to keep him at arm's length a little...'
Ella looked like she was going to say something, so Becca carried on. 'Look, he's a really nice guy and I really like him, but so far it's not gone beyond being friends. Maybe he'll ask me out, maybe he won't, but until I know where I stand with him I don't want him getting involved in every area of my life. Not again.'
They both looked at her sympathetically, and she knew just what they were thinking: Justin.
The doorbell interrupted the conversation.
Thank God for that!
'I'll get it.' Viv said.
'Look, I understand why you'd be scared to let a guy in, after what happened last time.' Said Ella. 'But don't-'
Ella stopped suddenly and Becca followed her gaze towards Chris walking in.
Oh my fucking God! He's still wearing the tux!!
She knew she was staring, but she couldn't stop herself.
He looked...amazing...beyond amazing. There were no words for how good he looked.
'Hey.' Chris said, smiling.
Becca suddenly realised that she was holding her breath, and let it out in a rush.
'Hey.' She said.
She was still staring.
Say something, for God's sake!
'So...umm...you...err...came straight from the photoshoot then?'
Cool Becca, very cool.
'What gives it away?' He asked, giving her a cheeky half grin.
He knows exactly the effect he's having on me!
She hid her embarrassment by taking a drink.
'Oh, are you eating breakfast?' He asked, seeing her coffee and toast.
'Yeah.'
'Do you mind if I grab a bit of toast?' He asked, reaching out. 'I haven't eaten yet and I'm ravenous.'
'No, but it's-' She didn't get the chance to warn him before he took a big bite.
The disgusted look on his face and the violent coughing told her exactly when the taste hit him.
'What the hell is that?' He asked, his eyes watering a little from the coughing.
'It's marmite.' Becca said, trying not to laugh. 'There's a bin just there - you can spit it out if you want.'
He looked longingly at the bin, but forced himself to swallow it.
'Urgh!' He said.
'Have a drink of coffee to take the taste away.' She said, handing over her cup and biting her lip.
'Urgh. I can still taste it.' He said after drinking the coffee.
This time she couldn't help the giggles that sprung out of her.
'What's so funny?' He asked.
'Your face.' She said between giggles. 'You should've seen your face.'
'You came in looking all suave and James Bond-y, and then you were coughing and coughing.' She continued, the laughing easing. 'James Bond wouldn't have done that.'
'Yeah well, that'll teach me not to try and impress you.' He said, sitting down next to the table.
'Do you want me to do make you some toast that's not covered in marmite?' She offered.
'Thanks, that'd be great.'
While she waited for the toaster to pop up, she watched him pick up the jar of marmite and sniff it, recoiling at the smell.
'It even smells nasty. Why would you eat this?' He asked.
Becca took it from him and smelled it. 'I like it.' She said, and took a bite of her toast.
He mock shuddered.'You Brits are weird.'
'There you go.' She said, putting the toast and a coffee in front of him. 'Freshly buttered, and I used a clean knife so there's no contamination from the marmite.'
'Thanks.'
'So, did you come round for anything other than to eat my toast and mock my taste in marmite?' Becca asked.
'Yeah, I wanted to let you know that I've talked to some of the guys, and they're happy to meet outside of work.' Chris said.
'Okay.'
'I'm just waiting for Rob to get back to me with details.'
'Rob? Robert? Why's he arranging it?' Becca said, slightly squeakily.
'He's 'the man' when it comes to stuff like this - he arranges all our nights out.'
'But did you tell him that I didn't want-'
'He knows that you want it to be relaxed and low key. Nothing flashy. Don't worry, he's actually really good at picking just the right thing.' Chris said.
'Okay, but who-' She was interrupted again, this time by her phone and Chris's both binging at the same time.
'That's probably him now.' Said Chris, picking up his phone. 'He said he was going straight home to arrange things.'
Becca looked at her phone.

Robert
My place, tomorrow, 8pm. Pizza, games, movie. Be there or be ◼️

Becca stared at her phone in shock.
Robert Downey Jnr's house? His actual house? That's so not what I meant by relaxed and low key!
'You okay?' Asked Chris with a laugh. 'You've gone kind of pale.'
'I meant a bar or something.' Becca said. 'Not this.'
'Yeah, that's what I told him.' Chris said. 'But actually this is better - this way we don't have to worry about the public.'
But his house! And tomorrow!
'Tomorrow though! I thought I had weeks yet!'
Chris just smiled.
'Okay.' She said, trying to get her head round this. 'I can do this. So who's coming?'
'Well me, obviously, Rob as it's his house, then Scarlett, Renner and Hemsworth. I think Ruffalo is busy.'
So that's Iron Man, Black Widow, Hawkeye and Thor! The original Avengers. Holy shit!
'It'll be fine, you know.' Chris said reassuringly. 'Don't worry.'
'Easy for you to say.'
You can do this - you've already met Scarlett and you've texted Robert. That just leaves Renner and Hemsworth.
'Thanks for the toast and coffee.' He said as he finished.
Becca glanced at the clock. 'Sorry, but I'm going to have to kick you out in a minute - I've got to catch the bus soon.'
'Why don't I give you a lift in?' Chris offered.
'Oh no, I don't want to make you go out of your way.'
Plus someone might see us.
'It's no trouble - I've got to go downtown anyway.'
Shit! I'm all out of excuses.
'Thanks.'
'No problem.''
'So are you ladies going tonight as well?' He asked Viv and Ella as they came back in.
'Yeah.'
'Yes.'
'And whose girlfriend is Charlie?'
'Oh, Charlie isn't a gir-' Viv started to say.
'Viv!' Ella said loudly, interrupting her. 'It's a girl's night, remember.'
'Oh...yes...of course...a girl's night.' Viv said, sounding really flustered. 'Of course Charlie's a girl!'
Behind Chris's back, Ella rolled her eyes at Becca. Viv was just the worst liar in the world!
Chris was looking at Viv suspiciously, but he didn't press the matter.
'Anyway, we should probably go!' Said Becca, trying to get Chris away before Viv said anything else.
'Isn't it a bit early?' Chris asked. 'I thought you didn't have to be there until twelve?'
'Twelve at the latest.' Becca lied. 'If I get there earlier I'll get brownie points.'
She quickly grabbed her things and left, Viv mouthing 'sorry' to her behind Chris's back.

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