A Chance Meeting | Chris Evans

Chapter 105

1.37pm
'Any word from Chris?' Viv asked.
Okay, that's like the fifth time she's asked me that in the last two hours. What gives?
'Still no, but I'm sure he'll call when he's done.' Becca said. 'Why so interested?'
'No reason.' Viv said, but she wouldn't meet Becca's eye.
Hmm...that's suspicious - she's up to something. Better not be anything to do with her asshole ex.
Becca decided not to press the matter, but she couldn't help noticing that Viv kept looking at her watch.
'Oh! Is that Chris?' Becca asked, ten minutes later when the doorbell rang. 'He said he'd call first though.'
'No, it's Ella for me. We're...err...going out.' Viv said, going to open the door.
Becca heard a whispered conversation from the hallway before they both came back into the room.
'Hey there. Been stood up?' Ella teased.
Becca laughed. 'He's just running late. I'm sure he won't be too long.'
'Or maybe I should give up on him and go out with you guys instead.' She added, joking.
She didn't miss the horrified look on Viv's face, or the glance that the two of them shared.
Hmm...definitely something going on.
But at least she didn't need to worry that it was something to do with Viv's ex - Ella would rather stick pins in her eyes than assist with a reconciliation.
'It's okay, I'm just kidding.'
Becca's phone started to ring.
'Oh, talk of the devil...' She said.

Incoming call from Chris.

Becca
<Smiling> Hey there

Chris
Hi. Finally finished on set. Sorry it's so late

Becca
That's okay, don't worry about it

Chris
I should be with you in about thirty minutes.

Becca
Okay. I'd better stop reading my book and start getting ready then.

Chris
I gotta go - I'm now at the car.

Becca
Oh. Okay. Umm...bye

Chris
See you in a bit

Becca stared at her phone.
Well, that was...brief.
His voice had sounded really clipped, not like his usual happy self at all.
'Everything okay?' Ella asked.
'Yeah...yeah, I think so. He just sounded a bit...irritated.' Becca frowned.
'With you?'
'No, I don't think so. Just in general.'
'Maybe he's just had a bad day.' Viv suggested.
'Yeah, you're right. I'm sure that's all it is.' Becca agreed.
'Anyway, we'd better get a move on.' Ella said. 'Have fun with the cake-making.'
'We will. Bye.'

2.12pm
'I'm so sorry.' Chris blurted out as soon as she opened the front door.
Oh dear, he's a bit stressed.
'It's okay.' She said with a smile. 'Come on in.'
'It's really not okay - I'm over an hour late.' He followed her through.
'Well, as I said, I've just been sitting reading my book, so an extra hour wasn't exactly a hardship.'
'Yeah, but this wasn't how I wanted this afternoon to start.' Chris said.
'What'd you mean?' Becca asked.
'What? Oh, nothing.' Chris sounded guilty. 'I just hate being late, is all.'
'Well, we'd better get a move on then.' Becca said, trying to distract him. 'Do you have all the cake ingredients at home already, or do we need to stop somewhere on the way?'
'Scotty's getting all the stuff and meeting us there.' He explained.
'Excellent. Oh, and I meant to ask before - have you got a stand mixer in your kitchen?'
'Err...no, sorry. Is that important? Can't we just mix it by hand?'
'From what I've heard about you two, definitely not.' Becca joked. 'But that's okay, we can just use mine.'
She grabbed her stand mixer out of the cupboard.
'Here, let me carry that.' Chris said, coming over and taking the mixer from her.
'Thanks. You know, you look different today.' She said, looking at him closely. 'But I can't quite work out why.'
'I do?'
'Yes.'
'It's the hair!' She added after a few seconds. 'You've got a parting. You don't normally have a parting.'
'Oh, yeah, I normally shower and wash my hair after filming, but we were running so late that I just came straight over. This is still how it was styled for the set.'
'Ah, it's Steve hair.'
'Yeah. It's probably going to bug me later.'
'Can't you just smoosh it around so it goes back to how you normally have it?' Becca asked, running her hand through her own hair to demonstrate.
'No - they fill it with so much product to keep it in place during filming that it's stuck fast. See?' He said, dipping his head so that Becca could touch it.
'Whoa, you're not kidding.' She agreed. 'You're not going to be able to smoosh that - it's rock hard.'
'But no shower eh?' She asked, grinning and giving two exaggerated sniffs.
But instead of taking the joke as she'd intended, Chris looked horrified.
'God, do I stink?' He asked, sniffing himself.
'What? No - it was a joke.' Becca tried to explain.
'I thought I'd be okay because we hadn't done much physical stuff...' He continued, not listening to her.
'Chris, you don't smell - it was a joke.' She said with more emphasis.
'Obviously just not a funny one.' She murmured under her breath, wishing she'd never said it.
Jeez, what was up with his sense of humour today? Her friends would have got that it was a joke. Hell, when she'd been dating Justin they'd made that joke all the time.
'Really?' He asked, not looking convinced.
'Really. I promise. You do not smell bad.'
'Okay.'
Becca sighed. 'Look, why don't we just get going? I'm sure Scotty's waiting for us.'
'Sure.'
He turned and started walking towards the front door, but she couldn't help hearing that he sniffed himself again. She rolled her eyes and followed.