A Chance Meeting | Chris Evans

Chapter 107

A/N: Well, I wasn't quite expecting to post again so soon, but after the last chapter which was such a struggle, this one practically wrote itself.
Enjoy...or not
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Chris watched her look away with a confused expression on her face.
'Okay...well...umm...I'll get the frosting things ready.' Becs said, walking over to the other side of the kitchen.
Fuck!
She knew that something was going on, and his obviously unconvincing attempt to pretend otherwise had just made it worse.
Come on, Chris! Get it together!
Scotty caught his eye and gave a 'what the hell are you doing?' gesture.
Chris shrugged and shook his head.
I don't know.
'Where's the whisk attachment?' Becs asked after a minute, searching the counter-tops.
'The what?' Scotty said.
'The attachment for the mixer that looks like a whisk? We need it to make the meringue frosting.'
'I haven't seen it.' Scotty said. 'Chris?'
'Err...no, sorry.'
'Well, I definitely brought it with us.' She frowned. 'Maybe it's still in the car...do you mind if I go check?' She asked, gesturing to the keys that he'd left on the side.
'No, of course not.' Chris said, handing them over.
'Thanks.'
Scotty came over as soon as Becs left the room.
'You okay?' He asked Chris. 'Because Becs is right - you are acting kinda weird.'
'I know, I know.' Chris moaned. 'I just can't seem to get my head straight today - all these thoughts keep going round and round. And I can't make them shut up.'
'What thoughts?'
'About talking to her later. I keep thinking about what I should say, and worrying what she'll say.'
'I don't think you've got anything to worry about.' Scotty said, reassuringly.
'Easy for you to say.'
'No, I just meant that I've got a good feeling about this - you like her, she likes you - it's gonna work out.'
Chris gave a small smile. 'Thanks man.'
'So, stop acting weird and freaking her out, or she's going to think you're a loony.' Scotty joked, forcing a laugh out of Chris.
'Wouldn't want that.' Chris said with a smile.
They both turned to the sound of the door opening.
'Found it!' Becs said, waving the whisk in the air. 'It was in the boot.'
'It was in a boot?' Scotty echoed, confused.
'That means the trunk.' Chris explained with a chuckle.
'Oh. That makes more sense.'
'Right, let's get on with the frosting, shall we?' Becs said. 'Scotty, you can make the syrup - you need to measure out sugar, water and corn syrup and bring it up to the boil. But DON'T stir it.'
'Piece of cake.' Scotty said, with a wink.
'Chris - how are you at separating eggs?' Becs asked.
'Err...I've never tried, but it can't be that hard.'
'Well, the most important thing is that you don't get any yolk in there, so crack them into a small bowl individually, take out the yolk and add the whites to the mixer.'
'Exactly how bad do you think I am?' He asked with a smile.
Then, because he was trying to show off, he smashed the egg a little too hard against the side of the bowl, breaking the yolk and littering it with shell.
Becs burst out laughing. 'About that bad.' She said. 'You need to do it gently.'
He tried again more carefully.
'That's better.' She said. 'Now we just need 5 more like that.
'Err, Becs...is it meant to do this?' Scotty called over from the hob.
'What's up?' She said walking over.
'It's gone all hard.' He said, prodding it with a spoon.
'The sugar's crystallised.' She said looking at it and then looking at him. 'Did you stir it?'
'Maybe a little bit.' Scotty said, sheepishly.
Becs rolled her eyes. 'Honestly, you two are hopeless.' She said with a smile.
'Dump it and start again?' He asked.
'No, just add a bit more water and bring it back to the boil. But this time-'
'Don't stir it.' Scotty finished.
'Exactly.'

After a few minutes the egg whites seemed to be whipping up nicely, Scotty had managed to get the sugar syrup right and had slowly added it to the whites.
'Okay. Let's see if it's ready for the coffee liqueur.' Becs said, turning off the machine. 'Yeah, it's at the soft peak stage.'
As she was measuring out the liqueur, Scotty picked up the mixing bowl.
'I know one thing about watching mom make meringue.' He said. 'When it's ready you can turn the bowl upside down and it doesn't fall out. Like this.'
He lifted the bowl over Becs's head.
'No Scotty it's not-' She started
But before she had time to finish, Scotty upended the bowl and the mixture slopped out onto Becs head and down her neck, making her shriek in shock.
'Scotty!'
Scotty froze. 'Oh my God.' He said. 'It wasn't ready.'
'No kidding!' She said sarcastically, wiping a drip from her face.
Some of it slipped down her back and hit the floor with a loud splat.
Well, shit.
'Here.' Chris said, grabbing a towel and passing it to her.
'Thanks.' She said, starting to wipe herself. 'But I think it's going to take more than this to clean me up.'
'It's really sticky.' She said, pulling a face.
'I'm really sorry, Becs.' Scotty said.
Becs gave him a look, then sighed. 'Don't worry about it, accidents happen.'
'Do you want to take a shower?' Chris offered. 'I could lend you a t-shirt or something to change into.'
'Umm...I don't think that'd help - it's gone down my top and into my...err...underwear.' She said with an endearing blush. 'I think I'm gonna have to go home and shower and put on a full change of clothes.'
What? No! I was going to tell you tonight.
'Now?' Scotty said, looking at the clock. 'We won't have time to finish the cake.'
'I suppose that I could put up with it until we finish the cake, and then go home and shower.' She said.
'Great, thanks.' Scotty said.
'But we're still on for pizza and movies later, right?' Chris asked.
Please say 'yes'.
'Yeah, sure. But do you mind giving me a lift home first?'
'Of course not.' He said with relief.'
'Okay, well I need to give myself a bit of a wash - is there a bathroom that I can use?' She asked Chris.
'Yeah, of course, I'll show you.' Chris said, gesturing towards the door.
'And I think I will borrow that t-shirt if that's okay?' She asked.
'Of course.'
'Meanwhile, can you guys start getting the next batch of frosting going? Make the sugar syrup and separate the eggs?' She said.
'Sure.'
'Without some kind of disaster?' She added, with a small smile.

Five minutes later she reappeared, looking a bit cleaner.
'Hey there.' He said, smiling. 'Feeling less sticky?'
'A bit less, yeah. Thanks for the loan of your top.' She said.
'No problem. Looks a bit big on you.' He said, but he found that he liked seeing her in something of his.
'Yeah.' She said. 'How's the frosting going?'
'Going well. No disasters so far.' Chris joked.
'I really am sorry about that, Becs.' Scotty said.
She smiled at him. 'Don't worry about it Scotty, really.'
'But I do still feel a bit sticky, so let's get this frosting done so that I can go home and shower.' She added.

Ten minutes later and the frosting was finished.
'Now this is the point at which you can hold the bowl over someone's head, Scotty.' Becs said, turning the bowl upside down above him.
He cringed a little before realising that it wasn't going to fall on him. He laughed. 'I thought that you were going to get your own back there.' He said.
'Oh believe me, I was tempted.'

Once the cake was frosted, it looked amazing.
'I can't believe we made that.' Scotty said, admiring it.
'Well, I think that we have Becs to thank for about 95% of that.' Chris said. 'We'd have messed up so many times without her.'
'Thank you.' He added to Becs.
'You're welcome.' She said with a smile.
'Yeah, thanks Becs.' Scotty said, drawing her into a hug. 'Oh, you're still a bit sticky!'
'I know!' She said. 'But nowhere near as bad as I was.'
'Well, I've just got time to help you clear up, then I've got to make tracks.'
'Mom's going to love this cake.' Scotty said, after they'd loaded everything into the dishwasher.
'Make sure that you put it in the fridge when you get home.' Becs said.
'I will. Bye Becs.' He said, kissing her on the cheek. 'Have a good night.'
'Bye.'

'I take it you want to go straight home and get cleaned up?' Chris asked her as soon as Scotty had left.
'Yes please, if that's okay with you.'
'Of course.'
He'd waited this long to tell her, what was another hour or so?

The drive back to her place seemed to pass quickly enough - he'd been making an effort to keep up the conversation and not let the thoughts in his head distract him. And he'd been mostly successful.
When they got there, the parking space outside her house was being taken up by a large neon green car.
'Wow. That's one bright car.' Chris said.
'Yeah. I wonder whose it is?' She said. 'Must be one of the neighbours'.'
'Thanks for driving me back.' Becs said, as they were getting out.
'No problem. Sorry that my brother dumped frosting on your head.'
She laughed. 'Don't worry about it. Although I swear I can smell the meringue.' She said, sniffing herself. 'I smell like a dessert or something.'
'Could be worse.' Chris joked.'
'True.' Becs said with a laugh, opening the front door.
They were brought up short by Viv running into the hallway, looking like she'd seen a ghost.
'Oh my God, Becca.' She said, looking like she was about to burst into tears.
'Viv? What's happened? Are you okay?' Becs said, sounding worried.
'I'm so sorry.' Viv continued.
'What for?'
'I'm so sorry. I never would have brought him here if I'd known...but you weren't meant to be back until late...'
Becs went very still.
'Who have you brought here, Viv?' She asked in a strained voice.
'I'm so sorry.' Viv repeated.
No! No! No! It's him, isn it? The ex.
Becs pushed past Viv and ran into the lounge. Chris followed, in time to see her freeze and stare in shock as she caught sight of the man standing there.
'Justin.' She breathed.
******
A/N: Just, sorry, sorry, sorry...😫 but it had to be done