A Chance Meeting | Chris Evans

Chapter 54

7.53pm
'We're nearly there - only a minute or so away.' Chris said.
'Are we?'
'Yeah, we made really good time. We won't be late after all.'
'How fast did you drive?' She teased, making him chuckle.
'Not that fast.'
She smiled to herself at his joke.
If they were close, she was going to have to ask him. She'd hoped that he would casually mention who they were meeting up with - you know 'we're going to see Bob and Larry there', or something. Because that way she didn't have to ask and sound like a maniac. But he hadn't said a word, and now her worries about how many strangers she was going to have to talk to were building.
'So are there going to be lots of people there tonight?' Becca asked.
'No, it's quite a small club - probably just a hundred or so.'
'Oh, okay. I think I phrased that wrong. What I meant was...um...are we meeting up with lots of people there?'
'No, I don't think so.' He said. 'I'm not really sure who's going.'
Great, that's really helpful, thanks.
'I'm pretty sure that Nick's going to be there, maybe a couple of Scotty's friends and Matt and Sam said they might drop in.'
That's good - Matt and Sam I like.
'Who's Nick?'
'He's Scotty's husband.' He said glancing over.
He's checking out my reaction - he's never overtly said that Scotty was gay before.
'I didn't know Scotty was married, he never said. Have they got any kids?'
'No, luckily for me he hasn't yet. I think that they're planning to adopt or use a surrogate at some point, but they haven't been married for a year yet.' Chris said, visibly relaxing.
'Why 'lucky for you'?'
'Because once he has kids I'll never hear the end of it - you know, my sister's happily married with two kids and another on the way, my brother's married, and then there's me.' He said. 'My mom worries that I'll end up old and alone.'
Old and alone? Hardly - he must have to fight women off with a stick!
'Well, mums worry, that's their job.'
'I guess.' He said.
'So your sister's pregnant?' Becca asked, trying to change the subject back onto something easier.
'Err...yeah.' He said awkwardly.
She frowned at him in confusion. 'What?'
'I...um...shouldn't have told you that. It's early days and only family are meant to know...'
'Oh, okay. Well don't worry, I won't say anything.'
'Thanks.' He said, looking relieved. 'Because she would kill me if she knew.'
Becca laughed. 'My lips are sealed.'
'Here we are.' He said, turning off the road into the parking lot of a small club.
'It looks really busy.' Becca said. 'Will you find a parking space?'
'I don't need to.' Chris said, driving around the back of the club and straight past the 'Employees Only' sign.
'Bob the owner, lets me park round the back in the staff spaces.' He explained as he pulled into a space and cut the engine.
'That's nice of him. Is he a fan?' Becca asked as they got out of the car.
'God, no.' Chris said, looking slightly embarrassed. 'He's just a good guy. He's given me the code for the back door - that way I can slip in without too much fuss.' Chris explained.
As they walked towards the building, Chris put a baseball cap on.
'Is that your disguise?' Becca joked
'Something like that.'
He punched in the code, and opened the door. They walked into a corridor with doors off it. The one at the end probably lead to the bar, because the noise was coming from there.
'Lead the way.' Becca said, but Chris didn't move. He looked a bit awkward, as though he needed to say something.
'Before we go in, I wanted to say that...um...well...we've not really been together in public before and-'
Becca frowned, about to correct him.
'I mean, properly in public.' He continued. 'I'm not going to be able to lurk in a corner here, so there's a good chance that I'll get recognised tonight.'
'Umm...okay.'
Why's he telling me that?
'A lot of the people here know me, so they won't make a fuss, but the others might. And most of the time people are fine - they just want a photo or whatever, but occasionally they can be a bit...'
'Insane?'
'Intense.' He said seriously. 'They can get a bit carried away.'
'Okay.'
'And...um...there's also a chance that someone might try to take a photo of us together. The tabloids...you know...anytime I'm with a woman, they're always trying to get photos of us and make it into something that it's not. They blow it up into some huge deal...and I don't want that to happen with you.'
Doesn't want a photo of me and him out there? That burns. Is it because I'm so ordinary? Not a model or an actress or something? Does he have to put on an act for the public? Play the celebrity? That sucks.
'Don't worry, if anyone recognises you, I'll make sure I keep my distance. Then there's no risk of a photo getting out there of you with me.'
'No!' He said, his eyes wide. 'No, I didn't mean-'
The door to the bar opened suddenly and a huge man came through wearing a leather waistcoat and covered in tattoos.
'Chris!' He cried and pulled Chris into a quick bear hug. 'Good to see you again man.'
'Yeah, you too Bob.' Chris said, but he sounded distracted and his eyes kept flicking over to Becca as if he was bursting to continue what he'd been saying.
Bob followed Chris's gaze.
'Hi. I'm Bob.' He said, holding his hand out to Becca. 'This is my place.'
Becca smiled and shook his hand. 'Nice to meet you. I'm Becca, or Rebecca if you prefer.'
'Yeah, sorry. I should have introduced you.' Chris said.
'No harm done.' Said Bob. 'Well, you best get going - Scotty's setting up and he'll be starting soon.' He nodded at them both and then left.
'I'm sorry.' Chris burst out as soon as Bob had left. 'I didn't mean... I would never think-' He dragged a hand through his hair and then forced himself to take a deep breath.
'It came out wrong. I didn't mean it to sound like I don't want to be seen with you.'
'No?'
'No! Nothing could be further from the truth! I didn't want you to have the hassles that being photographed with me would bring.' He said.
'Oh. Right.'
Well that puts a different spin on things.
'Are we good?' Chris asked.
'Sure. Come on, before we miss the start of Scotty's set.' Becca said.
They walked through into a large bar area with a stage and dance floor. On the stage, she could see Scotty fiddling with the microphone and chatting to a woman with red hair. Scotty glanced over and waved at them.
'Oh no.' Chris said quietly, just as the woman talking to Scotty turned round and looked at them and Becca realised who it was - Scarlett Johannson.
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