The Stranger / Chris Evans x OC

Chapter 85: Favorite

AMELIA

We walk back towards the terrace, Chris' hand in mine as we approach the others, standing around talking casually. 

I smile at my cousins, Michael and Sheila, who are standing close together, whispering as they watch Chris and I walk closer. 

Once we're close enough, Sheila walks up to me and I quickly release Chris' hand to give her a hug. 

"Hi, Cuz," She says with a smile as she gives me a firm squeeze, "It's been a while." 

I smile and nod as she pulls back and then I hug her brother, my other cousin Michael, as well.

"Yeah, sorry I've been gone, I was in Atlanta for an entire month." 

"We heard," Michael says with a nod before he turns to Chris, "And I see you've brought more back with you than just memories, huh?" 

He chuckles as he extends his hand out to Chris, "How are you man, I'm Mike. Nice to meet you." 

Chris shakes his hand, smiling, "Nice to meet you too, I'm Chris." 

He shakes Sheila's hand as well, a warm smile on his face as he greets them both. 

"Can't believe you actually brought a guy, Ames," Sheila says with a giggle, "I was starting to think you were only dating your work." 

I laugh and roll my eyes, "Yeah, yeah, I work a lot, I get it." 

Michael laughs as well, "Yeah and you've barely even dated anyone before. Imagine my surprise when you walk in, holding Captain America's hand. I'm a big fan, by the way." He looks at Chris as he finishes his sentence.  

I glance up at Chris, who chuckles softly and nods, "Thank you, I appreciate that." 

"I can't believe you actually got to date your teenage crush," Sheila chirps, her eyes gazing over Chris before turning back to me, "You have to tell me the story, you know that, right?" 

I laugh, "Honestly, it's kind of a long one, but basically we met because Chris was filming with Taylor." 

Chris nods, "Yeah, I saw her on his video calls, actually. Had to get to know her." 

Michael cocks a brow, looking between Chris and I, "Really? They usually act like toddlers when they're together, so I'm very surprised to hear that." 

Chris laughs, a deep rumbling sound as he nods again, "Oh, they so do."

I glare at him jokingly, nudging his side, "Hey! You have to be nice to me!" 

Chris laughs again, putting an arm around me to bring me closer to him, "I'm sorry, bug, but you do. Half the time you bicker like an old married couple, you know that, right?" 

I scoff, "We do not!"

"Yeah," Sheila says with a laugh, "You do." 

"Fine," I grumble, "Whatever. We still have fun." 

Chris chuckles, looking over at Mike when he asks him, "So, how'd you get roped into going to a four year olds birthday party?" 

Chris smiles and shakes his head, "Oh, I didn't get roped into it. I wanted to meet Ames' family." 

"Why?" Mike quickly asks, "Wanted to see where she got her crazy from?" 

Chris laughs and I shove Mike's shoulder with my hand as I laugh, too. 

 "Alright, alright," Mike says, putting his hands up in defeat, "I'll go easy on you, Cuz. Don't worry." 

"Thank you," I say pointedly before looking over at Sheila, "So, how have you guys been?" 

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Chris and I catch up with Michael and Sheila for a while, and I don't really notice when he slowly starts to ease out of the conversation, and then leaves my side. 

I notice it briefly, figuring he just needs to use the bathroom, but when ten minutes pass without him coming back, I get a little worried. 

Sheila and Michael are telling me about their kids and how convenient it is that they go to the same school when I start glancing around in search of Chris. 

It takes me only a second before I spot him. 

I chuckle quietly, a wide smile making its way onto my lips as I watch him. He's sitting on the grass, his legs spread wide as Benji stands between them, the large golden retriever happily wiggling as Chris gives him scratches all over. 

I watch him for a moment, drifting out of the conversation, my smile slowly building even wider as a reaction to the huge grin on his face. I can faintly hear him talking to Benji, and a cozy feeling starts swarming inside me as I watch the carefree look on my boyfriend's face as he's sitting on the grass, taking to a dog. 

I'm not pulled out of it until I hear Sheila speak. 

"Ames, I gotta be honest here," she whispers, her eye-line following mine, "He's even hotter in person. Well fucking done." 

I laugh and glance at her, "I know he is. When I first met him I had a hard time forming sentences, believe me." 

I turn towards her more, quickly noticing that Michael must have left the conversation when I was in a daze, since he's no longer standing next to us. 

"Were you nervous?" She asks, glancing quickly at me before she looks back at Chris, "When you first met him?" 

I nod, taking a sip of the beer in my hand, "Yeah, I was pretty terrified, actually. Well, I guess the first time I met him, he actually helped me calm down from a panic attack, so I wasn't that freaked out. But I was scared shitless when we all went out to a club that night. Don't think I would have gotten through it without the cocktails, to be honest." 

She chuckles and so do I, looking back towards Chris who is now laying all the way down in the grass while Benji attacks him with wet kisses. His laugh carries across the garden and it's deep and genuine, the familiar sound warming up my soul. 

"I get that," Sheila says, "I think I would have been, too. But he seems like a great guy, and he even seems pretty.. Normal, all things considered." 

"I know," I say with a nod, glancing at her, "I was kinda surprised when I first realized that he's actually a pretty laid back guy. I expected him to be more.. I don't know, over the top? Extra?" I laugh and so does she, nodding, "Yeah, I would have expected that too." 

"But he's amazing," I quietly say as I look back at him, now standing up and running after Benji as they play in the grass, "He's my favorite person in the entire world." 

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