Unchartered Waters ✅

Chapter 8: The Confession

Chase's POV

Thursday, April 8 – Charlotte, North Carolina

I didn't want to be here. I didn't want to face the music, hear the truth, possibly confirm every suspicion and lock in what I was feeling. But I was here anyway, standing at the door to her townhouse.

Perhaps she could answer the doubts in my mind. Perhaps she could erase them, assuring me what Ryan said and there was nothing to worry about, ready to move forward. Perhaps it was what I needed to clear up the confusion, to get back to what was there before. But I hesitated – knowing the opposite was possible.

I wasn't surprised when she answered the door, opened the door, or allowed me inside. I wasn't surprised that she was okay with me coming over, probably expecting it honestly. But now I stood inside of her place, I felt like a load of bricks was on my shoulders.

"I'm sorry – wait, why am I saying that?" I immediately spit out, wanting to drop that brick on my toe right now.

But admittedly, I still kicked myself in the butt. I had allotted for the opportunity by allowing them to meet each other, by giving her an opportunity to grow closer, and all while ignoring the signs that lied in their eyes. Everything I had done with her – and maybe some of the things I had said to Ryan, they were swirling around. Maybe I brought it on myself.

"I don't know," she snaps me out of my thoughts – which can't blame her response to be honest. "I should be the one saying I'm sorry. I guess I'm fired." Did the contract really matter right now? Wasn't there more important things than some random deal that we made? Though his words said enough – guilt, knowing she did something wrong as Ryan did. But what should I do? I still didn't know.

"It depends," I start, taking a deep breath of nerves in the process. There was only one way to get out of this and that was to face it head on. "I want to know what happened, from your side, everything. I want the truth. Ryan told me, but I want to hear your side."

"I've always had feelings for Ryan..." Anybody who looked at the pair in their eyes and the way they interacted would've said the same thing. This wasn't helping.

"I know..." What else was I supposed to say? Deny it and my part in making this happen.

"Seriously?" I guess I owed her an explanation, right? I mean, I might as well admit my fault and truth and blame if I was going to make her do the same.

"It's why I chose you, Isabelle. I could see the look in your eyes from the day you both met. I knew other drivers and fans would see that, and believe it – no matter what story we had in play." I thought she knew this from the beginning. I thought it was something we had all worked out together. It's why I was even surprised that I had to break it down for her right now. However, for what is worth, she deserved to hear it all.

"So are you surprised by what happened then?" Taking a deep breath, I was frozen by her question. I want to spit out an immediate yes – not believing Ryan could go behind my back. However, everything on the wall said otherwise.

"I don't know. Part of me is because I love Ryan, and I believed he'd be totally truthful to a fault to me, hence why we went this extreme. But the other part reminds me that I set this into motion by choosing you." Honesty, it was the best policy. It was all I could offer, knowing the next question, I could only hope for the same in return. "So, what happened?"

"Everything you think happened. I know by your eyes you're just here to confirm your suspicions, and they're right on the money. He did kiss me that night after we spoke about the contract. After the win, it went further – we celebrated together." That felt like getting stabbed in the heart as the tears threatened to fall. Ryan and I always celebrated together.

We always enjoyed each other's wins together. But she got to experience that instead. She got to enjoy spoiling him while he was at his high. She got to enjoy the success – while I was left at home, pondering what I was going to do moving forward with a bottle of Jack.

Crap, where was Jack right now?