Only the Lonely {Chase Elliott} ✔️

xi.

chase took a deep breath before looking up at her, "hey."

her eyes widened. "no," she choked out, shaking her head before turning to walk away.

"wait. don't walk away," he called after her, his voice wavering, "you promised." his worst fear, coming true and chase felt powerless.

she stopped, her shoulders drooping. after what felt like an eternity, she turned back around to look at him, "i don't understand."

"i can explain?" chase offered hopefully. "please, let me explain."

"i don't even know what to say. you just let me talk about how much i didn't like you like an idiot. is this some sort of joke?" her eyes narrowed.

"you know, for letting me explain, you're sure doing all the talking," chase pointed out flatly, trying to mask the hurt in his voice that she assumed this was all a joke. "can we go inside?"

she nodded, taking the ticket he handed her. he pulled his ballcap down as he handed the ticket to be scanned, hoping nobody would recognize him.

"can we go to my motorhome until the race?" chase asked, studying her. once he had realized in the diner that she was kc, he couldn't keep his eyes off of her but now that she was standing next to him, he could soak in her full beauty. round hazel eyes, hair shaded oak with gold streaked through.

she nodded, following him without a word. she gave him a weak smile as she stepped into his motorhome, sitting at the table. "so?" she finally prompted.

chase slid into the seat across from her. "first off, this isn't a joke. everything i said to you was completely true. i knew you didn't like me when i started talking to you --"

kathryn claire cut him off, "did you think you could use your smile to win me over?"

chase narrowed his eyes a little, annoyed that she was interrupting him, "you're not letting me explain, kc."

"call me kathryn claire," she corrected him.

"okay. you're not letting me explain, kathryn claire." he repeated. he wondered why she didn't want her to call her kc but he knew now was not the time.

"sorry," she muttered.

"i started talking to you because i wanted to talk to somebody who wouldn't just kiss my ass because i'm chase elliott." he started, "and it just kind of went from there. i didn't know how to tell you without losing you. you are the only thing keeping me afloat right now."

her face softened, "was everything you said to me true?"

"everything but that my phone died once." she let out a little laugh at his answer.

"that's why you were so nervous i was going to see you and walk away," she pointed out.

chase nodded, "thank you for keeping your promise."

she smiled, a real smile that sent butterflies scattering through chase's abdomen. "you recognized me at the diner. that's why you got weird."

"yeah, when said how you could live off the hashbrowns, your voice sounded exactly like it did on the phone," he explained. pausing before adding, "anything else you want to know?"

she thought for a second, "i think i'm all caught up."

"are you mad?" he asked, nervous to hear her answer.

she shook her head, "i get it. and you're right, there's more to you than i thought, i just didn't know that i knew it." she shifted, stretching her hands out, interlocking her fingers with his. "what happened with ryan?"

he squeezed her fingers, "not much. i got what i expected from him. that he was drunk and that he was sorry. it didn't really help much."

she nodded slowly, "do you think you'll ever forgive him?"

chase shrugged, "right now i don't plan on it. because drunk or not, he should've said something to me."

kathryn claire nodded in agreement but didn't say anything else.

"i don't want to ponder it today, i want to enjoy the time i have with you," chase flashed a smile that made kathryn claire swoon a little on the inside.

"i'd like that."