Only the Lonely {Chase Elliott} ✔️

xix.

"so what do you want to do?" chase asked, drumming his fingers on his steering wheel. rick had pulled him in, asking if he really had intended to pay for her internship. they had crunched the numbers and chase knew that paying for her internship would be worth every penny if it meant that she would be with him the rest of the summer.

he knew he should tell her that he was the one paying her salary but he had a feeling that she would go back home if she knew. one little lie wouldn't hurt, especially if it was helping her, right? that was the hope chase was holding onto.

she shrugged, "i don't know but i am hungry."

chase smiled, "i know a place."

they drove silently, both singing quietly to the music until chase pulled up to a small diner. ryan had shown him this little place and it had quickly become chase's go-to spot. he killed the engine, sliding out of the truck.

he led her into the diner, smiling at the waitresses who knew him pretty well. "chase, ryan beat you here today." sue ann chirped.

chase's stomach dropped as his eyes drifted to the booth that they had claimed as theirs. sure enough, there sat ryan. ryan looked up, offering chase a weak smile. ryan looked tired, the bags under his eyes a telltale sign that he hadn't been sleeping well. he felt a pang of guilt before he remembered that he was the one that had been wronged here.

"well aren't you going to sit with him?" sue ann prompted, "and bring your pretty little girlfriend with? it's nice to finally meet alicia."

kathryn claire shifted uncomfortably, "my name is actually kc."

sue ann's eyes widened, "my bad darling, seems like chase has kept me out of the loop."

chase shook his head, "you have no idea. we're going to find a different seat today."

sue ann nodded slowly, her eyes darting between chase and ryan, wondering exactly what had happened between them. she said nothing besides pointing them to an empty booth of the opposite side of the diner.

chase gave her a grateful look as they passed by. once they had sat down, chase pretended to study the menu even though he had not only memorized the menu a long time ago, he also got the same thing every time.

chase found his gaze wandering over to ryan. he hated that his friend didn't look like himself, he hated that he even cared. but he did. he couldn't help but wonder if ryan felt just as bad as he did. he stuffed his feelings into a box, pushing the box down so he wouldn't feel them anymore.

"are you going to talk to him?" kathryn claire broke the silence.

"nope." he popped the p. "i don't want to."

she nodded slowly, "i respect that," she murmured before turning back to the menu.

chase relaxed a little, thankful that she wasn't going to push him into talking to him. he knew she was right, pretending things were okay wasn't healthy but he didn't want to ruin his day with her.

"since you seem to be a regular, what should i get?" her hazel eyes stared up at him, making his insides churn in a way they had never before.

"i like the all-american cheeseburger." chase suggested.

she nodded, "that's what i'll get then."

they sat in a comfortable silence until sue ann came to take their order. chase could tell that she had a million questions but he didn't offer any answers, he wasn't ready to.

"how did you find this place?" kathryn claire asked once sue ann had sashayed away.

"ryan showed it to me." chase lowered his head, "this is actually the first time i've come without him."

"you didn't have to bring me here," she pointed out. "any old burger joint would've sufficed."

chase shrugged, he didn't really know why he had brought her here, maybe it was because he wanted to share one of his favorite places with her, shake the notion that it had been just his and ryan's place, make it into something else, something tolerable so he could continue to dine here. "maybe it can be our place now?" his voice was hopeful.

a grin spread onto kathryn claire face, "i like the sound of that."