Lightning In a Bottle {A Chase Elliott Story}

Chapter 2: Back at the Track

She got back to her car, her heart racing. Had Chase been flirting with her? No don't even get that idea in your mind, girl. After her last relationship, she said she had had enough of guys and that she needed time for herself for awhile. Did the thought of sleeping with Chase cross her mind? Of course it did, but she knew that she probably wasn't the only female to feel that way either. She started her car to drive home and thought maybe she might have to come back to find out more about NASCAR.

   "How was the interview?" Jordan asked. "Fine," Chase answered looking back down at his phone. "Well qualifying is soon, so you need to get out there," Jordan said. "Ok," he replied. For some reason, Chase couldn't get Jessica out of his mind. First of all she was stunning with her shoulder-length dirty blonde hair and those green eyes. He could look into her eyes forever. He also liked the fact she didn't fangirl the moment they met. She knew nothing about NASCAR or him for that matter and that intrigued him. He also wasn't sure why he had invited her to come back and watch the race in his pit, but he really hoped she'd take him up on his offer.

The next day Jessica sat on her couch watching TV thinking about what Chase had said yesterday. Should she go up there today? Would he even give her the time of day? Oh, what the hell, she thought. She didn't get opportunities to hang out at NASCAR tracks often and it would be cool to experience one in person. She went to get ready and head over to the track.

Chase stood at the door to the hauler watching the fans wait outside. He didn't want to get mobbed at the moment and wanted to wait until the very last minute to walk out to practice. Then he saw a familiar face appear right outside the hauler, Jessica. He wanted to go talk to her and thank her for actually coming, but he knew what that would intel and he wouldn't get to talk to her anyway. "Time for practice," his crew chief said heading out of the doors. He put his sunglasses on his face and walked out into the crowd of fans waiting for him.

Jessica was overwhelmed at Chase's popularity. She knew he was a big name of sorts, but she didn't know he was of superstar status. She walked behind the crowd of people as Chase walked over to the garage stall where his car was. She heard fans asking for autographs and snapping selfies. She decided it was a good idea to hang back and let him do his job. As the cars zoomed by, she followed the fans out onto pit road where she watched the cars make laps around the track. "Excuse me, do you know where Chase is currently?" Jessica asked a fan. The fan pointed to the scoring pylon that Jessica just realized was there and saw the No. 9 sitting in 3rd. She stood there a few more minutes and then saw his car come speeding back into the garage. She followed the fans who were now making their way back to the garage and standing anxiously by Chase's hauler. Jessica didn't want to look like a stalker standing outside, but Chase was the one who told her she should come check out the race. Maybe if she saw him, she'd thank him again for the interview and the suggestion to come back to the track and leave it at that. Jessica looked up from her phone in time to see Chase walking back toward the hauler, fans in tow. He signed some stuff and walked into the hauler. She was about to leave when a crew guy came walking out and over to her. "Chase wanted me to give this to you," he said, handing her a small piece of paper. "Thanks," she replied. She opened to see what it said. Meet me at the other end of the hauler in 5 minutes. Less fans.