Not Alone Any More {Chase Elliott || Sequel to Only the Lonely} ✔️

xiii.

kathryn claire bit her lip as she watched the handsome man across from her finish his cheeseburger. she had opted for a salad — the hot and sticky midwestern summer air stealing her appetite.

she had a million questions about practice that she wanted to ask chase but she had decided against it after she saw the stress etched into his face when he got out of the car.

and besides — she had studied the data, she knew chase, kathryn claire had come to a conclusion as to what had happened.

"you do know you're staring? right?" chase's nose crinkled at her, a hint of amusement in his voice. "i know i'm good looking and all but it's not polite to stare."

kathryn claire relaxed at the humor in his voice. she stuck her tongue out, "i was staring at you, i was just thinking and i spaced out."

chase widened his eyes a little, "right. whatever you say, kathryn claire."

kathryn claire stuck her tongue out at him again before letting out a laugh. she laughed a little harder when chase joined in.

it felt good — after everything that had happened — to be able to laugh together. kathryn claire couldn't help but sneak a glance at chase, his head thrown back in laughter.

butterflies thrashed around in kathryn claire's stomach as she remembered that chase — out of everybody in the world — had fallen in love with her. sure, he was afraid of what came next but he was in love with her.

and while his confession had stunned kathryn claire, she knew in the end that it didn't matter. she loved chase too and she would wait until he was ready, whenever that may be.

"are you ready?" chase asked a few moments later, after the waitress had brought his debit car back.

she nodded, standing up, chase mirroring her. he intertwined his fingers with hers and they walked out of the diner, back towards the car that chase had rented for the week.

"wait." kathryn claire stopped, her eyes drifting towards a tent that was set up in a parking lot. "i think that's a nascar merchandise tent." kathryn claire changed directions.

"what are you doing?" chase hissed, digging his heels in. "we can't go over there."

kathryn claire tossed a look over her shoulder, "i'll go by myself then. i need a new shirt." she dropped his hand, taking long strides towards the tent.

"slow down." chase whispered in her ear, grabbing her hand as they both entered the tent.

she couldn't help but smile that chase had decided to join her. she understood why he was hesitant — he would probably get mobbed if fans saw him. but a feeling of happiness soared through kathryn claire — she was worth that risk to him.

"what kind of shirt do you want?" chase asked, flipping through a rack of shirts. he pulled out a denny hamlin shirt. "this one?"

kathryn claire crinkled her nose, "i don't think so." she laughed, turning towards a rack of hats. she scanned the rack until she found the one she was looking for. with a grin, she pulled on a royal blue bucket hat with the number nine embroidered on the front.

"how do i look?" she asked, turning towards chase.

chase placed the shirt he had in his hands back on the rack, striding towards her with a wide grin. "you look beautiful. i never thought the number nine could look so good but—" he didn't finish his sentence, instead he dipped down and place a kiss onto kathryn claire's lips.

it caught her by surprise. sure, he had kissed her right before his accident but this? this was uncharted territory. forgetting they were in the middle of a merchandise tent, she snaked her arm around his neck, pulling herself into him. the kiss was perfect — sweet, loving but with enough passion behind it to set her body on fire.

it wasn't until there were a couple of hoots and hollers from onlookers, a reminder that they weren't alone. they broke the kiss slowly, neither of them really wanted to. kathryn claire buried her face into chase's shoulder, inhaling his scent and committing all of this into her memory bank to be replayed over and over for the rest of her life.

"i think i'll buy that hat for you." chase whispered in her ear with a chuckle.