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Chapter Twenty-One // Forever

December 31, 2013

"I'm gonna marry you one day, Sadie, watch and see." Chase's eyes sparkled with excitement as he held me close to him. We were cuddled together on a hammock underneath the moonlight as my parents gathered together with friends and family to countdown to the New Year.

"What?" I was so caught off guard I wasn't sure I heard him right.

He took my left hand in his and brought it up to his lips, "I'm going to put a ring on this finger and call you mine for the rest of my life." As fireworks shot off in the distance, my heart repeated the notion as his lips connected with my skin.

**

February 21, 2016

I smiled down at the ring on my left finger as I stood by Chase on pit road before the Daytona 500. It wasn't just a ring, but it was a promise and reminder that through all of our hardship and tribulations, we made it through all of them and came out stronger and impossibly more in love.

After that night my father kicked me out of his life, I moved in with Chase. It wasn't even a question of would or wouldn't I. We cleared the air about everything; what my father said about Britney and how things actually panned out. Here, what I saw was the extent of it. He made it very clear to her that he wasn't interesting but she kept insisting. He put his foot down at his birthday party. Nothing more was said on that subject, and those memories are now dust to the wind.

Christmas Eve I found out Chase gave my father an ultimatum. Either he straightened up and be the father he never was to me, or he walks from the 24 team. Christmas morning I got my answer when I woke up.

"Merry Christmas, Sadie." Chase brushed his nose against my neck and pressed a kiss to my temple when I blinked my eyes open. "Merry Christmas, baby girl." He rubbed my stomach causing butterflies to flutter in the pit of my stomach. It's amazing at how after all these years, this man still got them going.

"Merry Christmas, Daddy," I cooed back to him.

He chuckled and started to get out of bed, "c'mon, I have a surprise for you."

Chase covered my eyes as he led me through a maze in the house so I couldn't figure out where we were going. "Stand right here."

I felt him move from me but I grabbed him, "don't leave me."

"I won't, I'm right by your side," he kissed my cheek and whispered, "now, open."

I blinked my eyes opened and instantly they flooded with tears. The spare room next to our bedroom was turned into a nursery. Everything I could ever wanted was in this room. The far wall was covered in a elegant gray wallpaper with the baby's name, Charlotte Rose, in turquoise wooden blocks mounted on the wall. Underneath the name, was a beautiful white crib with a matching bed set. "Is that?" I laughed walking towards the mobile hanging above the crib.

"Yeah," Chase said sheepishly. It was his diecast spray painted gray, pink and turquoise.

I reached inside the crib and took out the Teddy Bear that had a 24 shirt on with Chase's name and held onto it tightly. Everywhere my eye landed, I saw something new that took my breath away. A bookshelf held endless children stories and trophies Chase has won throughout his career. A rocking chair sat next to the bay window that overlooked the pond. A stunning armoire stood on the adjacent wall, each drawer was full of baby clothes and accessories. I lost it when I saw the guitar, or more importantly, the note attached to it.

I should have helped you chased your dreams. I'm truly sorry I was never there for you, but I will be now and I'll do whatever it takes to make your daughter's dreams soar - love, Dad.

I looked up at Chase who took the note from my hand and wiped the tears streaming down my face. "Can I give you my gift now?"
"There's more? I don't think I can handle anything else right now." Chase smiled instantly and lead me to the window so I could sit down.

"Just one small thing, I promise."

Fireworks and loud cheers shook me out of my memory on the morning Chase proposed to me and I was met with chocolate brown eyes with a brilliant smile.

Chase Elliott, the man of my dreams and the father to our unborn child looked at me like he already won the race. "I'll see you in victory lane, okay?" I hugged him, saying a little prayer to keep him safe and to bring my baby back in one piece.

"I'll meet you there, gotta give Charlotte a nice new trophy." He winked and gave me a kiss before kneeling down and whispering to my stomach that "daddy is going to win this race for you."

I watched on top of the pitbox as Chase led the field of cars across the start/finish line for his first official Sprint Cup race in the 24 car. I thought about how everything worked out in the end, how Chase is living his dream and how mine shifted to being a mother. A chill ran up my spine just then and I felt a kick for the first time.

Yeah, this is how everything was supposed to be and I wouldn't want it any other way.