Can't Help Falling in Love {Ryan Blaney}✔️

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Lara slammed around the motorhome, wondering why there was no food in there that she wanted to eat. She was starving but nothing she found was anything she wanted to eat. She wanted junk, to eat her feelings and instead she was finding all of the healthy things her grandfather had packed in an attempt to curb his snacking and apparently hers.

"Damn Grandpa and his health kick," she muttered, slamming a cabinet before plopping on the leather sofa. She pulled out her phone, scrolling through Twitter, every headline of what Chase had said.

She opened up an article, pressing play on the video and watching it on a loop, letting the words gut punch her every time until she didn't feel anything at all. Lara knew it was a terrible coping mechanism but she also knew that she couldn't cry in front of anybody about it, no matter how much she wanted to.

"Lara." A voice said on the other side of her motorhome. She couldn't really tell who it was but she assumed that it was Chase.

"Go away," She called, "I don't want to talk to you, Chase."

"It's not Chase," There was an underlying tone of amusement in the voice, "Do I sound like I'm from Georgia?"

She slid off the couch, opening the door to reveal Ryan, "Sorry, Ry. Couldn't hear you well enough to tell the difference."

"Sure," Ryan didn't seem convinced. "First the fans get us mixed up and now you? I'm hurt. I expected better of you"

"Well, haven't you heard? I'm only here because of my last name and taking a Cup ride from somebody more deserving." Lara laughed bitterly before her lip quivered, "Ryan if my boyfriend thinks that, I can't imagine what everybody else thinks." Tears spilled over onto her cheeks before she could stop them.

Ryan stepped up, nudging Lara until she backed up enough for him to step into the motorhome. He wrapped his arms around her, Lara tucking her head into the crook of her neck, not even caring what it looked like, "Everybody thinks that Chase is an ass."

She shook her head, "I meant about me. I was so scared this was going to happen and it did. I should just hang up my helmet and spend the rest of my life working at Hank's Happy Golf." She sobbed at the last thought.

"That was oddly specific," Ryan murmured. "And a little rash, don't you think? You're a rookie, Lara. A hard-headed one who doesn't take advice very well but a rookie. You have to give yourself some slack otherwise you're never going to get anywhere."

She nodded slowly, pulling away from the hug, "I don't want to just be Rick's granddaughter or the daughter Ricky never met. I want to be Lara Hendrick who was a great racer in her own right." A fresh set of tears started flowing, "But I feel like I'm doomed to oblivion."

Ryan nodded, chuckling a little, "You have an amazing ability to jump to wild conclusions. One race at a time, Lara. Are you hungry?"

Lara nodded, "I'm starving. Maybe a cheeseburger will make me feel better because you didn't."

Ryan shot her a look, "Not my fault you can't listen," He muttered. "I'll drive."

Lara followed Ryan out to his Bronco, climbing in and buckling her seatbelt. They drove in silence until Ryan cleared his throat.