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

| eighteen |

❛ ━━━━━━･❪ ❁ ❫ ･━━━━━━ ❜

"Ready?" Ryan knocked on her motorcoach door.

    Lara opened the door, "Let's go." She had showered, changing into a pair of joggers and an oversized sweatshirt. She was still angry but the shower had helped her calm down, ready to face Ryan.

    Lara followed Ryan to his rental car, buckling her seatbelt. She stared out the window for a moment before Ryan cleared his throat.

    "Do you want to talk about what happened?" His voice was soft, comforting.

    She shrugged, "I mean, I think you probably can guess what happened. I told him we done. I meant it."

    Ryan sighed, "You've said that before, Lara."

    "I know," Lara conceded, slightly embarrassed, "But I think I mean it this time. He crossed a line, bringing it onto the track. He can't tell me it was in the heat of the moment, that was completely meditated."

    "He turned you on purpose?"

    "I mean, I obviously haven't talked with him but he's been ignoring me because I didn't choose him when he gave me an ultimatum and I stood by you for the anthem." Lara shrugged. "This has turned into such a mess, Ryan. I don't know where it all wrong. One minute we were fine, the next he was telling everybody I didn't deserve my ride. I just don't know." She shook her head. "I don't know if I was ever happy. Or if I'll ever get to be happy." The last part came out as a whisper.

    Ryan reached over, squeezing her hand, "Hey now, don't say that. Don't let Chase do this to you, he doesn't deserve it."

    Lara nodded slowly, trying to ignore the way that her pulse quickened and her skin heated up when Ryan touched her. "You're right, Ry." She shook her head, "You're always right."

    Ryan smirked as he pulled up to a quiet diner, killing the engine. "I thought you'd never say that."

    She slugged him in the arm playfully, "And I'll probably never say it again."

    They made their way into the diner, finding a corner book to sit down. Lara's attention was caught by race coverage. She couldn't help but cringe as she watched herself slam Chase into his car.

    "Remind me to never piss you off." Ryan laughed, shaking his head, "You were vicious."

    "I was so angry, my head was spinning." Lara shrugged. "I don't even want to log onto Twitter."

    "Give me your phone so I can change your password." Ryan held his hand out. "Sometimes after a particularly bad week, I have one of my sister's change my password and it helps."

    Lara patted her pockets, coming up empty. She frowned. "I must've left my phone at the motorhome."

    Ryan nodded, "Okay. If you need me to, I can change it when we get back. How mad do you think your grandfather is?"

    Lara laughed, "I don't want to face him. He's pissed, he specifically told me to make sure if Chase and I have to duke it out, we do it behind closed doors and I pretty spectacularly did the exact opposite of that."

Ryan laughed, "You sure did."

❛ ━━━━━━･❪ ❁ ❫ ･━━━━━━ ❜

    Ryan followed Lara to her motorhome. She opened the door quietly, hoping that her grandfather wasn't waiting for her. Relief washed over her as she was greeted by a dark motorhome and her grandfather's soft snores.

    Lara quickly located her phone, stepping back outside. She opened her phone, ignoring all of the notifications and going straight to her Twitter account, and opening up the settings.

    Ryan took her phone, typing in a new password before handing it back to her so she could finish the password change and then logging herself out.

    "Thank you." She murmured. "Thank you for everything, Ryan."

    Ryan stepped forward, brushing a stray curl from her face. "I'd do anything for you, Lara." He chewed on his lip, almost as if he was debating on something. He let out a resigned sigh, stepping back. "Get some sleep, okay? We've got a lot to do this week and Hank's Happy Golf needs you at your best."

    Lara nodded, "Okay. Have a good night, Ryan."

    Ryan squeezed her hand, "Goodnight Lara."

    He shoved his hands in his pockets, disappearing into the night.

    Lara turned, slipping back into the motorhome. She fell into her bunk, checking the notifications. 17 missed calls, 33 text messages from Chase. Against her better judgment, Lara scrolled through them:

Chase
6:13pm
Pick up your damn phone

Chase
6:14pm
Seriously Lara

Chase
6:15pm
You need to pick up your
fucking phone and talk to me.

Chase
6:16pm
I can't believe you chose him over me

Chase
6:16pm
You're with Blaney, aren't you?
Fuck you both.

Chase
6:18pm
The press was up my ass about you so thanks for that
I didn't even get to enjoy my win so I hope you're happy

    Lara rolled her eyes, scrolling through the rest of them. She bit her lip, trying to decide if she should reply. This time, the logical part of her won out, so she stuck to her word, to be truly done with him.

    She thought of what Ryan had said about getting things done. A smile spread across her face as she thought about the one good thing that had happened today -- that she officially owned Hank's Happy Golf.

    She put her phone on silent and went to bed. She tried to fall asleep but she was haunted by the regrets that she had about Chase and the things that she had felt when Ryan had touched her today. She prayed for clarity before she finally fell asleep.

❛ ━━━━━━･❪ ❁ ❫ ･━━━━━━ ❜