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

xix.

i'm just going to tell him that i should have listened to him and believed him. and that i love him. it will be okay, everything will be okay. kathryn claire let out a shaky breath as she neared the motorhome. she had been trying to come up with some eloquent to say to chase but she was coming up empty. she hoped that the simpler, the better because that was all that she had.

kathryn claire stepped into the motorhome. she had no idea what to expect, unsure of what state chase was in. but judging by the desperation in his voice and the panic in his eyes when she left, she knew it couldn't be good.

her jaw nearly dropped when chase stood to face her, the panic in his eyes replaced by determination. suddenly, the speech that she had prepared on her walk over had vanished -- thrown off by chase's calm demeanor. she hoped that this was a good sign, a sign that he wasn't nearly as upset as she and ryan had imagined.

so they stood there, staring at each other for a moment until chase cleared his throat. "i never believed in love at first sight until i met you." chase started, shoving his hands in his pockets. "although i'm not sure if it technically counts because i had technically started to fall in love with you before i had ever laid eyes on you but..." his voice trailed off a little, his head shaking with a quiet chuckle. "not the point. the point is that once i laid eyes on you, i knew i would do anything to make you happy. i'm not perfect, kathryn claire, i have messed up and hurt you in the process and i am deeply and truly sorry for that." he looked up at her, his liquid brown eyes staring into hers.

kathryn claire nodded slowly, unsure if he was done talking or not. butterflies thrashed in her stomach as she stood there, listening to chase talk. a couple of months ago, she never would've believed that she would be listening to chase freaking elliott spill his guts to her about his love for her. it was crazy and amazing how everything had changed. kathryn claire knew that she loved chase with her whole heart and she always would.

chase continued speaking. "i love you. i need you to believe me when i say that i would never kiss somebody else. alicia..." he shook his head. "alicia would do anything to hurt me. she hates that i didn't come crawling back to her like she had planned on. i'm sure what you walked into looked bad, really bad. but i love you. i love you so much and i should have told you all of this sooner. i know i said that i was scared and maybe a little piece of me is still scared a little bit but i'm ready. i'm ready for us, forever. i will get on my knees and beg for another chance, i would do anything. i know i haven't always been one hundred percent honest with you but i am now." chase stepped forward to kathryn claire. "do you believe me? or are you just here to get your things." his voice was soft but steady.

kathryn claire nodded, "i believe you. i'm sorry chase. i should've listened to you. i -- i don't even know. i just saw you kissing her and it was like my brain short-circuited for a second. ryan had to snap a little sense back into me." she explained.

"ryan, huh?" chase asked, his expression unreadable.

kathryn claire nodded, "i ran into him right after i left here. he told me what alicia was really like. he was adamant that you were telling the truth."

"i guess i owe him one," chase chuckled a little. he didn't say anything else, instead, he closed the distance between them, his lips crashing onto hers. that kiss told her everything kathryn claire needed to know.

they were going to be okay.