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

xxiii.

"thank you for dinner." kathryn claire squeezed chase's hand as they stepped outside. "we could have went somewhere a little less expensive."

chase pulled her closer to him. "it had occurred to me that we have never really gone on a proper date. plus i figured you might've been tired of burgers."

kathryn claire chuckled a little, "now what?" she asked as they walked past the parking garage.

"there's an ice cream parlor a couple of blocks away, i was thinking we could go get dessert." chase offered.

kathryn claire felt a grin spread across her face. "i'd love that. let me guess, you're not going to have any though?" at dinner, chase had ordered a plain chicken breast with a side of steamed vegetables — citing the race tomorrow as the reason.

chase flashed an apologetic smile, "i might have a bite of yours. but i'm not going to force you to miss out on the good things in life because i'm afraid of a stomach ache."

"i mean, i wouldn't want a stomachache racing a car either." kathryn claire shrugged, "i understand."

they walked in silence for a moment, hand in hand. kathryn claire couldn't help but sneak glances at chase and marvel a little that he was hers, that of all people, he had chosen her. he wasn't perfect but who was? he was perfectly flawed but kathryn claire knew without a doubt that he loved her. and at the end of that, kathryn claire knew that would always be enough.

once they had reached the ice cream parlor, and kathryn claire had received her ice cream cone filled with mint chocolate chip ice cream, they turned around to make the walk back to the car. chase had offered for them to sit but she knew that chase would probably be eager to get back so he could go to bed early.

chase cleared his throat, shifting nervously. "i have a question," he stated, chewing on his lip.

kathryn claire looked up from her ice cream, her stomach churning a little. "okay?" her voice squeaked a little bit. this had thrown her for a loop, she was not expecting anything other than sweet small talk.

"i love you." chase wrapped an arm around her waist. "i will always love you, no matter what life throws at us. i want everything life throws at us, good or bad. when i followed you on twitter, i was trying to plug a hole in my heart and somehow you came and you mended that hole. i am whole now because of you and i love you for that." tears stung kathryn claire's eyes at the words chase was speaking. she knew he meant every word with his whole heart and she couldn't contain her emotions.

chase paused, his chocolate eyes sparkling a little, "i realized that i never asked you to be my girlfriend. so kathryn claire, will you be my girlfriend?" he flashed her a nervous smile.

kathryn claire nodded quickly, "of course." before chase could say anything else, she threw her arms around his neck, pulling him into a kiss.

"i was nervous you'd say no." chase chuckled after their lips had parted and kathryn claire resumed eating her ice cream cone.

kathryn claire shot him a half-assed glare, "no you weren't. you knew exactly what i'd say."

chase flashed an embarrassed smile, shoving his hands in his pockets. "i mean, maybe. but there was always a chance you could've kicked me to the curb."

kathryn claire shook her head, "not a chance. do you want a bite of my ice cream before i eat it all?" she held out her ice cream towards chase.

once he leaned forward enough, kathryn claire pushed the cone upward and onto chase's nose. she couldn't help herself, he had presented an impassable opportunity.

"you didn't just do that." chase wiped the ice cream from his nose. "you got it in my nose too."

"like this?" kathryn claire repeated her motion, the cold ice cream on chase's nose. she could tell by the look in chase's face that she needed to run.

kathryn claire took off, running down a chicago sidewalk with chase elliott in tow. kathryn claire's life couldn't get any crazier but she wouldn't change it for the world.