Sweet Caroline {Ryan Blaney} ✔️

twenty

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"She was right here a second ago?" Lydia spun around, searching for Caroline. "Caroline?" Ryan's heart sank at the shake in Lydia's voice.

Alyse spoke up, "Alright. Why don't we split up and look? I'm sure she just wandered somewhere."

Ryan nodded slowly, giving Alyse a grateful smile. "I'll head this way." He motioned towards half of the garage. "You guys go the other way." Ryan looked over at Lydia, her eyes filled with tears. "Hey." He grabbed her hand. "We're going to find her. She can't be that far, okay?" Without thinking, he reached up and wiped a tear from her cheek.

Lydia nodded and Ryan dropped her hand, turning away from her, making his way through the garage. "Caroline?" He called, his eyes scanning the garage. As the seconds dragged on, Ryan could feel his heart picking up faster and faster, his blood pressure rising. He was searching every nook and cranny, not caring about the weird looks that he was getting from crewmembers.

"Caroline?" Ryan called again, different scenarios flashing through his mind as he continued through the garage. He felt sick to his stomach as the thought that somebody had grabbed while they weren't paying attention -- that somebody was hurting her this very second. He had just gotten to know her, the thought of losing Caroline made her stomach clench and twist. He couldn't lose her, she had to be okay.

Ryan's pace quickened until a shrill voice cut through the garage, stopping him in his tracks.

"Ryan! Look at me!"

Ryan's head whipped around, all of the tension releasing from his body as he spotted Caroline, happily sitting in the number nine Napa Chevy, Chase leaning in with a grin as he talked to her, pointing at different things on the dashboard.

Ryan let out a shaky breath, trying to regain enough composure to not alarm his daughter. He knew that she should scold her, talk to her about the dangers of walking off but all he wanted to do was hug her. "What are you doing there, Caroline?" He asked, leaning in the doorway next to Chase. He fought to keep his voice steady but he could hear the shake in his voice. Relief washed over him. She was okay.

Ryan hadn't realized how much he had missed Chase until they were both leaned over, watching Caroline. He wished that he could've called Chase about Caroline, talked about it over a few beers -- maybe even celebrated because Chase knew how much Ryan wanted to be a dad. He knew Chase would've doted on Caroline, they would've been best friends too. But that had been ruined so long ago and now? Now, Ryan had no idea how to even talk to Chase anymore.

"Chase let me sit in his car," Caroline explained, grabbing the steering wheel, completely oblivious to the panic that she had caused.

"How could I say no to Elle's daughter?" Chase chuckled, rubbing his jaw. "I didn't even know that Elle had a daughter but she's her spitting image. Genetics are crazy, man."

Ryan's stomach churned a little at Chase's comment. He had no idea how to explain to Chase that Caroline wasn't Elle's daughter without Caroline picking up on it.

"Who's Elle?" Caroline piped up, her curiousity piqued by Chase's comment.

"Caroline?" Lydia's voice cut through, saving Ryan from having to answer Caroline's question.

"She's right here." Chase turned, a cool smile on his face. "You sure are popular, little lady." Chase turned back to Caroline with a chuckle. Ryan could practically see the wheels turning in Chase's mind.

"Momma! Chase let me sit in his car!" Caroline started to stand up in the cockpit, her arms outstretched towards Ryan. "Can I get out now?"

Chase's features contorted as Ryan lifted Caroline, setting her on the ground in front of Lydia and Alyse. Lydia crouched down, speaking to Caroline in a low and even tone, no doubt scolding her. Ryan turned away towards Chase.

Ryan rocked on his heels, shoving his hands in his pockets. The two men stared at each other, neither really sure what to say. Now Ryan could practically hear the questions that were swirling in Chase's head.

He sighed, "Elle doesn't have a daughter." He murmured before following Lydia and Caroline back towards his car. Ryan knew that he should offer a better explanation to Chase but he couldn't -- not yet. There was so much that Ryan needed to explain to Chase and starting with I have a five-year-old daughter just didn't seem quite right.

"Wait." Chase grabbed Ryan's arm, spinning his back towards him.

Ryan's brow furrowed a little, unsure of what Chase was going to say. He braced himself for a verbal lashing, to be told what a shitty friend he has been all of this time. Ryan knew that he deserved it -- he had abandoned Chase without so much as an explanation. Stacy had made it clear that Chase needed to be gone from his life and regrettably, Ryan had complied. He wasn't innocent, he could have put his foot down and told Stacy to pack her bags but he hadn't. So he was going to stand there and take whatever Chase had to say to him.

"I'm going to be in Charlotte all next week. I think we should get together for lunch and catch up." Chase's eyes bore into Ryan, almost as if he was daring Ryan to say no like he had when Stacy had first forced Ryan to end his friendship with Chase.

Ryan nodded slowly. "Yeah. I should be free."

Chase bit his lip -- his tell for trying to avoid saying something snarky. Ryan relaxed, some things never change. "Is your number still the same?"

Ryan nodded, "I have to go." He turned back towards Lydia and Caroline, making a beeline towards them. He couldn't place it but he had an unsettled feeling about Chase, probably the years of guilt that he had shoved in a box and forgotten about and all he wanted to do was surround himself with the two people that brought him comfort.

"I'm sorry for wandering off." Caroline apologized once Ryan stopped beside them. "Momma told me I scared you guys." Her lip quivered a little as she waited for Ryan's response.

The overwhelming urge to hug Caroline returned so Ryan knelt down, scooping her into a hug. "We were scared." He admitted to her. "But I'm glad that you're okay." He smoothed her hair. He could feel every pair of eyes on him in the garage but he didn't really care -- he would tell people when he was ready and more importantly when Caroline and Lydia were ready. All that mattered to him right now was that she was okay. He would deal with the rest later.

After a moment, Ryan stood up, "I'm done here for the night." He frowned a little, not really wanting to let Caroline and Lydia go. The downside to the Roval was that his motorhome wasn't here. And there was no way that Ryan could bring them back to his house, not with Stacy who was on a warpath for sure.

Lydia must have sensed Ryan's reluctance. "Why don't we all go back to our house and have a movie night?" She suggested, her eyes sparkling in a way that Ryan didn't recognize.

"Even Ryan?" Caroline bounced up and down, squealing in delight when her mother nodded.

Ryan flashed a grateful smile at Lydia. "I'll pick up a pizza?" He offered.

Lydia flashed a full smile at Ryan, his knees feeling a little like Jell-O. "I'll text you our address."

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i just wanted to take a moment and thank everybody for their support on this story. when i started posting, i had no idea if anybody would care for a heavier fic but i have been blown away. i see you all and i appreciate all of the support by way of reads, comments, votes and messages. it all means so much to me so thank you.