Second Chances // Chase Elliott

legends

ten

CAROLINE JOHNSON

I walked into the small coffee shop and walked up to the counter to order an iced coffee. Once I ordered, I looked around and saw a small group of elderly women sitting around the table talking about the most recent town gossip.

"You know Spencer hasn't even been gone for two years and she's already with another man," I heard one of them whisper. I turned around and they were all already looking at me in disgust.

"I bet she's already slept with him."

"I bet she's pregnant."

"How could she do that to Spencer?"

"I wonder if she was cheating on Spencer."

I woke up in a panic with tears in my eyes and gasping for air. These dreams have been a regular occurrence since Chase asked me to be his girlfriend.

I'm not having any doubts about dating Chase, but the thought keeps running around in my head that it's still too early to be dating. I know that's just my head talking though because my heart? My heart's telling me that dating Chase is good and that it's not too early. My heart also knew, though, that I still needed to talk to two important people before my guilty conscious would go away.

I sat up in the bed and laid my head in my hands, wiping the tears away. I tried to be as quiet and as still as I could be to not wake Chase up.

"Babe?" Chase asked, concern laced in his groggy, morning voice. When I heard Chase's voice, I couldn't help the tears from falling. He leaned over and turned the lamp on to let some light in the room.

"Hey," he whispered as he sat up and brought me into his chest. "What's wrong?"

"I had another dream," I sniffled. We laid back against the headboard and Chase began tracing circles on my back. "I don't want you to think that I'm having second thoughts about us dating, because I'm not. I'm happier than I've been in the last year and a half."

"I know. It's okay."

"This is just part of my process of grieving and healing," I rambled, trying to assure Chase that I was happy.

"Caroline," Chase softly said as he lifted my head up to look at him, "it's okay."

"You're not mad?"

"No," he chuckled, "why would I be mad?"

"I don't know. Just thought you might think that I'm having second thoughts about us."

"There's no reason for me to be upset. I know you're not doubting us, and I know that this is still a lot for you. I'm right here with you though while you navigate through the grieving process." He placed a gentle kiss on my forehead, and I sighed, resting my head back on his chest and letting his words settle into my anxious mind.

I'm so thankful for Chase and how patient and understanding he's been over these last few months. From taking a few months just to get to know each other better, not making anything official until a few days ago, and now, not wanting our relationship to be public just yet. If I were him, I would've been done with it all, and me, a long time ago.

My thoughts were interrupted by Chase's light snores. I couldn't help but laugh a little at how quickly he had fallen back asleep. Knowing that I wouldn't be able to go back to sleep, I carefully loosed myself from Chase's grip and went out to the living room area.

"Alexa," I whispered. The blue and purple light lit up, indicating that she was listening.

"Play the playlist 'Yeehaw' on Spotify," I whispered. I turned the volume down, being careful not to wake Chase up. Soon Eric Church was playing, quietly, through the speaker. I made my way over to the kitchen and started making breakfast for Chase and I.