Gabby's POV

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" I was at the grocery store shopping with Ryan. I didn't tell him what happened with Chase because I'm too fucking embarrassed to do so. As Ryan fills my cart up with healthy food for the week, I'm standing with the freezer door wide open to the different variations of Ben & Jerry's.

"No, Gabby, if you want ice cream, let me pick out a good option for you."
"Fuck off, Blaney, I want the good stuff." He ignored me like he always does when I want something and instead picked out something with less calories.

"Not going to fight me on this one?" I shrugged, eyeballing the light cookies and creme little square bits.

"No, they actually look good." Ryan shook his head and laughed.

I pouted throughout our whole shopping trip and if Ryan noticed, he didn't say anything, which I was grateful for. I knew I would have to tell him about Chase eventually, especially if I was going to stop going to the gym, but I didn't want it to be today. Or at least, I hoped it wouldn't be today because the very man who caused me to feel this way just walked into the store looking fine as hell.

Men should not be allowed to wear gym clothes outside of the gym, let alone someone who looks like Chase Elliott in those stupid tight sweatpants and a super loose muscle shirt that showed off everything.

Why even bother wearing a shirt?

"If you're done staring?" Ryan walked into my eyesight and gave me a look that I was all too familiar with.

"I wasn't staring." I countered, disappearing behind a giant stack of crackers, but even from here I could see him grab a basket and go right to the produce section. "Let's just go." I pushed the cart to the closest checkout, but then I heard his familiar Georgian accent and I got sick to my stomach.

"Hey man! Didn't expect to see you at this end of town. Whatcha doing here?"

"Just helping Gabby here with meal prep." I swallowed hard, hearing the two men behind me exchange greetings, but there was no mistake in the gasp I heard.

"Gabriella?" I looked over my shoulder and the look on Chase's face was one of shock like he never expected to see me again.

I just rolled my eyes and looked over to Ryan, completely ignoring him, "you ready, Ry?"

"Can't keep the lady waiting! See ya at work, bro." Ryan clapped Chase on his shoulder who was now looking at us in confusion.

I did my best to ignore Chase as he stood there watching us checking out. I could see him in the corner of my eye running his hand through his hand and then he finally walked away.

"Do you want to explain what that was all about?" Ryan asked me as we were walking out of the store.

"Nope!" I popped the hatch to my car and started to load in the groceries.

"You know, I'll find out eventually."

"You can try, Blaney, but I'm not going to say anything." Ryan huffed and ran off to return the cart. I slammed the hatch and turned around only to jump right out of my skin.

"Gabriella, please, talk to me." I held my hand over my erratic beating heart as Chase stood right where Ryan just was. I then looked to see where Ryan was only to see him flirting with some girl across the parking lot. Thanks a lot, Ry.

"I have nothing to say to you," I pushed Chase out of my way but he didn't budge.

"Please. I need to apologize for what you heard."

I crossed my arms and looked him square in the eye, "why? Everything I heard was true, right?" Chase was silent, biting his lip and God damn him for making that so sexy. "That's what I thought. Please move so the 'fat ass' can leave."
"C'mon, Gab... " I glared at Chase as he started to call me Gabby. "You're not."
"I'm not, what? Exactly? Go ahead, Chase, say it." Chase laughed dryly and shook his head.

"Ya know what? Fuck you. If you're going to act like a bitch when I'm trying to apologize to you, then so be it."

Tears swelled up in my eyes as he turned on his heel and walked briskly to the truck parked across the way.

I got into my car, not even caring that I was a hot mess. I don't care about any of this. My life was so much better before Chase fucking Elliott came into the picture.

"Gabby? Oh my God! Gabs, what's wrong?" Ryan engulfed me in a hug the moment he got into the car. I hugged him so tightly because if I didn't, I knew I would fall apart even more. "Was it something Chase said?" I shook my head yes. "Wanna talk to me about it?" I shook my head no, knowing I couldn't trust my voice. Well, I couldn't trust my heart.

I would be lying to myself if I didn't have any feelings for Chase, even though I told myself not to. A guy like that doesn't give two shits about a girl like me and I found that out the hard way.

"Tell me what happened before I rip his head off." I pulled back from Ryan, shocked to hear such hate in his voice. "I don't care who he is, no one fucks with my family."

"Ry, no, don't hurt him, it's stupid. Don't worry about it." I wiped my face and looked in the rear-view mirror to still see Chase sitting in his truck.

"It's not stupid if it's making you cry." Ryan held my hand in his and squeezed.

I sighed and fell back against my seat and closed my eyes. I told him what happened at the gym the other day. I felt so stupid for telling my cousin what his coworkers said about me. The sad thing about all of this is the fact that it's a normal occurrence for me.

"You put your trust in someone who vows to help change your life and all he does is tell you something that you're not. I'm so sorry this happened to you, Gabby." I took a deep breath to calm my nerves. "I should fire him," Ryan said as an afterthought.

"No, don't do that. I'm just never going to go back. I don't think I could ever show my face there again, especially since that bitch think I have the hots for Chase."
"But you do." Ryan jabbed my side.

"I do not!" I looked over to see narrow blue eyes. "Fine, okay, maybe just a little."
"I knew it!"
"It doesn't even matter, he doesn't even see me."

"You so sure about that?" Ryan pointed out my window and there standing a few feet away from my car was Chase. "You should talk to him."

"Why? He's just going to tell me that I don't have a chance with him. I'm not blind. Guys like that don't like girls like me. I don't need to have that conversation with him, Ry."

"No, but at least hear him out? He wouldn't be looking like a sad puppy if this didn't bother him, too."

"Well, thank God I'm a cat person, then." Ryan scrunched his nose at that, he doesn't like cats. "Let's go, I want to go home."

"Yeah, no, not until you resolve this." Ryan leaned over and grabbed my keys out of the ignition. "I'll take the groceries back to my place, you can get them later." He opened my drivers door and started to push me out.

"Ry! No. Stop it!"

"Out you go!" Ryan was now in the driver's seat and pushed me completely out so I landed on all fours of the parking lot.

"Ryan!" I yelled as he slammed the door in my face. "Don't you dare!" I grabbed the drivers door handle but he locked the door. My car came to life and with one murderous look from myself, he smiled brightly at me and peeled off. "Ryan!"

I was going to kill him.

I reached into my back pocket to grab my phone but it wasn't there, I padded my front ones and groaned when I realized it was still in my purse, which was in my car.

"Fuck!"

I twirled in a circle, my hands on my head not knowing what to do. I finally stopped, a brown hair, brown eyed guy stared at me with an broken expression on his face. I sighed, resigning and giving both boys what they want.

"You can apologize as you drive me home." I walked right past Chase and to the passenger door of his truck. He came right over to me and opened my door. I cursed inwardly at how sweet that was and then I died a little cause inside of his truck smelled exactly like he did that first day I met him.

"Gabby, I..."
"Gabriella," I corrected.

"Gabriella. Can we, um, go somewhere to talk first?" I crossed my arms and looked straight ahead. I knew if I looked at him I'll cave and I can't allow that.

"I like coffee," I found myself saying instead.

"Perfect." Chase's truck roared to life and I took a glance at him, which I shouldn't have done.

The smile he was wearing was a surprise to me, and of course it made me feel things I shouldn't be feeling.

I just hope going with him wasn't a mistake. 

~*~

A/N:  Ryan would for sure be on my shit list if he did this to me! Chase also needs to figure out his feelings as well.  

Hope everyone has a great New Year!! Here's a great 2019!!