Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

She looked more than a little wary when he pulled up his car alongside her to offer her a ride. Wade supposed he could understand that. After all, she didn’t know him, and from the looks of her, she sure wasn’t from anywhere close by. Nobody ever looked more out of place on the dusty road into Bluebell. Of course, in Wade’s opinion, nobody ever looked quite so good either.

“Can I offer you a ride, ma’am?” he said, rolling the car forward in pace with her walking as best he could.

“No, thank you,” she said with a tight smile.

“You sure ‘bout that?” he checked, pushing his aviators up on top of his head. “’Cause if you’re headed to Bluebell, you got a long walk ahead o’ you, and in those shoes...?” he trailed off, eyeing her high heels and shaking his head.

She stopped walking and Wade pulled the car to a sharp stop.

“Look, I’m sure that smile of yours makes all the girls at the church social swoon, but I don’t know you, and I have a strong policy against strangers chopping me up into a million pieces.”

Wade stared at her for a moment and then couldn’t help but let a burst of laughter escape his lips.

“Sweetheart, I am no axe murderer, okay?” he promised her. “I’m actually a bartender, and if it helps you at all, I happen to live on the mayor’s plantation up there in Bluebell,” he said, gesturing in the general direction of town. “That make you feel any better about accepting a ride or do you just have your heart all set of hiking another three miles in your high heels?”

She looked as if she were debating her decision carefully for almost an entire minute and then she sighed. “I’ll take the ride, thank you,” she said, almost sounding as if she wished she didn’t have to.

Wade took no offence, just told her to leave her bags where they were and he would grab them. Two minutes later they were sat together in the front of his car, heading on down the road, the mysterious woman glancing between the view through the windshield and Wade the whole time.

“So, you’re not from around here,” he said after a while. “Northerner, right?”

“Yes,” she said, nodding her head. “I’m from New York, actually.”

“Long way from home,” Wade considered. “What brings you to Bluebell?”

“I’m a doctor,” she explained. “And I’ve been offered a job down here. You know Dr Harley Wilkes?”

The wheel slipped in Wade’s hands when he heard that question, but thankfully he regained control pretty fast. There was no way his passenger hadn’t noticed how she shocked him and of course she asked what was wrong.

“Uh, I don’t know how to tell you this, doc, but I think maybe somebody is playing a trick on you,” he said, just as they neared the sign welcoming them to Bluebell. “See, Dr Harley Wilkes, he was from Bluebell. Best doctor in town, you want my opinion.”

“Hold on a second, did you just say was?”

Wade figured you had to be pretty smart to be a doctor, especially in some fancy pants place like New York, so it was no surprise to him that she caught on real fast to what he said.

“Yeah, so Dr Wilkes passed on, must’ve been three or four months ago now,” he confirmed, one hand leaving the wheel to rub at the back of his neck. “Not sure where they leaves you job-wise but...”

“This makes no sense,” she said fast, suddenly rifling through her purse like a woman possessed, completely missing the ‘Welcome to Bluebell’ sign as they passed by it. “Here. See, Harley Wilkes, dated three weeks ago,” she insisted, trying to wave the postcard in Wade’s face.

It certainly gave him pause for thought, though it was tough to focus on anything but the road until they were in safe place for him to pull over. Given the circumstances, he did just that, down a side road where they wouldn’t be in anybody’s way. Leaving the engine idling, he finally pulled the card from his passenger’s hand and properly read it over.

“Huh,” he said, considering it, rubbing a hand over chin as he thought on it. “So, best I can figure, you should talk to Mrs H about this.”

“And who would that be?”

“Emmeline Hattenbarger,” Wade explained, handing back the postcard and shifting the car back into gear. “She looks after things at the practice. Appointments, paperwork and such. Seems to me, she’s most likely to know what’s going on.”

It was a real short distance to the practice from where they stopped. Wade decided not to say anymore until such time as they got there. There was a kind of shock settled in on his passenger as she read her postcard over and over, plus a couple more she dug out of her purse. Seemed to him something strange was going on, but it was somebody else’s business and not his. No way he was getting involved any more than he already had.

“Here’s the place,” he said, finally pulling the car up to the kerb. “Time to disembark, Zoe Hart.”

She looked at him like he just pulled the most impressive magic trick, but Wade only smiled.

“Your name was on the card.”

“Oh, right.” She glanced down at the postcards still in her hand and rolled her eyes. “Well, thanks for the ride...”

“Wade Kinsella,” he said, offering her a hand, which she immediately took a hold of and shook firmly.

There was such a smile on her lips and a jolt of something almost electric in Wade’s own arm in that moment, he didn’t entirely know what to make of it. It was almost as if something real significant happened between them, even though it was nothing but a handshake.

“Um, I should go inside, find this Mrs H person” she said then.

“I’ll grab those bags for you, doc,” Wade told her, only then realising they still had a hold of each other’s hands and quickly letting go.

Out from the car, Wade got the bags from the trunk and led Zoe into the practice, yelling for Mrs H as they went.

“What’s all the commotion, Wade Kinsella?” she asked, in that concerned but exasperated tone that reminded him of his own momma whenever she heard incoming noise - he kind of liked it, actually.

Not that he had to give any kind of explanation himself. The moment she laid eyes on Zoe Hart, it was clear enough that Mrs H knew who had come calling. That saved a lot of fuss, Wade reckoned, and so he left the womenfolk to their conversation and headed on his way.

In her wildest dreams, Zoe could never have expected her first day in Bluebell to be so eventful. To think she had just assumed she would show up, meet Dr Wilkes, and start her new job, easy as anything. There was no way she could have anticipated a smelly bus ride, followed by a potential long, dusty walk that she was only saved from by a very unexpected ride from a very attractive man.

Finding out from him that Harley Wilkes was dead had been a heck of a shock, but at least Wade had been able to take her to the right place to get an explanation from Mrs H. Next had come the problem of where she was supposed to stay, which had led Zoe to the mayor’s plantation and the discovery that Lavon Hayes, former line-backer, was in fact the mayor of Bluebell.

He was giving Zoe the guided tour of the place, ending at the carriagehouse that was to be her home for a while, when suddenly a thought hit her.

“So, you share the generator with the guy in the gatehouse, his name is-”

“Wade Kinsella,” she said, actually laughing, first at the realisation that she knew what he was going to say, second at the entirely amusing look of shock on Lavon’s face. “I’m sorry, it’s just we met already. Wade was driving into town when I was walking in. He picked me up, gave me a ride. He seemed nice.”

“Oh, he is a nice guy, no doubt.” Lavon nodded knowingly. “Where women are concerned, he is more than nice.”

Zoe opened her mouth to reply to that remark, then changed her mind. She didn’t get the impression that Wade was necessarily that type of person, the kind that would pick up anyone in a skirt. Of course, they had only spent maybe fifteen minutes together, mostly in a car, that was all. How much could she really say she knew about him anyway? That said, she figured she was probably going to get to know him if he was her neighbour.

Before she could think about it anymore, Lavon was excusing himself and disappearing down the porch steps, back towards the main house. Zoe watched him go for a moment, then turned away, gaze shifting to the pond and then to the house on the other side of it. That had to be Wade’s place, she supposed.

Making a quick decision, Zoe carefully manoeuvred her high-heel clad feet down the steps and around the pond. She arrived at Wade’s door, relatively unscathed, all things considered, realising she was probably going to have to buy some ‘sensible’ shoes sometime if she was going to be staying here. She knocked firmly.

Zoe’s focus was decidedly not on her footwear anymore when the door opened and her vision was filled with an expanse of well-toned muscle. Zoe swallowed hard and forced herself to look up from Wade’s chest to meet his green and sparkling eyes.

“Well, howdy, neighbour,” he drawled, leaning on the doorjamb. “You needin’ a cup o’ sugar already?”

The way he said it made a shiver pass through Zoe in the most delicious way, just knowing as she did that he wasn’t talking about the kind of sugar used to sweeten tea. Unless of course he was and she was just letting her imagination run wild. That was completely possible with the amount of attractive flesh that was on offer to her eyes.

“Um, no,” she said, shaking her head. “I was just... um, Lavon was showing me the carriagehouse,” she explained, stumbling a little over her words, at least until she forced herself to take a breath and get some control. “He mentioned you were my neighbour, so I thought I’d just come over and say hi. I realise now you already knew I was moving in here.”

“News like that moves through Bluebell faster than green grass through a goose,” Wade told her with a grin. “I’m guessin’ Mrs H told you what was what over at the practice?”

“She did.” Zoe nodded her head. “Turns out Harley Wilkes was sending me the postcards to start off with, but after he passed away, he wanted her to continue. God knows why he was so determined about me coming here but... well, here I am,” she said, shrugging her shoulders, still unsure whether she had made the right choice.

“Well, all I can say is, it ain’t a bad place to be, doc,” Wade told her easily. “I mean, it ain’t New York or whatever, but it’s treated me pretty well my whole life. Nothin’ much for me to complain about.”

“It seems nice enough so far. The natives are friendly at least,” she said with a smile, seeing from the similar look on his face that he well understood she was mostly talking about him. “Are you always the knight in shining armour, rescuing damsels in distress from the side of the road?”

“Not much call for knights around here,” he told her, rubbing the back of his neck, “but you ever find yourself needin’ one for anythin’ at all, you know where to find me, Zoe Hart.”

“I guess I do,” she agreed, that same satisfying shiver running down her spine as their eyes met one more time and a look of understanding passed between them.

When she eventually turned to walk away, Zoe was sure she must be going crazy. After all, why would she want to be making eyes at some cowboy type from a small town that she only planned to stay in for twelve months at most? Still, she had to admit that Bluebell, Alabama really wasn’t as bad as she thought it was going to be when she first arrived. In fact, she thought, as she looked back at Wade still on the doorstep watching her walk away, it might just turn out to be a great place to spend a year of her life.

Chapter Text

“Well, this is becoming quite a habit,” Wade grinned big as he pulled his car up alongside Zoe Hart, wandering aimlessly along the dirt road, a bottle of red wine dangled from her hand. “Let me ask you this, doc. You just walking down this here road hopin’ I’d come on by, offer you another ride?”

She stopped walking, so he stopped the car, but Zoe didn’t immediately answer his question or even look his way. Instead, she put the bottle to her lips and seemed to have to tip it up an awful long way before she got another hit from it. Only when she had swallowed did she turn his way.

“I have had the worst first day,” she said sadly. “Your other doctor, Brick Breeland, he absolutely, positively hates me, and because I didn’t know some old guy was blind but memorised the eye chart, I got this other guy run over!”

She made it all sound so dramatic, and even though Wade wasn’t seeing it all in quite the same way, he did feel bad for her. Poor girl needed a friend, he reckoned, and some place to sit down before she fell down, if the way she was wobbling around was anything to go on.

Leaning over, he opened up the passenger side door. “Why don’t you hop in?”

Zoe took a step closer, put her free hand on top of the car and leaned down to stare in at him. A slow smile crept onto her lips.

“Are you offering me a ride, Wade?” she asked, the way she said it putting the entire scenario into a real sexual light.

Not that it hadn’t occurred to Wade that Zoe was attractive, or that in her current state she might well be amenable to certain offers he might make to her, but now probably wasn’t the best time to be making advances. Girl was hardly standing after all and even Wade had standards.

“I am offering to take you back to your carriagehouse, Zoe Hart,” he told her, clearing his throat before he went on, “and that is all.”

Heaving a sigh, she suddenly threw herself into the passenger seat, then reached to pull the door closed behind her. The momentum born out of the extra strong yank she gave said door, pitched her over to the driver’s side, the top half of her ending up decidedly in Wade’s lap. That was when she bust up laughing.

“You are drunker than a boiled owl, girl,” Wade told her, sitting her upright in her own seat. “Seriously, all this from one bottle o’ cheap wine?” he asked, picking said bottle out of her hand and checking to see if it was empty.

“Not even a whole bottle,” she confirmed.

For the sake of steadying his nerves as well as not adding to her current state of inebriation, Wade drank down the final drops of wine then put the empty bottle down in the footwell out of harm’s way. He was about to start driving, trying to ignore the feelings Zoe had already given him when she landed in his lap, as well her soft, compliant self slumped down in the seat beside him. The problem was, she couldn’t seem to figure out how to strap herself in.

“Seriously now?” he muttered, leaning across the gear shift to help her out.

Zoe started laughing again, her hands flapping a little, then landing on his arms as he fastened her safety belt. When Wade tried to pull away, she held on tight.

“Hey, Wade,” she said, all sing-songy voice and soft eyes.

He meant to answer her. He certainly did not mean to kiss her, but when she suddenly lunged forward and started kissing on him, it was pretty much a no-win situation for Wade. Zoe really wanted this and who was he to deny her in her hour of need? Of course, with her strapped in and him still having the belt looped around him, albeit unclipped, they soon found themselves getting a little stuck. Her unable to get herself unfastened, the both of them with their arms tangled in straps. Before long, she pulled away and started laughing again and then Wade started laughing, because honestly, it really was one of the dumbest situations he ever found himself in.

Since Zoe was in no fit state, it was Wade who got them both untangled, then decidedly returned to the driver’s seat and strapped himself in properly, ready to head home. After double-checking Zoe was safe and secure, he reached to put the car into gear.

“Okay, probably best we head home to bed now, and though I can hardly believe I’m saying this, I think maybe it should be our own separate beds.”

Glancing sideways at Zoe, there was a part of Wade that almost hoped she might argue that point. When she said nothing, only made a comfortable sighing sound and slumped further down in the seat, he realised it just wasn’t going to happen. He would sleep with a woman when she was drunk, if she was willing and able and all, but not when she was half unconscious. There was still too much of the gentleman in him to go that far. His momma had seen to that, God rest her soul.

Driving back to the plantation, Wade pulled up the car right outside the carriagehouse, unclipped his safety belt and turned to find Zoe fully asleep beside him. She really was something to look at, as if he hadn’t noticed that before, but in sleep, even an alcohol-induced one, she was practically angelic. He smiled in spite of himself, almost glad they hadn’t got further than kissing before, because Wade had a feeling this was not just another woman to lure into bed. There was something special about Zoe Hart. Heaven only knew exactly what it was about her, but there was definitely something.

Getting out of the car, Wade moved around to the passenger side, opened up the door, unclipped Zoe’s belt, and picked her up out of the seat with ease. She murmured and stirred in her sleep, taking little persuasion to put her arms up around his neck and hold on. It was easy enough to carry her, not least because she weighed nothing at all, and Wade couldn’t deny her soft, warm, sweet-smelling body felt pretty darn good in his arms.

Opening the door to her place was a little awkward, but he managed, kicking it gently closed behind him as he took Zoe over to the bed and laid her down. She didn’t seem all that willing to let go of him and Wade hated to make her do so, but he knew he had to.

“Not right now, sweetheart,” he told her softly, getting her properly laid down and throwing a blanket over her, tucking her in as best he could. “Maybe some other time, okay?” he whispered, leaning down to plant a gentle kiss on her forehead and walking out to leave her to her sleep.

“Well, if it ain’t our local hero.”

Zoe turned around at the sound of Wade’s voice, unsure if she was blushing at the compliment or the hazy memories from two nights ago. Either way, she fought the heat in her cheeks and walked over towards the large establishment bearing the name ‘Rammer Jammer’ over the top in red neon.

“I don’t know about hero,” she said, shaking her head. “I’m a doctor, it’s just what I do.”

“Well, from what I heard, you did a bang-up job,” Wade insisted, continuing to bus the empty table to his left as he talked. “George Tucker told me it was the last thing he expected to happen at his engagement party, but he also told me even Brick Breeland himself had to admit you were pretty impressive, getting that baby delivered and all.”

“Dr Breeland said that?” Zoe checked, eyes widening with the surprise. “Wow. Maybe there’s hope for me yet.”

She was happy about that part, about people thinking she did her job well, even someone like Dr Breeland, but it was hard to keep focused on that alone. Her mind kept on wandering. It had been wandering for hours now, which was why she had been wandering around town, trying to figure out what she was supposed to do with the information Mrs H had given to her.

“Zoe?”

Wade’s hand on her arm got her attention more than his saying her name. The frown on his face made her think maybe it wasn’t the first time he had tried either.

“You okay?” he checked.

“Yes and no,” she admitted, wondering for a moment why Wade’s face had grown blurry before realising it was the tears building in her eyes.

She quickly swiped them away and dropped down into the nearest seat. “Uh, so it turns out that Dr Wilkes, the guy who really wanted me to come and work here, he wasn’t just a doctor who saw me as a good fit for his practice. Turns out that he... he was my father.”

The clatter of plates and cups in the tray as Wade sat down even more heavily than Zoe had told her he was almost as shocked as she had been by that little revelation. Clearly, Harley wasn’t the obvious type for a secret love child.

“You’re...? Old Harley was...? Wow.”

“Yes, exactly,” Zoe agreed, almost amused by Wade’s floundering, but only almost. “I wasn’t sure I believed it myself, at first, but I called my mom. She didn’t really have any choice but to confirm it.” She sighed. “So, it turns out my whole life is a lie. Not the part where I’m a doctor and everything, but just about everything else. My dad, Ethan Hart, is not my dad, which actually explains a lot, now that I think about it, but... This was so not what I expected when I came here,” she admitted, shaking her head.

“Well, I don’t think anybody expects news like that,” said Wade, still looking bemused. “Dr Wilkes’ daughter,” he said as he stared at her a moment. “You know, the weirdest part is, now that you say that, I can kinda see it.”

Zoe wasn’t sure how to feel about that. “Really?”

“Well, I mean, don’t get me wrong, you’re much prettier than ol’ Harley ever was,” he said, smirking more than a little, “but yeah, I guess there’s some kind of family resemblance in there.”

“Thanks, I think,” said Zoe, shrugging her shoulders. “I really don’t even know what to think about all of this yet. Um, but Harley, he was a good guy, right?”

“Best of all folks.” Wade shrugged. “Hey, and I’m not just sayin’ that to make you feel better or whatever, he really was that good. Took care of everybody in town, delivered most of us into the world, I guess. He, uh... he helped out a lot, with my family, when... well, when we needed him.”

He looked away when he said it, one hand rubbing the back of his neck. Wade was just about as awkward as a person could be and Zoe wondered why. She almost asked what it was that his family needed a doctor for that he was so loathed to talk about, but she never got the chance.

“There you are!” said a tall, darker skinned man. “Wade Kinsella, get your butt back in there. This bar needs tendin’!”

He disappeared as fast as he had appeared and Wade got up to follow him.

“That’s my boss, Wally,” he explained. “Seems to me I should be gettin’ back to work.”

“Yes, you go. I’m fine,” Zoe insisted, getting to her feet too. “I should probably head back to the plantation, get some sleep. It’s been a weird couple of days.”

“Yeah, I get that,” Wade agreed, nodding his head.

Just when he had turned to go, almost disappearing completely in through the front doors of the Rammer Jammer, Zoe called him back.

“I, uh... I’ll admit I’m a little vague on what happened two nights ago, but I remember enough. So, thank you, Wade.”

“For what?” he asked, watching her curiously.

“For being a friend, I guess,” she said, shrugging her shoulders one more time. “For not... well, for being a friend,” she repeated, sure that was better than getting into details.

From what she could remember, she had more or less thrown herself at Wade when drunk on cheap wine, and though he had responded for a while, she was pretty sure, he hadn’t taken advantage of her. She woke up on her bed, covered by a blanket, absolutely certain that nothing more than a little kissing had happened. The outcome could have been very different, but it seemed Wade really was the good the trustworthy guy he seemed to be. Like she said, he was a good friend.

“You’re welcome, Zoe,” he told her with another winning smile that was almost enough to make her knees go weak, reminding her why she might just be tempted to throw herself a him again sometime, when she was sober perhaps. “I’ll see you at home, I guess.”

“I’m sure you will,” she said, nodding her head, and then he was gone, back to work before the boss could get any more mad at him.

Zoe turned on her heel and headed for the plantation, for the place she was calling home, at least for now. It was strange, but after only a couple of days, the name already seemed to suit the place.

Chapter Text

“Zoe?”

She jumped in her seat at the sound of her name and looked up to see both Lavon and Wade staring at her. Clearly, she had missed something, but she really did not know what.

“Something on my face?” she asked, her hand coming up around her chin, checking for crumbs from her breakfast muffin or similar, but there was nothing there.

“You really zoned out, girl,” said Lavon, apparently concerned about the fact. “You feeling okay?”

“The irony of asking the doctor if she’s feeling okay,” she said, rolling her eyes and forcing a smile - the guys weren’t buying. “I’m fine. I guess I’m just... well, the whole my father is not my father thing is still kind of sinking in. I mean, I’ve been a New Yorker all my life. Coming here to Alabama, I practically felt like an alien, except now it turns out that half my blood and DNA comes from Bluebell. That’s a lot to process.”

“I guess it would be.” Wade nodded like he understood.

Though it was sweet that he would try, Zoe didn’t really expect him to get it. She wasn’t sure anybody who wasn’t in a similar position ever could, really. Her life was a lie, or at least, the paternity part was, and that was a pretty big part, all told. Half of herself was different to what she thought, her heritage, even her own name. She wasn’t a Hart. By birth, she was a Wilkes. It was enough to scramble her brain more than a little.

“He was a good man, Z,” Lavon said then, clearly speaking of her natural father, a fact he confirmed in due course. “Ol’ Harley did a lot for this town and all the people in it. He was a good guy. Kind, decent, trustworthy. Just an all-around stand-up Southern gentleman.”

“That’s something, I suppose.” Zoe nodded. “But in some ways, it’s also the part that confuses me the most. I mean, if my mom had kept my real dad a secret because he was a bad guy, that would at least make sense. Some kind of criminal or pervert or violent person, because who wants a guy like that around? But Harley was kind and decent, like you just said. He was a doctor, just like my da-, like Ethan Hart. Like I always wanted to be. Why would it have been so bad for me to know him?”

She looked from Lavon to Wade and back again, but Zoe wasn’t really expecting an answer. Only one person could tell her the whole truth and she so wasn’t in a place where she wanted to have another fight with her mom right now. She had told Candice that she would get back to her when she had calmed down. It had been a few days and Zoe still didn’t feel able to make that call.

“I just wish I at least got the chance to meet him, properly. Not a thirty-second chat at my med school grad, where I didn’t even know who he really was.”

“Look, doc, I don’t know if this’ll help at all,” said Wade then, “but, uh, the best I can do on the Harley front is offer to take you into town, show you where they laid him to rest.”

“Wade!” Lavon snapped at him. “Come on, now. Zoe doesn’t want to see his grave. She upset enough already.”

“No, actually, that sounds good,” said Zoe, getting up from her seat, then immediately shaking her head. “No, good is the wrong word, but it sounds like a plan, like something that would help me. Thanks, Wade,” she said, smiling across at him.

“Alright then. I just gotta grab a couple o’ things from my place. Meet you at the car in five.”

He was gone before Zoe could blink and she wasn’t aware she was smiling after him until Lavon called her on it.

“Somethin’ going on there I should know about?” he asked, getting her attention. “I mean, you both live on my plantation. Prob’ly best I know if there’s a romance brewing,” he said with a sly grin, popping another piece of pastry into his mouth.

“Really?” she scoffed. “Lavon, I have been here for exactly four days. Four. What can happen in four days?”

“You’d be surprised, Zoe Hart,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “Whole lives can be changed in a whole lot less time than that.”

As the phone rang in the next room, Lavon went to answer it, leaving Zoe standing in the kitchen, mulling over what he just said. She supposed he did have a point. After all, her mother’s life changed in as short a time as that when she went and got herself pregnant by a stranger. Zoe’s life had altered significantly in the last few days since she came to Bluebell, not least because she found out about Harley Wilkes being her father.

When it came to Wade Kinsella, she had to admit they had become very fast friends in such a short space of time, but that was all there was to it. It had to be that way. He clearly had a reputation when it came to women and Zoe was so far removed from being the one-night-stand type. Besides, even if she could see potential for a longer-lasting romantic relationship with Wade, or with anyone in town, what would be the point? She was only staying for a year anyway.

As Wade started to blare his car horn outside, Zoe shook herself out of her thoughtful stupor and moved towards the door. She did not need to be thinking about this right now. There were more important things at hand, like visiting her late father’s grave, and then, going back to the practice to prove to Brick Breeland she belonged there. It was going to be a long day, Zoe could just feel it.

Wade started to regret his offer to take Zoe to the cemetery about a minute after she got into the car. Though she smiled and thanked him again for taking the trouble, something in her expression was just a little off. Not that Wade really thought anybody would be all that happy about seeing a grave or whatever, but there really was nothing else much he could think of when it came to finding a connection to Harley Wilkes.

“You sure you wanna do this?” he asked, eyes on the road as he drove on into town. “I mean, it was just an idea, prob’ly not even a good one. If you don’t wanna go-”

“I do want to,” Zoe insisted, looking real determined when he got the chance to glance her way. “I know it’s weird, wanting so badly to go see a person’s grave when I barely even met the man when he was alive, but he was my father, apparently. I don’t know, when you said it, it sounded like the right thing to do, and as much as I would rather be meeting Harley than reading his headstone, it’s what I need right now.”

“Well, alright then,” Wade nodded his agreement and took the next turn, pulling up the car right outside the gates of the Bluebell Cemetery. “For what it’s worth, I don’t think it’s weird that you wanna do this. I’m not... well, I’m sure as heck not the most religious person in the world or anything,” he explained, one hand scratching the back of his head and eyes anywhere by on Zoe as he continued, “but I like to think that when my momma passed on, she went to a better place. I have been known to come here to talk to her sometimes, when things are real bad or real good or... well, it’s somethin’ that I do from time to time.”

He felt stupid saying it and sure as hell didn’t know why he was telling such tales to Zoe Hart of all people. He was pretty sure anybody in town that knew about his visits to his mother’s grave were just those that maybe happened to see him there some random time or other. He didn’t recall ever actually telling another person in all the twenty years since his momma passed.

“I’m sorry, about your mom,” said Zoe softly. “Was it recent?” she asked carefully.

Wade shook his head. “I was all o’ ten years old when it happened.”

“Wow,” Zoe gasped. “I can’t even imagine...”

“Don’t try,” he advised her, clearing his throat before he could go on. “Come on now, let’s do this. Ol’ Harley’s right over here.”

He pointed in the right direction, getting out of the car to head that way. Zoe followed without further comment, which Wade was more than grateful for in the circumstances. It was a short walk to Harley’s grave and there he stopped, Zoe stepping up alongside him, her overly high heels sinking into the ground a little.

“Dr Harley Wilkes, Beloved. 1942 to 2011,” she read aloud from the stone. “Wow. Beloved. That’s just... My father was beloved.”

“That he was,” Wade agreed without hesitation. “It’s like me and Lavon was telling you, Harley was just a stand-up guy. He’d do just about anythin’ to help anybody out. Brought a lot of us into the world, did his best by us all through our lives, and eased the pain the best he could for those that had to leave all too soon.”

There were times when Wade wished he knew when to keep his mouth shut. He didn’t have to look at her to know Zoe was staring at him, wondering things, wanting to ask questions that he wasn’t going to want to answer. His mother was a sore subject, there was no hiding that, though he supposed given Zoe’s situation, he could at least be glad he got to know his momma for ten years before she had to go away. Poor Zoe never even had that much of a chance with her daddy.

“Is she here too?” she asked then, catching his attention. “Your mom, is she...?”

“Right over there,” Wade pointed across to the far corner of the cemetery. “Don’t worry, doc. I’ll bet when Harley got up to the top of that Heavenly staircase, Momma was there to let him know the ropes and all. He took care of her best he could when she was sick, right up until the end, when there was nothin’ more to be done. Seems to me she’d be repayin’ the favour now, if she can.”

Zoe swallowed visibly hard, tears sparkling in her eyes even as she smiled at him. “Thank you, Wade.”

“No problem, Zoe.”

Brick wasn’t exactly eager to have Zoe working alongside him, but even he had to admit he didn’t have much of a choice. Apparently, Harley left a will and there was a partnership contract in place, so as long as Zoe could get at least a third of the patients of Bluebell to see her rather than Dr Breeland, he couldn’t get rid of her, not even if he wanted to.

“I really don’t know what your problem is with me,” she told Brick plainly. “You worked with Harley for all those years, I presume you got along. Why would you be so determined not to respect his wishes and have me work here now?”

She wasn’t sure what ever possessed her to say it. Maybe it was talking to Wade about each of their personal losses or even just seeing Harley’s grave that made her so determined about her heritage and her right to own it. She would probably always think of Ethan Hart as ‘Dad’ given the circumstances, how he raised her and everything, but if she was a Wilkes by blood, she saw no reason why that should be tossed aside so casually by other people, as if it meant nothing.

“She has a point, Brick,” said Mrs H from behind the reception desk, not even flinching when he looked daggers at her. “I know, it’s not really my place to say it, but you know as well as I do that she does have a point,” she repeated, not backing down for a second.

It seemed to Zoe that Southern women could be just as fierce as New York women when they had a mind to. Given that, by DNA at least, she herself was actually both, it ought to prove to be a formidable combination. She hoped so anyway.

“Point or not, I don’t have to like that Harley left her half this practice and I certainly don’t have to be thrilled to work alongside a woman barely out of medical school, who not only allowed my future son-in-law to be ploughed down by a car, but also wouldn’t know how to handle tick paralysis or a snake bite or anything of the kind if her life depended on it!”

When he stormed off into his room, slamming the door behind him, Zoe had to fight the urge to stamp her foot like a put-out four-year-old. He really was one of the most frustrating men she had ever met, and she had certainly known her fair share. Yes, what he said was true. She did get George Tucker run over, inadvertently, and she really would not be at all sure what to do if someone came in with a snake bite, but that didn’t mean she was useless. She had skills of her own and she planned on telling Brick Breeland exactly that. After all, hadn’t Wade’s last words when he dropped her off this morning been, ‘Don’t fret too much over what Brick Breeland says, his bark is worse than his bite’?

“You know, you don’t know everything about me,” she said, bursting forth into her fellow doctor’s office - he did not look thrilled about it.

“I know all that I need to know, missy, believe me.”

“No, you don’t, actually,” she argued without hesitation. “You think that you do, but you don’t. Now, I am more than aware that there must be a million things that patients present with in a small town practice in the South that I’ve never even heard of, thanks to spending all of my medical career up to now in New York City, but I can learn. I am an exceptionally quick study, and if you would just bother to take the time to work with me, to help me to get to grips with the ways things are done here, I don’t see why we couldn’t have a perfectly reasonable working relationship!”

She realised too late that she was yelling in something that was far from a reasonable way, but Zoe couldn’t help it. She had been holding a lot of emotions in check, especially when it came to Harley Wilkes, and soon started to realise they were coming out at the worst possible time when she suddenly noticed tears rolling down her cheeks.

“Oh, for God’s sake, don’t cry about it,” Brick squirmed, grabbing a handle full of tissue from a nearby box and proffering it at her.

Zoe took it, quickly wiping her face and blowing her nose. “I’m sorry, I don’t... well, I actually probably do know where it came from, but that doesn’t matter right now,” she explained fast. “The point is, I want this to work. This partnership, I really would like for it to be something good. You obviously know much more than I do about the local diseases and conditions, but I also might prove to be useful in other capacities. I’m a surgeon after all and I think I more than proved myself with the pregnancy case the other day.”

Brick sighed heavily. “I will admit, that was some good work you did,” he said in such a low grumbly tone, it was barely audible, but Zoe would take what she could get. “I still don’t see how a flighty New York surgeon could possibly be that much of an asset to my practice,” he said pointedly, “but I guess, since it was Harley’s wish for you to be here, and since you’re probably not completely useless, we could try and make it work, on a trial basis, at least.”

Zoe smiled, feeling happier about his acquiescence than she ever expected she could. After all, this was only supposed to be a temporary arrangement and she really didn’t need Dr Breeland’s approval to stay or anything. Still, it did feel good to have it, to know that he didn’t completely hate her or anything.

“Thank you for your understanding” she said politely, nodding once before turning on her heel and leaving the office.

Behind the reception desk, Mrs H gave her a big smile and a thumbs up, mouthing, ‘Good for you!’ as Zoe walked by to her father’s old office that was to be hers now. Sitting down behind the desk, she eyed the huge pile of patient files that Mrs H had advised her to read as thoroughly as possible. With a sigh, she pulled the top one from said pile, opened it up and focused her eyes on the reams of notes. Apparently, it really was going to be a long day.

Chapter Text

“Hey, doc. Wow, you really look like you could use a drink.”

Zoe sighed and leaned heavily on the bar. “You have no idea,” she told Wade without hesitation. “It has been a really, really long day. Most people are still kind of skittish about seeing a new doctor, even after the news of Mabel’s successful delivery spread, but I think that might just all change after the breakthrough I had today.”

“This wouldn’t have anythin’ to do with Cole Maliska’s tick paralysis now, would it?” asked Wade, reaching for the wine bottle and pouring out a healthy glassful.

“It would.” Zoe smiled big. “See, his wife was all panicked, and the guy was completely paralysed from the waist down. I mean, at first, I was thinking this had to be really serious, probably Guillan-Barre or something. You know, that’s usually fatal, right?”

“I did not, but go on tellin’ me about it,” said Wade encouragingly, putting the glass of wine down near her hand and leaning on the bar to listen.

Zoe was thrilled at the opportunity to share, even if she knew this was someone who probably hadn’t even heard of Guillan-Barre before. It didn’t matter so much. She had a friend who wanted to hear about her medical triumph. A good-looking friend that smiled at her a lot. There was no bad there.

“So, just as I’m about to call for an ambulance and prepare Ethel Maliska for the worst, I remembered something I read in Harley’s old notes. I don’t know whose file it was exactly, but he did talk about tick paralysis. So, I looked up the symptoms just to double check, confirmed with Ethel that her husband had been out hunting, looked for the tick and pulled it right out. Ten minutes later and everything was fine,” she said happily, taking a long drink from her wine glass. “Oh, and you should have seen the look on Brick’s face when he got back and heard what happened! It was amazing!”

“I’ll bet it was,” said Wade absently, his eyes decidedly not on Zoe anymore as they seem to follow somebody else’s movements somewhere behind her.

“You okay?”

“I am, but I’m not so sure about Betty Breeland. She looked awful strange and she was headed in the direction of the ladies’ room.”

“Okay, well, maybe we should check, just to be sure,” she decided, abandoning her wine and hurrying around the bar towards the bathroom.

Wade gave it a moment’s thought and then followed. Not that he could or would go busting into the ladies’ room, but he figured if something bad was happening, he probably shouldn’t be too far off. He started to rethink that strategy after Zoe disappeared through the door and suddenly he was just some weirdo loitering outside the ladies’ room. He was just about to walk away when Zoe suddenly yelled to him.

“Wade, get in here!”

He wasn’t quite ready for the sight that met his eyes or the rapid-fire information that Zoe was giving him regarding calling an ambulance, swiftly followed by Betty Breeland insisting that he shouldn’t. When suddenly they were talking about MS, Wade was stunned. He didn’t know much about medical stuff, but he knew damn well that was not good. He also thought it was something mostly older folks got, a fact Zoe was quick to confirm in her conversation with Betty, while she helped her up off the linoleum. She was so wobbly, Wade wasn’t sure whether he should offer his assistance too.

“I’m fine,” Betty insisted, “or I will be. These spells usually pass almost as fast as they come on...”

“That may be true,” Zoe agreed, “but you need rest and that means you can’t perform in the parade tomorrow.”

“But I have to. You don’t understand. It’s such a big event, the last of the season for the Belles. I can’t just drop out.”

“Come on, Betty, just listen to the doc,” Wade advised. “Now, she may not know the big deal this whole parade thing is for the Belles and all, but I do. I get it, okay? Lemon will prob’ly blow a fuse and everythin’, but is it really worth riskin’ your health for?”

He was pretty sure he shouldn’t have intervened, though the fact Zoe looked kind of relieved and even grateful that he had didn’t suck. Betty seemed uncertain yet, until the good doctor offered to give her some fake diagnosis to pass along to Lemon. God only knew what a glenoid labrum tear was, but if it worked, that was all that really mattered.

Next thing he knew, Zoe was offering to take Betty back to the practice to get her a sling to really sell the part. Wade said he should probably get back to work if they had everything covered. Zoe smiled real nice at him when she told him they did, but thanks for everything.

She really was something to look at, and on top of that, just an amazing doctor and person, far as Wade could tell. Not that he thought for a minute she would be looking at him the way he was looking at her, smart girl like her and all, but he figured it might just be worth a shot. He would be kicking himself forever if he didn’t at least try to see what could be between him and Zoe.

“Oh, and I’ll catch up with you later to work on the parade float,” she said from the door. “Lavon did tell you I was going to help out with that, right?”

“He did not, but I appreciate the extra pair o’ hands.”

One more smile and Zoe was gone from his sight.

“Now that is something to look forward to,” Wade said to himself as he slipped back behind the bar to see who needed drinks.

“So, I think we have firmly established that float building is not exactly in my wheelhouse.” Zoe sighed, rubbing her hands together and finding, unsurprisingly, the red paint was just not coming off. “Sorry I wasn’t much help.”

“Hey, you did your best,” Wade assured her, adjusting the shirt he had thrown over his shoulder as they walked along together. “I don’t imagine New York type supersonic space surgeons are much called on to build parade floats, right?”

“Supersonic space surgeon?” Zoe echoed, biting her lip so she didn’t laugh. “Seriously?”

“What? Geez, doc, how should I know what the real words are? I know what a doctor is and then I am out. Unlike some, I didn’t get such a fancy education. Just your basic Kindergarten thru twelfth grade, that’s all.”

The way he said it wasn’t exactly self-deprecating, but there was no way in hell Zoe was going to make any comments about Wade’s lack of formal education as compared to her own long journey through academia. He was such a nice guy, so friendly and helpful from the first moment she arrived in town, or four miles outside of town to be more specific. He was also insanely hot, which was every kind of distracting, especially when they were working on the float. In his tight white T-shirt, lifting, carrying, bending and stretching, she got all the best views of the guy. There wasn’t an inch of him that wasn’t totally edible.

“Zoe?”

“Huh? What? I’m fine,” she said fast, realising too late how dumb her reaction had been. “Sorry, guess I’m just a little tired. Were you saying something or...?”

“Nothin’ important,” Wade assured her, stopping walking and turning to face her.

That was when Zoe realised, they were back on the plantation, right outside the gatehouse, in fact. She really must have been distracted for a good long while to not know they were home, but she wasn’t about to admit as much. Wade might have asked what was on her mind and then she would have to tell him, causing the highest level of embarrassment possible.

“So, thank you for walking me home, I guess?” he joked, smiling widely.

“Oh, you are more than welcome,” she countered, as seriously as she could, keeping the bit going, even though it was kind of lame. “So, I guess I should...” she said then, hiking her thumb over her shoulder in the direction of the carriagehouse on the other side of the pond.

“I guess.” Wade nodded. “’Course, if you had a mind to come inside a while, I wouldn’t exactly object.”

The look in his eyes was unmistakable and Zoe couldn’t deny she was tempted, but she knew it was better to resist. After all, she wasn’t the one night stand type, which was doubtless all Wade was really looking for, and if not, it still couldn’t make much of a difference. A year. That was all the time she had to spare for Bluebell, and then she was leaving, back to New York where she belonged.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she said, shaking her head, wondering when her voice got so soft - probably around the time Wade got so close.

“Really? ‘Cause it sounds like a fine idea to me.”

Zoe swallowed hard. “Well, you know, I did walk you home. So, I guess if you wanted to give me a kiss goodnight...”

She was half-joking, but only half, maybe not even as much as that. She couldn’t go leaping into bed with Wade Kinsella, she just couldn’t. She had only known him a few days, and there was no future in it, it would be insane, but one kiss? What harm could that really do? She realised fast she was about to find out as Wade slipped his hand into her hair, the other at her waist, easing her closer.

“Goodnight, doc,” he said softly, before finally covering her lips with his own.

She wasn’t quite sure what she was expecting. Her memories of kissing Wade the night she was drunk were fuzzy at best and she was well aware he was trying not to respond then. This time was different and given Wade’s reputation she was braced for something pretty epic as far as kisses went. He certainly didn’t disappoint, to the point where, when it seemed like maybe he was about to pull away, Zoe put her arms around his neck and locked them tight, throwing herself into the moment for just as long as it lasted. After a while, when she started to get lightheaded and was even beginning to wonder if a one night stand would really be so bad, she made herself pull away.

“Okay,” she said, gasping in air. “I, uh... Yeah, I really need to go now.”

She turned and walked away just as fast as her legs would carry her in the direction of the carriagehouse, not looking back for even a second. Wade never said a word and, quite honestly, she was glad. If he had, she might have turned around. If he had offered her the chance to stay a second time, she might even have caved.

“Where is your brain?” she asked herself in muttered tones, just as she reached the door to her own house and went inside. “Stupid, stupid,” she continued to tell herself, going so far as to smack herself in the forehead as she landed on her back on the bed.

Of course, as she replayed the epic kiss she just experienced with Wade, she realised that, as stupid as she may be for getting into something with a veritable stranger from Alabama, she couldn’t exactly regret what had happened. Wade was even better at kissing than he was at building floats. Better than any other guy she had been close with before. Maybe the stupid thing wasn’t kissing him. Maybe it was saying no to a whole lot more.

Zoe shook her head and stood up fast from the bed. “Cold shower,” she told herself firmly, marching straight to the bathroom.

She hoped rather than believed it would work!

She was avoiding him. Zoe knew it was stupid and childish, but she couldn’t help it. Two cold showers in the last twenty-four hours had done nothing to keep her from thinking about Wade, even dreaming about him the night before, and that was not good. Actually, it was very, very good, but she knew she just couldn’t go there. Wade was great, but he was not at all serious about her, Zoe was sure on that, and even if he were, she couldn’t get involved, she just couldn’t. Mostly, she was pretty sure Wade wanted to get her into bed, which would be fine, if she was that type of girl, but she just wasn’t.

At least the parade went off without a hitch. Zoe wasn’t exactly surprised to find that Betty was all dressed up ready to dance on the Belle float, despite all the warnings, but then she saw Wade talking with Lemon. God only knew what he said to her, but before Zoe could go rushing over to all-but demand Betty take her good, sound medical advice, Lemon was the one to tell her cousin she couldn’t be a part of the parade after all and that Annabeth Nass would be taking her place.

Zoe didn’t get a chance to ask what happened. The parade was starting and Lavon was hurrying her along, encouraging her up onto the mayor’s own float, complete with actual crimson tide. Zoe did as she was asked, forced to wait until the parade was over to finally confront Wade.

Dragging him off to the side where no-one could hear, she was quick to ask what had happened. “What did you say to Lemon? Please tell me you did not tell her about Betty’s condition, because that is not okay. I know you’re not bound by doctor-patient confidentiality, but I am, and you only know what you know because I called you into a situation that-”

When his hand suddenly slipped behind her head and his lips covered hers, Zoe had a momentary flash of determination to push him away, but that was all it was. She was actually horribly disappointed when Wade pulled away himself, all of a few seconds later.

“What?” he said, shrugging one shoulder. “You were freakin’ out. After last night, it seemed to me like a fine way to get you to stop.”

Before Zoe could get her bearings enough to respond to that, Wade carried on talking.

“Look, I didn’t tell Lemon a damn thing about Betty’s medical condition or whatever. I just said maybe her little cousin might be feelin’ a might delicate this morning, not fit for Belle duties. Now she’s gonna think Miss Betty had too much to drink last night, prob’ly gonna think I had a hand in it too, but my reputation proceeds me, doc, and I got no problem with that. It was better than tellin’ the truth, which I knew woulda got you into a whole heap o’ trouble, and it was a damn sight better than a girl gettin’ herself hurt for the sake of a damn parade, right?”

Zoe was floored, absolutely stunned, though she wasn’t sure why. As much as Wade was clearly a player, something he just happily admitted, he could also be incredibly sweet. He had the capacity to be a really good friend, even to someone he only met a week or so ago.

“You are always saving me,” she said then, shaking her head in wonder. “Maybe you really are a knight in shining armour after all.”

“Those guys are gentleman, doc,” he told her with a smirk, “and I think we more’n proved last night, I had no real plans on being one around you.”

Zoe smiled, even as she felt the heat rising in her cheeks. “You were when it counted, that night when I was drunk.”

“Yeah, well...” said Wade, rubbing the back of his neck. “There’s a big difference between encouraging girls into bed and takin’ real advantage.”

“Very true.” Zoe nodded, turning to walk away, but then changing her mind at the last moment and turning back again. “And for the record, last night wasn’t all you,” she admitted. “I was there too, a willing participant, even though I probably shouldn’t have been.”

She was making it more awkward and she knew it. Zoe wished there was a way for her to be better at all this, but there just wasn’t. If she could just let herself go, let herself see where this thing with Wade could go, even if it was just for one amazing night, then she would, but she couldn’t do it. Even if this could be more, she was only in Bluebell for a year. Besides, Wade was proving to be such a great friend. Keeping him in that role would be a lot better for her than a short-term lover.

“But we’re okay, right?” she checked. “You know, staying just friends?”

Wade stared at her a moment, then smiled and nodded his head. “Sure thing, doc. Whatever you want. Now, how ‘bout we go get ourselves a drink? Reckon we earned it today,” he suggested, arm around her shoulders as he led her in the direction of the Rammer Jammer.

“Yeah,” she agreed, smiling up at him. “That sounds good.”

Chapter Text

Wade wasn’t altogether the jealous type. He really never had any reason to be, since he almost always got the girl he was going for and never much cared if they stuck with him after the fun was over. He was the one night stand type, maybe a weekend if she was worth it, but for the most part, Wade saw no point in menfolk getting themselves tied up in knots over any woman. Of course, things seemed to be just a little different since he met Dr Zoe Hart.

He didn’t know precisely what it was about her. Maybe it was a little bit of everything. Not that it did him any good to be thinking of Zoe that way. She told him plain enough she just wanted them to be friends and so far they were sticking to that. Of course, that didn’t mean Wade wasn’t hoping someday they might be more friends-with-benefits than just plain old friends, but that was a conversation for another day. Right in this moment, what had him both distracted and crabby was having to stand on the working side of the bar, watching Zoe flirting up a storm with Golden Boy George Tucker.

Well, maybe they weren’t exactly flirting. After all, George was engaged to Lemon and those two had been together for fifteen years, plus he was so very far from being the wandering type. Besides, Zoe was the moral kind of girl who wouldn’t even sleep with Wade himself because she wasn’t the type for a one-night stand, at least, not so far. Either way, he really couldn’t see her getting herself mixed up with some other girl’s man.

Still, all that being known, Wade was still all kinds of uncomfortable with Zoe and George being so chatty and somewhat familiar. He didn’t want to care, but he seriously could not seem to stop staring at the scene. He had almost decided to go on over to the table and break it up somehow, when all at once, George was up from his seat and waving goodbye to Zoe. She was smiling like a fool as she got up too and came right on over to the bar with her empty dish and coffee cup.

“Wow, George is a really nice guy,” she said happily. “He was asking me if I was missing New York at all, and then, we started talking about places that we both knew and loved. This restaurant, Per Se, it’s just the best, and... well, I guess it’s not very interesting to you, but it was so sweet of George to give me a New York conversation fix. I don’t think I realised how much I needed that. Such a nice guy.”

“Alert the media, George Tucker is a nice guy,” Wade deadpanned, putting her dirty breakfast dishes into the tray to go out back. “Hell, doc, that’s like announcing that bears crap in the woods or the Pope is a Catholic. George Tucker’s middle name is practically ‘nice guy’.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” Zoe rolled her eyes. “Nice guys are, by definition, not bad. You should know this. You’re a nice guy too.”

Wade couldn’t resist the bait, leaning over the bar to grin at her. “I also do a good line in bad, doc. Just say the word and-”

Her finger on his lips silenced him in a second. “Please, do not finish that sentence. I just got done eating,” she said smartly, removing her finger. “Now, I have to get to the practice. Hopefully, there are lots of patients to see. Fingers crossed.”

“Knock ‘em dead, doc,” said Wade, realising fast that he picked completely the wrong phrase and making a face. “Yeah, maybe do the exact opposite of that?”

“I was planning to,” Zoe assured him, laughing and waving goodbye as she left the bar.

Wade watched her go and couldn’t hold in a great heaving sigh. He really had to get over that girl, or convince her to get under him. One or the other just had to happen sometime soon. She kept on making it all kinds of plain that she just wanted to be friends and he did respect that. Like he told her the other day, after the Founder’s Day parade, he would encourage women into bed, but he never forced one yet and didn’t plan on ever doing so.

The thing was, as much as she said she wasn’t willing, she also liked to flirt sometimes, and as for the couple of kisses they had shared, even Zoe herself admitted she was actively participating in at least one of them. Not to mention how touchy-feely she tried to get on that night when she was all kinds of drunk on cheap wine.

Thinking about it all never did him any good, Wade knew. He didn’t exactly hate being friends with Zoe Hart, and he figured, maybe, if he bided his time long enough, she probably would sleep with him at some point. That was something to look forward to, and in the meantime, life wasn’t treating him so badly, Wade supposed.

“Wade?” Wally called to him then. “We got a problem back here in the kitchen. Sink’s all backed up again. Think you can fix it?”

“Yeah.” Wade sighed. “Life is treatin’ me real well,” he muttered, rolling up his sleeves and going in search of the plunger.

“I figure it could be an easy win for me, since my mom knows Emeril. I can get a recipe from him, or even better, I bet he’d even Fedex me a batch-”

“No, no, no, no,” Lavon said forcefully, the force of his tone almost knocking Zoe from her stool. “You cannot cheat in the gumbo contest. Mayor Lavon Hayes will not allow such a thing.”

“It wouldn’t exactly be cheating.” Zoe rolled her eyes, before seeing his increasingly severe expression. “Okay, fine, I’ll make my own stupid gumbo. I can at least get the recipe sent over, right?”

Lavon narrowed his eyes. “I guess that’d be okay,” he conceded, “but I’m also guessing that your fancy New York chef types won’t make real, good old-fashioned gumbo like we do down here. No, sir, you gotta have real Southern blood to know a good gumbo.”

“Well, apparently, I do have at least some Southern blood in me,” Zoe told him, “but cooking, as you probably figured out already, not so much my strong point.”

“Gotta say, I’m not really much of a gumbo maker myself, however...” he trailed off, grinning at Wade as he entered the kitchen.

“What?” he asked warily, looking from Lavon to Zoe.

“We were talking about gumbo,” she explained. “Brick was crowing sooo much yesterday about how he always wins the contest, so I said maybe this year there’ll be stiffer competition. I was planning on getting a friend of my mom’s to send over a batch of his gumbo. He is a highly-regarded chef, after all, but the mayor won’t let me,” she said, rolling her eyes one more time.

“You don’t strike me as a cheater, doc,” said Wade, leaning around her to grab a bottle of water from the counter.

“I’m not, not usually,” she told him with a sigh, “but I’m also not much of a cook either. I’d love to enter the contest and I figured if I did pretty well at it, maybe it would encourage more patients to want to see me instead of Brick, but that’s probably not going to happen.”

“Unless,” said Lavon, looking between the two of them, “you ask Wade for a little help. You know, his Uncle Moe’s gumbo recipe is something else.”

Zoe looked hopefully at Wade and was glad to see him smile. “Gotta say, it is pretty kickass, and I can more than do it justice myself, I don’t mind admittin’. ‘Course, I never usually enter the contest - not really my thing, partaking in these town events - but for you, doc, I guess maybe I could make an exception.”

The way he was smiling, Zoe almost expected there to be a catch. Not that she doubted Wade was her friend and would want to help her out of the kindness of his heart, but at the very least, she was waiting on a dirty joke. The suggestion that he would be more than willing to scratch her back if she scratched his, except with sexual favours instead of back scratching, perhaps?

“Just so we’re clear, I’m not going to sleep with you, or even make out with you, for a recipe and cooking help, Wade,” she said smartly.

“I would never expect you to, Zoe,” he told her plain, waiting until Lavon’s back was turned before moving in closer and whispering in her ear. “I don’t need that kind of bribery to get a woman where I want her, doc.”

It was the way he said it more than the words themselves that made a delicious shiver run down her back. Oh, she could more than understand how Wade charmed many a woman into his bed, or the backseat of his car, or just about anywhere two people could get really well-acquainted. He was so tempting sometimes, even Zoe thought about succumbing, but she was determined not to be that kind of woman. She had standards, damn it. At least, she thought she did before...

“So, gumbo,” she said then, clearing her throat. “You’re serious about helping me, with the contest, I mean?”

“Sure thing, Zoe Hart,” he told her, grabbing an apple and tossing it from one hand to the other a couple of times. “We can go shopping for supplies when I get done with the breakfast rush at the Rammer Jammer, cook up your gumbo before I pick up the evening shift. Sound good?” he checked, finally bringing get he apple to his mouth and taking a big bite.

“Sounds great. Thanks, Wade,” she said, beaming up at him. “You really are such a good friend.”

The smile he had been maintaining even around chewing his food faded a little, she noticed, and Zoe had to wonder why. Wade seemed to go out of his way to be friendly, and yet, he didn’t much care for being called a good friend? She almost literally face-palmed when she realised what his problem really was. Wade wanted more than friends, of course, she knew that, but she never really thought before that he might want more than just sex. That would be crazy, wouldn’t it?

By the time he got to bed tonight, Wade was damn sure he was going to be like the walking dead, but that was okay. It was all in the aid of Zoe Hart and it was becoming increasingly clear to him that there was nothing he wouldn’t do to make the good doctor happy.

He told himself it was all in the pursuit of a good lay. Not that he wasn’t perfectly happy being Zoe’s friend in a lot of ways, but some sex in the mix would be better. He was pretty damn sure she wanted to, so now he was just biding his time until her want for him over-rode those good girl morals she was carrying around from her high falutin’ New York days. She could cave yet, Wade was sure on that, as so many other women had before her.

In the meantime, he couldn’t exactly deny that he was having a real good time just hanging out with Zoe, doing the kinds of things he supposed friends did, maybe even folks who were steady dating or whatever. They went out to the market this morning, got all the stuff they needed for the gumbo, then headed back to Lavon’s place to take over his kitchen and cook up a storm.

“I’m going to have to go back to the practice later,” Zoe said regretfully as she chopped up vegetables the way Wade had showed her. “As much as I wanna beat Brick, and you know I do, he does deserve some time for his gumbo prep too.”

“You’re too good a person, doc.” Wade shook his head, working on deveining shrimp with the ease of someone who had done so many times before, at least he was until he caught Zoe staring at him as if he had three heads. “What?”

“Nothing,” she told him, shaking her head. “I was just... You’re really good at that. I mean, it’s something you’d think I’d be better at, because hello, surgeon,” she said, raising her hand, “but it’s all so slimy and gross...” she trailed off, making a face. “I’ll stick to veggies.”

“Good call,” Wade agreed, amused by the grossed out expression on her face.

They carried on fixing all the ingredients and adding them to the pot, until Zoe really did have to get back to work and Wade knew it wouldn’t be long before he had to go too. With the gumbo simmering to perfection, all they had to do was yell out to Lavon upstairs and asked him to keep an eye on things while they were gone.

“You bring that pot along to the Rammer Jammer for the judging at seven o’clock and you can bet your ass you’ll be winnin’ a prize, doc.”

“Thank you, Wade,” she said with real enthusiasm, suddenly throwing her arms up around his neck and hugging him real tight. “I so appreciate your help, you know that, right?”

The next words out of his mouth were about to be, ‘How much do you appreciate it?’ before he checked himself. Just friends, that was all they were. He had to learn not to turn every nice thing she said into a come on or she was just going to get mad at him and not want to hang out anymore. That would be worse than even being kept in the friend zone.

“You are more than welcome, Zoe Hart,” he promised her, glad and sorry all at the same time when she pulled away almost as fast as she had flown into his arms.

“So, I’ll see you later at the contest?”

“Yes, ma’am, you will,” he assured her, raising a hand in a wave goodbye as she hurried out the back door.

“That was a real big sigh,” said Lavon from behind him, letting Wade know for the first time that his friend was even there. “You like her, don’t you?”

“Sure, I like her.” Wade shrugged just as nonchalantly as he could when the mayor came up alongside him by the kitchen counter. “We’re friends as much as you two are. Why not?”

“No, no, no,” Lavon said, shaking his head definitely. “Me and Zoe, we’re friends, that’s true. I never had a kid sister, but I figure havin’ her around is much the same thing, but you and Zoe?” he said with a look. “There ain’t nothin’ brother and sister about that,” he said firmly.

Wade opened his mouth to argue in some way but already knew he couldn’t. Lavon was absolutely right about his feelings for Zoe, though way off base if he thought she felt that way about him too. Friends really was all they were supposed to be and Wade was doing his best to be okay with that. It was probably going to kill him, but for her he would keep on trying, and just hope against hope that things might go ahead and change some day soon.

Chapter Text

“Hey, look at this,” said Zoe, leaning over the bar to show off the medal hanging around her neck. “I mean, first would’ve been great, but I guess Brick really can’t be beaten in this gumbo game. Still, second is pretty good too,” she said with a grin.

“You got quite the round of applause when they gave you that thing,” Wade noted. “Maybe you’re a little more popular around here than you thought, doc.”

“Hmm, maybe,” Zoe considered, “but let’s be honest, I only got this prize because of you,” she said, lowering her voice a little. “You know we really should’ve put your name on the entry too. After all, it was your uncle’s recipe and you did a lot of the work. I never could’ve made prize-winning gumbo without you.”

If she didn’t know any better, Zoe would almost think she had complimented Wade so much he actually blushed. Of course, that couldn’t be true. Guys that cocky and brazen did not get embarrassed, but it almost seemed like maybe he could be.

“Hey, I am more than okay with you gettin’ that prize, Zoe Hart,” he promised her. “Just don’t forget who was your friend first before all these other folks come along, alright?” he said with a wink, then disappeared down the bar to serve drinks to so many other patrons.

“Okay, now it’s startin’ to make some sense.”

Zoe spun around fast to find George Tucker right behind her, wearing a knowing smile. She was about to ask what he was talking about, when he suddenly explained anyway.

“I overheard a little of what was said there,” he told her, gesturing between her and where Wade was standing seconds before. “You know, I thought that gumbo you put into the competition tasted kind of familiar. Wade hooked you up, didn’t he?”

“He may have given me some assistance,” she said, smirking a little, sure they both knew by now that he had done so much more than that. “Don’t tell on us, will you? I like my medal,” she said, gripping it tightly with both hands and pouting some.

“Your secret’s safe with me,” George promised her, clearly amused, as he was supposed to be. “Honestly, I’m just a little surprised. Clearly, Wade is being a real good friend to you. I should clarify that he has always been a good friend to me, but that’s different. You know, we’re buddies, always have been. Wade with women... well, he’s not usually looking to be friends, if you know what I mean.”

“Yes, I understand that,” Zoe agreed, nodding her head, “but for the record, me and Wade really are just friends. Not that I don’t... I mean, I’m not blind or stupid. I absolutely see why half the girls in town are happy to throw themselves at him and everything. I’m just not that type of girl, I guess. Besides, even if Wade were the type for more, dating is completely off the table for me while I’m in Bluebell. This is just a temporary stop for me. It wouldn’t make sense to go getting into any relationships.”

“George, honey, what are you doin’ all the way over here?” asked Lemon as she appeared at his side then, her arm automatically looping through his own.

Zoe almost laughed at the other woman’s insecurity, but managed to hold it in, at least until George and Lemon were gone. When she turned back to the bar, giggling like a fool and unable to stop, she found Wade had returned.

“What’s up with you?”

“Nothing, not really.” Zoe waved her hand at him. “It’s just, how can a woman as beautiful and strong-willed and presumably smart as Lemon Breeland be so insecure about her relationship?” she asked, shaking her head. “I swear she thinks I want to take George away from her, which I absolutely do not. I mean, don’t get me wrong, he seems like a great guy, and it is nice to have somebody around here that has a clue about the greatness of New York, but I wouldn’t pursue anything there, not even if he was single. Like I just told him when the subject came up, I am not in Bluebell to date, not even a little.”

Wade tried to keep his smile in place even as she said that. It really didn’t come easy. He kept on telling himself it didn’t matter that Zoe wasn’t looking to get serious with anybody in Bluebell, because he was so far from being the relationship type himself. He was hoping for sex someday, that was all. At least, he thought that was what he wanted. It was what he usually wanted. Of course, Zoe didn’t seem to be like any other woman he ever met, though if asked, he could never explain what precisely was so different about her. Wade only knew that something was.

“I mean, even if I was going to date, and even if George was single,” Zoe went rambling on, “I just can’t imagine actually being with him. Once we got past the, ‘Isn’t New York great?’ thing, what would we even talk about? Frankly, I have trouble even imaging him in the city. He’s so at home here. I’m sure he made the right choice in coming back, because he seems much better suited to Bluebell.”

“Well, doc, I happen to think you are surprisingly well-suited to Bluebell too,” said Wade then. “So says the award around her neck anyhow.”

Zoe grinned, looking down at said medal for a moment. “Thanks in no small part to you, bestie,” she declared on looking back at Wade again. “I really do owe you one for this, and before you make any gross suggestions about what that could entail,” she added fast, “what I’m offering is to buy you lunch sometime soon. Sound good?”

Wade nodded his head. “Sure, lunch is good.”

She looked thrilled that he said that, before turning away to talk with other folks who wanted to congratulate her on her prize-winning gumbo. Wade loved to see her happy, no question about that, but all this talk of her not dating, not getting involved, calling the two of them friends, best friends even, it made his stomach turn over

Being best friends with Zoe Hart just wasn’t going to cut it and he should probably tell her that, but he had no idea how. Probably better just to suck it up and take what he could get, like Wade Kinsella always did, even if it did end up killing him, in the end.

“I’m sorry, Addy, but the truth is right there in your hand. Reverend Mayfair and his wife have syphilis.”

Wade came to a crashing halt in the doorway and just stared at Zoe a moment, lifting his sunglasses from his eyes to better see, even though he knew it wouldn’t change what he thought he just heard. She looked stunned by the sight of him too, and freaked out at the realisation she just let out some confidential patient information right in front of him.

“Oh no!” she gasped, checking her watch. “I didn’t realise it was noon already.”

“Well, it is,” Wade told her, closing the door behind him and coming right into the otherwise empty reception area of the doctor’s office, “and apparently, it’s already a real interestin’ day, before we even get to that lunch you’re supposed to be treating me to.”

“I’ll just go answer that,” said Addy, slipping away fast, though Wade was pretty sure the phone never so much as rang.

“Wade, please,” said Zoe, looking pained. “You know you can’t tell anyone about this right? The reverend and his wife, I mean. If it got out, if people thought they couldn’t trust me... Doctor-patient confidentiality is-”

“Hey, hey, slow down and take a breath, doc,” Wade urged her. “I can keep a secret. Trust me, I can,” he said definitely. “’Course that’s some real wacky news you got right there. Reverend and Mrs Mayfair?” he said, shaking his head. “Prob’ly the last people in town I would’ve thought of for that kind of’ thing.”

“People aren’t always what they seem.” Zoe shrugged.

“Oh, I know that,” Wade insisted, “but still, doesn’t really sit right, does it?”

“That’s what I said,” Addy threw in from behind the desk. “Of all the people in this town,” she added, shaking her head.

“I mean, if you asked me who’s most likely to have results like that come up, I could give you a few names. First that springs to mind’d be Chase Cobb, for example,” he said, looking to Addy who nodded in understanding and agreement both, “and his girlfriend, Wanda, I guess, ‘cause that’s how these things work. Now, those two I could see this happenin’ to, but the Mayfairs?”

“Who are these people?” asked Zoe, frowning hard. “Chase and Wanda? I don’t think I’ve met them, have I?”

“Chase Cobb is away in the Navy,” Addy explained. “None of us see much o’ him anymore, ‘cept for Wanda, like Wade said. They’ve been seein’ each other pretty steady for years now, since they was fourteen or so, I reckon. You’ve probably seen Wanda over at Susie’s place. She’s the shampoo girl there.”

Wade pulled himself up to sit at the far end of the reception desk, watching Zoe as she paced around a little. He was about to ask what had her so mixed up, apart from the idea of the town minister and his wife having an STI, when she suddenly looked at him.

“I’m sorry, Wade, but I think we’re going to have to postpone our lunch,” she said, pulling off her white coat and tossing it aside, grabbing her jacket from the hook instead. “Addy, I have to go talk to this shampoo girl, see if I can figure this whole mess out. I should be back in time for my afternoon appointments, but if not...”

“I’ll move things around if I have to. Anything to get this whole thing figured out and fast.”

Zoe smiled and thanked her, and was over by the door before Wade had a chance to catch up to her.

“Guess I’ll be goin’ to lunch by myself then.”

“I’m so sorry, Wade, but I promise to make it up to you, with something even better than lunch,” said Zoe, getting his hopes up just a little too high before quickly dashing them. “How about we make it dinner instead? Tonight? Oh, I guess you’re working.”

“I’m sure I can figure somethin’ out.” Wade smiled down at her. “Wally owes me a favour.”

“Great,” she said, smiling back. “So, I’ll text you later, but right now, I really have to go.”

Quick as a flash she was out the door and gone. Wade sighed and watched her go. She really was a firecracker, no mistake about it. As disappointed as he was to not be getting to have lunch with her, he was certainly looking forward to dinner already.

Zoe hesitated at the door to the Rammer Jammer, looking at her reflection in the glass of the nearest window. She couldn’t see much more than her face, but a glance down gave her a really good view of her dress, the one she had taken so long to pick out. Even now, she wasn’t quite sure it was the right choice. She and Wade may be going out to dinner, but it was a simple thank you for his help with the gumbo competition. Just a friend thing, nothing more. Not that it meant she couldn’t look good, but she was well aware that if she looked too good, Wade might get the wrong idea. Not that the idea seemed so wrong at all when Zoe thought about it, but she quickly reminded herself she was being foolish.

She and Wade were just going to be friends, unlikely as that might sound to anybody else. Just friends was better, safer, much more sensible for both of them. Of course, when Zoe walked into the bar at last and saw Wade standing there waiting for, she might have forgotten all the very good reasons why just friends was her best course of action.

“Wow. I almost didn’t recognise you,” she said as she walked over to him. “New shirt?” she checked, sure she had never seen him in something so plain or so smart before.

“Even put a comb through my hair, doc,” he told her with a grin. “It’s not every night the best-looking doctor in town takes me out to dinner.”

“Well, I’m afraid Brick was busy so you’ll have to make do with me,” she joked with a smile of her own. “But speaking of doctor-related stuff, thank you... for earlier,” she said then, lowering her voice.

“For what now?” asked Wade, shaking his head and looking a little bemused. “Not minding that you switched out our lunch date for dinner? Hell, doc, I think I came off better in that deal.”

“No, not that. I meant... well, the reason why lunch turned into dinner,” she said with a look, hoping he understood, mindful of all the open ears in Bluebell. “What you told me about the people who might be more likely than the Reverend and his wife to... have the results that they seemed to have.”

It took Wade a second or two, and then he nodded like he understood, though frankly, he still didn’t look like he did.

“Maybe you should explain that one to me when we’re someplace else,” he said then. “I’m guessing you have some idea of where we’re headed for this dinner of ours, since you’re payin’ and all?”

“I do actually,” Zoe was happy to report. “After I realised that the only place to eat dinner that wasn’t your place of employment was Fancie’s, I had to start looking further afield. I mean, this is meant to be a thank you dinner for you, and don’t take this the wrong way, but you really don’t seem like the Fancie’s type.”

“I will in fact take that as a compliment, doc,” he assured her, his arm around her shoulders like the most natural thing in the world as he steered her towards the door. “So, what’s the Plan B?”

“Well, I was looking into restaurants in the area and I found-”

It was as far as Zoe got with that sentence, her attention focused purely on Wade, so she didn’t see someone coming in the door they were about to head out of until said person ploughed right into them both.

“Tom Long, what in the heck is wrong with you?” Wade asked the younger guy crossly.

“Wade, you need to come with me,” he said, looking and sounding a little breathless. “Crazy Earl is on the roof again.”

Zoe was about to ask what exactly that meant when she heard Wade cursing under his breath. His arm slipped from her shoulders and he ran his hand over his face.

“Sorry ‘bout this, Zoe, but I reckon that meal of ours is about to suffer another delay.”

He looked genuinely apologetic about it, but Zoe was more interested in the why than the what. She had heard the name Crazy Earl mentioned around town, how he was the town drunk or something, but she had yet to encounter him and she certainly didn’t understand why his being on a roof meant she and Wade couldn’t go to dinner.

Tom was now gone and a few other patrons of the Rammer Jammer went with him. Wade started to follow and Zoe immediately ran after him, catching him by the arm and pulling him to a halt.

“Okay, what am I missing here?” she asked, shaking her head.

Wade sighed heavily, looking about as awkward as she had ever seen him.

“You remember when I took you to the cemetery, see where they laid ol’ Harley to rest?”

“Obviously.” Zoe nodded.

“Remember how I told you my momma was there too? How she passed a long time ago?”

“When you were ten,” she replied, feeling cold just remembering that particular detail.

“Well, from that day to this, about once a month or so, old Earl cashes his government check, buys himself enough liquor to drown out the pain of her loss, and then climbs up on the roof of Nate’s Hardware to make damn fools out o’ the both of us.”

Zoe felt like she had turned two pages over at once, until suddenly the light dawned in her mind.

“He... He’s your father?”

“Yup. Lucky guy, aren’t I?” he said, shaking his head. “I’m sorry about dinner, Zoe, but I gotta go deal with this.”

As he took one step away, Zoe pushed forward, catching his hand and holding on tight. When Wade looked at her with a question in his eyes, she answered without pause. “What kind of friend would I be if I wasn’t there for you at a time like this?”

A smirk pulled at Wade’s lips. “A damn smart one, I guess. This ain’t gonna be a fun night out, doc,” he told her, but that much she had already figured out.

“I’ve dealt with drunk people before, Wade, and he’s your dad. If I can help at all, I want to.”

The way he looked at her, it was as if she just offered to go pull the moon down from the sky and hand it to him. Just as fast as the strange expression appeared, it was gone, and Wade was Wade again, telling her she was going to have to put on some speed even in those crazy high heels if they were going to get there before it was too late. Zoe didn’t argue, just hurried the best she could to keep up with him, glad that he was holding onto her hand still, sure that it couldn’t turn out to be that bad of an evening, so long as they were spending it together.

Chapter Text

Wade was pretty sure that Zoe Hart was going to be the death of him. It was a strange thing to be thinking about a doctor, he was well aware, but these past few weeks, things had been getting harder and harder, and that wasn’t exactly a badly phrased statement either!

It wasn’t as if he made a secret of the fact that he liked her or that he wanted her. For a while there, she had seemed kind of willing too, although she had some reservations. Wade was well aware that Zoe was not the one-night stand type and that she was all kinds of determined not to date in any way in Bluebell, since she only planned on staying for the one year. In the beginning at least, he had been okay with the idea of nothing serious happening between them. Even lately, he told himself he would be a fool to want a relationship with her or with any woman. Still, he was starting to suffer some from being so close to Zoe and no closer.

When they finally got to share a nice dinner together, a couple of days after Earl’s last rooftop escapade, they had a real fine time. Zoe took him to a more diner-style place in Daphne that she clearly had Lavon’s help in picking out. Nothing too fancy, but a decent eatery. Food was good, conversation was the same, and it felt real comfortable between the two of them.

Two drinks in, Zoe started getting her flirt on and Wade started to think maybe, just maybe, things were going to be different that night. That maybe all her talk of ‘friends only’ was starting to fade from her mind. No such luck. Not that he could really complain when she made a point of telling him there was a real pretty girl two tables over making eyes at him.

“I’m going to the bathroom,” she told him, rising from her seat. “Maybe you should go make sure she knows you and I are just friends, then ask for her number?”

Wade opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out, and just like that, Zoe was gone, disappearing through the door to the ladies’ room. He turned around to glance at the attractive blonde who was absolutely giving him the look, and of all unholy things, Wade realised, he wasn’t interested.

That seemed to be the beginning of the end, or maybe it was the end of the beginning, he wasn’t sure. The fact was, from that moment on, Wade realised that maybe what he wanted from Zoe was more than just sex. Not that he stood any much more chance of a relationship than he did one night of amazing fun. Zoe pressed her ‘we’re just friends’ bit a little too hard, both in front of other folks, and when they were alone together.

Not that Wade could blame her exactly. She wasn’t trying to hurt him, he didn’t believe she had it in her to do such a thing, but Zoe was beautiful and smart and funny, and if he didn’t know any better, he’d say he was falling in love with her or some such. As it was, he knew he liked her, way more than he liked any other girl in a real long time, if ever.

The worst of it was, she clearly liked him too. Maybe not in exactly the same way, but still. She seemed to go out of her way to spend time with him, to talk to him, to be around wherever he was. Also, in a pinch, it was him she called for help, and God help him, if he didn’t always come running, no matter what.

When the heatwave came and he convinced her to come out of her shell a little, Wade harboured real hopes of getting Zoe to just let herself go, let her crazy out. He managed to get her as far as jumping in the pond with him for a refreshing swim, plus a water fight, that almost got a sexy kind of out of hand, but the second they got close, she backed up like she always did. Mussed up his hair and rolled her eyes at him, like he was her brother or her dog or something, not a guy that wanted her so bad it was killing him.

Then not long after the heat broke, there was the Leon Mercy incident. Wade actually saved Zoe’s ass on that one, when she got herself caught in a literal trap in the woods. Helped her figure things out with the so-called ghost that actually turned out to be a real person, hiding from his family, after faking his own death.

Of course, before all that, he had found himself sleeping on the couch at the carriagehouse, a stone’s throw from the bed, containing a half-naked Zoe. That had damn near killed him. In fact, there was a whole list of moments, big and small, that felt as if they were chipping away at Wade’s sanity. He really wasn’t sure he could hold out much longer, but then Zoe would say something about how happy she was to have such a great friend, how Wade was just the best or some such. How could he ever try anything with her, try to tell her he felt more for her than she knew, when she was just so darn happy to be buddies?

Wade knew how to be a heel, he had his fair share of practice at such behaviour over the years, but with Zoe, he just couldn’t bear to do it. God only knew what exactly he would do to cope, but for her, he figured he was just going to have to find a way.

“Hey there, Dr Hart.”

Zoe’s head hit the bar with a thud, startling her awake and making her sit up so fast she almost pitched right off the back of the stool instead.

“Woah. Hey, you okay?” asked George Tucker, quickly helping to set her right.

“I, uh.... Sure, yes, I’m fine,” she told him, shaking her head slightly. “I was just...”

“Falling asleep in your lunch?” he checked, biting his lip and fighting a smile, apparently.

Zoe smiled too, sure she looked pretty silly doing exactly as he had said, practically sleeping in her food. Her hand came up for a face palm and then she sighed.

“I haven’t been sleeping so well lately,” she told him, continuing quickly before he had a chance to ask if there was any particular reason for that, “but it’s fine, I’m a doctor, I know what to do. I’ll be okay, honestly.”

“Well, that’s good.” George nodded, though he looked a little confused.

That was fair, since Zoe was well aware she gave her answer and explanation a little too quickly and vehemently, given the subject. As if George, who she hardly knew, would be questioning her on why she wasn’t sleeping at night anyway. Of course, he wouldn’t. That would be crazy.

Zoe figured that was okay, because she felt like she was going crazy herself in the past two weeks and more. Ever since that night when she finally got around to taking Wade out to dinner, as a thank you for all his help with the gumbo contest. Ever since she looked at him across the table, all wide smile, beautiful eyes, great sense of humour, and innate charm, and she realised that she could really fall for a guy like him. In fact, she realised that she actually was falling for Wade Kinsella and, immediately, her mind went into panic mode.

“Are you sure you’re, okay?” asked George then, snapping Zoe from her thoughts. “I know you said you were but... well, you seem more than just tired. You look as if there’s something serious on your mind.”

“There is,” she agreed. “I mean, of course, there is. I’m a doctor. I have patients with needs who are always on my mind. As they should be, obviously.”

“Obviously.” George nodded in agreement, but he still looked bemused by her behaviour, which was still fair, Zoe thought. “Uh, anyway, I should be going,” he said, picking up his to-go coffee and sandwich from the bar. “You take care of yourself, Dr Hart.”

“Sure, I’ll do that. You too, George Tucker.”

She forced a smile as he raised a hand to wave goodbye and was gone. That time when Zoe’s head hit the bar it was because she put it there, hard. She really did need to knock some sense into herself, she was well aware, but she wasn’t convinced it would work. Her ‘doctoring skills’ as Wade liked to call them, ought to tell her that kind of thing didn’t work, but she was really out of any other smarter ideas at this point.

Maybe it was foolish to fight what she was feeling when it came to Wade. Zoe knew he liked her too, that they could probably have the most amazing time together, if she just let herself go. She thought about it. When the heatwave came and everybody talked about losing their inhibitions in the 104-degree heat, she really wanted to. There were moments when she so very nearly did, not least in the pond, her near-naked body so close to Wade’s own, a perfect opportunity to just let something happen, but she backed out. She knew she had to, it was the only sensible option, but Zoe had been regretting it ever since.

Wade never said anything about it. No matter how close they got, no matter what almost happened but never quite did, he never complained or even shied away from being her friend. He saw other women, Zoe knew he did. She heard them over at the gatehouse sometimes and she hated it, but what could she do? She kept on telling Wade the same thing that she told herself. That just friends was better. Safer, more sensible, the only good choice, really. Unfortunately, as the days went by, turning into weeks, Zoe was beginning to forget why that was.

Her good friend Wade continued to be just that, helping her out when she seemed to be dealing with a ghost, and then, when she really was dealing with a man in genuine need of some sound advice. Leon Mercy, the man that she and Wade had sort of, kind of, brought back from the dead. That was a miracle, in a lot of ways. Zoe couldn’t help but wonder if the bigger miracle wasn’t how she hadn’t collapsed yet after so many nights of waking up from erotic dreams about Wade that she knew she couldn’t do anything about.

Not that that was exactly true. Zoe supposed she could do something. She could go over to Wade’s place at any time he was home and make it plain that she wanted what he was offering. Not that he had offered in a while, but still, she was fairly confident that, Wade being Wade, he really wouldn’t turn down sex from her, or from any woman, truth be told.

Maybe that was why she never actually did it. Zoe wasn’t sure she could bear to be one in a long line that had fallen in and so easily out of Wade Kinsella’s bed. She wanted more. God help her, she really did, and for the life of her, Zoe had no idea what to do about that.

“Well, I’ll be damned!”

She looked up sharply at the sound of Wally’s exclamation, turning on her stool to see what had sparked such a stunned reaction. Zoe was amazed to see Wade walking into the Rammer Jammer, mostly because he had his arm around a pretty blonde in a very short skirt, the biggest grin on her face as she looked adoringly at him.

“Hey, Shelley, how about a couple of beers?” he called to his friend. “And then, how about two more for my wife.”

For the second time in the space of a few minutes, Zoe felt like she might slide right off her stool onto the floor, and this time, she wasn’t sure she cared if anybody caught her at all. Nothing could hurt as much as the horrible twisting of her stomach on hearing the news that Wade, her best friend, the man she had started to feel so much for, was married and clearly had been this whole time.

Chapter Text

“I am going on a date.”

Lavon looked so stunned as he glanced up from his paperwork, Zoe felt like she ought to be offended somehow, and yet, she was okay with it. She supposed it was sort of shocking for her to be making such an announcement. After all, she had been really, really adamant about her no dating in Bluebell policy. It was just things had changed lately. Well, one thing had changed. Not that she was even going to let herself think that about.

“So, anyway, I need outfit advice,” she told Lavon, turning a slow circle so he saw her dress from every angle. “What do you think?”

“Seriously, Z?” he asked, seeming to be visibly wincing when she finally faced him head on again. “Come on now, you know I love to help you out, but dresses? Ain’t really my thing. Besides, whatever you wear, you always look great, you know that.”

It was a sweet compliment and she smiled on hearing it, sure at least that when it came to Lavon she didn’t have to worry it was just a throwaway nicety. He had to be one of the most honest and decent men she had ever met in her life. The only problem was, he was so much the big brother type to her, she could never have considered dating him, not even for a second.

No, it was Wade Kinsella she had gone ahead and fallen for, which made her some kind of stupid, Zoe was certain on that, and never more so than when she first heard he was married. She started wondering then if they were ever really friends at all. After all, who didn’t tell their so-called best friend they had a wife the whole freaking time?!

“So, am I supposed to guess who this date of yours is with?” Lavon asked then, backing his chair up from the desk and getting to his feet, “or should I just go ahead and assume that you and Wade finally-”

“I am not going out with Wade!” she denied it hotly, wishing she hadn’t been quite so quick or loud when she realised Lavon had his hands held up as if surrendering. “I’m just... I’m not,” she confirmed in a more reasonable tone. “I don’t date married men, Lavon.”

“Well, I can understand that,” he agreed, moving to perch on the front edge of the desk next to her, his arms folded across his chest, “but you know that Wade ain’t exactly a married man, right? I mean, sure, turns out he and Tansy never did get around to making the end of their relationship official, but they ain’t-”

“I know the story.” Zoe confirmed before he could tell it again. “Addy told me. They got married four years ago, on a shrimp boat in international waters. Apparently, there was a lot of alcohol involved.”

“From what I heard, yeah,” said Lavon with a grin, immediately wiping the smile away on noting that Zoe didn’t find the situation at all funny. “Anyhow, Wade and Tansy, they fought like the Hatfields and McCoys the whole four months they tried to live together, and then, that was that, marriage over, case closed. We all figured they was divorced long since. Nobody knew they never got the paperwork signed off.”

“Wade knew,” said Zoe bluntly. “He knew he was married and he still... Not that he and I...”

“Aww, come on now, Z. Wade didn’t keep some big dirty secret from you,” Lavon assured her. “He and Tansy were never serious. I’m not sayin’ what they did was right, but it’s not like they were married in any real way. It was a drunken mistake, like somethin’ that happens in Vegas. It didn’t mean anything.”

Zoe knew he was probably right, but it didn’t really make her feel any better. Part of her reason for waiting so long to get close to Wade was his reputation with women. He was the love ‘em and leave ‘em type and Zoe knew for certain that she did not want to be loved and left. If she was going to take a chance on Wade, it had to be when he was prepared to commit in some way. She wasn’t looking for a marriage proposal or anything, but certainly a little monogamy. That was probably a tough ask from a man who had been routinely cheating on his wife for the past four years. Yes, the circumstances of his marriage were kind of crazy, but still.

“Why are we even talking about Wade?” she asked then, shaking her head and resetting the conversation before it went any further down a road that was only going to make her sad and frustrated. “I was telling you about my date, not with Wade, but with a real Southern gentleman by the name of Dr Judson Lyons,” she told Lavon proudly.

“Oh, we love Jud,” her friend smiled widely. “He treats Burt Reynolds. There’s not too many vets out there who make house calls for alligators.”

“Well, that’s great that you know him and think he’s a nice guy. Sometimes, my judgement can be a little off with people. Guy people. Dates, you know?” she explained. “I guess I don’t really have a lot of experience in this area, but Judson seems like a really nice guy. He came into the practice to thank me for how I patched up Bo, the mascot pig, and he was just so handsome and he had this amazing smile, plus he’s a doctor like me, which is cool. Okay, so for animals not people, but still. Somebody has to treat the poor animals, right?”

“Right.” Lavon nodded, smiling yet. “Well, let me be the first to say that I’m real happy to see you embracing the dating scene of Bluebell at last,” he told her kindly. “I think it’ll do you the world of good to get out there and have some fun with a real nice guy like our Jud. He’ll treat you right, I’ll bet.”

“I hope so.” Zoe smiled back at her friend. “Tomorrow night, he’s taking me to a real restaurant for our first date. I never had that before.”

Lavon looked more than a little shocked, a question on his lips that he never got to ask as the doorbell rang. He got up fast to go see who was calling, though not before telling Zoe their conversation wasn’t over yet.

“That’s what you think,” she muttered to herself, heading for the back door to let herself out.

It would have been way too embarrassing to have to admit she hadn’t been on a first date in eight years. That she and her ex had been together for six years, and that was just a study session that turned into a hook up that turned into six years. Zoe really was a little behind when it came to dating, another reason why she was probably better off not getting mixed up with the very experienced Wade Kinsella. Sure, they could be friends, maybe, as and when Zoe found a way to get past the part where her so-called bestie kept a wife from her these past few months, but that was all. Zoe could date in Bluebell, but she wouldn’t be dating Wade.

“Judson is my guy,” she said to herself, walking with a purpose towards her carriagehouse.

A wolf whistle stopped her dead in her tracks, about twenty feet from her front door. Zoe turned to see Wade just then getting out of his car, pushing his aviators up on top of his head as he gave her an appreciative look.

“Well, hell, doc, I didn’t know you owned a dress like that,” he told her, with a salacious smile.

“Why would you?” she called back, determined not to react to his obvious pleasure at seeing her dressed in such a way. “I only dress this way for dates.”

With that she turned away and continued walking up onto the porch of the carriagehouse. She stopped by the front door and turned back.

“Maybe if you ask your wife, she’ll dress up nice so you can take her somewhere... suitable,” she said sharply, then walked right into her house, slamming the door behind her.

Zoe cursed herself the second she was alone. She didn’t need to be so mean to Wade. After all, what had he really done wrong? Sure, they flirted a lot and kissed a couple of times too, but they weren’t together. They went to dinner once, but it hadn’t been a date. They had never been on a date, never slept together, and she had made it more than clear to him that she only wanted to be friends, despite feeling differently sometimes. Wade owed her nothing, so why was she now being such a bitch to him, just because he had a wife she never knew about?

“Doesn’t matter,” she told herself, moving away from the door and further into the house.

Standing in front of the mirror, she looked herself over in her little black dress and decided she liked what she saw. Judson would be impressed with her looks, as well as her skills as a doctor (which he had already observed) and her mind which she would use to its greatest effect on their date tomorrow night. Judson Lyons wouldn’t know what hit him, and Wade Kinsella? Well, he could just do whatever he wanted. Zoe Hart didn’t care anymore.

“Wade? Wade! What in the heck is wrong with you?”

The look on Tansy’s face showed genuine concern and Wade felt bad for making her worry like that. She really had been a damn good wife to him these past four years. Undemanding and real flexible on the whole fidelity thing, just like they said in the office with Tucker a while back when they signed the divorce papers. The problem wasn’t Tansy, no way, so he supposed he really ought to tell her who was.

“Uh, I don’t really know how to explain this in a way that’s not gonna sound weird,” he told her, as they took a seat on the nearest bench together, Wade rubbing his forehead that ached some before he even really started talking. “So, that electricity-hogging neighbour of mine that I told you about...”

“Dr Hart,” Tansy cut in immediately. “Sure, our paths crossed. Seems a little uptight to me.”

“Uh, yeah, I guess she can seem that way sometimes,” Wade was forced to agree, “but a lot of times, she’s not like that at all. We get along pretty good. You know, bein’ neighbours and all, that’s a good thing, and come on now, who doesn’t wanna get along with a doctor? I mean, those kinda skills can be useful, and she’s a decent person, even if she is from New York-,”

“Wade,” said Tansy, cutting him off once again, but he couldn’t mind so much, because even he knew he was starting to ramble a little. “You like her, don’t you?”

The scoffing sound that left his mouth was automatic, unstoppable, but it was as fake as any noise he ever made his whole life and they both knew it. There was no lying to Tans. They knew each other too long and too well for that.

“So maybe I do like her,” he said grudgingly. “And maybe it’s driving me insane, but I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, Tans. It ain’t like it was with me and you, or me and any other woman I ever... well, you know how I am.”

“She’s real different, alright,” Tansy agreed with a sigh. “And you know I don’t wanna talk outta place when you like her so much, but she seems a little... well, like I said before, uptight. Maybe a little superior, kinda. I don’t want you gettin’ mad at me for sayin’ so.”

“Like I would.” Wade rolled his eyes. “I know you well enough, Tans. Ain’t a mean bone in that crazy hot body o’ yours,” he said, laughing when she shoved his shoulder for the way he phrased it. “Hey, believe me, I know there are parts to the way Zoe is that make her real different to most folks around here. Maybe that’s what I like so much about her, I don’t know for sure. All I know is, I feel for her more than I felt for anybody in a long time. That seem crazy to you?”

“Not necessarily.” Tansy shook her head. “That’s kinda how it is for me right now, with Colt. Of course, it’s okay for me, ‘cause when I started to like him, he liked me right back, and now, we’re in love and gonna get married,” she said happily, smile fading in an instant as she stared at Wade. “I’m guessin’ Dr Zoe Hart doesn’t exactly have those same feelins for you that you have for her?”

“I guess not too,” Wade sighed, slumping down further on the bench. “Not that I ever asked, but see, she has this whole no dating policy. At least, that’s what she said from the second she got here. No dating in Bluebell, since she only plans on staying a year and all. She said she just wanted to be friends and, weird as it sounds, I tried to stick to that. Sure, we flirt sometimes, and that is a two-way street, believe me, plus I don’t mind lettin’ her know my door is always open if she ever wanted to...”

Tansy rolled her eyes. “Like any woman needs a reminder of what you’re offering, Wade Kinsella. You’re not exactly subtle.”

“Hey, you love that about me.”

“Yes, I do,” she agreed, laughter in her voice, “and I always will, but you and me doesn’t work. We already figured that out. Me and Colt, on the other hand, that’s something I plan to make last forever. And you know, just ‘cause Zoe isn’t so sure she wants to date right now, she could just as easy change her mind.”

“That’s the kicker, ain’t it?” said Wade, making a face. “She just did decide to start datin’, only it ain’t me she came callin’ on. Seems the vet, Judson Lyons, he asked her out, and from what Lavon tells me, Zoe couldn’t be more excited to go to dinner with that pet protector. I can’t compete with that.”

“Says who?” That question made Wade frown pretty hard as he looked to Tansy then. “Come on, Wade, just because you and Zoe are real different kinds of people doesn’t automatically mean you can’t be together. Maybe she did just decide to start dating because Judson asked her. Did you ever actually ask her out?”

“Hey, I made her plenty of offers,” he said fast.

“I said, ‘Did you ever actually ask her out?’, dummy” Tansy repeated, smacking him across the knee. “I ain’t talkin’ about offerin’ her a chance to see your bed linen up close.”

For that, Wade had no answer, his mouth opening and closing a couple of times with no sound coming out when he realised it. Maybe Tansy had a point. He never actually did ask Zoe out on a date the way Judson apparently had. He flirted, he tried to get her to come over to his place or let him into her place, to spend the night or whatever, but he never told her he really liked her. Never actually tried to go out rather than stay in.

Tansy sighed. “You’ll figure it out, I know you will,” she said, smiling sweetly. “If it’s meant to be, then it’ll be,” she insisted, leaning in with her hand at his face as she kissed his cheek.

The next moment she was up and leaving, telling him she hoped to see him again real soon, but Colt would be waiting on her, so she had to skedaddle. Wade wasn’t paying full attention, even as he raised his hand to wave her goodbye. Tans was good people, no doubt about that. Maybe they had been fools to get married like they did, but he wouldn’t trade having her in his life for anything in the world.

She sure had helped him out today, giving him a little confidence to maybe actually talk to Zoe about what he felt for her. After all, what harm could it really do? If he asked and she said no, that she still wanted to be just friends, at least he would know, and he wouldn’t really be any worse off than he was right now.

Getting up from the bench, Wade decided to follow after Tansy, to thank her for her help and advice, since he was pretty sure he hadn’t managed that before she left. Besides, he figured it might be good to meet this Colt person, to shake him by the hand and congratulate him on being so lucky as to win the heart of one Tansy Truitt. She really was a lot smarter than people gave her credit for, Wade thought, or so it seemed after the advice she just gave him. Of course, he started to doubt her judgement all over again when he saw her run into the arms of one Todd Gainey Jr!

“Oh, hell no!”

Chapter Text

It had been a decent night, a good first date. At least, Zoe thought so. It was tough for her to know, given she had such a small frame of reference, but that was okay. She and Judson had talked and laughed and got along really well. Sure, they didn’t have quite as much in common as she had hoped, but that kind of thing didn’t necessarily have to matter so much. They were both doctors, that was good, and he was really sweet and understanding when he realised how nervous she was tonight. Plus, he had been all-but bowled over by the sight of her when she appeared in her little black dress. Zoe wasn’t shallow or hoping to be liked only for her looks, but a woman couldn’t object to seeing a man’s eyes go wide like that - it felt good.

The problem was not how the night began or how it went in the middle, it was more how it ended. Judson had offered to walk Zoe home and, of course, she had accepted. Unfortunately, conversation had started to dry up a fair distance from the carriagehouse, and when they did finally arrive at her place, Zoe was overly aware of the lights being on in the gatehouse. Wade was there, she just knew it.

‘Pressure, so much pressure,’ Zoe thought to herself, unsure whether Judson would try to kiss her, if maybe he might even hope to be invited inside, not to mention the fact that Wade was most likely watching everything unfold.

“So, uh, I had a really great time, Judson,” she said, smiling too wide, she was sure. “Thank you, for dinner, and for walking me home. That was very sweet of you... or some other word that’s probably less offensive to a grown man than ‘sweet’,” she amended, barely resisting the urge to literally face-palm.

“I’m not offended,” Judson promised with a kind smile. “And as for paying for dinner and walking you home, well, I guess I was just raised that way, to be a gentleman and everything. Of course, right now, I gotta admit, I’m having a couple of less than gentlemanly thoughts,” he told her, almost blushing at his own admission, even as his eyes moved over her body.

Zoe glanced away, feeling weirdly bashful herself. Maybe it was Judson. Maybe it was their potential audience of one across the other side of the pond. Zoe wasn’t sure where all her New York confidence had gone to, but it was definitely conspicuous by its absence.

“I’m so sorry,” Judson said then. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you or put on any pressure...”

“It’s fine,” Zoe assured him, literally waving away his concerns, “but just for the record, I wasn’t planning on inviting you inside tonight. Of course, that doesn’t mean a goodnight kiss is completely out of the question.”

Zoe winced at her own phrasing, wondering when she became such an idiot. She really hadn’t had that much to drink tonight, just a couple of glasses of wine over dinner. Sure, Judson was good looking and charming, and it was forever since she had been on a real date, but she couldn’t imagine why she was quite this nervous. Her breath caught in her throat as Judson came closer, his hands coming up to her face as he leaned in some more and finally their lips met.

It was a good kiss. Short and sweet, but good. Zoe hated herself for comparing it to the last couple of kisses she had experienced, both from Wade Kinsella. It was so unfair to rank guys one against the other like that, but she just couldn’t seem to help herself. Judson was great, but he just wasn’t Wade, she realised sadly, watching her date walk away.

Just as soon as he was out of sight, Zoe turned to go up into the carriagehouse, but had barely gotten her foot on the bottom step of the porch than she heard Wade yell her name. He was by her side in an instant, confirming Zoe’s suspicions, without another word being spoken.

“Were you seriously spying on me?”

“No!” Wade denied it hotly, at least until Zoe hit him with a look that had been known to scare potential New York subway muggers into submission. “Well, kind of,” he admitted, “but it is not the way it sounds.”

“I don’t care. Go away, Wade!” she said crossly, shoving past him and continuing on her way.

Slamming her way into the carriagehouse, she really wasn’t sure why she believed he wouldn’t follow her. Wade wasn’t exactly the kind to give up, she had learned that very quickly. He could be as stubborn as she was, Zoe knew, and boy, was he ever out to prove it tonight!

“Zoe, I gotta talk to you,” he told her, busting into the room with a purpose. “I know it’s late, I know this is your house, but I have got to talk to you,” he insisted.

Zoe wasn’t sure whether to be intrigued or just all out angry. Wade had no right following her into the house, being loud and obnoxious, demanding that they talk. Maybe she didn’t want to talk to him. Maybe she wished he would go away and drown himself in the pond. Maybe, but probably not.

“What do you want, Wade?” she asked him crossly, hands on her hips. “Because it might interest you to know that life doesn’t owe you any favours, and actually, just because you want something doesn’t necessarily mean you should get it.”

“You think I don’t know that?” he asked, pointing a finger into his own chest. “Believe me, doc, I more than get that the universe doesn’t want me gettin’ what I want outta life. Damn, if I don’t know that by now.”

She almost felt sorry for him. Zoe was trying so hard to stay mad, but it was tough in the face of such a reality check. Of course, Wade knew what it was to be kicked in the face by life, the universe, and everything. Hadn’t he lost his momma at the age of ten? Didn’t he have the town drunk for a father? Wasn’t his lot in life to raise no higher than local bar tender and town lothario?

“Well, not everything you want slips through your fingers,” she said snippily then, remembering all too easily why she ever got mad at him in the first place. “After all, you have a wife, don’t you?”

Wade almost looked as if she slapped him in the face rather than yelled at him a little about something she knew perfectly well was true. At least, she thought it was true, until he explained to her why it wasn’t.

“No, Zoe Hart, I do not have a wife,” he told her definitely. “Matter o’ fact, me and Tansy signed our divorce papers yesterday, somethin’ you woulda known all about if you had been around at all for me to talk to you about it,” he said with a look.

Zoe opened her mouth, then closed it again fast. She had been avoiding Wade since his wife showed up, that was true, but she had a good reason. As far as she knew, he was married and yet had been coming onto her for the whole time they had known each other. It made her feel bad and awkward in a way she didn’t want to examine. Plus, it made her jealous. So, freaking jealous! Not that she was about to admit to that, no way.

“You were still married,” she said, more grumpily than angrily, though she had been trying for the latter. “When we met, all this time. I had no idea.”

“And if I had known it would end up bein’ such a big deal to you, doc, I’d have told you all about it,” he told her then, his tone calm and reasonable, sweet even, Zoe thought.

He probably had a point. She wished he didn’t, but he probably did. Her arms folded across her chest as she started to feel defensive. Maybe she got all of this wrong. She realised she definitely had when Wade continued talking.

“You know, me and Tans, that was... I mean, she’s a great girl, she honestly is, but we never shoulda gotten married. We were drunk is all, and I just... Honestly, I don’t even know what I was thinkin’.” He sighed, scratching the back of his head. “I don’t know whether it makes it better or worse, but like I said, we got officially divorced yesterday. You can ask George Tucker if you don’t believe me.”

“I believe you.” Zoe shrugged, looking away, wondering why it was suddenly so hard to face Wade head on.

“Well, that’s somethin’, I guess, but you know, even before the paperwork got signed, there has been nothin’ between me and Tansy in a real long time. ‘Til she showed up here a couple o’ days back, I had not seen her in a year. Hell, we hadn’t slept together in three.”

“Fine,” said Zoe, shaking her head. “I don’t even know why you’re telling me this. It’s none of my business.”

“Well, you seemed all kinds of pissed about it, doc, whether you had the right or not,” said Wade, smirking terribly. “Come on, Zoe, you’re always talkin’ about what great friends we are and all. You’re allowed to care that I didn’t tell you I had a wife. Just like I figure I’m allowed to care that, apparently, your no dating in Bluebell policy flew right on out the window tonight when you decided to go all-out with Jud the vet.”

Zoe bristled at the way he phrased it. To go all-out implied she had done much more with Judson than she actually had, and it wasn’t as if Wade didn’t know better, since he was clearly watching the two of them say goodnight before he came over.

“It’s a woman’s prerogative to change her mind, about anything she wants,” she said smartly. “Yes, it’s true. I did have a no dating in Bluebell policy, but then I thought, well, a year is a long time. It’s probably not entirely healthy for me to socially isolate myself for that long of a period. So, when Judson very kindly asked me to dinner, I accepted. Do you have a problem with that?”

Zoe wasn’t sure what answer she wanted or even what she expected. Wade liked her, she was well aware, but as far as she knew, he was only really interested in getting her into bed. They got along well as friends too, that much was true, but he wasn’t a relationship kind of guy, not at all. Hadn’t he just got through telling her he never should’ve married Tansy, what a huge mistake that was? He was the one-night stand type of guy and Zoe definitely was not the one-night stand type of girl.

“Zoe, I don’t...” he began to say, looking pained and awkward as he stumbled over the words. “I just don’t want things gettin’ screwed up is all. I’m sorry that Tansy blowing into town came as a shock to you, and I’m sorry that you felt like I lied to you or kept something from you that I shouldn’t have. I’m just... I’m sorry, okay?”

Zoe sighed and nodded her head. “Okay. I accept your apology, and for what it’s worth, I’m sorry too. I was rude to you before, when you were trying to be... complimentary,” she said, referring to the moment when he had made comments about the very dress she was wearing in that moment. “I think I was rude about Tansy too and I shouldn’t have been. I’m sorry, Wade.”

“Well, then I accept your apology too, Zoe,” he assured her, smiling across at her. “So, now that we got that cleared up-”

“We can go back to being friends again, right?” she said, cutting in fast. “Please, Wade? I’m just so bad at relationships, all kinds of relationships. You and Lavon, you guys are the best friends I have around here, and honestly, I can’t handle the idea of losing either one of you right now. I know I come off so New York City tough sometimes, but you know how rough these past couple of months have been for me.”

“Hey, come on now.”

Zoe didn’t realise she was crying until suddenly Wade looked awkward, then came striding over to pull her into his arms and hug her close. She let him hold her, hugged him back after a moment’s pause, trying not to notice that she felt more in that moment of consolation than she had when Judson kissed her. God, she was such an awful person, she really was.

“Zoe Hart, you are the most confounded woman,” said Wade fondly, pulling back to look at her then, “but you ever need someone to back you in a knife fight, I’ll be there,” he promised her with a smile. “You got friends, doc. Don’t ever think you don’t. Like you said, me and Lavon both, we’re here for you, okay?”

There was just no way she could form words in that moment, so Zoe only nodded, swiping further tears from her cheeks as fast as she could. She forced out a very soft ‘thank you’ as Wade finally let her go and headed right for the door, muttering something about letting her get to her bed or whatever.

Zoe watched him go, a part of her wishing she had it in her to call him back, to even ask him to stay. In the end, she bit her lip and said nothing, going to bed still in her little black dress, still with tears in her eyes.

Chapter Text

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but you don’t seem like the party planner type,” Zoe told Wade, in spite of his kind offer, immediately pulling out her phone. “Now, my friend, Gigi, in New York, she knows how to plan a party. I should probably call her... Wade! Give me back my cell!” she yelled, when suddenly he whipped it from her hand and held it so high, she didn’t stand a chance of reaching.

Zoe was pretty sure she looked foolish trying, but since they were the only ones present in Lavon’s kitchen, she supposed it didn’t matter. Hopping up and down on her high heels wasn’t fun though and Wade was being so damn annoying!

“Are you kidding me with this?” he asked her, switching the cell phone to his other hand when she started to get closer to reaching it. “You’re gonna call a high society New York type to plan an ‘Bama party for a Homecoming game? Geez, doc, I thought you were supposed to be smart.”

She stopped reaching when she heard the derision in his voice, realising he wasn’t entirely making a joke. Damn it, Zoe was smart, she knew she was, and yet, when the meaning of his words finally filtered through to her brain, she realised maybe he did have a point.

Gigi was great at New York parties, the kind people had in penthouses or in hotel ballrooms, with newly invented drinks and very fancy finger food. Bluebell just wasn’t that kind of place and a Thursday night pre-Homecoming game party didn’t exactly scream cocktails and canapes.

“Huh,” she said then, arms back by her sides as she stopped trying to retrieve her cell and gave the matter some serious thought. “I guess maybe you have a point,” she said, side-eyeing Wade.

“You bet your fine ass I do,” he said, smirking terribly, as he proffered her phone at her. “Here, now you’re over your big city fit, you oughta have this back. Seems to me you’d do better calling up Frank at The Dixie Stop, make certain he’s got plenty of what you really need, like Lavon’s favourite crab dip and chicken fingers and all that.”

“Really?” Zoe checked, making a face. “Chicken fingers?”

“Come on now.” Wade rolled his eyes, reaching for his water bottle and taking a drink. “You wanna imagine a whole bunch of folks from this town at a Homecoming game party without chicken fingers?”

Zoe sighed. “No, I guess not. This is going to be a very different kind of party from what I’m used to,” she realised aloud. “I’m not sure I even know why Lavon asked me to help organise it.”

“’Cause you’re his best friend and he trusts you to do a good job, which you will, doc,” Wade assured her. “Just remember who you’re plannin’ for, that’s all. Leave those old high-falutin’ New York ways o’ yours outta the whole process, okay?”

“Yes, okay, I get it.” Zoe rolled her eyes at him one more time. “You know, you talk about how smart I am, but you’re not exactly stupid yourself, Wade. You probably just saved me from making a really big fool out of myself.”

“Yeah, well. It’s a tough job to do all o’ the time, but somebody’s gotta, sweetheart,” he told her with a wink, laughing when she reached out and swiped him across the arm when he went by her towards the door. “Listen here now, Zoe Hart. You need any help wrangling up folks to help you out, or you find yourself stuck on what booze you need or anything like that, you just give me a call, okay?”

“You know I will.” Zoe smiled at him. “Thanks, Wade. Again!”

He was laughing as he waved goodbye to her and slipped out the back door. Zoe leaned back against the counter and sighed to herself. He really was the nicest guy, and not for the first time, she wondered why she did such a good impression of someone who didn’t like him as more than a friend. It would be so easy to just tell him she wanted more, not least because she was pretty sure Wade would be more than okay with that. Sure, he was primarily looking for sex, but he was always there for her in a friend capacity, always doing her favours and such. There had to be more to it than just wanting to get her into bed, she was almost certain, and yet, Zoe persisted in being just that little bit too afraid to actually ask, for fear of the rejection she might encounter.

Her cell chirped in her hand then and she looked down to see an incoming text from Judson. That caused another sigh, a deep, heavy one that had put in appearance several times of late. Pretty much every time the local vet texted her, actually. He was very eager to make another date and Zoe knew it made sense for her to want to go. After all, he was a nice guy, sweet and kind and gentlemanly, certainly not bad to look at either. Still, the idea of seeing him again didn’t exactly excite her. All the excitement she could muster seemed to come around when she was with Wade, or at night, when she dreamed about him in very vivid terms.

“Bad brain,” she muttered to herself as images of her latest dream about her friend/neighbour played through her mind. “Not helpful,” she added, trying in vain to concentrate on her reply text to Judson.

Once again, she told him that she was just so busy with one thing and another, from work at the practice to helping Lavon with his party and such. She also said she hoped to see him soon, which was perhaps only a half-truth, but it seemed worse to tell him the whole truth. That she probably wouldn’t care if she never did cross paths with him again actually.

It was instinct to call Zoe when the worst happened. Wade knew it mostly made sense because she was a doctor, but in actual fact, he had just come to think of Zoe as the person to go to in a crisis, because she was just always there. For the most part, it was true, that he was usually the one doing her favours, helping her fit into Bluebell and all, but she had certainly helped him out too. The last time Earl got up on a roof for one thing. Of course, tonight, when he did call, she didn’t answer. Probably too caught up in the party and all.

“It’s okay,” he promised George and Lemon. “You keep a close eye on Jimmy, I’ll go get Zoe,” he told them, hopping in his car and squealing the tyres as he raced off to the plantation.

They really were having a crisis and he sure hoped Zoe wouldn’t mind too much to be pulled away from the party to help. Much as it pained him to think of the fact most of the time, she was always saying what great friends they were and all. She’d get him out of a jam, no problem, Wade was certain. Somebody sure needed to, he thought, as he drove as fast as he dare, what with the unconscious-possibly-dead blue guy and everything.

Just as soon as he stopped the car up at the plantation, Wade threw himself out of the car and rushed into the house through the back door. As luck would have it, Zoe was right there, smiling widely as she turned to look at him.

“Hey, you’re here,” she said happily. “Thank you so much for your advice about the party. It’s going so well. That beer you recommended? So popular, and as for the chicken fingers, well-”

“No time for that right now, doc,” he told her, shaking his head fast. “I need you to come with me, right now. Medical emergency.”

“Oh, my God. Is it your dad?” she checked, looking so freaked out, it was almost nice to realise just how much she truly cared, only Wade didn’t have time for sentiment right now.

“It’s not Earl,” he said, shaking his head, trying to keep his voice low, yet loud enough she would hear over the crazy party soundtrack. “There’s a possibility that a prank we all were pullin’ went a little wrong.”

“How wrong?” Zoe asked warily.

“Lemon mighta killed a guy.”

The wide-eyed expression on Zoe’s face might have been comical at any other moment, but Wade couldn’t really find it funny at such a time. Grabbing at his hand, Zoe went for the door, dragging him with her, and Wade went willingly, as he always would when she was leading the way.

They were in his car, strapped in and speeding back to town within seconds, him thanking her twice in quick succession, as well as apologising for pulling her away from her party too.

“It’s fine,” she insisted, shaking her head, “just tell me exactly what happened to this possibly dead man,” she urged him.

Wade did as she ordered, explaining about him and George wanting to get their own back on old high school bully, Jimmy Praboo. He felt kind of foolish, telling her about the blue Fun Sip powder in the shower head and wanting to teach pretty boy Jimmy a lesson and everything, but Zoe didn’t seem mad at him at all. In fact, he almost thought she wanted to laugh at the whole prank part, until he got to reminding her that they may have killed the guy in the process of turning him into a Smurf.

“I don’t know what happened exactly. I guess he just slipped and fell, but he’s been out cold ever since and not a one of us could bring him around.”

“Well, it may not be as bad as you think,” Zoe said kindly, “but we won’t know until I take a look at him. Seriously, Wade, was it even worth it?”

“Honestly?” he said, eyes on the road as he answered. “Kind of. He really made our lives hell in high school, and it’s not like we meant to knock him out or anything, it just... happened.”

They arrived outside the practice then, parking up behind George’s car which was already there. He and Lemon were supposed to meet them there and had clearly followed instructions, the two of them emerging from the vehicle in front and looking grim faced.

“He still didn’t come around,” said George worriedly.

“I think he groaned a little once,” Lemon added, “so, that means he’s alive, right?”

Zoe said nothing, just opened the back door of the car and leaned in to take a look at Jimmy. After a minute, she popped back out and faced the three of them.

“He’s breathing,” she confirmed, “but we need to get him inside so I can check him over properly.”

Wade and George wasted no time in man-handling Jimmy out of the car and bringing him into the practice. Once they had him on Zoe’s exam table, they left her to do her checks, which didn’t seem to take too long. In the end, the verdict was that he would be fine, except for the gnarly bump on his head, and of course, the fact that he was blue.

George and Lemon immediately rushed by Zoe to get in to see Jimmy, probably to apologise and make sure he wasn’t going to call the cops or whatever. Wade hung back, reaching out a hand to Zoe’s arm and squeezing.

“Thanks for coming through in a pinch, doc,” he told her. “I know you prob’ly think I’m an idiot right now but...”

“I don’t, actually,” she assured him with a smile. “I mean, was this the smartest thing you could’ve done? Clearly not,” she said, shaking her head, yet the smile remained, “but it probably would’ve been pretty funny, if not for the head injury part.”

It made Wade happy to know she appreciated the prank, even if it had gone awry. Pleased him even more to know she was willing to run headlong into a crisis and be caught up in what might have proven to be a crime just for him. They really were those great friends she always said they were, he supposed, and he liked that, even though he would like it even better if they could be closer yet.

“Wade? Get in here!” George yelled from the next room.

Wade rolled his eyes. “Guess I gotta face the music with everybody else.”

“I guess you do,” she agreed, “and I really should get back to my guests. It’s a bad hostess that runs out on her own party.”

“Like you could ever be a bad anything.” Wade rolled his eyes.

Zoe smiled at that and looked as if she maybe even blushed a little. “I’ll see you later, prankster,” she told him as she moved to leave, seeming to change her mind before she was quite out of sight and turning back. “Um, I don’t have a ride back to the plantation, unless you’re available?”

“After I make sure I’m not gonna get arrested or sued by the big blue guy, I’m all yours, doc,” he said, knowing he meant that in just any way she chose to take it.

Wade almost thought Zoe knew it too from the way she was looking at him, but maybe that was only wishful thinking.

It was late before all the guests left the party. Lavon arrived back in time to catch just the tail end of the swinging affair, but he seemed very pleased with how things had turned out. He said as much as he, Zoe, and Wade worked on the clean up around the house, stuffing trash into garbage sacks and piling up dishes to be washed.

“It’s been quite the eventful evening,” Zoe told him, “one way and another,” she added, looking past him at Wade, who only smiled and turned away.

“Okay then,” Lavon replied, eyes shifting between them as if he were trying to figure out what was going on, but Zoe chose not to explain. “So, the party was a smash, now we just gotta win the game, which may be easier said than done with my quarterbacks all suffering with this flu thing.”

“You think it’s a real flu or just the nerves gettin’ to ‘em?” asked Wade thoughtfully. “Seems kinda strange that your QBs have got it worse than anyone else.”

“Hell if I know what to think about it.” Lavon sighed and shook his head. “But if neither one of those guys are feelin’ better tomorrow, we may yet have to forfeit the game. All that coaching and this party and getting all that grass greened, for nothing.”

Zoe’s hand stopped halfway to the trash bag when she heard those last few words.

“Getting all that grass greened,” she echoed, turning fast to look at Lavon again. “Lavon, did the guys who greened the grass here do the same on the football field?”

“Sure, that’s where I got the idea from,” he admitted without pause. “Why?”

Zoe face-palmed as she realised what happened, going on to explain to both Lavon and Wade about organophosphate poisoning. It would affect all the players in a small way, but the quarterbacks most of all, since they were constantly licking their fingers to get a better grip on the football.

At least now they had that figured out, she could prescribe the right meds and hopefully get everybody fit and healthy for the game. Lavon was so thrilled, he actually picked Zoe up off the ground when he hugged her and thanked her three times for being amazing.

After that, he wouldn’t accept any more help with the party clean-up, not even from Wade, and told them both they should head home already. Zoe didn’t need telling twice. After the crazy events of the day, she was frankly exhausted!

“Well, we had ourselves quite a night there, doc,” said Wade as they walked together from the main house towards their own places.

“Yes, we did,” she agreed, “but at least it all turned out for the best in the end. Jimmy Praboo may be blue, but he’s not dead, plus he actually found your crazy prank funny. I know how to make the quarterbacks feel fit for tomorrow’s game, and as a bonus, Lavon’s pre-game party was a huge success. We did good, Kinsella,” she said, holding her hand up for a high five.

Of course, Wade didn’t leave her hanging. She was surprised he wasn’t as enthusiastic about their achievements tonight as she was. In fact, he was soon stuffing both hands in his pockets and turning very quiet. Zoe was about to ask if anything was wrong when he suddenly spoke up again.

“So, uh, did Judson come to the party? I figured you would invite him.”

“Oh, um, no. Actually, I didn’t,” Zoe admitted. “I mean, I wasn’t even sure if it was his kind of thing, and we only had that one date, so... no, I didn’t ask him and he wasn’t there.”

They were close by the pond then, at a point where it only made sense to part ways and go to their own houses. Stopping walking, they faced each other, Zoe a little uncertain what was on Wade’s mind and, not for the first time, too afraid to ask.

“I’m not makin’ a big deal or anything,” he said then, “I just thought, well, you seemed to like him well enough. You had to, else you wouldn’ta gone out to dinner with him even that one time.”

“I like him.” Zoe nodded. “I mean, he’s a nice guy, it’s just... I don’t know, I guess I just don’t think Judson and I are meant to be is all.”

She wasn’t sure what reaction she expected to that confession, one that she hardly knew she was going to make until the words came spilling from her mouth. The grin that took over Wade’s face certainly proved that he was glad to know that her and Judson were unlikely to be seeing each other anymore. It made Zoe’s heart leap to realise that.

“Well, it's probably for the best,” said Wade then, backing up one step and then another towards the gatehouse. “I always thought that guy was gay anyhow,” he declared, still grinning as he raised a hand to wave goodbye. “G’night, Zoe Hart.”

“Goodnight, Wade Kinsella,” she called back to him, laughing into her words as she also turned away, heading on into the carriagehouse.

It really had been one heck of a night.

Chapter Text

Maybe it was the Southern heat, or a lack of good quality sleep, or just the company she had been keeping lately, but Zoe was starting to think she might be going crazy. There was no other way to explain why, when her mother talked about her coming home for Thanksgiving and enjoying a good meal in a fancy restaurant, plus some downtime in her favourite city in all the world, she actually said, ‘Thanks, but no thanks.’

Staying in Bluebell for the holiday didn’t really make sense, except Zoe supposed that perhaps it did. After all, Thanksgiving was a time for family, and Lavon was so much the brother that Zoe always wished she had growing up. Plus, she had real friends around town these days, from George Tucker, who always had a smile ready for her, to Lemon Breeland, who finally seemed to have realised that Zoe was no threat to her relationship after all.

Then there was Brick, who really tried to keep on disliking Zoe, but seemed to fail miserably at every turn, as she worked hard to prove herself an asset to the practice. She also found herself playing older sister to Rose Hattenbarger, when the girl needed help with everything from homework to crushes, and generally being accepted into the warm embrace of all the characters around town. It felt very homely, for a place so far removed from what Zoe had known her whole life. Of course, there might just be a reason for that.

“It is partly you, I guess,” she told the headstone at Harley’s grave. “I mean, half of me is a New Yorker, on my mom’s side, but the rest of my blood and DNA come from you. I’m at least half Alabama girl, right?”

“Used to think it was a stretch to think so,” a new voice answered, startling her just a little, but Zoe was soon smiling as she looked up and saw Wade approaching, “but you come to fit into this crazy place almost a little too well, doc. If we didn’t know before that you had ‘Bama blood in ya, startin’ to get real obvious as time passes.”

“You know, weird as it sounds,” she said, scooching over on the bench to make room for Wade to join her, which he did, “I’m actually happy to hear you say that. Trust me, when I first came here, I did not see me fitting in at all. I wasn’t even prepared to try. The plan was to come here, work for a year, and get out, back to my real life. It’s so weird how things changed so fast. It’s only been a couple of months, and now...”

Her eyes drifted back to the headstone and Harley’s name written on it. He was her father, though she never really knew him. She supposed she really must be influenced by him anyway, like she said, through genetics. A person was who they were partly through nature, partly through nurture, that was what the science said. Zoe still wished she had the chance to get both from her real dad as well as her mom.

“Hey,” said Wade softly, his hand on her arm getting her attention. “I’m sorry, you know, bustin’ in on your quiet time with him,” he said, tilting his head towards Harley’s grave.

“It’s okay,” she promised, her hand atop his own and squeezing then. “I’m not mad that you’re here. I’m just... It doesn’t seem fair sometimes. That I never got to know him.”

“Wish I could do some fixin’ on that for you, doc, but...” Wade trailed off, shrugging his shoulders helplessly. “Still, you should know that ol’ Harley woulda loved the hell outta you, if he got the chance. I just know he’d be real proud to have a daughter like you.”

That made Zoe smile, but also brought tears to her eyes. Leaning up, she planted a kiss on Wade’s cheek as she softly thanked him for being so kind.

“I should get to work. Brick still loves an excuse to be mad at me, if he can find one,” she said, getting up to go.

“Uh, Lavon said I should ask you about the holidays,” said Wade behind her. “He reckoned you were plannin’ on heading home, that maybe you’d need a ride to the airport or some such?”

Turning back to look at him, Zoe shook her head. “My mom wanted me to go to New York, but I said no. It’s weird, but I’m not sure going back would really feel like going home right now. Besides, Thanksgiving in the south has to be fun, right? Lots of food, big family occasion?”

“Ah, yeah, about that,” said Wade, his hand at the back of his neck. “In Bluebell, we don’t so much do Thanksgiving...”

To her credit, she really got into the spirit of the occasion. Wade had been beyond thrilled to hear that Zoe wouldn’t be going away for the holidays, but he had some trouble reconciling the little New York doctor with the idea of Planksgiving. He genuinely expected her to laugh at the Bluebell traditions and think it was stupid, and though she did seem both amused and amazed by the whole concept, she was also willing to give it her all.

“I can be a pirate,” she said, shrugging her shoulders like it was no big deal. “I mean, why not? Six months ago, I wouldn’t have believed I could be a GP, or the daughter of a Southern gentleman, or the kind of person who deals with tick paralysis and snake bites, but hey, here I am, doing all that,” she said with a wide smile. “So, bring on the crazy pirate holiday festivities!”

As good as her word, she really got into the occasion, and for Wade, when she was dressed up in her little outfit, she brought a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘pirate booty.’ Not that he told her that. He had a million things he did want to tell her, but they were all a hell of a lot more serious than how hot she looked in a flowing shirt and short-shorts.

What Wade felt about Zoe was so much more than how she looked. Of course, he found her more than attractive, but it was that and a million other things about her that drew him in. She was smart and fun, not to mention funny and sassy as all hell. It was something that she was so good at her job too, and the way she cared about people, even though she always said she wasn’t so good at that part. She more than proved her community spirit and brought out her caring side to full effect over the holiday, helping the Hilman family and all, especially the little one, who was calling himself Small Cal No Beard for the occasion.

Wade was pretty sure he had fallen hook, line, and sinker for Dr Zoe Hart, and as time went on, it was getting tougher not to tell her so. He knew he was a fool if he went spilling his guts like that, but he wasn’t sure he could help it anymore. When she caught him staring at her across town square that night and came over to ask what was wrong, he only shook his head, knowing he couldn’t tell her what he wanted to where there were so many folks around. Instead, he asked if she was ready to head home and offered to drive her. Zoe looked a little confused somehow, but easily agreed to the ride.

Maybe he was a little quiet on the way back to the plantation. Wade wasn’t sure how to be anything else. It was playing on his mind a lot, how he felt about Zoe, how he needed to tell her about it. Seemed to him, with so many other guys around that could be of interest to her, and with time spinning on and all, he ought to talk to her about these feelings he was having sooner rather than later. Lavon had been encouraging him to. Wade just wasn’t quite sure yet if today ought to be the day.

Getting out of the car between their two houses, he said goodnight and headed straight for the porch. He was almost at the top of the steps when he stopped, almost turned back, but didn’t quite manage it. He didn’t know Zoe had followed him until he felt her hand on her arm.

“Wade? Is everything okay?”

She looked so worried, he felt like a real jerk for causing that. The only answer he could give was an honest one, because to lie to her would be impossible. Wade knew he just had to bite the bullet, rip off the Band Aid, say what needed to be said. It was now or never.

“Yeah, everything’s okay. Sure, it is,” he promised her with a half a smile. “It’s just that... well, I had somethin’ that I wanted to tell you,” he admitted then, daring to take a hold of her hand and lead her further up onto the porch where they could sit down opposite each other on the two chairs there. “You know, it’s funny, when Lavon talked to me before the holidays, about you maybe going back up north for Thanksgiving and needing a ride to the airport and everything, well, he had this idea that I’d be the one to drive you, then I coulda told you there.”

Zoe frowned and shook her head. “Okay, I think you lost me. You didn’t want me to stay in Bluebell for the holiday?”

“Geez, Zoe, of course I wanted you to stay!” Wade told her too loudly, immediately wishing he hadn’t and running a hand over his face as he fought to get his bearings. “Why would I ever want you to be anywhere else when I... C’mon, doc,” he said then, meeting her eyes straight on. “You’re not blind or stupid. You know how much I like you. You gotta have known that from the start.”

She looked a little awkward and glanced away fast, a blush rising in her cheeks as she spoke. “I know you were really stuck on wanting to get me into bed for a while, but hey, that’s just the Wade Kinsella way with women, right?”

“Well, you’re not wrong,” he admitted, knowing he really couldn’t do anything else, “‘cept... well, maybe you haven’t noticed, but this past while, there haven’t exactly been a lot of house guests over here,” he said, toeing the porch with his boot.

“Oh,” said Zoe, getting his attention back on her surprised expression in a second. “I hadn’t really thought about it, to be honest. I mean, I was never trying to notice or eavesdrop or whatever when you had... dates,” she said carefully, “but I guess you’re right. There haven’t been so many girls around lately.”

“No, there have not,” Wade agreed, shifting forward a little in his seat, elbows propped on his knees as he leaned into her some. “See, the thing is, Zoe... and I’m warning you now I’m prob’ly gonna screw this whole thing up, but what the hell, right? You only live once. Zoe, you are just... you are the most confounded woman I ever met my whole life,” he admitted, almost amused by the wide-eyed expression that evoked, “but you’re also the smartest and kindest and craziest too. I don’t know how it happened, doc, I swear I just don’t, but you are... you’re real special and I... I have just fallen for you in some serious way that I can’t even figure out how to describe,” he told her at last.

He wasn’t sure what reaction he was expecting when he finally confessed to all the feelings he had been holding onto for far too long. At first, Zoe just seemed shocked, and then, at last, she sighed, looking as sad as she did overwhelmed, when she put her hand on his arm and squeezed.

“Oh, Wade. I... I don’t know what to say.”

“Hey, you’re not laughin’ in my face, so that’s somethin’,” he quipped, knowing he probably shouldn’t be smirking or making jokes, but this was all new to him, and just about as awkward as anything ever had been in his life.

“I would never laugh,” Zoe insisted, almost hurt by the very idea apparently. “Come on, you know I like you. We have chemistry, there’s no denying that, and if things were different, then maybe... but they’re not,” she said regretfully, removing her hand, shaking her head. “I’m sorry, Wade. I do understand that this is a big deal for you. It’s a big deal for me too, believe me, and that’s why I’m saying this. I’m only in Bluebell for a year, you know that. If we started something serious, it could only end badly.”

He just couldn’t stand to hear anymore. Not that he was blaming Zoe exactly. Wasn’t as if Zoe hadn’t made it plenty clear that they were only ever going to be friends. Putting himself out there was probably just about the dumbest thing he ever could’ve done, but hey, he just had to try.

Getting to his feet, he tried to walk away, but could only get so far, hemmed in as he was by her chair and the porch rail. He leaned there, looking out over the darkness of the pond, wishing he was anywhere else.

Before long, Zoe was right there alongside him again. He honestly didn’t have the heart to tell her to go, or even to turn away from her.

“Wade, you mean so much to me,” she told him, standing right there at his elbow, all big brown eyes and soft, truthful tones. “I’ve never had a friend like you and I can’t stand the idea of losing you. I understand if you can’t handle that anymore, given the way you feel, but I just... I’m sorry.”

He struck out. Wade ought to have known that was exactly the way things were going to go, but for once, he had let a little hope into his heart. Maybe that made him a fool, but it was done now. At least Zoe wasn’t laughing or running or anything. Seemed like she still wanted to be friends or whatever. Now, wasn’t that just a funny thing.

“Yeah, I’m sorry too,” he told her. “I mean, I’m not sorry that I took my shot,” he clarified as he looked her way, “but I half-expected you not to... well, whatever, right?” he concluded, as much to keep the tears shimmering in her eyes from falling as to keep his own feelings from overtaking him. “Least you know now. That’s a weight off,” he told her with a smile.

“And I’m flattered, Wade, I truly am,” she said in such a way he couldn’t do anything but believe her. “Like I said, if things were different...”

“Yeah, but they’re not.” He shrugged, standing up straight, putting on that brave face he spent so much of his life working on, because somebody always needed him to. “Don’t look so freaked out, Zoe Hart,” he told her then. “I told you a while back, you need somebody to back you in a knife fight, I’ll be there. Nothing’s changed on that score.”

At least that promise brought the smile back to her lips, and then, hesitantly, she reached out to hug him, her arms tight around his middle and her head on his chest.

“You’re a good man, Wade Kinsella,” she promised him. “Don’t ever let anybody tell you any different.”

He had no answer for that, except to hug her back, kissing the top of her head, and pointlessly wishing this night had ended just a little different to the way it really had.

Chapter Text

Wade was being weird. Actually, Zoe realised, that probably wasn’t the right word to describe it. She wasn’t sure she knew what the correct adjective was for his behaviour lately, mostly because she hadn’t been around him enough to judge.

Since Planksgiving, he had been distant, downright absent even, much of the time. Not that she really had to wonder why that was, she supposed. Poor Wade. He really put himself out there when he told her he had real feelings for her and certainly hadn’t gotten the response he was hoping for, she knew that for certain.

Honestly, there was a large part of Zoe that would’ve liked to have told him she felt the same way. Much of the time, she believed that she could, that she might, but she never allowed herself to examine it too much, because what was the point? As she had told him, not only three short weeks ago, after the Planksgiving celebrations, but many times before that too, she was only going to be in Alabama for the year. There was absolutely no point in her starting a relationship with anyone, because it simply couldn’t last. They would be doomed before they hardly ever began and Zoe couldn’t bear the thought. She cared too much about Wade, for one thing.

That was the catch-22 of it all, of course. It was how much Zoe liked Wade that made her wary of getting closer. It sounded so stupid on the surface, and more than once she had considered giving up on her original idea, just diving in and taking the plunge, come what may. She was never brave enough to do it though. Brave enough to move from New York to Alabama, brave enough to face up to Brick Breeland, to make new friends in Bluebell, to keep a hold of her half of the medical practice, and accept her semi-Southern heritage that had come as such a shock. Just not brave enough to risk her heart on a man she trusted so much though. How dumb was that?

Zoe being Zoe, she kept on telling herself she was doing the right thing, the practical thing, the sensible and best thing for everybody, even Wade. The problem was, she had trouble really believing it. Her head could say what it wanted. Her gut, even her heart was telling her something else. She probably should listen to those last two things, but fear wouldn’t let her somehow.

Of course, Wade’s continued absence from her life made her wish she could overcome that fear, and when she couldn’t, the frustration she felt at herself turned into frustration at Wade instead. After all, he was the one who told her his feelings, knowing she could never respond the way he wanted her to. She had made it perfectly clear that she wouldn’t date in Bluebell, not seriously. Judson was a one-time thing, a mistake. She and Wade were just supposed to be friends. Best friends, sure, but never more. She made it so clear!

“He’s known from the start,” she told her reflection in the mirror, almost daring it to argue with her somehow. “Friends. We were always going to be just friends. He agreed too. Even that night, after he told me how he felt. He said were still friends and that I could count on him. Well, where is he now?!”

“You expectin’ your hairdryer or your brush to field that one?”

Zoe actually squeaked, jumping slightly in place, her hand flying to chest as she turned to see Rose standing in the doorway. She really hadn’t known anyone was there until she spoke.

“Sorry,” she said guiltily. “I did knock, but you didn’t answer, and then, when I heard you talking, I figured I’d just stick my head in, see if you actually had company or if you were talking on the phone or whatever.”

“None of the above, unfortunately.” Zoe rolled her eyes. “Just talking to myself. You know, sometimes it helps to say these things out loud, helps you figure it out more than just in your head.”

“I guess that makes sense.” Rose nodded, coming further into the room now. “Only it didn’t sound much like you were mad at yourself, so much as somebody else. Like, maybe Wade Kinsella?”

Immediately, Zoe opened her mouth to deny it, which was dumb, considering her friend had it exactly right. She was mad at Wade. She should have been doing all her yelling in his direction rather than at herself, in the mirror or otherwise. Maybe she could also try telling another good friend about her frustrations, she considered. Rose may be young, but she knew more about Southern guys than Zoe did. She also knew just how frustrating guys could be in general. Case in point, Frederick Dean.

If Rose was at the carriagehouse, it was because she had come to practice some more for the Miss Cinnamon Cider Pageant, in a bid to beat out Magnolia and win Frederick Dean’s heart. It may not be the greatest plan in the world, but it was the best they could do for now. Zoe only hoped they might come up with something a little more foolproof when it came to herself and Wade.

“So, this all has to do with what Wade told you about his feelins for you, right?” asked Rose, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

“Maybe.” Zoe sighed, moving to join her. “Ugh, not maybe. Absolutely, definitely,” she admitted then. “It’s just not fair. I mean, I get it, he likes me and it’s not great for him that I said we couldn’t date. Obviously, that hurt him, but I told him I was sorry, he said we could still be friends, and I even stayed out of his way for a while, you know, to give him some space, allow him to process, move on from this attraction he has to me,” she said, gesturing distance and such with her hands. “Three weeks later and I swear if I come in the front door of a place, he slips out the back. I never see him, never more than the side or back of him as he runs away anyway. If we’ve shared more than fifty words of conversation in the last three weeks, I’d be stunned!”

“Come on, Zoe.” Rose rolled her eyes. “Like you said, this is not a great situation for Wade. You know, I don’t think the guy was ever serious about anyone in the whole of his life before. People say even his marriage to Tansy was nothin’ more than a drunken mistake. He never loved her. He never loved any woman. Don’t get me wrong, far as I know, he’s a great guy and everything, he’s just not... serious about women.”

“Well, he’s not exactly serious about me either,” Zoe insisted, glancing away. “Come on, he said he liked me, that he had feelings for me, but that’s not... I mean, we’re friends, best friends even. Not that you and I aren’t best friends too, and me and Lavon. You know you can have more than one right.”

Rose laughed lightly. “Geez, you get yourself more worked up about this stuff than most of the people in my grade,” she declared with a grin. “Yes, I know, you’re close with me and Lavon as well as Wade. I don’t feel like you just insulted me or anything, but Zoe, you have to think about this from Wade’s side. Now, I don’t know for sure just exactly how serious he is about you, but it’s like I said, far as I know, he’s never been any kind of serious about any other person before you. That’s gotta mean something, right? So, he gets up the nerve to tell you, to really be... I don’t know, vulnerable or whatever, and what happens? You say, ‘Thanks, but no thanks.’”

“Rose, you know I didn’t have a choice,” Zoe insisted. “One year, that’s it, then I’m back to New York forever.”

Her friend rolled her eyes one more time. “If I don’t know that by now, I never will,” she insisted, “but a year is a lot longer than you think, you know? In a year, I’ll be in a whole other grade. One year closer to being a free and clear adult that can do whatever she wants. A lot changes, Zoe. Plans can change too, and yes, I admit, I would love there to be a big reason for you to stay in Bluebell longer than a year, because I just love having you around, but that’s not why I’m saying this. Maybe you could give Wade a chance, for his sake and for yours? I know you like him.”

“Of course, I like him!” Zoe declared loudly and without pause. “Geez, what am I? Deaf, dumb, and blind? You’d have to be all of those things not to like Wade.”

That caused Rose to giggle. “Yeah, well, I can’t exactly argue with that, even if he is way outside of my age bracket. You like him more than just that way though, right? And more than just a friend?”

Zoe sighed, knowing there was no use in lying about it, especially not to Rose, to whom she did always try her best to set a good example.

“Yes, I do like Wade. I like him as more than a friend and more than just... well, for one night,” she said with a pointed look. “If things were different...”

“But why do they have to be different?” Rose challenged her, before Zoe could pedal a line she knew herself she had already used too many times already. “What are you afraid of, Zoe? What are you waiting for? Do you know how fast I would dive right in if Frederick Dean would say he liked me that way?”

It was impossible for Zoe not to smile at that. She knew exactly how quick Rose would be to date Frederick Dean if he asked her. Very, very fast! Zoe also knew that she would have liked the chance to act that way with Wade, though she suspected, at this point, it was all too late anyway. He was avoiding her to a ridiculous degree, trying to get over her, probably. It just wouldn’t be fair to undo all his hard work in that area.

“Okay, enough about me and Wade,” she said then, shaking her head. “You’re here for pageant practice.”

“I’m mostly here for the dress you said I could borrow for the pageant,” said Rose with a sly grin, “but I really don’t mind talking about your love life at the same time.”

Zoe smiled back at her friend. “Thank you for that, but as we just established, I don’t have a love life and I don’t plan to start having one either. Not now, not here. It doesn’t make sense, Rose. So, let’s just let it go, okay?”

Her friend did as she asked and let the matter lie, but Zoe knew it wasn’t that simple. Even as they talked dresses and hair styles and talents, her mind was wandering back to Wade. How maybe she should’ve just admitted to her own feelings and agreed to date him before. How maybe there was still a chance to change things. Mostly, she just kept on thinking about how successfully he seemed to be avoiding her at every turn and how damn annoying that was. Why would she want to date someone so aggravating anyway?!

Wade was not having the best day. Honestly, he hadn’t been in the best of moods lately anyway, but as Christmas approached, things only ever felt worse for him. Remembering his momma made him smile much of the time, but the anniversary of her passing always caught him unawares, even the better part of twenty years on. Of course, Earl was also in a much worse state when December rolled around, though he made a handy excuse for getting away from the plantation plenty, whenever Zoe was around.

Not that Wade was exactly proud of the fact he was pulling a disappearing act each and every time Zoe Hart showed up, but that was what he was doing. Ever since he spilled his guts to her on Planksgiving and she gave him the, ‘Can’t we just stay friends?’ speech one more time, it got too hard to be around her all of the time. Wade thought she would get it, that he just couldn’t handle it for a few days or whatever, but as time passed, he kept up his avoidance tactics, finding it simpler somehow. Maybe it wasn’t all that fair, but then he knew better than most that life just wasn’t that way much of the time.

Today had been one of those days when Wade actually could’ve used a friend like Zoe around. To talk to about his momma. To vent to about Lemon and George and the Christmas tree for the town square that he didn’t want to deal with in the first place. Just to be around and laugh with, knowing he would feel better if he could. Of course, maybe that wasn’t true anymore, not since he told her how much he felt for her and she shut him down.

Walking through town square, he arrived in time for Rose’s talent performance in the Miss Cinnamon Cider Pageant. If it had been Magnolia Breeland or whoever, he probably would’ve walked right on by without a care, but Rosie was sweet and decent, and maybe the unlikeliest person he ever saw in a pageant. She did good though. Not that he doubted she would. Everybody knew Zoe was her coach.

Wade caught sight of the little doctor in the crowd, realised she saw him too, and then made a hasty exit. It wasn’t a huge surprise to hear her call his name, but he wasn’t ready for her hand on his arm pulling him to a halt.

“Wade, come on. Please, could you just stop running away every second.”

“What do you want from me, Zoe?” he asked, rounding on her crossly, partly because it had been a hell of a day, partly because he wasn’t sure how she dare have that tone in her voice, like he was the one doing wrong, not after everything. “Okay, I told you how I felt, and you said, ‘Let’s stay friends.’”

“But we’re not,” she said, shaking her head sadly. “How can we be friends when we’re never in the same place at the same time?”

Wade sighed, rubbed at his forehead with one hand. “I’m sorry, okay? I am sorry that I leave every time you show up, but Zoe, you gotta understand, I can’t just... It’s not that I don’t wanna go back to how we were before, but it ain’t that easy, doc. I mean, it is really not.”

He was willing her to understand with his eyes, and everything else he had besides, because God help him, he did not know how to explain any better than he just did. To be her friend had been killing him by degrees before. To try again now, after everything, he just couldn’t handle it. He wished he could, but he couldn’t.

“So then, we should probably go on a date.”

Wade felt his eyes widen a little at that statement. “I’m sorry, did you just...?” he forced out, sure he sounded as dazed as he felt. “A date? You and me?”

“Yep, that’s what I said,” Zoe confirmed with a smile. “I mean, if you want to, obviously. I know you said before... but that was a while ago, and since then things have been...”

“Yeah.” Wade nodded. “I mean, yes, Zoe. I would love to go on a date with you.”

He felt like such a fool saying it, knowing he was grinning like an absolute idiot, sure that the two of them must look real strange, stood three feet apart, just staring and smiling and all, but he didn’t care. Zoe Hart just asked him out on a date and Wade was thrilled, except he couldn’t quite just take the win, not without checking something first.

“Okay, I’ll prob’ly wind up regrettin’ this, but I gotta ask,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “What changed in the last three weeks, doc?”

“Me,” said Zoe succinctly. “I mean, not that I really changed exactly. Wade, come on, you know how I feel about you, how I’ve always felt, I was just... I guess, in some ways, I was as scared as you were. But not having you around so much lately, it has just been the absolute worst,” she admitted, shaking her head. “I guess what I’m saying is that you were brave enough to take a chance and tell me how you felt, so now, I want to do the same thing. I know it’s a risk, I know it could get messy, and when it comes time for me to leave and everything... but maybe if we just give it a try, you and me, it could be good, right?”

Wade gave her a winning smile. “Zoe, I think you and me could be amazing,” he assured her.

Suddenly, it seemed like it might just be a very Merry Christmas in Bluebell, Alabama.

Chapter Text

Zoe raised her hand to eye and realised almost too late that the mascara wand was wobbling badly. She really had no idea what was making her so nervous. Okay, so she hadn’t been on a whole lot of first dates in her life, but there had been some. Also, she spent so much time with Wade already, they had even been out to dinner together before, so it didn’t ought to be such a big deal.

“Only it really is,” she said to herself, recapping the mascara for now and trying to fix her hair instead.

Not that it really needed fixing. Unless she was going to change it again. That would probably only be necessary if she was changing her dress... again. Zoe seriously considered it, then got mad at herself for doing so and turned away from the mirror altogether.

“You’re being ridiculous!” she told herself crossly. “It’s just Wade. You don’t have to get so crazy about it. It’s just Wade.”

“Now, if I didn’t know any better, I might be insulted by that.”

His voice from the doorway startled her and Zoe was quite ready to yell at her date for intruding on her privacy without knocking, until she turned and saw Wade standing there. He always looked good, nobody was ever going to be able to deny that, but tonight he really had gone all out in making the effort. Button-down shirt, dark jeans, hair combed back, and face properly clean-shaven. God, he really looked amazing.

“You couldn’t knock, just this once?” she snarked, finding it easier than taking this whole night too seriously.

“Well, I guess I could have,” he considered, scratching the back of his head and pushing off the door jamb to come closer, “but I figured it’s like you said. No need to get crazy about it. It’s just you and me, right, doc?”

His eyes betrayed him as they looked at each other then. Zoe could see the same nervousness in him that was in herself and, as awful as it might seem, it made her feel better. They were both in the same boat here, more or less. Neither one used to the idea yet of being more than friends. They wanted it, of course they did, they wouldn’t be there if they didn’t, but it still felt a little strange, like venturing into unknown waters.

“It shouldn’t be a big deal,” she said then, shaking her head. “I mean, you and me, we hang out all the time. We’ve had dinner before, it’s just...”

“It’s just, it is kind of a big deal, since we’re actually calling it a date this go-around,” Wade noted.

“Right.” Zoe nodded her agreement, and then, they just stood there, staring like they never saw each other before. “Um, you look great, by the way.”

“So do you, doc,” he assured her. “Been thinking that since the second I walked in. Course I’ve never seen you look any other way.”

He really was a charmer, as if Zoe didn’t know that already, but perhaps the point was she knew better than most when he was just saying these things and when he meant them. They had gotten awfully close in the last few months, become real friends. Now they were crossing a line and that was scary, in a lot of ways, but it was also kind of thrilling, actually.

“Uh, so we should probably go, right?” she said, reaching for her purse.

“Yeah, I guess so,” Wade agreed.

They walked out together and got into his car without another word spoken. It was agreed from the start that their date would be outside of Bluebell. The gossips would be all over the fact they were finally dating, no matter how they handled it, but both Zoe and Wade were sure it would be easier if they at least didn’t have the whole town watching them at some table in Fancie’s or worse the Rammer Jammer. That would have been way too much pressure and there was already more than enough of that to go around.

“So, I found this place in Daphne,” Wade explained as he drove them in that direction. “Supposed to be pretty nice, at least, George Tucker and Lavon reckoned so. I figured they couldn’t both be wrong.”

“Probably not,” Zoe agreed, eyes fixed on the scenery flying by the passenger window.

It was awkward. So very awkward. She wished that it wasn’t, but it just was. Once she and Wade agreed to this date, everything had become kind of weird between them. They handled it okay when other people were around and shared a nice Christmas with Lavon and everything, but when the festivities were over, the concept of their going out came up again.

Zoe suggested they go to dinner sometime before the year was out and Wade easily agreed to finding a decent eatery to take her to. So, here they were, on their way to that dinner, like a pair of frightened deer in the headlights of an oncoming truck, rather than the comfortable best friends they had been for weeks and months before.

“Zoe...”

“Wade...”

They spoke at the very same moment, both laughing when they realised what they had done.

“You go first,” he offered, like a gentleman would, something Zoe knew he really was capable of being when he wanted to be.

“I was just... Um, I need you to know that I’m not nervous because it’s you,” she told him then. “Actually, I guess part of it is because it’s you, since you’re such a great friend and everything and I know if we screw this up... well, hopefully we won’t,” she said, shaking her head. “The truth is, Wade, I really haven’t dated much” she admitted then. “I mean, you know my history, we talked about it enough. My last actual relationship was basically a study group that turned into a hook-up that turned into six years. I don’t really know what I’m doing.”

“Come on, Zoe.” Wade rolled his eyes. “You know, I don’t know what I’m doing any more than you do.”

She scoffed loudly at that remark, but Wade was determined.

“Hey, I’m serious here. Sure, I’ve... well, there have been a lot of women in my life,” he said somewhat diplomatically, “but it’s not like real dating or anything. None of those girls were... well, they weren’t real special to me. Nobody that I really cared about a whole lot, you know?”

His eyes were on the road because they had to be, but also, Zoe suspected, because he felt as strange telling her that as she felt hearing it. She was special to Wade. He really cared about her a lot. That was beautiful, especially coming from a guy like him. Of course, Zoe well understood what he was feeling, because she felt much the same way herself. She really, really liked him a lot. It was why this night was such a big deal.

“Pull over,” she said suddenly, but nothing more until Wade had found a safe spot and done exactly that. “Wade, you know I really like you too,” she told him, hoping he already knew but feeling the need to say it again, glad to have his full attention now that she was doing so. “What’s between us... I don’t know exactly what it is or where it could lead, but I’m honestly ready to find out. It’s a little scary, for a lot of reasons, but I don’t want you to think that I’m not happy to be here, on this date with you, because I am,” she promised him with a smile. “I really am.”

“Sounds good to me, Zoe Hart,” he told her, grinning back at her.

When he leaned over to her side, she met him in the middle, the two of them sharing a brief kiss over the centre console. After that, it was as if they could both breathe a little easier. As if they both understood that whatever happened tonight, everything was going to be alright.

“Okay then,” said Wade, settling himself back into his seat and starting the car up again. “Let’s do this.”

It was a good first date, at least Wade thought so. He had to admit, there weren’t a whole lot of examples for him to compare it to in his life. Like he told Zoe, he had been with his share of women, possibly even more than his share, actually, but real dating wasn’t something he was altogether versed in. Flirting and sex and all of that stuff was easy, but when you really cared about somebody, the way he cared about Zoe, well, then there was a whole lot more to it than just the physical stuff.

She really did mean a whole lot to him. Wade never could’ve explained how that happened, but it had. He would do absolutely anything and everything in his power to make Zoe happy, and he believed her when she told him how much she cared about him too. They made good buddies, that was true enough, but their first date more than proved to him they could be even closer than that. That there really was something special between them.

The restaurant was a good recommendation by George and Lavon, Wade couldn’t deny it, though most of his attention wasn’t so much on the food or the service there. He really only had eyes for Zoe and was happy to find all her focus was on him too. They talked about all kinds, mostly stupid stories and things that weren’t so important, but also a little about real stuff. She got him to open up some more about his momma and she told him how she was trying to connect with Harley through his patient files and photos and stuff she found in his office. He promised once again to help her in any way he could with that kind of thing and she seemed happy with that.

As the evening wore on, the alcohol flowed, conversation turned from the serious to the silly again, and Zoe got a real case of the giggles for a while. She was soon ordering coffee, clearly aware that she may have had a glass too many of wine and apologising for it. The last thing she wanted to be on their first date was a sloppy drunk.

“I don’t think you could ever be a sloppy anything, doc,” Wade assured her with a smile.

“Well, thank you, but I’d really like to be sober if...” she trailed off, a blush rising in her cheeks that Wade didn’t entirely understand at first.

When he did realise what she might be implying, he chose not to say anything about it. After all, he hadn’t ever thought to assume that a date with Zoe Hart automatically meant taking her to bed tonight. He hoped, of course, but he knew it wasn’t necessarily for sure. She just wasn’t that kind of girl, and for her, he had decided he didn’t want to be the kind of guy that even tried, not on the first date. He had to re-evaluate after she started talking like that.

Even after the coffee, when he was pretty sure she was sober enough to know what she was saying and doing, the flirting continued. The suggestive remarks and meaningful looks that would usually give Wade so much hope for a real nice ending to a real nice evening. Still, he was wary. He wouldn’t push Zoe on anything, not for the world.

Other girls, he would see how far he could get, cajole and such in the hopes of them giving in, but that was all just a game anyhow. There was rarely a woman who went someplace with Wade Kinsella expecting anything other than to fall into bed. Zoe was so different. She had been different from about five seconds after he first met her and Wade wanted to treat her the way she deserved to be treated. If that meant holding off on making any kind of real move tonight, then he would. It might kill him, but he would do it all the same.

The drive home from Daphne was quiet. At one point, he thought maybe Zoe dropped off to sleep altogether, but her face was turned to the passenger window, so he couldn’t be sure. The radio played low in the background, just about every country ballad about the love of a good woman that you could name. Wade wasn’t sure whether that was a good sign or just pure dumb coincidence, but he had to admit that what was between him and Zoe, especially on his side, well, it could be love and it probably could be the making or the undoing of him, depending on how things panned out.

“We’re back,” said Zoe softly as Wade drove onto the plantation at last.

“Yes, ma’am,” he agreed, pulling around back of the house, parking up between his house and her own, and killing the engine. “Well, I don’t know about you, doc, but I call this date of ours a success.”

“I can’t argue with that,” she replied, smiling across at him. “I had a really great time, Wade Kinsella. Thank you for that.”

“You are more than welcome, Zoe Hart,” he replied, smiling back, “but don’t go letting me take all the credit now. I picked a restaurant and drove the car is all. This night was only what it was because you were there, believe me.”

He almost thought he made her blush again, but it was hard to tell in the dim light. What Wade was more certained about was hearing the click of her seatbelt unbuckling and then Zoe’s beautiful face coming closer to his own. When she kissed him, he kissed back, and when she didn’t stop, he was all for giving in to whatever the hell she wanted. Not that he was expecting too much, not until her lips left his and she spoke softly in his ear.

“I can’t believe I’m about to use this phrase but... your place or mine?”

Wade felt his eyes widen at the question, his throat going so dry he wasn’t sure he could’ve answered, if he even knew what the words were. When Zoe pulled back to look at him then, he realised he really did have to say something, because she was starting to seem a little freaked out herself.

“You sure about this, Zoe?” he asked her seriously. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m all for it, I just wasn’t expectin’...”

“I know,” she said, smiling a little again, thankfully. “I’m not actually sure that I was expecting it either, but I trust you, Wade, and I want this, if you do?”

“Oh, hell, yes,” he told her without pause, pulling her close all over again and kissing her for all he was worth.

Of course, they had to get out of the car and pick a place to go, just like Zoe had said. It was tough to let her out of his arms for a second, but Wade knew he should. Meeting up again outside of the car, he reached for her hand and started to lead the way to her place. It was a conscious decision, mindful as he was that his own house wasn’t exactly good enough for the likes to Zoe. That and she would probably feel more comfortable in her own place. He only wanted things to be right for her.

When they got inside the carriagehouse, there was one awkward moment of pause, before she reached her arms up around his neck and the kissing started up again. Things moved pretty fast once they started, after all, this whole thing had been a real long time coming, as far as Wade was concerned. That said, when they were sat together on her bed, buttons starting to get undone and all, and he realised Zoe was shaking just a little, he made a point of putting on the brakes.

“Hey, you know, if you changed your mind...”

“No, I didn’t,” she assured him, swallowing hard before she went on to explain. “Wade, I really do want to, I swear, it’s just... Um, I’m not... I mean, I have, obviously,” she said with the kind of emphasis that made her meaning pretty clear. “There have been guys in my life that I’ve been with, it’s just kind of a short list, and you...”

His finger gently placed on her lips cut her off before she could elaborate too much on the vast difference in their experiences. Wade didn’t need her to tell him how many places he had been, he knew even better than she did, but absolutely none of that mattered in a moment like this.

“Doesn’t mean a thing, Zoe,” he promised her. “This ain’t about anythin’ from before. It’s just you and me, okay?”

Nodding her head, she found him a smile, her hand coming up to his cheek as she leaned in and kissed him real soft. “Just you and me, Wade Kinsella.”

From there on out, there was no more awkward and no more stopping them from getting exactly where they wanted to go. The sparks between Zoe and Wade turned into pure fireworks in her bed that night, passion exploding between them as they spent a good amount of time getting to know each other in a whole new way.

To think that they had both been so nervous when they started out that night. By morning, though just about everything between them would be irreversibly changed, they were sure they would have no regrets at all.

Chapter Text

“Seriously now, I couldn’t be happier for the two o’ you, but could you maybe save all that for when you are not eating breakfast with Lavon Hayes?”

Zoe was sure she was red-faced, both from the embarrassment and the exertion of some pretty intense kissing, when she and Wade finally pulled away from each other. Poor Lavon, he did look a little scandalised and it was hardly surprising. Zoe was all-but in Wade’s lap as they made-out against the counter top, with absolutely no thought given to the muffins and pastries, or to their friend and landlord.

“If you’re waitin’ on me to apologise, you got a long, disappointin’ time ahead o’ you, Mr Mayor,” said Wade without a care.

Zoe slapped him across the shoulder for his comment. “Be nice,” she scolded, even as she laughed.

“You want me to be sorry for kissin’ on you?” Wade asked her with a look.

“Obviously, not.” Zoe rolled her eyes. “But we should be sorry for making Lavon uncomfortable,” she insisted.

“Nah, it’s alright,” said Lavon himself then, getting both their attention. “I guess I should be a little more understanding. After all, you two gettin’ it together, that’s been a long time coming, and like I said, I couldn’t be happier for you. I guess I’m just a little jealous. Happy relationship and all, while I’m just... well, single.”

Zoe felt even worse when she looked at Lavon then, not just taking in what he said, but also having to see the kicked puppy type expression on his face. It really was too bad that her friend was single. In her opinion, he shouldn’t be.

“I don’t understand how you’re not fighting off the women, man,” said Wade, almost as if he read the thoughts right out of Zoe’s head. “I mean, you’re Lavon Hayes. Former NFL star. Mayor of Bluebell.”

“Not to mention good-looking, smart, funny, charming,” Zoe listed all too easily. “The women should be lined up around the block for you.”

Lavon raised a smile at their compliments. “Y’all are good people, and it ain’t that I couldn’t get a date, I guess. It’s more... well, finding the right person, that ain’t so easy.”

There was a strange kind of serious sadness in his expression that Zoe couldn’t figure out at all. Almost as if Lavon had loved and lost rather than never found the right person at all. He never mentioned anything like that to her. Well, no, that wasn’t true, when she first moved in, she did recall something about him having recently gone through a bad break-up, but he never elaborated on that. He had been on a couple of dates with Didi Ruano back then, though it never went anywhere. Lavon’s heart never really seemed to be in it. Now, Zoe wanted to know more as to why.

“Okay, well, I got places to be,” said Wade then, lifting Zoe from his lap and depositing her on her feet on the tile. “You need a ride into town, doc?”

“No, thanks,” she told him. “Brick’s covering the morning, I’m not due in until this afternoon.”

“Then I will catch you later, Zoe Hart,” he told her, standing up and immediately pulling her back into his arms. “You might wanna look the other way, cause I am about to kiss my woman goodbye,” he told Lavon quickly, before kissing the very breath out of Zoe.

Not that she minded at all. It was quite the exhilarating experience and one she was sure she was never quite going to get used to. She was very okay with that. She didn’t even mind the way Wade whooped and hollered as he finally left the house to go to work himself.

“I’m so sorry,” she told Lavon, sure she was blushing even then.

“Ah, don’t be.” Her friend literally waved away her concerns. “You’re happy, that’s not a crime, and I swear, I have never seen Wade happier either. You’re good for him, Zoe Hart.”

“He’s good for me too,” she said with a wide smile, though her happy expression diminished some when she recalled Lavon’s own sad looks when he talked about being single. “So, what’s up, Lavon?” she asked him then.

“Not much?” he ventured, looking confused.

“Come on, don’t do that,” she urged him. “Something is wrong. When you talked about being single, about not just wanting to date but wanting to find the one... I don’t know, I just felt like there was something you weren’t saying.”

He looked awkward about it and then he turned away to the sink, dumping in abandoned coffee cups and plates, but making no moves to actually clean them. He was evading, Zoe knew, and that was his right. She was pretty good at that kind of thing herself sometimes.

“You know, you don’t have to tell me,” she said quietly, “but if you ever want to talk about it, I’m here, Lavon.”

She watched him for a few seconds, saw his shoulders rise and fall with a big sigh, then he turned back to look at her.

“I found my someone,” he told her, leaning back against the other counter. “The one I thought I was supposed to be with forever. I don’t think I have ever been happier than those few months we spent together,” he explained with a smile that didn’t last long enough. “Problem is, she wasn’t free to be with me, or she could’ve been, I guess, but... well, she chose somebody else. When it came down to me or him... and she picked him.”

Zoe felt like her heart was breaking just hearing those words and seeing the pained expression that went with them. To think that she and Wade had found something so good, a friendship that had developed into so much more and was making her so happy already, just a couple of days since their first date. Then there was Lavon, who was sure he had found ‘the one’, the love of his life, only for her to choose another man over him? It was horrible and so very unfair, not least because he was genuinely one of the nicest guys Zoe had ever known.

“Oh, Lavon,” she said sadly, going over and throwing her arms around him. “I’m so sorry,” she said against his chest.

“Ain’t your fault, Z,” he assured her, hugging her back. “Ain’t nobody’s fault, I guess.”

“Except for...” Zoe began to say, before changing her mind.

Maybe it was better than she didn’t blame the woman in question. She didn’t know all the facts. Maybe there were really good reasons for her having to choose the other guy, like a marriage or kids or something. Maybe she just didn’t love Lavon like he loved her. Nobody could help who they did or didn’t love, she knew that. Still, it seemed so very unfair.

“Hey now, don’t you be turning that smile of yours into a frown all because of me,” Lavon insisted then, pushing her gently out of his arms. “You and Wade deserve that happiness you found together. Besides, I like seeing it, really. Gives me hope. Maybe things will work out just as well for Lavon Hayes someday.”

Zoe found him a smile just to please him. “Yeah, I mean, who knows? Maybe she wasn’t the one after all. Maybe there’s another woman out there just waiting to be swept off her feet by Lavon Hayes.”

“Maybe” he agreed, smiling back at her, but his eyes betrayed him - he didn’t really believe it.

There was no way for Zoe to know who this mystery woman was that had broken Lavon’s heart, not unless she asked outright, and that didn’t seem fair. If he wanted her to know, he would’ve given a name when he told her the whole sad tale. Still, Zoe was sure that whoever she was, the woman who chose somebody else over Lavon had to be regretting it now. How could anyone not?

“You didn’t come along just to remind me to lift with my legs, did ya, doc?” Wade asked as he saw Zoe approaching, a couple of large boxes already hefted up in his arms.

“I didn’t,” she confirmed, “though that is always good advice.”

“Yeah, reckon I heard as much,” he said, grinning at her as she reached up to kiss him hello. “Thought you was working this afternoon.”

“Me too, but there were so few appointments, we were all done by three. Addy said she was happy to hang on just in case anybody wandered in, so I thought I’d come by and say hi,” she explained.

Wade liked the idea of her coming by to see him just because, but he wasn’t quite buying. Once they were inside and he had stowed away his boxes, he leaned over the bar to where she was perched on a stool and told her as much.

“What’s really on your mind, Zoe Hart?” he asked then, watching her close as she turned thoughtful on him, just like he reckoned she would.

“I was just thinking about Lavon.” She heaved a sigh. “He’s so sad, because... well, you know what happened, right? With the woman?”

The last part came out half-whispered, half forced out through lips that barely moved. Zoe clearly knew she was keeping a secret of some sort, though Wade had a notion she didn’t know exactly what that secret was.

“Okay, I think you oughta come with me, doc,” he said then, offering her his hand.

She looked confused, but didn’t argue as she hopped back down to the floor and let him lead her behind the bar and out back to the storeroom.

“Wade, I am not having sex with you in a closet,” she insisted, making him laugh.

“Well, that wasn’t exactly what I had in mind,” he admitted, even as he pinned her to the inside of the door, “but now that you mention it...” he said, waggling his eyebrows.

She laughed, like he knew she would, and didn’t seem to mind at all when he kissed her long and hard on the lips. Seemed she really wasn’t prepared to go any further than that though, as her hands pressing against his chest soon proved.

“I’m serious,” she told him with a look. “If you brought me back here to-”

“Relax, I didn’t,” he assured her, stepping back and sitting down on a nearby crate. “I brought you back here so we could talk about Lavon, without you breaking your jaw, like you almost did out there,” he explained. “Thing of it is, I’m guessing he told you the sad tale of the woman he was seeing for a few months last year. The one that left him to go back to some other guy?”

“Yes, exactly,” said Zoe, nodding madly. “You know about that?”

“Sure, I do,” Wade agreed easily, “but not because Lavon and me were sharin’ like girls at a slumber party. I know because I live on the plantation and those two really were not as sneaky as they thought they were.”

“So, you know the woman?”

“Yep, and you do too.”

Watching her expression when he told her that was just this side of hysterical, though Wade wasn’t sure he felt much like laughing about it. If it were anybody else, he never would tell what he knew, but this was Zoe. He’d trust her with his own secrets and he trusted her with Lavon’s secret too, even if the man himself seemed unwilling to share today.

“No, don’t tell me” said Zoe, all out of blue. “If Lavon wanted me to know, he would’ve told me, right?”

“Maybe,” Wade considered, “but like I said, he didn’t exactly want me to know either, I just do, and I figure since you and me are close as we are, well, I’m not altogether happy knowing I got a secret from you.”

“Aww, that’s sweet.” Zoe grinned at him, before suddenly frowning again. “But it’s not really your secret to share. Although, Lavon did tell me everything else about what happened, so I don’t see that it would matter if I knew the name of the woman. You said I know her?”

“You do.” Wade nodded, pressing on before there could be any more back-and-forth on whether he was spilling the truth or not. “You work with her daddy every damn day. Zoe, when good ol’ George Tucker was up in New York, Lavon was seeing Lemon Breeland.”

Once again, Wade was sure he would’ve laughed at the look on Zoe’s face if the circumstances were different. As it was, he knew all too well there wasn’t much that was funny about knowing one of his closest friends had an affair behind the back of another of his closest friends. It was not a secret Wade liked much and he knew Zoe wouldn’t either. Maybe it was selfish that he shared it with her, putting the same burden on her that he carried himself, but it was done now and he couldn’t really feel too sorry about it.

“Lavon and... Lemon?!” Zoe squeaked, shaking her head. “No way!”

“Yes way,” Wade countered without pause, “but sweetheart, you gotta get your head around this and fast, because you cannot, I repeat, cannot tell anybody about this. Now, I let you in on the secret, because it didn’t seem altogether fair to keep it from you in the circumstances, but if this got out... I don’t even like to think how bad that could get.”

He didn’t have to worry about Zoe, Wade knew. She was smart enough to understand the holes she could blow in their whole crazy little community if she ran her mouth to anybody at all about the affair. Of course, a million different emotions were racing across her face as she thought it all through, which was hardly surprising.

“Oh God, I don’t know who I feel worse for,” she said suddenly. “I mean, I know affairs are wrong, believe me, I really do, but poor Lavon, having to watch Lemon and George plan a wedding. And poor George, because he obviously has no idea what happened when he was gone.”

“And honestly, much as maybe you don’t see it, it’s kinda poor Lemon too,” said Wade, not exactly shocked to see Zoe’s eyes go wide with surprise at the suggestion. “Hey now, she really went through it when George Tucker chose a New York lawyering job over her. My guess is that Lavon was her broad shoulder to cry on. I didn’t see much of what went on with those two, but I know Lemon well enough to know, she felt real deep things for Lavon to be doing what she did.”

“But not deep enough.” Zoe shook her head sadly. “Wow, this really is a horrible mess.”

“Don’t I know?” Wade sighed. “But there ain’t much we can do about it, ‘cept be there for Lavon and try not to let anybody else find out about this whole web o’ lies.”

“I guess.”

Though Zoe was agreeing with him, she didn’t exactly look happy about it. That part made Wade wish he never told her, but at the same time, he was still glad she knew now, even if it were selfish. Putting his arms around her, he pulled her close and kissed her once.

“Hey, where’s that smile you had going on at breakfast?”

“It’s still there somewhere,” she assured him, trying hard to bring it to the surface as she looked at him. “It just seems so wrong. We get to be so happy, but Lavon has to be so sad, and George and Lemon...”

“Yeah, I know. It sucks,” Wade sympathised, moving her hair back from her face, “but like you just said, at least we get to be happy, right? And I reckon, after a while, those three will get things figured out, one way or the other. If things are working so well for us, after everything, must be possible it can happen for everybody else eventually.”

“I’d like to think so.” Zoe smiled more genuinely then, leaning in to kiss him.

He kissed her back, pulled her tight to him and hoped not to have to let go. She all but melted into his embrace, so much so that he had a feeling she might be changing her mind about the whole sex thing.

“Mmm, nope,” she said suddenly, smashing all hopes he had of getting somewhere good. “Still not having sex in a storage closet,” she told him. “Nice try though,” she added, stealing one last kiss before practically running from the room.

Wade ran a hand back over his head and couldn’t help but laugh. His Zoe really was something else and he couldn’t be happier about having her in his life.

Chapter Text

Zoe Hart wasn’t much for making New Year’s resolutions. As far as she was concerned, if there was something in her life that she needed to change, there was no point in waiting for some arbitrary date in the calendar to do it. Better to strike while the iron was hot and just make it happen already. All that being said, when it came to her first new year in Bluebell, her mind was on things she might just be regretting, and it didn’t take long for Wade to notice.

“You know, you’ve been looking all moony-eyed like that since last night,” he told her from across the bar. “Penny for ‘em, doc,” he said of her thoughts, pouring a glass of wine and pushing it towards her.

“I was just thinking about all this new year, new start stuff. You know, moving forward and looking to the future and everything,” she explained, her finger moving around and around the edge of her wine glass. “I don’t know, all I seem to keep doing is thinking about the past, the one I don’t have.”

Wade was frowning when she glanced up at him then. “Okay, you lost me,” he admitted. “The past you don’t have?”

“With my family, my real family,” she told him. “I never got to meet Harley, not really, and even though he has pictures all over his office of so many relatives, I don’t know any of them. It’s like I don’t belong at all.”

Anybody who didn’t know Wade Kinsella too well would probably think he didn’t have a serious side. In fact, Zoe was pretty sure some people who did know him well might believe as much, but she knew better. Not everything was a joke to Wade. When it mattered, he knew how to be kind and sweet and helpful. It was just another thing that Zoe loved about him.

“Okay, hold that thought,” he said, disappearing from her view within a second.

Zoe barely had a chance to wonder what was going on before he was back again, holding out a hand to her as he exited from behind the bar.

“Well, come on, girl,” he urged her, smiling when she grabbed a hold of his hand and let herself be led outside into the bright mid-afternoon Alabama sunshine.

Though she asked where they were going, Zoe really didn’t get a straight answer.

“To get you what you’re missin’,” was all Wade told her as he carried on leading the way into town square and then on further, arriving at last by the side door of the practice. “Right this way, doc,” he urged Zoe, the moment she stopped walking, taking her all the way into her office that still bore Harley’s nameplate on the door, even now.

“Wade, seriously,” she complained at being dragged into there. “What are you doing?”

“Like I said, Zoe Hart,” he said, letting go of her hand to take a gentle hold of her shoulders and encourage her to sit down on the front edge of her desk. “You just told me you had no past, no family connections. That these walls here are covered in a million relatives you can’t ever know. Well, we are about to do somethin’ about that.”

She opened her mouth to say something, to question exactly what he meant or maybe even protest at how he was taking what she was saying and making a bigger deal that it really was. She realised there was no need, as Wade pointed at one photograph and then another, telling her the name of the person pictured and everything about them that he knew. It was like something from the history channel, but much less boring, and so very relevant to her own life.

“Now, this is where I’m gonna start to come unstuck a little bit,” said Wade then, rubbing his chin. “I only go so far back and I didn’t know ol’ Harley as well as some others did, so there are gonna be some holes in even my knowledge,” he explained, staring hard at a seemingly very old photograph of an even older couple.

“Well, I’d say this would be the part where I might step on in,” said a voice from the doorway.

Zoe looked over at Brick and immediately hopped down from the desk, feeling too much like a teenager caught out by her father. Not that she and Wade had been doing anything wrong. Not that she looked to her partner in the practice as family so much, though they were getting along a lot better these days.

“Wade was just trying to cheer me up,” she explained. “I was feeling a little... disconnected, I guess? I mean, all of these people are related to me, right?” she said, making vague gestures at the photo-covered walls.

“Some of ‘em, not all,” Brick told her as he considered the display. “For instance, that fine upstanding gentleman right there by Wade’s head? He’s not a Wilkes. In fact, he was a president,” he explained with a smirk. “Of course, this one right here, now he is a relation,” he went on, walking over to point at a different picture. “Well, sort of, anyway. That’s Harley's cousin Olin, only he’s not really a cousin. See, his mom - your Grandma Claire - she took him in when they were kids, so it was like they were related. He lives in Japan now, retired over there.”

Zoe moved closer to the display on the wall, standing close by Wade and smiling as his arm went automatically around her shoulders. Her eyes went to Brick and she smiled at him. “Can you tell us more?” she asked hopefully. “Wade was trying, but he’s not as... well, he hasn’t been around as long as you, so he can’t know everything about these people.”

Brick sighed and glanced at Wade. “I’m sure you did your best, son,” he told him, patting him on the shoulder, “but I doubt anybody knows quite as much about Harley’s family as I do. So, here, let’s see what we can tell you about... Well, here we are, that right there is your Grandma Claire, and her second husband, Guy, only he pronounced it ‘Gee’ ‘cause he was French Canadian, but no one around here obliged him...”

It was almost a magical experience for Zoe to stand there between the two guys, hearing tales of her biological father and his sprawling family tree. They knew so much, most especially Brick, but Wade had his fair share of anecdotes too, even if they were just small but fond remembrances from his childhood. Zoe started to feel like she was really a part of something, as she heard about it all, even discovering that Harley had lived in Alaska for two years, alongside so many other amazing facts.

“Of course, all this is the Wilkes that have passed on or have moved far away,” said Brick at last, gesturing once again to the vast collection of pictures in front of them. “If you really wanna get to know your family, Zoe, I would suggest you concentrate on the living.”

“Do I have many living relatives?” she asked curiously.

“Good gosh, yes.”

“I’ll say you do, doc,” Wade agreed, one hand rubbing the back of his neck “I just wasn’t sure if that was the direction you wanted to go in. There aren’t so many Wilkes around Bluebell these days, but Lillian is damn near crawling with them.”

“Practically an infestation,” Brick agreed easily, “which is not meant as an insult,” he added fast, clearly having realised how it sounded. “The Wilkes are fine people, there just happens to be an awful lot of them in that one town is all.”

Zoe was more blown away by that news than by anything she had heard about the Wilkes clan up to yet. She wasn’t sure why she ever thought there wouldn’t be plenty of family for her to meet in Alabama, just because Harley himself was gone.

Before she could blink, Brick was listing off brothers and sisters of Harley’s own that would therefore be her aunts and uncles by blood. Wade had knowledge of a few potential cousins that he recalled from his school days and Zoe suddenly felt the need to sit as her head spun a little.

“You doin’ okay there, doc?” asked Wade, watching her sink down to the edge of the desk once more.

“Sure, I’m just... It’s kind of a lot,” she admitted then. “I mean, I never thought about it. Obviously, Harley would have living family as well as all the older people who are gone. I have aunts and uncles. Cousins in all shapes and sizes, I guess.”

“I should say so.” Brick nodded his agreement. “But you know, you don’t have to go meeting them all at once. That would be a little overwhelming for anybody, I shouldn’t wonder.”

“Agreed,” said Zoe without pause, “but I’d like to meet somebody. Maybe just one aunt or uncle?”

“Hmm, let me see now. There’s your Aunt Maureen,” Brick considered, “but she’s... well, respectfully, she can be a little much to deal with straight off, and you might not be exactly what she would be expectin’ in a niece.”

“Yeah, he has a point, Zoe,” Wade considered. “Unless you were thinkin’ of joining the Belles, I’m not so certain you and old Maureen Wilkes would hit it off so well. Hey, but I’ll tell you who’d prob’ly love to meet with Harley’s daughter. How about Brando?” Wade asked Brick with a grin.

“Oh, my gosh, yes. I’ll bet Brando would just love that.”

Zoe shook her head and stood up from the desk again. “Hold on a second, I have an Uncle Brando? Seriously?”

“Well, no, not really,” Brick explained. “His name is... well, you know, I think I have plum forgotten his real name. Everybody always calls him Brando.”

“On account of his impression of The Godfather and all,” Wade explained. “’Course it ain’t that great, but nobody wants to tell the ol’ guy that. He’s the decent kind, Zoe, you’ll like him a lot. Prob’ly as close as you’ll come to meeting Harley himself.”

“I can’t argue with that,” said Brick thoughtfully, before suddenly snapping his fingers. “Vernon!” he declared loudly. “Brando Wilkes’ real name is Vernon. You know, I’ll bet I can rustle up his number and address, no trouble at all. Just give me a minute.”

He was gone in a flash and Zoe felt her head start to swim a little again. She leaned into Wade and was glad of the support he leant her. “I’m going to meet my uncle. My real live blood uncle. That’s so...”

“Good? Bad?” Wade tried.

Zoe shook her head. “Amazing, but weird, I think,” she went for in the end. “I don’t know, I mean, I wanted to know more about my roots, but I was thinking about Harley and all the pictures. I just don’t know how it never occurred to me there would still be family around that I could meet. I just hope this Uncle Brando likes me.”

“C’mon, doc, he’s gonna love you. Who wouldn’t?” he asked with a playful grin, and yet, she knew he meant it too.

“Thank you, Wade,” she said then, leaning up to kiss him quickly on the lips.

“What for?”

“For trying to fill me in on my family tree. For thinking of Brando Wilkes. For... everything, really. I don’t know what coming to Bluebell would have been like for me if you hadn’t picked me up off the side of the road that day and tried to be my friend, but I can’t imagine it would have gone this well.”

“Well, you are more than welcome, Zoe Hart,” he told her, returning the favour by planting a kiss on her lips that lingered just long enough, Brick saw.

“Really?” he said, trying to look stern, but not doing very well at it somehow. “So, here are Brando’s details. I suggest you call first. He’s not getting any younger and I don’t want the shock of you just showing up causing a medical emergency that we all have to deal with.”

“Thank you, Brick. I promise to use this responsibly,” she said, partly teasing in her tone, “but seriously, thank you for everything today. I really appreciate it.”

“Well, you may have seemed like an uppity little New York miss when you first came here,” he said, a smile pulling at his lips, “but the more I know you, the more I see the Wilkes blood in you. I don’t mind that one bit.”

If Zoe didn’t know better, she would think he was going to cry or something. Actually, more to the point, she felt like she just might, even as Brick turned and walked out the room.

“Wow. That is absolutely the nicest thing he’s ever said to me.”

“I believe it,” said Wade, his hand on her shoulder. “Old Dr Breeland is the cranky type a not-small part of the time, but he’s not a bad guy. He’s not wrong about you and your Wilkes blood either. I reckon there’s a lot o’ Harley in you, doc, and I just know he’d be real proud to have you here. As it is, I can’t think Brando will be anythin’ but thrilled when you call him up and ask to meet him.”

“You think I should do it now?” she asked, waving the paper she still held, whilst using her free hand to swipe away an escaping tear.

“Up to you, sweetheart.” Wade shrugged. “But whatever you plan on doin’, I can’t exactly hang around for that. See, I skipped out on Wally kinda early on account of wantin’ to help you out. If I’m not back at the Rammer Jammer for the late rush...”

Zoe checked her watch and her eyes went a little wide. “Wow, I didn’t realise the time. Go, go, don’t get in trouble for me.”

“Hey, come on now,” said Wade, even as she hustled him towards the door. “If anybody is worth my getting into trouble for, it’s you, doc,” he told her, going in for a kiss that she happily let him have, if only briefly.

“That’s sweet, but you really should go now,” she said, laughter in her voice as she pushed him gently down the hallway to the front door. “I’m gonna give Brando Wilkes a call, see if he wants to meet for lunch tomorrow or something. I’ll let you know later how it goes.”

“Sounds good to me,” Wade assured her, raising a hand to wave goodbye before he finally left.

Zoe watched him go and let out a contented sigh. She had a really nice day, all told. It hadn’t started out so great, but it definitely improved beyond measure as it went on. Wade and Brick had both been so kind to her, so helpful in filling her in on so much of her family history. Now, she also had the chance to meet an uncle she didn’t even know existed a few hours ago. That was a little strange, but she also felt good about it.

Of course, she might change her mind if it turned out that Vernon ‘Brando’ Wilkes didn’t want to meet her. The smile slid from her face as she re-read the information from the paper. What if she called him and he didn’t want to know her? What if he was mad at Harley for having a kid outside of marriage or something? A lot of people in the south seemed to have very traditional, old-fashioned values.

“Just ask. You’ll never know until you do,” Zoe told herself, marching back into the office and right over to the desk, picking up the phone and dialling before she could change her mind.

After three rings with no answer, she almost hung up, but before she had quite decided to do so, there was a click and someone said, ‘Hello?’

“Hi, uh, Mr Wilkes? My name is Zoe. Um, you don’t know me but... well, it’s kind of a long story...”

Chapter Text

“So, it turns out that Brando was one of a very few people that already knew I existed, and he was just so happy when I called him up and asked to meet him. Tomorrow, we are having brunch at the Butterstick.”

Zoe was grinning all over her face as she finished telling Wade her happy news and he honestly couldn’t have been more thrilled for her if he tried. It had been hard on her, moving to Bluebell from New York, finding out her father wasn’t really her father and everything. He knew how tough she found it sometimes, feeling like she didn’t really fit in, except maybe when she was at the plantation with him and Lavon. It was absolutely a positive thing that she had a chance to meet some of the Wilkes clan, starting with one of the nicest guys there was in it.

“I’m real happy for you, doc,” he promised, leaning in to kiss her temple and pulling her closer on the couch beside him. “Trust me, Brando is the decent kind. Back when I was still in high school, I used to do odd jobs around town to make money, in the afternoons and on weekends and such. As I recall, he was real generous when it come to payin’ for window washin’ and gutter clean outs and all.”

Wade figured Zoe would like knowing what a decent type her uncle was, but even that didn’t account for the way she was looking at him when he glanced at her then.

“What?”

“I was just trying to picture you when you were younger, doing your odd jobs around town,” she said, staring a little too hard into his face and smiling in a real weird way. “You must’ve been so cute.”

“Yeah, well, maybe I was and maybe I wasn’t,” he said, squirming a little, unsure why the idea of Zoe imagining him as a teen made him so uncomfortable.

Maybe it was just because he knew he would deserve her even less then than he did right now, and that was really saying something. Wade wasn’t the book smart type, never had been. Some said it was because he never really applied himself all that much, which might be true, but in the latter years of school, most particularly, he didn’t exactly get all that much opportunity.

“I’m sorry if I said something wrong,” Zoe told him, her smile completely gone when he refocused his eyes on her face.

“Ain’t your fault.” Wade sighed. “I just... well, there were parts of my teen years that weren’t so happy as some others, that’s all. After Jesse skipped out, there was just me and old Earl. It was fine when he managed to keep sober, or close to it, which he did sometimes. Other times, well, those odd jobs I took on, that money was all we had to get by on and...” he trailed off, feeling both embarrassed and emotional all that once. “Don’t even know why I’m tellin’ you all this,” he said, rubbing at his forehead and almost laughing at how dumb it all was.

“Hey,” said Zoe, reaching to move his hand away from his face and smiling softly at him. “I’m glad you’re telling me all this,” she said definitely. “I mean, you don’t have to say anymore if you don’t want to but, well, we’re a couple. There shouldn’t be anything we can’t share, right?”

She had a point, Wade was sure she did, though he wasn’t exactly used to being part of a serious relationship like this, the kind where sharing every detail of the past wasn’t just okay to do, it was kind of expected, even encouraged, he supposed. Zoe had told him enough about her life in New York, her mother, the father that raised her, and he had to be the one to tell her about her real daddy. He supposed it made sense for her to know more about his life before she came along, it just wasn’t always his favourite topic to discuss.

“Speaking of ol’ Earl,” he said instead, holding Zoe’s hand in his own yet, “I went over to see him today, takin’ Tucker along with me. Seems he has this whole lawyering thing going on, whereby he’s trying to stop some store bein’ built outside o’ town.”

“Large Mart.” Zoe nodded in agreement. “It’s all over town. You know what a gossip mill the practice can be.”

“Yeah, well, here’s a slice o’ the pie nobody else will know yet. Seems George Tucker got all the people owning land that this Large Mart might want to buy to agree not to sell to them, which was fine and dandy, ‘cept there’s this one strip that they might go using for an access road or some such, and who do you suppose owns that?”

He watched her for a moment, knowing his Zoe was more than smart enough to figure it out, which she did, all inside of five seconds.

“Earl owns land?” she checked, wide-eyed with surprise.

“Don’t go gettin’ excited, doc. It ain’t much of anythin’ to speak of,” Wade told her, shaking his head. “Anyhow, for a minute there, the old fool was thinkin’ he might just sell the whole thing over to Large Mart, never mind what Tucker nor the town thought about it. Took some convincin’ that it was a dumb idea, but then, he did have more whiskey in him than a man should.”

“Well, I’m guessing you made him see sense in the end.”

“Somebody had to.” Wade rolled his eyes. “All I know is between him and work and all, it has felt like a heck of a long day,” he said with a sigh, leaning back heavily on the couch and pulling Zoe right into him.

She went willingly enough, curling up real close and letting out a little sigh of her own.

“At least we have each other to talk to about our long days, and our bad days as well as our good days. I still feel bad every time I think about the whole Lavon-Lemon-George situation, especially Lavon’s part of it.”

“Hey, he’ll be fine,” said Wade, kissing the top of her head. “No use you worryin’ on it. That won’t fix anything.”

“I know,” she said, with one more sigh. “I just think we’re so lucky, that’s all. I mean, yes, I fought it for a while, because I was trying to keep us from making a mistake, but now that we’re actually together, I can’t imagine what it would be like if it all fell apart and we were-”

Before she could ramble herself any further into an upset, Wade leaned down and captured Zoe’s mouth with his own, kissing her deeply. Her eyes were closed by the time they parted and, of course, she had no more words to rattle out at him.

“You gotta stop worryin’ about what might be, doc, and focus on all the good that is,” he told her simply. “Trust me, I oughta know.”

Her eyes opened slowly and she gazed up at him, a smile starting to curve her lips. “Is that some kind of Southern philosophy?”

“What that is, Miss Zoe Hart, is Step One in the Wade Kinsella guide to happiness,” he told her with a smirk, knowing just exactly what her next question was most likely to be.

“Oh, yeah?” she said, willingly taking the bait with a grin. “What’s Step Two?”

“C’mere and I’ll show you.”

Zoe wasn’t sure how long she had been standing outside the Butterstick debating with herself. All she did know was, if she didn’t go in soon, she would be officially late for her brunch with Uncle Brando, and that would make her seem extremely rude.

“It’s just brunch with a nice man who actually wants to meet you,” she told herself in muttered tones. “Not at all scary,” she insisted, taking one more cleansing breath and then pushing on in through the door.

Casting her eyes over the tables, she found the place fairly busy, but it wasn’t difficult to spot the older gentleman somewhere in the middle of the room, especially when he smiled, stood up, and raised a hand to wave at her, all at the same time.

Zoe headed right over, smiling herself as she reached the table. That was until she realised she wasn’t sure how to properly greet this uncle she never met before. A handshake? A hug? Should she introduce herself? Was it okay to just call him ‘Uncle Brando’? They hadn’t said much on the phone, apart from establishing that Harley was a great guy and that they wanted to meet each other. Still, Zoe thought she was prepared for this moment. She really wasn’t.

“Um, hi,” she said awkwardly.

“Oh, my goodness.” Brando shook his head slightly and gaped at her. “If I didn’t already know you were my brother’s child, I swear I would see it the second I looked at you. You have our mother’s eyes.”

Zoe bit her lip, feeling strangely emotional at hearing that. She had the eyes of a grandmother she could never meet and it was making her uncle so happy to see it.

“I’m so sorry,” he told her then. “Come on and sit down, honey.”

“Thank you,” she said politely, taking a seat that he gentlemanly helped her tuck in under the table. “Um, and please, don’t be sorry. It’s nice to know I have a real link to my roots here.”

“There are plenty of us Wilkes around here to be linked to,” Brando assured her, “though I swear you’re gonna prove to be one of the prettiest among us,” he told her with a smile.

“Thank you, again... um, is it okay to call you Brando?”

“I’d be honoured if you would call me Uncle Brando,” he told her, “if you’re comfortable with that?”

“I’d be very comfortable with that,” she replied, smiling widely. “I’m just so happy you agreed to meet with me. My boyfriend, Wade Kinsella, he said you were a really nice guy. I don’t know if you remember him. He said he used to do odd jobs for you when he was younger, but that was a lot of years ago.”

“Of course, I remember the Kinsella boy, “said Brando, smiling widely. “He always made a fine job of our lawn and I was happy to have his help. His family suffered so much, but I hear he’s doing alright these days. Practically runs the Rammer Jammer, so I’m told.”

Zoe just couldn’t stop smiling, making it almost impossible to place her order when a server came by to ask what she and Brando might like to eat. Not that she minded at all. It was so wonderful to meet this nice man, who was in fact her blood uncle. To know that he liked her and even approved of her boyfriend within the first few minutes, it was almost too good to be true. So much for all the concern she had felt about this meeting, she was just so happy that she had arranged it now.

Unfortunately, the hour she had with Brando passed too quickly, and then, she knew she had to get to work.

“I’m so sorry, we should’ve arranged this for a day when I wasn’t due at the practice in the afternoon,” she said, as they both rose to leave.

“Don’t you worry on that, Zoe, honey,” he assured her. “I had this kind of thing happen all the time when Harley was alive. You know, I never complained, I never would. Doctors in a family make everybody proud with their dedication to duty.”

Though she hadn’t known how to greet Brando at the start of their brunch, Zoe absolutely knew how to say bye for now. Leaning in, she wrapped her arms around him in a big hug, glad to feel him grip her gently to him and pat her back a little.

“I probably shouldn’t say this,” he said as they parted, “but I have a feeling you’re gonna turn out to be my very favourite niece.”

Zoe laughed lightly. “Well, I’m already sure you’re my favourite uncle,” she said definitely.

Together, they walked out of the Butterstick, Brando going with Zoe as far as the practice door before they finally parted ways. Still smiling widely, she went inside, that expression slipping a little when she saw who was hanging out in reception.

“Lemon, hey.”

“Hello, Dr Hart. Well, my goodness, for a woman I was told just had a perfectly nice first brunch with her uncle, your face certainly seems to be under a thundercloud now.”

Zoe looked from Lemon to the door and back again, wondering how she could still be amazed by the speed at which news travelled in Bluebell. Thirty seconds after leaving her uncle’s company and people were already talking about how well the brunch had gone - crazy! Of course, that wasn’t the thing she needed to focus on right now.

“What are you doing behind the desk?” she asked Lemon curiously.

“Addy got a phone call and had to go see to her boys. I was here to meet with my daddy, but he was already out on an urgent visit, so I stepped in until you arrived,” she explained, now rounding the desk, presumably to leave.

Zoe got in her path. “Actually, I need to talk to you. About the Belles.”

“Well, goodness me, Zoe Hart,” she said, one hand on her chest. “I understand you’re connecting with your Wilkes roots and I applaud your decision, but please do not tell me you think yourself quite ready to now join the Belles.”

“Not really my kind of organisation,” said Zoe carefully, “I think we both know that. Actually, what I wanted to talk about was more medical, at least, in part. Did you know that physical symptoms can result from a person being exposed to a lot of stress?”

“Well, I suppose I did know that.” Lemon nodded daintily. “I am a doctor’s daughter after all. In any case, I’m not sure anybody would need to go to medical school to learn such a generally known fact.”

“Right, sure. So, you do know, which is what I thought, which is why it’s so strange to me that you, the leader of the Belles, would put so much strain on your supposed friends as to cause them to feel so stressed out that they suffer physically.”

At that remark, Lemon’s eyes went wide with surprise, but just as soon, they narrowed again. “Who has been sayin’ such things?”

“Nobody.” Zoe shook her head. “If they had, I couldn’t tell you anyway. Doctor-patient confidentiality,” she noted, another thing the daughter of a fellow doctor was bound to be all too aware of. “All I’m saying is, if you’re suffering from stress yourself, then I’m sorry for you, but please, don’t pass it onto the people close to you. It’s causing them problems, potentially serious problems, and they won’t tell you because... well, they just won’t.”

She didn’t know how else to say it without making matters worse, but Zoe did know she had to try and fix this situation somehow. Poor Annabeth was in a constant state of tension thanks to Lemon, that much was evident, and all the negative tests suggested it was highly likely to be the one and only reason she was having so much trouble conceiving a child with her husband.

“If I knew what you were talking about,” said Lemon haughtily, “then of course, I would do something about it, but I am certain that I don’t. Passing on my problems to my friends and fellow Belles would be most unChristian, and in any case, why would I have any stress in my life to begin with?”

“I don’t know for sure,” said Zoe, shaking her head slightly, “but I would understand if you were feeling the strain, what with the wedding plans and...”

“And?” Lemon prompted when she fell silent.

Zoe itched to say the rest, but she didn’t quite dare. What Wade had told her about Lavon and Lemon, it was almost too big to keep in, but he had sworn her to secrecy. Of course, there wasn’t necessarily any reason to keep it from Lemon herself.

“If you’re happy with George, then I’m happy for you,” she said carefully, “but I would also understand if you might be struggling a little with the decision you’ve made. I won’t say anymore, not to you or to anyone, but please, keep in mind what I said about passing your stress around. It’s not healthy for anyone.”

With that, she turned to walk away, taking herself into her office and closing the door behind her. Zoe wasn’t sure what Lemon’s reaction might be. If she would just leave or if she would come storming in to yell at her. If she really would change her behaviour towards Annabeth and the others or if she would carry on regardless.

What Zoe really hoped was that, somehow, some way, her little talk with Lemon might lead her to fix things with Lavon and George. Not that there was a good solution to that particular triangle, she was sure, but Zoe just wanted everyone to get their happy ending somehow.

“The South is turning me into a sap,” she muttered to herself, just as she heard the outer door slam shut, presumably behind Lemon.

Chapter Text

“I had a visitor last night.”

Zoe had just taken a bite out of her buttermilk muffin and so couldn’t have immediately replied to her friend’s sudden remark, even if she had wanted to. Wade had gone into the Rammer Jammer early this morning to set up for breakfast, so it was just her and Lavon, and frankly, her best friend was looking at her funny.

“A visitor? That’s nice,” she said, the moment she finished swallowing, “or not?” she tried when he scowled at her. “Okay, what’s up, Lavon?” she asked eventually, setting down her muffin and giving him all her attention.

He didn’t smile. He looked kind of pissed actually, which wasn’t something Zoe was used to from Lavon. If she could help him with whatever was bothering him, she absolutely would, though until he told her what had happened, she couldn’t really do anything.

“Somehow, it seems to me that a certain doctor may have been poking her nose in where it doesn’t belong,” he said sharply. “Maybe with the best of intentions, at least, I would hope so. Fact of the matter is, I might even appreciate the attempt at help,” he continued, softening just a little, “but what I can’t figure out is how this certain doctor even come to know in the first place that I... that we...”

The light suddenly dawned in Zoe’s head and she gasped. “Lemon was here, wasn’t she?” She literally face-palmed. “Oh, Lavon, I’m so sorry.”

“Okay, you’re sorry. We’ll get to that in a minute,” he assured her, “but first off, Zoe, how did you even know?” Lavon asked her in earnest. “I thought I covered myself pretty well when I told you about my... well, my secret love.”

“You did,” Zoe admitted with a sigh. “At least, I guess you did, because I don’t think I ever would have guessed Lemon in a million years. It was Wade.”

“Wade? Now, how in the heck would he tell you ‘bout all o’ that. He didn’t even know himself.”

“Yes, he did. Lavon, come on,” she said, rolling her eyes at the incredulous look on her friend’s face. “He lives here on the plantation and he’s not blind, or stupid, despite the fact he can do an excellent impression of it sometimes,” she admitted. “He knew what was going on, more or less anyway, and since we got together, he just... he thought I should know.”

Zoe hoped Lavon wouldn’t be mad. She and Wade both had the best of intentions, after all. He had to know that, surely. At the same time, she was sure she could easily be angry about anyone meddling in her life, romantic or otherwise. She was certainly braced for impact as she waited for Lavon’s response.

“Anybody else know the details of my private life?” he said with a look.

“I have told no-one,” Zoe told him definitely, her hand raised as if she were swearing her words were true in some way or other. “And Wade just told me, nobody else, I swear. The only person I mentioned it to - and it was vague, since we were in a semi-public place - was Lemon. I’m guessing that’s why she came around last night?” she checked, wincing on realising she may have made matters worse rather than better.

“She was plenty mad, thinkin’ I had gone ahead and told you all about our... time together,” said Lavon crossly, folding his arms across his broad chest. “I had no idea what to say to her, since I never told a soul.”

“I am so, so sorry, Lavon,” said Zoe, desperate to have him understand. “I really did mean to help. It was just... well, I can’t tell you the details, but Lemon has been kind of impossible with the Belles lately. She’s not just causing a little stress, we’re talking serious anxiety here, with actual physical side effects. So, anyway, I was suggesting that maybe she could try to be a little nicer and to maybe not take out her own frustrations on others, even though I could understand why she might have said frustrations. I swear, I never mentioned your name,” she said definitely. “I guess I just wasn’t quite so subtle as I could’ve been.”

She hoped he understood. He ought to. Of all people in Bluebell, Zoe was sure Lavon knew her best, or maybe second only to Wade, at this point. She and Lavon were so much brother and sister, and she would hate to think he could ever believe she would do anything to upset him on purpose. She absolutely never would.

“Okay, I get it,” said Lavon then, heaving a sigh. “You were tryin’ to help, I see that. I guess Wade was too when he told you what went on.”

“Yes, absolutely,” Zoe confirmed. “We both just want good things for you, Lavon. You know that.”

“I do,” he agreed, nodding his head. “It’s just... well, the whole thing is just... I don’t even know.”

He did know, Zoe was sure that he did, it was just tough for him to talk about. At the same time, she had to wonder if it wouldn’t do him some good to really get it all off his chest. If nobody else knew about his love affair with Lemon, he couldn’t ever have had anyone to share with. That wasn’t good for a person, it just couldn’t be.

“If you want to talk about it some more, I’ll listen,” she offered in a small voice.

Zoe wasn’t really sure whether he would want to tell her any more about it or not, but she was fine either way. She just wanted to help, she truly did. Hearing Lavon heave another sigh, she watched him lean down onto the counter opposite her, his eyes over her shoulder, almost as if he was looking into the past he started to talk about.

“It happened so fast, I can’t even explain, but somehow, in the space of days, Lemon just became everything to me. I fell so hard and fast for her, it was crazy. We had six months together. Six amazing months, but then, George came back, and Lemon, she didn’t know what to do.

“She got real upset about the whole thing, torn as she was between our new love and the old one she had for so long with George. I kept on thinking, after everything, she was bound to choose us, choose me. Turned out, I was wrong. She went back to the man she had loved for almost half her life.

“Worst part is, that man is my friend. I see him all the time, talk to him, act like everything is normal, but it’s not. I’m in love with George’s fiancée. I went behind his back with her and I feel bad about that, I do, but what can I do now? To tell him the truth is to destroy the happiness of so many, including Lemon, and for what? She would never be with me after that.”

When he looked at Zoe then, all big, soulful eyes and a kind of desperation for help that she couldn’t ignore, she had no idea what to say. She only wished that she did. Lavon was the best, just the absolute best, and he was hurting so much. Sure, he did wrong, having an affair with Lemon when he knew she was still technically with George, but he had fallen for her. He was so full of love for Lemon and at the same time guilt over George. It was one hell of a mess and, as far as Zoe could tell, there was no good way out of it.

“Oh, Lavon,” she said with a sigh, her hand grasping his forearm on the counter. “I’m so sorry.”

“Not your fault, Z,” he assured her, patting her hand with his own. “I guess maybe talking this out ain’t gonna do me as much good as either of us hoped. You can’t fix it anymore than I can. Pretty sure I’m just gonna have to learn to live with it all, however long that takes.”

Zoe nodded along, knowing it was probably true. Like Lavon had said, if he spilled about the affair, then everybody was going to get hurt, Lemon as well as George, and for what? It wouldn’t help. It wouldn’t make anything better in the end. In fact, it would only make matters worse.

“So,” said Lavon then, “let’s talk happier things. How’d it go with you and your Uncle Brando?”

That question made Zoe smile in spite of everything else. “So good,” she admitted happily. “He’s such a nice guy and he has all these stories about Harley. Plus, he thinks I’m amazing.”

“Well, that means he’s a good judge of people,” said Lavon, managing what seemed to be a genuine smile back at her. “You two gonna meet up again soon?”

“Tomorrow night actually,” Zoe explained. “We’re having dinner at the Rammer Jammer. Wade’s going to be there too. Hey, you should come!” she said suddenly, the idea sounding so good in the moment.

“Nah, Z. I mean, thank you, but you don’t want me hangin’ around...”

“Why not?” she challenged him, keeping a hold of his arm when he tried to move away. “Come on, Lavon. Brando wants to meet Wade, or re-meet him I guess, because he’s my boyfriend. It’s suppsed to be a family meal, and you... you’ve been nothing less than a brother to me since I moved here. What could make more sense than you getting to know my uncle?” she asked, shrugging her shoulders.

It was nice to see that genuine smile again, perhaps even brighter now than it had been before. “Alright, then. I guess I’ll come along to dinner. Thank you, Zoe.”

“No, thank you, Lavon,” she insisted with a grin.

Zoe couldn’t be at all sorry that she invited Lavon along to her dinner with Uncle Brando and Wade. Three of her favourite people in the world all getting along, talking and laughing, it made her feel so good. It was particularly nice to see Lavon happy after their conversation over breakfast, but also, she kind of loved how well Wade got along with her uncle too.

They talked about the old days a lot. Uncle Brando had a couple of sweet recollections of Jacqueline Kinsella that seemed to mean a lot to Wade, while Wade only spoke highly of Brando’s late wife and how kind she always was, offering him cookies and lemonade when he worked hard at their home in his teen years. Lavon seemed glad to be there, to hear all the stories and to be inlcuded in a family situation. Zoe couldn’t exactly say she was sad about it either.

“You okay there, honey?” Uncle Brando asked her then. “You’ve gone awful quiet this last while.”

“I’m sorry,” she apologised, shaking her head slightly. “I’m fine, I was just... well, this is just great, all of us here together. I guess I’m not used to it. You know, feeling like part of something? A family,” she explained with a smile. “For a long time, I’ve only really had my mom. Now, there’s all of you, and apparently, I have a whole lot of other Wilkes to meet. It’s great, but it’s a little weird too. I never thought I’d find a way to fit in down here.”

“Well, I think you fit in just fine, doc,” Wade told her, leaning over to kiss her cheek. “After all, half your blood is from Alabama, right?”

“No offence to your Momma, but I’d say that’s the better half of your blood.” Uncle Brando winked.

“Amen to that,” Lavon agreed with a grin.

Zoe couldn’t help but laugh. She loved New York, she always would, and truthfully, she wasn’t sure she could ever fully let go of being a city girl. That being said, she wasn’t averse to embracing her Southern side too. It seemed to be working out for her so far.

The laughter died in Zoe’s throat when she noticed Lavon’s expression suddenly get serious. While Wade and Brando talked among themselves, she noted her friend was staring beyond her at something that was clearly troubling him. Turning around to see what was up. The moment her eyes landed on Lemon and George at a table a ways away, she knew what was wrong. When the couple seemed to snipe at each other before Lemon got up and stalked off towards the bathroom, Zoe made a quick decision.

“I have to go to the ladies’ room,” she said fast, up on her feet and gone from the table before anyone could comment at all.

Maybe it was a dumb thing to do, maybe it would be better to leave the whole love triangle topic alone, but Zoe just couldn’t help herself. At the very least, she felt the need to apologise for putting her nose where it didn’t belong before. She owed Lemon that much. She owned Lavon that much too.

“Oh, it’s you,” said Lemon, catching sight of Zoe in the mirror over the handbasins the moment she stepped in the door.

“Yup, it’s me,” she agreed, moving to stand next to Lemon. “I, uh... I wanted to tell you that I’m sorry about before. Not what I said about being nicer to the Belles, because they really need you to go easy on them, believe me but,” she continued, quickly and pointedly, before Lemon could intrerrupt, which she obviously wanted to, “I never should have even vaguely mentioned your relationship with Lavon. It wasn’t my place, but you should know that he didn’t tell me anything. Not until today, anyway. It was Wade, he told me, and for the record, Lavon didn’t tell him either. He just... figured it out, I guess. I mean, he lives on the plantation.”

“And unfortunately, I forgot that Wade Kinsella is not half so dumb as he let’s everybody thinks he is.” Lemon sighed heavily, bracing her hands on the sides of the sink. “Oh, this is just wonderful. You and Wade knowing all about my affair, the both of you getting along so well with George.”

“We’re not saying anything,” Zoe insisted fast. “Come on, Lemon, if Wade was going talk, he would’ve done it weeks or months ago, and I have no reason to want to hurt George or Lavon or even you that way. Your secret is safe.”

Lemon turned to look at Zoe properly then, narrowing her eyes a little as she stared.

“What else?” she asked after a while. “Zoe Hart, I am nobody’s fool. You have somethin’ else to say to me and neither one of us is leavin’ here until you spit it out, so you may as well have at it.”

It was true and Zoe wasn’t prepared to deny it. Clearly, Lemon was very, very good at reading people. At least it gave Zoe a chance to speak her piece without concern that it was the wrong thing to do.

“I meant what I said, I won’t spill your secret and I’m sure that Wade won’t either, but Lemon, did you ever consider that maybe you should?” she suggested carefully. “These things have a habit of coming out in the end. I should know. I just found out a few months ago that my mom had an affair, thirty years ago, with Harley Wilkes, that resulted in me,” she reminded her. “Someday, something could happen, something so simple, and your whole world could implode. Is it worth it? Don’t you think it might be better if you just told George the truth now?”

Lemon scoffed loudly, tears evident in her eyes. “You think I haven’t thought about it?” she said sharply. “You think I haven’t gone over and over this situation from all angles, wonderin’ if I should be truthful with George, if I should leave him and go back to Lavon, if I shouldn’t just pack my bags and run for the hills to get away from this ridiculous mess I have created for myself? Lord knows, Zoe Hart, I have gone through hell tryin’ to make the right choice in all of this, and still, I’m not so sure I found it.”

Zoe’s heart ached to see Lemon so upset, even though most of the blame for the whole situation could be put at her door. After all, she was the one who cheated. Of course, Lavon had been more than willing, and George had left her behind for the sake of his career. It really was the most collosal mess.

“Have you ever been in love, Zoe?” Lemon asked then, swiping under her eyes.

“Um, I don’t think so,” she said honestly, shaking her head.

“Well, I have. I am,” she insisted sadly, “only I have managed to fall in love with two completely different men at the same time. Let me tell you, it is the hardest thing in the world, and I have not one clue what to do about it, but I know I have to figure it out soon, because time is just runnin’ out on me.”

When she broke down then, Zoe hesitated only for a moment before putting her arms around poor Lemon and trying to be as soothing as she could. Comforting people ought to come naturally to a doctor, to a GP anyway, but Zoe hadn’t been one for long, and a surgeon rarely required much of a bedside manner, in her experience. Still, she did her best with what she had learned so far from being in Bluebell and hoped it was enough. It seemed, for the moment, at least, she was all Lemon had.

Chapter Text

“I am definitely feeling better. Not that anything significant has happened yet, but I am more positive about it, plus a boatload less anxious since Lemon took back the curse.”

Zoe opened her mouth to speak then closed it again without a word escaping. She had tried to explain to Annabeth, several times in fact, that there never was an actual curse on her or any of the Belles. That all their fertility issues were most definitely a result of the stress and anxiety that Lemon was sharing around, rather than any kind of witch-related voodoo. Apparently, it just wasn’t sinking in, but in the long-run, Zoe supposed it didn’t really matter. Annabeth was happier than before, that was the most important thing.

“Well, that’s good,” she said, handing her friend a glass of wine and then picking up her own to clink against it. “To feeling happy and positive.”

“Oh, cheers,” Annabeth agreed, before they both took a sip. “I should thank you again for inviting me over. Like I said on the phone, I’d have had you over to ours, but Jake had plans with his buddies for a poker night, so...”

“No, no, it’s fine.” Zoe waved away her concerns. “I was more than happy to have you come over here. Honestly, it’s so great to have a girly night for a change. Don’t get me wrong, I love Lavon like a brother, and Wade is an amazing boyfriend, but sometimes, a woman needs another woman to talk to, you know?”

“Yes, I do know.” Annabeth nodded her agreement, a wide grin on her face. “But I’ll be honest, I don’t know how any woman could ever not want to be in the company of two such good-looking men as Mayor Hayes and Wade Kinsella. I mean, I’m a married woman, so obviously, my opinion is subjective or whatever, but those two are just hotter than noon on 4th July!”

Zoe almost choked on her next mouthful of wine when she heard that. Not that she was arguing exactly, because it was a fitting description of Wade, no question. She supposed for some people Lavon could be seen that way too, it just wasn’t Zoe’s personal point of view.

“I’m sorry, am I getting a little carried away?” Annabeth asked worriedly. “It happens sometimes when I drink wine.”

“Honestly, you’re fine,” Zoe assured her. “Let your hair down, enjoy yourself. You deserve to.”

“Well, I’m sure you do too,” her friend said definitely. “No offence to Dr Breeland, because he is a wonderful man, I wouldn’t say a word against him, but it is so nice to have a female doctor around the place. You just fit into Bluebell so well, in spite of all the people around here thinkin’ you wouldn’t last more than a day.”

She said it so cheerfully, it was difficult not to laugh. Zoe was sure her pride ought to be wounded at the thought of nobody in town having any faith in her when she first arrived, but she was actually okay with it. Frankly, she didn’t have much confidence in herself in the beginning. Out of her comfort zone didn’t even begin to describe how she felt in those first few days or more, but things were very different now.

“Trust me, AB, I never expected to fit into this charming community,” she said definitely, “but... I don’t know, most people are friendly and nice. Wade is amazing and Lavon has been so supportive too. Now I’m making friends like you, and I’m getting more patients at the practice too. Even Brick has warmed up to me, plus I met my Uncle Brando.”

“Oh, Brando Wilkes is such a lovely man!” Annabeth enthused. “He’s a lot like Dr Wilkes was, I think, which must be so nice for you, in his absence.”

“It really is,” Zoe agreed. “I mean, obviously, it would’ve been great to know my father, but Uncle Brando is so great and he’s going to introduce me to more of my family soon. It’s not a bad feeling.”

“Then I think we should drink a toast to that!” said Annabeth with enthusiasm, raising her glass higher. “To the Wilkes family.”

“The Wilkes,” Zoe agreed, clinking her glass with her friend’s own one more time, then watching as Annabeth swallowed down the rest of her wine in one huge gulp.

“Okay, now, we need to get this party goin’!” she declared then. “What say we order in some food and see if we can’t find some real naughty movie on the TV?”

Apparently, it was going to be an interesting girls night in.

“Well, he didn’t look none too happy,” said Wade, passing by Sal Nutter on his way into Zoe’s exam room.

“Most people who need treatment from a doctor aren’t feeling so well or so happy,” she reminded him, finishing up with her notes and then kissing her boyfriend hello. “Please tell me you don’t need an appointment.”

“Not of the doctorin’ variety,” Wade confirmed, shaking his head. “I was just hopin’ maybe later I could take you to lunch or somethin’? Feel like we hardly had a moment alone this past week or more.”

“I guess things have been a little crazy busy around here.” Zoe sighed, while Wade pulled himself up to sit on the edge of the bed.

“Crazy is right, doc. Between you spending time with your uncle and AB and Lemon, plus your working, and me doin’ all those fix-it jobs for Lavon and taking on those extra shifts at the Rammer Jammer. Aside from a couple o’ times when he crossed paths at breakfast, I can’t think when I last saw you for more than a minute here o’ there.”

“You’re right, we really have not been prioritising each other enough.” Zoe frowned. “We need to do something about that.”

“Which is why I’m here,” Wade told her, leaning closer and capturing her mouth for another good long kiss. “So, lunch?” he asked, when they parted.

“Um, yes... or at least, I think so?” she said, sounding uncertain. “I’d need to check what appointments I have. It’s been a little busy today, but we could be coming to a lull, if I’m lucky.

“You mean if I am lucky,” her boyfriend countered.

“If I’m free, then we both get lucky... or maybe something that doesn’t sound quite so much like sex,” said Zoe, shaking her head - it was clear she really hadn’t meant for it to come out that way.

“Well, much as I wouldn’t object to that,” said Wade, waggling his eyebrows, “I’d be happy just to get to share an hour of your time over some food at the Rammer Jammer or somethin’.”

“Which sounds great,” she agreed with a smile, “but like I said, I have to check with Addy first. One second,” she said, putting up one finger and then rushing out the other door.

While she was gone, Wade hopped down from the exam table and just wandered around the room, thumbs in his pockets as he went. He passed through into the office and smiled at the pictures on Zoe’s desk. He stole a piece of candy from the dish in the corner, knowing she wouldn’t mind, and then, his eyes fell on her cell just as it lit up with a new message. It wasn’t that he meant to read what it said, but the conversation between Zoe and Rose had been left open and his eyes just happened to be aimed that way.

Rose:
So, did Wade ask you to the Sweetie Pie Dance yet?

Wade’s eyebrows rose when he read those words. It really hadn’t occurred to him to ask Zoe to that particular shindig. He had been before, a few times, though it wasn’t really his scene. Maybe it should’ve occurred to him that Zoe might like to go, but he wasn’t so sure. Besides, this past week, he had hardly seen her at all, so when he would’ve got a chance to ask her, even if he wanted to, Wade didn’t know.

“Good news!” Zoe announced as she re-entered the room, startling Wade who shifted quickly away from the desk. “No more appointments until three, so I am absolutely free for lunch.” Zoe grinned.

“Sounds good to me, doc. Let’s get out of here.”

She shed her white coat and happily accepted his arm around her shoulders as they finally headed out together.

“Oh, my cell!” she said, rushing back from the door to grab the phone before returning to him, reading the message on the screen as she did so. “It’s Rose, but I’ll get back to her later,” she explained.

“She need help with somethin’?” Wade asked carefully.

“No, no problems,” Zoe confirmed. “Just girl talk, you know how it is”

“Sure,” he agreed, deciding not to ask anymore.

If Zoe wanted to go to the dance, she would let Wade know. She sure as heck wasn’t backwards in coming forwards, that was for sure. Hell, he almost thought maybe she would ask him, if she really wanted to. Of course, there was every chance that she had no plans to go to the dance at all and it was just Rose poking fun or some such.

“Wade?”

He hadn’t realised he had become so distracted thinking about it until Zoe made a big deal of getting his attention.

“I’m sorry, what?” he checked, making sure to listen as she repeated her question about how he was getting on with the plumbing issue up at the plantation house. “All fixed up, doc. Lavon was real pleased to have things back to normal.”

“Hmm, normal” Zoe considered. “I’m not so sure I know what that means anymore. I mean, nothing about my life right now would’ve seemed normal a year ago, even six months ago.”

“But you’re liking the normal you have now, right?”

The beaming smile that Zoe had on her face when she looked up at him quelled any fears Wade may have had to the contrary.

“I love this normal that I have right now,” she promised. “Of course, I’ll like it even better when we get to the Rammer Jammer and get some food. I am starved!”

“Your wish is my command, Zoe Hart,” Wade assured her, quickening his step and chuckling when she struggled to keep up, with her short legs and her too high heels.

To her credit, she found a rhythm, and when he slowed just a little, she kept pace pretty well. That was his Zoe, she was a trier alright, and he loved the bones of her, even if he hadn’t said as much just yet. It was still kind of weird to realise it was true, that he could love a woman that way, but Wade was pretty certain about it. He never felt so much for another person before, not once in his life.

“Zoe?”

“Yeah?”

He opened his mouth to ask her, to say the words, ‘Will you be my Sweetie Pie?’ but they just wouldn’t come. It was too stupid. He felt like such a fool.

“Uh, nothin’” He shook his head. “I don’t know, I forgot already.”

She laughed when he said that and he laughed along with her, because it was just easier somehow. Maybe in the next few days he would wait and see if Zoe brought up the dance and take it from there. For the time being, lunch was all that mattered and getting to finally spend a little time together. Everything else could wait for another day.

“So, he didn’t ask you?”

“No, Rose, Wade did not ask me to the Sweetie Pie dance, and frankly, I am more than okay with that,” she told her friend definitely. “The whole thing is a little too...”

“Southern?” asked her friend, giving her the side-eye.

“No.” Zoe rolled her eyes. “Just a little schmaltzy and cutesy. I mean, why? Why do two people who love each other have to prove it by declaring each other their ‘Sweetie Pies’? I mean, it’s just-”

She stopped talking very abruptly when she turned around and realised Rose was literally jumping up and down in place, clearly holding in some kind of girlish squeal too. Zoe was so confused, until suddenly her friend exploded with what had her so over-excited.

“Oh my God, you love him!”

“What?” Zoe didn’t have time to process before Rose suddenly flew at her, wrapping her arms around her and hugging her tight.

Replaying her own words in her head, Zoe was stunned to realise that she really had just said she loved Wade. She hadn’t done it consciously, not at all. After all, she hadn’t actually said those words to Wade, so she really should not have been telling Rose, but it just happened.

“I love Wade,” she said softly to herself, realising the very definite truth of it.

Scary as it ought to be, Zoe glanced into the mirror and noted there was a smile pulling at her lips. Maybe it didn’t have to be all that scary. Maybe it could just be a good thing.

Maybe.

Chapter Text

“Okay, what is goin’ on with you two?” asked Lavon, looking back and forth between Zoe and Wade.

“No idea what you’re talking about, man.” Wade shook his head, chewing on a bite of apple yet. “We’re just fine.”

“A-okay,” Zoe agreed, shrugging her shoulders easily.

Still, Lavon stared at them both with narrowed eyes, as if he didn’t really believe it. Wade wasn’t sure what the mayor thought he was seeing and apparently it wasn’t something he could put into words anyhow, because if he could, he would, no doubt. Fact of the matter was, there really wasn’t anything major going on with him and Zoe. There had been no fight or falling out or anything between them at all. Of course, Wade had some stuff on his mind when it came to his relationship with the hot little doctor, but that wasn’t something he was about to bring up over breakfast with Lavon. At least, not until Zoe herself declared she was heading out to work and left the guys alone.

“Now will you tell me what’s goin’ on?” Lavon tried again.

Wade meant to repeat that there was nothing to tell, but in the end, he just couldn’t do it. After all, he probably would do better with a second opinion on what was going around and around in his head of late, and who else could he really talk to? George Tucker seemed to have problems enough of his own, since he and Lemon looked to be at each other’s throats just about every time he saw them. Old Earl wasn’t much use for relationship advice, even when he was having a decently sober day. The mayor was likely to be Wade’s best bet, not least because he knew Zoe so well and cared about her almost as much as Wade did, although thankfully in a very different way.

“Like I told you before, there’s nothing wrong with me and Zoe,” he said eventually, checking to be sure she really was gone before he said any more, mindful of her suddenly walking back in and catching him talking behind her back. “But I keep on wonderin’ if there’s gonna be something wrong if I screw up this whole Sweetie Pie Dance thing.”

Lavon frowned. “You didn’t ask Zoe to the dance yet?”

“I wasn’t plannin’ on askin’ her at all,” said Wade definitely. “Come on, Lavon, that kinda thing is not really my idea of fun, and Zoe, she’s not really the Bluebell town shindig type, you know that as well as I do.”

“Well, I guess maybe not,” the mayor considered, “but you two being so close and all, so very much the definition of sweetie pies,” he said, grinning too much then. “I don’t know, I just figured it was gonna happen.”

“Maybe it is and maybe it ain’t,” Wade admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. “Geez, Lavon, I don’t know what I’m doin’ here. I mean, Zoe, she is amazing, in all kinds of ways. I’m real happy about bein’ with her, you know that, and I wouldn’t mess this whole thing up for anythin’.”

“I get that.” Lavon nodded. “So, what’s the problem?”

“The problem is that... that for all I know about women, and let’s face it, I know a lot.” Wade smirked, unable to help himself. “What do I really know about being... you know, a boyfriend?”

Lavon opened his mouth as if to say something encouraging, but closed it again without a word being spoken. Wade couldn’t blame his friend for being stupefied by the situation, since he was in much the same position himself. The truth was, he never had seen himself as ‘boyfriend material’, never thought he would ever want to be so committed to anybody, until Zoe Hart walked into his life. Now, she was all he wanted, all he needed, and it scared him half to death to think he might just go ahead and mess it all up at a moment’s notice, without even meaning to.

“Look, Wade, m’boy,” said Lavon then, a hand on his shoulder. “I know how you feel about Zoe, and I’m pretty sure she knows it too, so maybe don’t worry so much about the hows and whys of being a boyfriend. Maybe just be your best self, ‘cause I’m pretty sure that’ll be enough for Zoe.”

“Thanks, man.” It did make Wade feel better to hear those words from his friend, though it still left him with one more problem. “So, you think I should ask her to the dance or not?”

“Prob’ly wouldn’t hurt,” Lavon considered. “I mean, she hasn’t said anything to me about whether she wants to go or not, but she could just be waitin’ on you. Zoe ain’t the most traditional woman in the world, but the men does usually do the askin’ in these things.”

Wade knew he had a point, and he supposed it wouldn’t be the worst thing if he just casually mentioned the dance, to see what Zoe’s reaction would be. She was either going to want to go or she wasn’t, and either which way, Wade wasn’t so sure he minded much. It wasn’t really his idea of a good time, but he didn’t mind Zoe or the townsfolk knowing he was serious about her. They all ought to know that already anyhow.

“Good talk, Mr Mayor,” he said then, grinning at Lavon. “I’ll see you later,” he added, giving a salute-like wave before taking himself out the back door and over to his own place.

He had a few things to do before he headed to the Rammer Jammer for his lunch-time shift, hoping that Zoe might come in when he was there so he could talk to her. In fact, he might just drop a text her way and invite her to come have lunch on him to guarantee it. No matter what happened about the Sweetie Pie Dance, he knew good and well he would be glad to see her.

“Oh, crap!” Zoe exclaimed as the jar of tongue depressors slid from the edge of the desk and hit the floor with a crash, spraying glass across the tile.

“You okay, Zoe?” said a voice from the doorway.

She looked up to see George Tucker poking his head in and she sighed. “I’m fine,” she promised. “Just a silly accident. Um, I’m just trying to think if I’ve seen a dustpan and broom around here but...”

“I know where to find it,” George assured her, disappearing from view.

A minute later, he was back with the cleaning implements she needed, but instead of handing them over, he began cleaning up the glass for her instead. Zoe didn’t see a reason to argue and instead sat back down at her desk, watching him work for a moment.

“Thank you for this,” she said gratefully. “You’d think after all these months, I’d know where we keep the janitorial supplies, but thankfully, I haven’t had too many spills since I’ve been here.”

“No problem.” George smiled at her, though his heart didn’t entirely seem to be in it.

Poor George, every time Zoe saw him lately, he looked kind of sad, even when it was clear he was doing his level best not to show it. The sparkle had gone out of his eyes and his ever-present smile. He just wasn’t himself and most people seemed to be picking up on the reason why, if the town gossips knew their stuff. Zoe had fast learned that they always did.

George and Lemon were having problems. It was common knowledge, though the exact nature of said problems was unclear to most. Zoe would bet her pay check and more on the issue being Lemon and her mixed up feelings for both her fiancé and Lavon besides. Not that she could say anything about that to George. She had made a promise on that and she planned to keep it. Still, she didn’t want to be any more of a bad friend than she had to be to the lawyer who had only ever been nice to her.

“What’s up, George?” she asked him, in as neutral way as possible. “You seem a little... I don’t know, not your usual chipper self maybe?”

His sad smile only got sadder as he got done cleaning up and leaned heavily on the broom still in his grasp. “I wish I knew, Zoe,” he told her with a sigh. “I mean, I should be happy. Sometimes, I feel as if I really am, ‘cause what exactly do I have to be sad about? I got a good business, a fine place to live, lots of sunshine, all my own teeth,” he said, starting to try to joke about it just a little, though it didn’t really come off. “I also have a beautiful, intelligent fiancée and a wedding comin’ up fast that I... I really thought I wanted.”

“But?” Zoe prompted, unsure whether it was a good idea or not but going with it anyway.

“But,” George echoed, heaving one more sigh, “just lately, me and Lemon have been... well, there’s been some tension between us. A couple o’ weeks ago, I bugged her until she finally gave in and told me what was on her mind. It was... well, no offence, but it’s personal and not really somethin’ I can share with you.”

“I’m not asking,” Zoe assured him, hands raised in mock surrender.

“Well, it doesn’t matter anyway, because that particular news doesn’t seem to really be the problem,” George explained. “See, I thought once Lemon told me what was bothering her, we’d get closer again. It’s all her own family stuff, so it didn’t really affect me and her at all, ‘cept like I said, I thought we’d be closer for the sharing of it. Apparently, I was wrong.”

“She’s still distant?” said Zoe cautiously.

“She’s... yeah, I guess she is a little distant,” George considered, “but I don’t know if I can really blame her for that. The fact is, after I found out she was keeping so much of herself from me, I also came to realise I have things I’m keeping from her too. You know, we used to be so good at communicatin’ before, but after my time in New York... I don’t know things just haven’t ever really been the same. It makes me wonder if we were foolish, trying to get back what we had, after all that we went through. Maybe we should just...” he trailed off then, eyes that had been wandering around the room a lot suddenly back on Zoe. “Wow. I’m so sorry, Zoe. I really did not mean to start spilling my guts to you like this.”

“It’s fine,” she promised, waving away his concerns with a flick of her hand. “Really, George, I don’t mind at all. Sometimes, we all need someone to unload on, and hey, I am a doctor,” she reminded him, her hand on her chest. “I am here to heal. If talking about this stuff helps you to feel better, then it’s part of my job to listen.”

“And here was me thinkin’ we were friends,” he countered, smiling in such a way she knew he was at least partially teasing her.

“We are,” she assured him, “but you have the added bonus of doctor-patient confidentiality on this particular conversation, since we’re in my office and everything.”

“’Cept I’m Brick’s patient.”

“You’re a patient of the practice and I work here too.” Zoe shrugged. “Besides, I have a feeling you wouldn’t want to say everything you just said to me to Lemon’s father.”

“No, I would not.” George shook his head definitely. “I don’t even know why I said it at all. I mean, I love Lemon, I really do.”

“That’s good, since you’re planning to marry her.” Zoe nodded. “But... you know, George, if you’re having any doubts at all about your relationship, I really think you should talk to Lemon about them. These things can fester and become more than they should, which isn’t good for anybody’s mental wellbeing.”

“Spoken like a true doctor and a true friend,” he said, smiling somewhat more genuinely now. “Thank you, Zoe.”

“You’re welcome, George, and thank you for helping with my glass smashing incident.”

“No problem. I should get this squared away,” he said of the broom and dustpan then. He was at the door before it occurred to Zoe to ask why he had come in in the first place. “Oh, you haven’t seen a bundle of Save the Date cards in calligraphied silver envelopes lying around, have you?” he asked in earnest.

“I can honestly say I have not,” Zoe confirmed, unsure whether she ought to feel bad for saying as much when George heaved another huge sigh and went on his way.

“There’s my girl,” said Wade cheerfully, the moment he saw Zoe come in. “How’re you doin’, baby?” he asked, leaning over the bar to kiss her hello.

“I’m fine,” she said, looking anything but, her smile distinctly forced.

“You wanna tell your face that?” he teased gently.

Zoe sighed. “I know, I know, but it’s been a tough morning. Not patient-wise, nothing serious happened there,” she explained, getting comfortable on the nearest stool. “George came by the office,” she said softly then, looking left and right to ensure no-one was listening, encouraging her boyfriend closer before she went on. “He and Lemon are really having problems.”

“Well, that’s sad for them, but maybe it’s for the best?” Wade suggested. “I mean, if they’re not happy, best they hash it out before they get wed. Might even be better for everybody if they decided to call it off, you know, in the circumstances,” he said with a pointed look.

Zoe had to know he was thinking of Lavon. She was too smart not to realise that was exactly what he meant. Sure, he wanted George and Lemon to be happy, but from what he knew of the whole situation, it didn’t really seem like it was going to happen for as long as Lemon and Lavon’s affair was in the back of both their minds and a big ass secret from Tucker.

“It’s such a mess.” Zoe sighed. “I just wish everybody could be happy, like us,” she said, finding a smile then. “You are happy, right?”

“As all get out, doc,” he promised her. “In fact, I am so happy with how things are workin’ out right here,” he continued, gesturing between them as he pressed on before his nerve went, “I was thinkin’ about asking you to that dumb ol’ Sweetie Pie dance everybody is makin’ such a fuss about.”

“Seriously?” Zoe’s eyes were wide as Wade had ever seen them, which was amusing as it was anything else. “Uh, okay. So, you were thinking about asking me, but you’re not actually going to?” she checked.

“Wasn’t sure if it was your kinda party,” he said honestly, shrugging his shoulders, “but if you did want to go, I’m just sayin’, I’d be proud enough to take you there. What do you say, doc? Feel like bein’ seen on my arm, as my real live Sweetie Pie?” he asked, waggling his eyebrows.

It was easier to make it sound at least a little like a joke. Wade wasn’t sure how to be serious in this kind of situation, terrified as he was of having Zoe not react so well. It was a heck of a relief when she smiled real wide and gripped her hand tightly around his own.

“Wade, I think I would love to be your Sweetie Pie,” she told him happily. “Even if that is the most disturbing thing I have probably ever said in my life!” she added with a burst of laughter.

“I can live with that,” Wade assured her, leaning in so they could share a sweet kiss.

Now, that had gone a whole lot better than he expected.

Chapter Text

“Oh my God, Zoe, you look amazing!” Rose enthused, after helping her friend with her zipper. “Wade is going to go crazy when he sees you!”

“I don’t know about crazy exactly,” said Zoe modestly, though she had to admit she did look pretty good in the dress she had her mom send down to her from New York. “You don’t think it’s too much, right?”

“Absolutely not,” said Rose definitely. “Bluebell could use a lesson in New York style and you are just the person to give it to them. I almost wish I was coming to the dance with you, but it’s not really the kind of event you can go to without a date.”

“And Frederick Dean has yet to realise that you are so much cooler than Magnolia Breeland.” Zoe sighed. “If there was a pill I could give him to cure his love blindness, I promise I would,” she said sympathetically.

Rose put on a brave smile. “He’ll figure it out eventually. In the meantime, I have my comic books and my music. I’m gonna spend a nice, quiet evening here by myself, so you don’t need to worry. Just have a good time, okay?”

“And I am here to make sure she does exactly that.”

Zoe looked around to see her boyfriend framed in the doorway and heard Rose gasp, clearly a little impressed by the view herself, even if Wade was twice her age. In all fairness, he did look really, really good. Not that he didn’t usually, but all dressed up for the dance, he was something else entirely.

“Well, look at you, doc,” he said, before she could make any remarks about his own appearance. “Not so sure I can take you out in public lookin’ like that. Might cause a stampede.”

Though Zoe wasn’t prone to blushing, she was pretty sure her face was genuinely red at the sound of his compliments, and from the way he came over, pulled her into his arms and kissed her like it was going out of style, all in front of Rose too. When they finally parted, Zoe glanced over to see her friend peeking out from between her fingers, having made a token effort to cover her eyes from the PDA.

“You gonna be okay here by yourself, Rosie?” Wade asked her then.

“Sure. I have everything I need and Lavon has strict instructions from Zoe to keep a real good eye on me,” she said, rolling her eyes. “I couldn’t get into trouble, even if I wanted to.”

“And the not getting into trouble is definitely a good thing,” said Zoe with a look.

“Don’t you believe it, doc,” Wade whispered in her ear, leading to her swatting at him and hoping Rose didn’t hear. “You enjoy your quiet, alone time, kid, and if Zoe doesn’t make it back here tonight, don’t go worryin’ too much, okay?”

“I will be back,” Zoe corrected, looking back at Rose, even as Wade led her by the hand to the door. “Probably,” she amended. “Maybe. If I’m not, I’ll just be at the gatehouse if you need me, okay?”

“I will be fine,” Rose repeated firmly. “Go, go! Have fun!” she urged her friend.

Zoe really didn’t need telling twice. She had on a great dress, she was going to a party, and her date was the hottest, sweetest guy in the world. There was no bad in any of that.

Wade had been so unsure about bringing Zoe along to the Sweetie Pie Dance. He had attended the event before, once with Tansy, that he didn’t remember quite as clearly as he probably should, and maybe two or three other times with girls he recalled even less well. He never had an actual girlfriend before, nobody that mattered the way Zoe did. Nobody that he would ever genuinely want to call his sweetie pie. This year was so different, mostly because Zoe was so different. He was only glad to realise she was as happy to be at the dance as he was himself.

“This is so much fun,” she said, giggling there in his arms as they slowed danced amongst several dozen other couples, from crushing teens to long-term marrieds. “I can’t remember the last time I went to a dance like this. I’m actually not sure I ever did.”

“Come on, doc, you musta gone to Prom or Homecoming or some such in high school. Prob’ly won queen too.”

“Are you kidding?” Zoe asked, eyes a little wider than usual as she stared up at him. “Yeah, that never happened,” she confirmed, shaking her head and making her hair bounce all around. “Not that I was entirely anti-social, I just... I don’t know, there was always so much studying to do, and despite what you might think, the boys were all kind of intimidated by me, so I didn’t get asked out all that much.”

She looked sad when she said it, which Wade supposed he could understand, though he had trouble figuring how any red-blooded male could be around Zoe for more than five minutes and not want to ask her out. Teenagers were a fickle bunch though and he knew well enough how dumb boys could be at that age.

“I guess if teenaged you was anything like you are now, I can see how you might have been a bit of a handful for some guys to take on,” he said, smirking down at her. “’Course, some of us like a challenge.”

That remark seemed to please her well enough, which was Wade’s intention.

“Hmm, you think you would’ve wanted the challenge of teenaged me if we went to high school together?” she asked, lacing her fingers behind his neck.

“Probably,” Wade admitted easily. “Can’t imagine you were any less beautiful or smart or sassy back in the day. Seems to me whenever we woulda met, sparks woulda flown.”

“Yeah, I think you’re probably right,” Zoe agreed, encouraging him close enough to kiss.

Their sweet moment was interrupted by a ruckus on the other side of the dancefloor, the two of them both looking over to see Lemon giving George a shove before storming out. He went right after her, yelling her name, with everybody looking on.

“Uh-oh,” said Zoe under her breath. “That can’t be good.”

“I wouldn’t say that, doc,” Wade told her. “I mean, sure, it looks bad, but maybe if she took your advice and finally came clean...” he suggested in a whisper.

The look on Zoe’s face was thoughtful a while before she answered just as softly. “It may not be her that came clean. George is having doubts too.”

“You don’t mean that Tucker... Nah, there’s no way he played around on her.”

“I’m not saying that he did, or is. I just know that...” she trailed off as another couple danced by them, close enough they might have heard whatever secrets passed between them.

“Hey, it’s kinda warm in here,” said Wade, loud enough for anyone at all to hear. “You wanna grab a breath of fresh air, doc?”

“Yes, let’s do that.” Zoe nodded, happy to be led by the hand.

Once outside, she told Wade all about a conversation she had with George at the practice today, about how he was having some serious doubts about wedding Lemon and all. Wade was less surprised than he might have been once.

“Makes sense, I guess,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Surprised the heck outta everyone when Golden Boy ditched Lemon to go off to New York. ‘Course when he come back, I figured she would tell him he was too late, on account of Lavon.”

“But she didn’t,” said Zoe, shaking her head sadly. “It might have been better for everybody if she had.”

Wade sighed. “Yeah, well, that’s people for you, doc. Never do what you expect ‘em to.”

“Tell me about it” she said, rolling her eyes. “If they did, I might not even exist.”

“And that would be a damn shame,” Wade said definitely, standing up from the bench they had been perched on and pulling her to her feet alongside him. “You wanna head back in there?” he suggested, tilting his head towards the dance that was still going on yet.

“Not really,” she admitted, shaking her head, a gleam in her eye that was obvious even in the dim light outside. “Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had a great time, and it was nice to get to experience the whole dance thing. Plus, having everybody know that Wade Kinsella wants me to be his Sweetie Pie?” she said, fluttering her eyelashes and faking a swoon. “It’s been quite a night.”

“Why don’t you step right over here and I’ll make it an even better one,” said Wade, pulling on her hand so she all but fell into his arms and kissing her long and hard on the mouth.

“Hmm, definitely don’t want to go back inside,” she said breathlessly as they parted. “Take me home, cowboy?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he agreed without hesitation.

It had been the most incredible night. Zoe Hart wasn’t sure when she last had a night as good. She would be tempted to say that another didn’t exist. If asked, as little as six months ago, what a perfect date would look like, she was sure she never would’ve said attending something called a Sweetie Pie dance would feature. Eating pie and dancing to Southern rock with a guy who drove her crazy wouldn’t have sounded at all appealing, and yet, she really had the best time doing all those things.

Now, curled up in bed with Wade’s arms around her, Zoe was sure she had never been more comfortable and content in her life. It was awful to think the spell had to break, but much like Cinderella, on seeing the clock declaring it was midnight, she felt the need to flee.

“I have to go,” she said regretfully, though she made no real effort to move at all.

“You wanna go?” asked Wade from behind her, his arm tightening around her middle as he kissed her shoulder.

“No,” she admitted with a sigh, leaning back into his embrace, “but I should. Rose is all by herself.”

“And prob’ly just fine with that fact,” her boyfriend assured her. “’Sides, she’s most likely asleep at such an hour, like all good little girls should be. You told her yourself where you’d be if you didn’t get back to her, so she won’t worry any either.”

He continued to rain kisses on her skin and Zoe just couldn’t find it in herself to make any efforts to get away. She was so, so comfortable, warm, and happy.

“Okay, I’ll stay,” she said, turning her head to get a real kiss from Wade.

If she had any more energy, she might have suggested they go again, but frankly, she could use some sleep before anything else happened. That much she told him and Wade seemed perfectly fine with it.

“Gotta admit, I’m feelin’ a might tired myself,” he said, the two of them settling down under the covers once again.

“Besides, it might be nice to wake up like this tomorrow,” said Zoe, yawning and half-asleep already as she snuggled up close in Wade’s embrace. “Nice way to start a birthday.”

Chapter Text

Wade had his eyes closed, all ready to drop off to sleep with Zoe in his arms, when suddenly she said something about her birthday. That had his attention in a second, though by the time he pulled himself up enough to look over and see her face, she was out for the count and not likely to come around for a while.

Zoe’s birthday. It was funny because Wade was pretty sure she never did mention before when it was. In all their conversations, he never did recall such a thing coming up. Seemed strange to him, since most women he knew were all for dropping hints when their big day was due soon, hoping for gifts and a big fuss and everything. Zoe mentioning her own birthday seemed almost accidental and certainly it was at the very last minute. Of course, that didn’t mean Wade couldn’t do something about it.

Once he was real sure that Zoe was asleep and unlikely to stir if he moved, he slipped out of bed, threw on some clothes and went out onto the porch to think it over some. He figured going up to the house and talking with Lavon might be a plan. Maybe arrange some extra special breakfast for Zoe at the very least. He did consider going and knocking on the carriagehouse door to get Rose involved, but then thought better of it. Probably scare the poor girl half out of her wits or something.

Going towards the house, Wade was so busy thinking about Zoe, both in terms of the great night they had as well as her birthday, he was right by the back door before he realised there was something going on inside. Yelling and cussing a plenty was happening in the kitchen, both from Lavon and from what sounded like Lemon. Wade quickly retracted his hand from the door and backed up around the side of the house.

Maybe Zoe had been right and Lemon did tell Tucker about her affair with Lavon. Either which way, that was not a situation Wade wanted to involve himself in right now. Standing alone in the dark, he scratched the back of his head and gave some serious thought to what he might do next.

So much for a special breakfast for Zoe, there was a good chance there wouldn’t be breakfast at all with what was happening up at the house. This late, all the stores would be closed, so there was no chance of him getting food or a gift or anything in town. That was when Wade had a really crazy idea.

Zoe woke up warm and happy, but briefly confused when she opened her eyes. She recalled very quickly that she was over at the gatehouse, smiling widely as the whole of the night before came back to her in glorious Technicolor. The Sweetie Pie dance, then coming home with Wade, it had all been so wonderful. What bothered her was that his arm was no longer around her, and when she turned over, he wasn’t even in the bed at all.

“Wade?” she called out, certain he must just be in the bathroom or something, and yet, feeling oddly nervous that he might be gone somewhere else.

A couple of choice curse words from beyond the window proved neither of her theories were well-founded. Zoe moved as if to get out of bed, but stopped short when Wade came rushing back into the house, closing up his cell phone as he did so.

“I’m so sorry, baby,” he apologised, coming over to the bed and wrapping his arms around her as he kissed her good morning. “But you weren’t supposed to wake up until I got back.”

“What’s going on?” she asked, as concerned as she was curious, if she were honest.

“Nothin’,” Wade told her, before changing his mind. “Well, nothin’ bad anyway. Look, don’t expect me to ever say somethin’ like this to you again, but you might wanna put on some clothes already.”

“Okay,” Zoe agreed, though her brow remained crinkled as she started to hunt for her underwear and dress from the night before.

Wade was checking his phone screen and smiling as she got herself dressed again. It was only then she realised he was more dressed than a person who just now hopped out of bed to take a phone call might be. If she didn’t know better, she would say he had shaved this morning and combed his hair too.

“Wade, what is...?” she began to ask again, stopping short when someone suddenly knocked on the door.

Before she could look to see who was there, Wade was opening said door, and in walked Rose, with a heavy-laden tray in her hands.

“Happy birthday, Zoe!” she declared loudly, a huge grin on her face.

“Happy birthday, doc,” Wade said at the same time, hands spread as if he were presenting her friend and the breakfast tray like a prize on a game show. “It ain’t much, but it’s the best we could do on real short notice.”

Zoe was stunned. There was a moment when she wasn’t even sure how they knew it was her birthday, before realising that she might have mentioned it last night before falling asleep. She had wanted to wake up in Wade’s arms, which hadn’t actually happened, though she wasn’t sure she could really complain, given what she was getting instead.

“You two are just the best,” she said, sitting down on the bed as Rose laid the tray there too. “I can’t believe you did this.”

“Wasn’t easy, let me tell you,” Wade assured her, sitting close alongside her. “I planned on having this whole big breakfast thing up at the house, maybe with some kind of banner and balloons or whatever Lavon had to hand, but... well, let’s just say, he had other things goin’ on, so I had to improvise,” he explained.

Zoe wanted to ask more about Lavon, but she was well aware of Rose’s presence, and the significant look in Wade’s eyes told her that was a conversation for later. Instead, Zoe was quick to dive into all the delicious food on her tray, inviting her best friend and boyfriend to join her, while Wade explained he had to take himself over to the Rammer Jammer to get all they needed for breakfast.

“I put the coffee in a Thermos and vetoed anything cooked on account of never gettin’ it back here hot,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Best I could do for ya, doc.”

“Wade, I love it,” Zoe assured him without hesitation. “Didn’t anybody ever tell you, it’s the thought that counts?”

“We’d have given it a whole lot more thought if we knew it was your birthday a little sooner,” said Rose with a look. “Why didn’t you mention it before, Zoe?”

At that question, she couldn’t help but heave a sigh. “Because... I’ve just had so many crappy birthdays before. I really don’t mark the day at all anymore. It never really seemed as if I had much to celebrate.”

“Well, now you do,” Rose told her definitely. “You live in Bluebell, as a successful GP, with the greatest best friend and the greatest boyfriend that a woman could ask for.”

Zoe smiled widely and looked to Wade who shook his head. “Don’t expect me to argue with the girl. Apparently, I’m the greatest boyfriend you could ask for.”

“I’m talking from Zoe’s point of view,” Rose clarified, “so don’t go thinkin’ I’m crushing on you, old man,” she said, poking out her tongue.

It made Zoe laugh to hear them bicker, almost like a brother and sister might. She was okay with that. It was a shame that they couldn’t be with Lavon for her birthday breakfast, but that was another bridge to cross later in the day. For now, she really couldn’t be any happier with the start to her birthday.

“What can I get you, Tucker?” Wade asked his friend the moment he sat down at the bar.

“Just a beer, thanks.”

George was certainly lacking his usual enthusiasm for life and Wade was about to say as much, before he recalled what he had seen last night at the dance. Also, what he had heard up at the house on the plantation between Lavon and Lemon. Chances were good there had been some kind of big blow out. Wade knew best of anyone he ought to tread carefully.

“You okay there, bud?” he asked, putting a bottle of beer in front of George. “Trouble in paradise?” he checked with a half-smile, aware of making it seem too obvious that he knew more than he probably should.

“You could say that.” George nodded, taking a swig from his beer. “Uh, last night, at the dance... Well, I think I called off my wedding.”

“Hold up now, you think you did?” Wade checked, leaning on the bar and meeting his friend’s eyes. “How’s that work?”

“Well, Lemon was... Well, the fact is things haven’t been right with us for a while. Not exactly how I thought they’d be since I got back from New York, if I’m honest. I guess you could say I’ve been havin’ some doubts, more and more since the wedding started getting so close. Then last night, Lemon admitted that she was feeling a little less than certain too. She hadn’t wanted to admit it, not even to herself, but she realised maybe it was the reason she mislaid our Save the Date cards the other day. I mean, you know how Lemon feels about being organised and the proper etiquette and all.”

“Do I ever?” Wade rolled his eyes, though there wasn’t exactly a whole lot of humour to be had in the conversation. “So, she told you she wasn’t so sure she wanted to marry you?”

“More or less.” George nodded. “Then I said maybe she had a point. That as far as I could tell, there were reasons enough why we should postpone things or even call the whole thing off. In spite of her own misgivings, she didn’t take that so well.”

Wade more than understood that. Lemon Breeland was all fine and dandy when she was in control, giving orders and whatnot, but if George went ahead and agreed too strongly with her that they should be over, she was bound not to take too kindly to it. Dumper was fine, dumpee was not.

“Wish I knew what to say, Tucker,” he told his friend, rubbing the back of his neck as he considered it all. “I guess if you both feel the same about breaking things off, prob’ly better now than at the alter, or even after, right?”

George sighed and smiled just a little. “Yeah, I guess so. I just wish that Lemon hadn’t gone off mad and that she maybe answered my calls last night, or this morning, or something. I still care about her, Wade, I really do.”

“’Course you do, and I’ll bet she knows that. Sure she cares about you too. You’ll figure it out. You know, not get back together exactly, if you don’t want, but make it so you can get along again, in time, maybe?”

He had no idea what he was saying, but then, giving advice to the lovelorn really only worked for Wade when he was helping them to get laid. Real relationships were not his speciality at all. All that love and commitment stuff, it was pretty new to him since he fell for Zoe. There was no way for him to know how to help anybody else with it.

“I don’t know, Wade.” George sighed one more time. “I think I could use another beer though, and maybe some fries, else I’ll be three sheets to the wind before long.”

“Comin’ right up,” said Wade with a nod of his head.

“You and Zoe are doin’ okay, right?” asked George then.

“More than okay,” his friend said with a smile he couldn’t help at all. “Not something I ever expected to happen to me, that’s for sure, but Zoe is just... she’s every damn thing to me.”

“That’s good.” George smiled like he meant it. “I mean, I could not have seen this coming. Me and Lemon breaking up, you starting to settle down. Sometimes I swear God has a sense of humour.”

“I guess he does,” Wade agreed, giving his buddy a friendly pat on the shoulder. “I’ll go get you those fries.”

“So, all that yelling that Wade said he heard over here last night, it wasn’t because you told George about you and Lemon?”

“Come on, Zoe, you know I would never do a thing like that,” said Lavon, shaking his head. “The last thing I ever woulda done was make Lemon’s life harder. I figured she knew that more than anyone, but it’s what she accused me of. Said it seemed like maybe George had found out about us somehow, but I know I never told him. I told her neither you nor Wade woulda done either.”

“We didn’t,” Zoe told him fast. “Absolutely not.”

“Which is what I said,” Lavon confirmed, “though she didn’t altogether seem to believe me.”

Leaning forward with his elbows on the counter, the poor guy put his face into his hands. Zoe felt just awful for him. After what Wade told her about all the yelling last night, she was convinced there had been a big love triangle blow-out, but maybe not. It seemed that George couldn’t know about the affair, since the only four people in town who did know hadn’t said a word. That meant he wanted to break up with Lemon anyway, for his own reasons, which didn’t surprise Zoe all that much, after their talk the other day. Still, it was one big old mess, that was for sure.

“Oh, Lavon,” she said sadly, reaching over to pat him on the shoulder as comfortingly as she could. “I’m so sorry.”

“Not your fault, Z,” he told her with a sigh. “Lemon had no right accusing me or any of us and I told her as much, which made her more mad, and then, we got into a whole lot of fighting about just about everything there is for two people to fight about. Me letting Wade and you find out, her dumping me for George and never letting on about what happened with us. Me telling her a while back that I still loved her, her making use of me sometimes when she wanted a shoulder to cry on. It’s just such a great unholy mess.”

Zoe wished she knew what to say to make it better, but she didn’t. Honestly, she ought to be used to having crappy birthdays by now, and today, it seemed as if she was passing her crappy day vibes onto her friend, with all the worst of it hitting Lavon rather than her. She had been hoping to talk to him about how much fun she had at the Sweetie Pie dance and how she felt like maybe she was in a place where she was prepared to tell Wade she loved him. Somehow, it just didn’t feel like the right moment for that. Besides, it was probably better that she told her boyfriend about her feelings for him before her best friend got to hear. She was pretty sure that was the way romantic relationships should work, she was just never absolutely sure of herself when it came to that kind of thing. Zoe wished it was a comfort to know that other people, like Lavon and Lemon, sometimes struggled just as much, but today, most especially, it really wasn’t.

Chapter Text

“You know, you can keep on standin’ there starin’, but the view ain’t gonna change any.”

Lemon looked genuinely startled as she turned to look at Wade up on the porch of the gatehouse, though she did her best to pretend he hadn’t made her jump half out of her skin. God forbid anybody should get the upper hand on a Breeland. They really didn’t stand for that kind of thing, Lemon most especially.

“Did I ask for your opinion, Wade Kinsella?”

“Not that I know of,” he replied, shrugging his shoulders as he wandered down the steps towards her, hands firmly stuffed in his pockets, “but it seems to me with all what you have goin’ on right now, maybe you could use somebody kinda neutral to talk to,” he said pointedly.

“Neutral?” Lemon echoed, putting on her best haughty look and tone. “Well, my, my, your little doctor girlfriend sure has been teachin’ you some fancy words, hasn’t she?”

“You know, you keep up with the attitude, Lemon, I will just take my offer of a friendly ear right back into my house, then you can stand here stewin’ on your problems all by yourself, if that’s what you want,” Wade told her smartly.

He knew better than to think she would actually send him away. After all, as much as they were not exactly friends at this point in their lives, they had been once, in high school and all. When you knew a person so long, in close quarters and everything, you got to know every little thing about them.

Wade knew she was hurting and confused, not her usual highly-polished Lemon self. She needed a shoulder and he figured there were few she could turn to right now. George and Lavon were out of bounds, that was for sure, and he couldn’t think she would want to be confessing anything much to her daddy, her kid sister, or even her Belle friends, for fear of what they might say.

“You have alcohol in your place?”

Wade smirked and threw an arm around her shoulders. “You know I do.”

Five minutes later, they were sat together on his couch, him pouring out two double bourbons while Lemon pulled her feet in real close, seemingly none too happy about how unpristine her surroundings were. Wade said nothing, knowing that once she started drinking and talking about her problems, she would soon forget where she was and care not at all about his scattered laundry and unswept floor.

“Here,” he said, handing her a glass, then clinking his own against it. “Good for what ails ya.”

“Not that it’s going to fix much of anythin’,” Lemon muttered, but knocking back much of the double shot in one hit all the same. “Oh my Lord!” she gasped right after, her throat no doubt burning like crazy.

“Atta girl,” Wade congratulated her on getting as much of her drink down as she had, then following suit in gulping down most of his own. “So, you wanna tell me what happened with you and Golden Boy?” he asked then, leaning back against the couch cushions, half-facing Lemon. “Or do we need to start with this whole on-and-off thing you have goin’ with the mayor?”

“I still don’t know how you ever figured that out,” she said, sounding put out at the thought.

“Lemon, if there’s one thing I know about in this life, it’s what sneaking around looks like, and honestly? Folks like you and Lavon just ain’t that good at it. Sure, you fooled the rest of this town, but they don’t all know you two like I do. Also, they don’t live a stone’s throw from where you were doin’ what you were doin’.”

Put like that, he didn’t see how Lemon could fail to understand how easy it was for him to know about her affair. Of course, that didn’t mean she didn’t still have questions.

“If you’ve known all this time, why not say anything? I mean, you and George have been friends an awfully long time, close as brothers, I always thought.”

“I guess that’s true, at least before he went off to New York and all,” Wade considered, “but I know better than most what it is to keep my nose outta other folks business. Few more people in this town oughta try it sometime,” he said, side-eyeing Lemon, knowing as he did how much she liked a little gossip when she could get it.

To her credit, she didn’t argue with him. In fact, she almost smiled before drinking down the rest of her bourbon.

“You know, I have loved George Tucker for so long, I don’t think I could ever stop, even if I wanted to,” she said then, heaving a sigh as she gave in and leaned back into the other corner of the couch. “He will always hold on to a piece of my heart, there’s no changing that, but the truth is... the truth is, when he left for New York - and I was so mad at him for doin’ that - I also knew that if I loved him enough, I woulda found a way to follow him there. A part of me thought he might change his mind and come back, but the larger part knew better. He had his dream job in the big city. I couldn’t blame him for wantin’ to fulfil his potential that way.”

“Then along came Lavon,” said Wade, reaching for the bottle and pouring more drinks.

“It wasn’t quite so simple as that,” Lemon told him. “First off, I wasn’t sure how to be happy about a mayor that knew little more than how to throw a football around. We had some real blow-out fights in the beginning, and then... well, I got some news, about my Momma.” She stopped and took a drink before going on with her tale. “It just brought everythin’ crashing back at me, memories of losing her on top of losing George and... and Lavon, he was just so kind to me. So sweet and understandin’. He was what I needed, and then, as time passed, he became what I wanted too. Lord help me, I fell so plum crazy in love with that man, in the space of such a short time.”

“You fell in love with him,” Wade echoed, “and yet, when good ol’ George Tucker came back to town, well, as I recall, you dropped Lavon like a hot potato and got yourself engaged to the Golden Boy like nothin’ had changed at all.”

“You’re a fine one to judge, Wade Kinsella,” Lemon snapped at him. “What do you know about bein’ in love?”

He glanced away at the sound of that question, sure he didn’t know what to say for the best. For the longest time, he’d have to admit he knew next to nothing on the subject of being in love at all, but these days, things sure were different. It just wasn’t necessarily something he felt he should be telling Lemon about before he even got around to telling Zoe.

“Less questions, more drinking,” he said, gesturing for her to get back to her glass already. “And get on to telling me how it is you seem to be in love with two fellas at the same time.”

Lemon sighed, took a swig of bourbon, then did as she was told, for once in her life.

“I don’t think I’m really in love with George Tucker anymore,” she admitted. “I love him, like I said, and I always will, but... well, as much as I’ve been tryin’ to deny it since George’s return, my heart belongs to one Mayor Lavon Hayes these days. I can’t help it, Wade, I just love him so much.”

“So, it seems to me you don’t really have a problem anymore.” Wade shook his head in confusion. “George doesn’t wanna marry you, you don’t wanna marry him. You still love Lavon and he seems pretty hung up on you still. So go with God, my friend, and make it happen. Quite whining and just do it already.”

With that, he finished off his drink and started to pour another, encouraging Lemon to try to keep up, even though they both knew that was never going to happen.

She took a token sip, then sighed. “I don’t know that it can be that simple” she considered. “It is one thing for George and I to decide to call off our wedding because we don’t want to be together anymore. It is quite another if I tell him that I was unfaithful when he was gone. I don’t know that I can bring myself to hurt him like that.”

“Hurt him or hurt yourself?” Wade countered, not at all phased by the look she shot his way. “Come on, Lemon, he honest,” he urged her. “How much of this is you caring for George Tucker’s feelins and how much is you thinkin’ how bad your daddy and this whole crazy town will take the news of you and the mayor gettin’ it on behind everybody’s back?”

He knew her too damn well to think all of her trouble was George, that was for sure. Lemon was good people, even if she didn’t always show it much, but Wade knew what her fine reputation meant to her. Right or wrong, she was not likely to want everybody knowing her business, especially when it involved her falling from grace in such a way as admitting to an affair.

“You know, you’re a lot smarter than you let people think,” she said then, looking as pissed off about that as she was amused somehow.

Wade suspected the drink had a lot to do with that. “Yeah, well, guess I have to be, don’t I?” he countered, staring back at her. “But sweetheart, you’re gonna have to make a big ass choice when it comes to what you want in life, and you have to be sure on it when you make it, ‘cause there are gonna be consequences aplenty.”

Lemon looked troubled for a few seconds, then took another drink, the frown lines on her brow smoothing out as she settled comfortably into the couch cushions. “How about you, Wade Kinsella?” she asked him then. “Have you made your choice with Zoe Hart? When I saw you two at the Sweetie Pie Dance, I could hardly believe my eyes. So, has it finally happened? Has wild boy Wade finally been tamed?” she asked, giggling as she poked him playfully in the knee with her pointer finger.

Wade smirked and glanced away, gulping down a little more bourbon before he gave her an answer.

“I got nothin’ to be ashamed of, Lemon. Do I love Zoe Hart? Sure, I do,” he admitted, shrugging his shoulders like it was just that simple, because honestly, the more time went on, the more it seemed to be so.

“You tell her that yet?”

“I... have not,” he said, watching the last few drops in his glass go around and around as he tipped it this way and that. “Honestly, I’m not sure how she’s gonna react.”

“Hmm.” Lemon shifted closer, letting her head fall onto his shoulder. “Well, sweetheart, you’re gonna have to make a big ass choice when it comes to what you want in life,” she told him, deliberately repeating his own words back to him. “Seriously, Wade, if you feel that way about Zoe, you should tell her. I can’t imagine her bein’ anything but happy to hear it.”

Wade didn’t have an answer for that one, so he said nothing at all.

“Thank you for this,” said George, not for the first time, as he and Zoe sat across from each other in her office, safely behind closed doors from her latest patient. “I know it’s a weird case and all, but Mr Sunberg is a good man. It’s just that his wife means so much to him...”

“I get it, I do,” Zoe assured him with a smile. “Honestly, I kind of love how dedicated they are. Gives me hope. I mean, there have been so many crappy relationships around me all my life. My parents, all three of them, that was a huge mess, and you know, the divorce rate these days is just... Oh, George, I’m sorry,” she said fast, seeing the look on his face, remembering too late that her friend wouldn’t need a divorce because he hadn’t even made it down the aisle. “Why am I so stupid?” she asked herself, literally face-palming.

“Zoe, you’re fine, and not at all stupid,” George assured her, smiling just a little. “I think you proved today you are all kinds of smart, figuring out what was really wrong with Mr Sunberg and all,” he said, hiking a thumb back to the exam room. “Me and Lemon, it is what it is. In the long term, we’ll be better off for making the decision we have, I know that.”

“I hope so.” Zoe nodded. “I just want you to be happy, both of you. You’re good people, you deserve good things.”

“I could say the same to you.” George smiled, reaching out to squeeze her hand. “And you do seem pretty happy yourself, from what I’ve seen. With Wade, and also, getting to know your uncle and all.”

“Yes, I am happy. Very happy,” she told him, smiling right back. “I admit, as great as Uncle Brando is, I have been putting off meeting the rest of the Wilkes clan so far. Don’t ask me why,” she said fast, sure that he would otherwise. “I guess I’m just nervous about how we’ll all get along. Things are going so well right now, it’d be a shame to spoil it.”

“That is true,” George considered, “but you know, if you never take a chance, you could find yourself missing out on some really great things. I mean, you and Wade, that was kind of a gamble, right? But y’all took that leap together and look at you now. I, for one, did not see that coming, but it works. You two are like... well, like love’s young dream or something. You know, you talk about how special the Sunbergs relationship is, but I see something just as special with the two o’ you.”

Zoe wasn’t sure what to say to that. It wasn’t that she didn’t think what she had with Wade was special, because she absolutely did. The truth was, she loved the guy, though she had yet to actually tell him. If asked why, she never could’ve explained it, except she supposed it came down to the same reasons she gave for avoiding the rest of her family tree. Everything was so great for the moment, she feared spoiling it all.

“You know, you might be right,” she said, thinking of what George just told her. “Sometimes, it is worth taking a risk. Sometimes, you miss out on too much if you never make the leap.”

Zoe and George shared a smile then, before Tom Long came busting in with some apparent emergency. It seemed her impromptu break was over and any more of this heavy talk would have to wait until later.

Chapter Text

It was late when Zoe got home. The case with Mr Sunberg took a while to figure out, but thankfully, the levels of lead in his body were not too severe. He was going to be just fine. Of course, Zoe felt a little strange about having to lie to Mrs Sunberg, with talk of alien devices and the FBI, but she figured it really wasn’t going to do any harm. There was absolutely no denying that those two loved each other, which was frankly beautiful to see. How could anyone not appreciate a good love story?

Zoe was thinking about it as she arrived back at the carriagehouse, her eyes darting across the pond and noting that Wade’s lights were on. He wasn’t working tonight, she knew, and felt bad when she had to cancel their plans to spend time together, thanks to the Sunbergs. As it turned out, he had text back and told her he was tied up anyway. Lemon needed a shoulder to cry on and she had chosen Wade’s fine specimens for the job.

Still, it seemed unlikely that Lemon would still be over at the gatehouse at such an hour. Brick and Magnolia would worry about her and probably send out a search party or something. That meant Wade was alone. Zoe changed course and headed for his home instead of her own. Picking her way carefully around the pond in her high heels, she almost slipped near the porch and only stayed upright by grabbing onto the rail.

“It’s a little late for swimmin’, doc” said Wade, laughter in his voice.

She looked up and scowled at him. “Ha, ha,” she deadpanned. “You do know that if I fell in the water, I’d expect you to dive in and save me? That’s what boyfriends are supposed to do.”

“Oh, is that right?” he checked, coming down the steps and reaching for her. “Well, I guess I need to brush up on that boyfriend handbook then, huh?” he said with a smirk, suddenly sweeping her up bridal-style into his arms, without a word of warning.

Zoe shrieked from shock and then from laughter as Wade carried her right up the steps and into the house, sitting down on the couch with Zoe all across his lap.

“You’re crazy, Wade Kinsella,” she told him, with all the fondness of a woman in love and she knew it.

“Yeah, well, maybe I’m just crazy about you, Zoe Hart,” he told her, pushing her hair back from her face.

“Good answer,” she replied, leaning in for a kiss.

It would have been easy to just get carried away like they usually did. There would be no harm in it. After all, like she said, Wade was her boyfriend. They were in a committed, stable relationship, and Zoe could not have been happier if she tried. The thing was, she had something she really needed to say to Wade, and that was unlikely to happen if she let him distract her in all the best ways.

“How’s Lemon?” she asked, pulling out of his embrace.

“Seriously? You wanna talk about Lemon right now?” he asked, the look in his eyes making it plain that he certainly didn’t.

“I just want to know if she’s okay,” Zoe told him, shifting to get out of his lap and sit down beside him instead. “Everything with her and Lavon and George is such a mess. I figured since you spent so much time with her today, you’re the most likely to know if they’re any closer to figuring things out.”

“Lemon and George or Lemon and Lavon?” he asked, obviously realising this late-night visit wasn’t going to go quite the way he planned.

“Either, both.” Zoe shrugged. “I mean, George is as sure as Lemon that they’re just not right for each other anymore, but I was wondering about her and Lavon. He obviously still loves her so much, so very much, and if she maybe still loved him...”

“She does.” Wade nodded. “And for what it’s worth, I told her she oughta tell him, put ‘em both outta their misery already. That kinda thing just has to be said sometimes and damn the consequences.”

Zoe was a little surprised to hear those words from Wade. From what he had told her before, she was the first woman he had ever felt at all serious about in his whole life. She was his first real girlfriend, his first real relationship, which worked out pretty well, since Zoe couldn’t exactly say she had a serious boyfriend before Wade either. The last guy she was with, that wasn’t really love, just a study session that turned into a date that turned into six years. What she felt for Wade was just so much more than that. So much that she just didn’t know how to keep it in anymore.

“Wade, I...” she began, stalling the moment he met her gaze. “This is so weird. When I was outside, I knew exactly what I wanted to say, and now...”

“Zoe?” he prompted when she fell silent. “Somethin’ wrong?”

“No. No, no, absolutely not,” she promised him fast. “It’s actually more about the fact that nothing is wrong. I mean, with you and me. Everything is so good right now,” she said, picking up his hand in both of hers and holding on tight. “When I came here, it was to get away from New York, to be a GP for a while, to do whatever I needed to do for my career. I wasn’t looking for friends or family. I certainly wasn’t looking to... to fall in love, but I did,” she admitted at last. “Wade, I love you. I’m totally in love with you and I just needed you to know that.”

When she was done saying it, Zoe felt good, for about ten seconds, before she realised that Wade wasn’t answering her at all. He had the strangest look on his face, which didn’t exactly seem like a good sign. Suddenly, Zoe had the urge to take it all back and run like hell. She never got the chance.

“You know, what, Zoe Hart?” he said softly, leaning closer. “Now, you’re always telling me you never believed in coincidences, but sat here on this very couch today, talking with Lemon Breeland, of all people, I come to realise that I had something I needed to say to you before too much longer. Now, you can believe me or not, that’s on you, but here’s what it was. I love you,” he said, smiling across at her. “And you better know, I never said that to another woman walking this earth and meant it like I do right now.”

Zoe couldn’t breathe or think for what felt like whole minutes. She also couldn’t get the world’s biggest, stupidest grin off her face, even though her cheeks ached from the pressure of it. She had hoped that when she said she loved Wade, he would say it back, but she hadn’t been entirely certain. To think that he had been planning a similar declaration before she ever came over to make hers, it really was a crazy coincidence, but it was one that she did believe in.

Throwing herself into his arms then, she kissed him like her life depended on it, and he kissed her back, holding her close in his arms, the passion - fuelled by true love as much as mutual attraction - sparking to flames between them once again.

“You said you wanted to talk,” said Lavon with a look, “but you’ve been awful quiet these last few minutes.”

It was true. Lemon couldn’t deny it, but it was finding the right place to start that had her all in knots. When she was talking her problems through with Wade, it all seemed so simple. She had a feeling the scotch helped a lot too. Unfortunately, a lot of her Dutch courage had been slept off on her friend’s less than fragrant couch before she ever came up to the main house to talk with Lavon. Wade had deemed it necessary, knowing Lemon was in no fit state for a deep conversation after so much alcohol. The problem was, without the liquor’s help, she just didn’t quite feel bold enough to tell Lavon about the decision she thought she had come to.

“Lemon?” he prompted from across the other side of the kitchen counter. “Look, if this is-”

“I wanna tell George about us.”

When she finally spat it out, the look it produced on Lavon’s face was almost too amusing. Good thing then that most of the booze had worn off or she was sure to have found herself having a fit of the giggles. That was the last thing this situation needed. To be on the safe side, she took a long sip from the coffee cup in front of her, waiting for Lavon’s verbal response to what she just told him.

“You wanna tell George about us,” he echoed after a while. “Everything about us?” he checked.

“Everything.” Lemon nodded.

“Why?”

“Isn’t that kind of a foolish question for an educated man to ask?”

Lavon’s brow furrowed a little. “I ain’t so educated,” he reminded. “Went to college, but that was mostly to play ball, you know that, and if we’re not talking about schoolin’, then we’re talking about the ways of the world. Things like... like love and everything. I’m not so sure I know as much about that as I should either.”

He might have hurt her less if he had physically struck her, not that Lavon was the type, of course. Lemon felt the sting of what he said though, as bad as if she had just taken a blow to her chest or something. She really had messed up everything, with Lavon and with George both. It was unclear yet if she could fix any part of it, but damn it, she was going to try!

“Lavon, I know I did wrong by you,” she admitted, staring up at him. “I also did wrong by George, and by myself too,” she concluded, one hand on her chest. “My heart breaks to think of what we are all going through, knowing like I do that it is mostly my own fault, but the fact of the matter of is, I was just tryin’ to do the right thing,” she explained. “I recognise that I got it wrong, believe me, I more than see that now, but I started out with good intentions. You do believe that, don’t you?”

Sighing heavily, Lavon rubbed at his eyes, then leaned down until his forearms were on the counter top and his eyes were level with Lemon’s own.

“If you tell me something, then I believe you,” he told her straight, “and maybe that does make me a fool, but when you love somebody, like I love you, Lemon Breeland, you’ll be a fool for that person, and you won’t even care that you are.”

Her heart skipped a beat when she heard him say he loved her still. It was more than Lemon dared to hope for. She had hoped, in time, he might learn to love and trust her again, after everything, but to know his feelings for her never went away in the first place, Lemon was well aware it was much more than she deserved.

“I don’t think you’re a fool, Lavon,” she promised him, reaching her hand out to his arm, “but I know for certain that’s what I have been. What I did to hurt you and poor George, neither one of you deserved it.”

“No, we did not,” he agreed with her, taking her hand into his own and squeezing it, “but that can’t change what I feel about you. Seems to me that you and George both decided that things could never be the same again between you. I don’t know his reasons, and they are none of my business anyhow, but if yours have anything at all to do with me...”

“You know that they do,” she told him fast, meeting his eyes, even as her own filled with tears. “I am so in love with you, Lavon Hayes. I don’t know why it scared me so much to admit it before, even to myself, but I promise you, I’ll never once try to deny it again. You are just the kindest, sweetest, most patient man, and I know I don’t deserve for you to still feel the same way about me as you did before, but if you do...”

“You know I do.”

“Then I am all the more certain that George and I did the right thing, calling off our wedding like we did,” she confirmed. “And what I said before, about wanting to tell him the truth, I meant that too. He deserves to know everything. Everybody is going to have to know, because the very last thing I want is for what we have to be built on any kind of lies. A relationship needs a strong foundation if it’s going to last, and I want this to last, Lavon Hayes. I really, really do.”

Chapter Text

“I can’t believe it. Seriously, I just... can’t.”

Wade couldn’t help but be amused by the look on Zoe’s face or the tone of voice she was using as she stood by the window, apparently completely bowled over by the view.

“A person might think you never saw snow before, doc,” he said, smirking hard as he walked over to stand by her, buttoning up his shirt on the way.

“Oh, I’ve seen plenty of snow. So much!” she declared dramatically. “But that was in New York. I never, ever expected to see snow in Alabama.”

“Well, we get it. Not much, but we do, and you oughta know that a rare snow day in Bluebell almost always leads to no good,” he explained, watching with further amusement as Zoe turned wide eyes on him. “Hey, I’m not saying I hold with all the dumb superstitions about snow leading to bad days around here,” he told her, hands help up in mock surrender, “but folks get themselves in such a stir about it, I swear they make a bad day out of it, no matter what.”

“That’s ridiculous.” Zoe rolled her eyes. “Snow is just weather. It can’t make a day bad, unless you let it. I mean, sure, there is a higher risk of accidents in a practical sense. Cars sliding on ice, people falling on untreated sidewalks, but in general, there is no scientific basis for snowy weather leading to bad karma or whatever.”

“Exactly what I think, doc,” Wade agreed, dipping his head to steal a quick kiss, “but you try tellin’ that to the rest of this here crazy town. Now, you want a ride into town or not?” he asked, moving away to find socks and finish getting himself dressed.

“Yes, please” she said, following him, finally done with staring out the window apparently. “I thought about going up to the house to check on Lavon, but if he believes in this whole ‘snow day equals bad day’ thing, he’s probably even more likely to wanna stay in bed and hide than he has been the past few days.”

“Prob’ly true.” Wade nodded. “You know, he even put off his parents when they talked about coming to visit for their 40th anniversary? Shame too, ‘cause Ernie and Caroline are good people. You woulda liked them and I know they’d like you too,” he told her with a grin. “Anyhow, I guess you can meet ‘em next time around. Come on now, girl, let’s head out already.”

As Wade led the way to the door, Zoe faltered for a moment. She could meet Lavon’s parents next time they came visiting. That may be true, depending on when they decided to drop in. As the weeks and months sped by, Zoe caught herself counting rows on the calendar and pages in her diary lately. It was March already, she knew the exact date because it was her daddy’s birthday (the one that raised her - Dr Ethan Hart) and that meant her year in Bluebell was closer to its end than its beginning now.

The car horn blaring outside hurried her along and Zoe painted on a smile for when she stepped out of the gatehouse door where Wade could see her. He was leaning out of the driver’s side window, encouraging her to ‘move her fine behind’ already. Of course, she did as he asked, getting into the car as fast as she dare in the somewhat slippery conditions, but her mind was elsewhere, even as Wade talked more about the snowy weather.

She was supposed to go back to New York this summer and that would be that, her adventure in Alabama all over, her life returning to normal, but what was normal for Zoe Hart these days? She wasn’t sure if she was ready for it to be high rise buildings, subway stations, and surgery again. She had gotten so used to the heatwaves, wacky small town traditions, and having friends around her that were more like family than anything else. She was also used to being with Wade. Just last night, she had told him she loved him and he said it back. It was amazing, being in love, and Zoe never wanted to lose the beautiful, all-encompassing, warm feeling that it put into her chest all of the time, but that meant making a very serious decision about her future.

“Zoe? Hey, Zoe!” Wade tried again, tapping her arm until she looked at him. “You were so spaced out, I started to wonder if the cold froze you like that,” he said, trying to hide his worry with humour, as he so often did, but it didn’t quite work.

“I’m sorry,” she apologised, shaking her head. “I’m fine, honestly. I was just... I was wondering how many kinds of crazy to expect at the practice this morning. If what you say about snow days in Bluebell is true, then I’m guessing it’s going to be pretty wild today.”

“I guess so,” Wade agreed, nodding his head, though his eyes had to be firmly back on the road as he continued driving them into town.

Determined not to let her mind wander too far down the dangerous path of what the future held again, Zoe got out her cell and pulled up the tracking information for the package she had en route to Germany. It was her dad’s birthday gift, his favourite macarons, which should be arriving with him later that same day. She smiled on reading the confirmation, sure he would be pleased with the gift. Even though he wasn’t technically her father, he was still the only dad she ever knew. It would be nice to hear from him when he got the gift that was bound to please him so much.

“You check in with Lavon at all?” asked Wade then.

“Oh, um, no, but I will. I mean, as much as I’m sure he’s still doing the depresso guy thing, I don’t wanna be a bad friend.”

“Yeah, well, as predicted, looks like you got enough to be dealing with right here, doc.”

Wade pulled the car up outside of the practice and Zoe saw, as he had, the line of people all clammering to get inside for an appointment with one or other of the doctors. Heaving a sigh, she prepared herself for the apparently manic day ahead.

“Sorry, Lavon, but duty calls,” she said to herself.

“Don’t worry on it,” Wade told her. “I’ll be headin’ back up to the plantation in an hour or two, so I’ll go make sure the mayor is still in one piece and all.”

“Best boyfriend ever.” Zoe smiled across at him, unclipping her safety belt to lean over and kiss his lips.

“That’s what I was going for,” he said, grinning wide.

When Wade got back to the plantation, he was on the porch of the gatehouse when he recalled that he promised Zoe he would check in on Lavon. For a second, he thought maybe he could just text the guy, but then immediately reconsidered. Maybe Zoe was turning him into a sap, but Wade knew he really should go on over and make some real effort. After all, Lavon had been real good to him over the years, probably only right and proper he repay the favour. Poor guy was depressed enough over not being with Lemon, no use in making it worse by having him think his friends had abandoned him, and on a snow day of all days.

Trudging back down the steps, Wade headed for the main house, letting himself in the back door, as he so often did. There was nobody in the kitchen, nor the living room. He called out for Lavon, then peeked into the study, finding that empty too. Yelling up the stairway, he started to make his way up, when suddenly he heard a clatter. Frowning, he moved faster, suddenly a little worried that his friend might’ve fallen or some such. After all, he wasn’t answering, so something had to be wrong. Wade was right by the bedroom door before he realised that, actually, he could hear Lavon’s voice and also somebody else’s voice too. Unfortunately, by that time, he was a little late to make what anyone might term a graceful exit. The bedroom door flew open right in front of him and he would swear every inch of the mayor’s face, neck, and chest were fighting a lesser-seen blush.

“Wade, m’boy. What you doin’ up here?” he asked, casual as he could, which wasn’t very, with his pants barely fastened and nothing on his feet.

“Just checkin’ in, Hoss.” Wade grinned at him. “Zoe was worried that you might be wallowing or whatever, but I see you found somethin’ or someone to put the smile right back on your face. How you doin’, Lemon?” he called over Lavon’s shoulder, though even Wade was gentleman enough not to actually try to look at her.

“Doin’ just fine, thank you, Wade Kinsella,” she called back, appearing at Lavon’s elbow a few seconds later, fully dressed but decidedly less polished than usual. “You do have an awful knack of uncovering the secrets of our personal lives of late,” she declared, going for snippy, he was sure, but failing miserably, since she couldn’t seem to keep the grin off her face for a second.

“Of late?” Wade echoed, leaning casually in the doorway. “Sweetheart, I’ve been reading you like a book for years enough now,” he told her easily. “Now, I admit, I didn’t know this had all started up again right now, but I’m not exactly surprised about it. Not sad about it either, for the record,” he confirmed. “I figure you two are better for each other than most.”

“Really?” Lemon checked.

“Sure. George Tucker is decent as they come, but mostly too willing to let you walk all over him,” Wade explained. “Now, the mayor here, he has a little more about him than that. ‘Course, that bein’ said, there are too many folks round here wantin’ to fall all over themselves to get to the football star mayor that is Lavon Hayes, and you bein’ you, well, that ain’t exactly your style now, is it, Lemon?”

They were perfectly matched in the weirdest way, that much was true, and Wade didn’t mind calling it how he saw it. The two of them looked a little surprised, but then Wade was used to folks being amazed that he was smarter than he sometimes pretended to be and he was fine with that.

“You know, nobody knows about this yet,” Lavon said then. “Me and Lemon, we are gonna tell folks. George first, and Lemon’s daddy and sister, then everybody else. It woulda been today ‘cept with the snow and all...”

“Bad luck kind of a day.” Wade nodded his understanding. “No use making things worse than they have to be, I get it. Me and Zoe, we’ll keep your secret a while longer, no problem. Now, I’m gonna go over to my place, put some music on real loud just to be on the safe side, leave you two to your alone time,” he said pointedly, before turning and walking away, still grinning.

It was late when Zoe got home. She was at the bottom of the porch steps to the carriagehouse when she, once again, changed her mind and headed over to see Wade instead. She really did need a little comfort after the day she had endured and she knew she would find it in his arms. The moment he opened the door to her knock, he seemed to know.

“You look like you had a rough day, sweetheart,” he said as he pulled her into his arms and hugged her tight.

“You don’t know the half of it,” she mumbled against his chest. “Snow days really are the worst here. I’ve never seen the practice so busy and with the most bizarre cases,” she explained, as Wade led her to the couch and they sat down together, his arms still around her and her legs across his lap. “But that wasn’t the worst part. You remember I told you it was my dad... Ethan’s birthday today?”

“Sure, you sent him some fancy cookies, right?”

“Macarons. His favourite kind.” Zoe nodded. “Anyway, I got a message to say they couldn’t deliver the package, that the address was wrong. So I called to see what was happening and his number in Germany? It was disconnected! So, I called my mom to see if she knew what was going on and it turns out that he hasn’t lived in Germany for months now. He’s back in New York and he never even told me! Nobody told me!”

Wade frowned. “I’m sorry, Zoe. That kind of sucks.”

“Oh, it more than sucks. Wait until I tell you what happened when I called his new number!”

She didn’t mean to cry when she talked about the fight she got into with the man she had always known as ‘Dad’. She wanted to be strong enough to explain how she had ended up calling him ‘Ethan’ and telling him that if it was all so hard for him to even make a token effort anymore, maybe they should both just forget it, but when she told of how he agreed to that all too easily, Zoe just broke down. Maybe she would’ve made it through without completely collapsing into tears if Wade hadn’t been so damn nice about it, but she couldn’t really fault him for that. All he wanted to do was make it better, but as he admitted himself, he just didn’t know how.

“You’re doing a pretty good job,” she told him, sniffing hard, the tears beginning to dry up as she clung to him. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t get so upset.”

“Hey, there is no ‘should’ in this stuff, doc, you know that,” Wade assured her, kissing the top of her head. “People get sad or angry or whatever, it’s normal enough. I know he wasn’t your real daddy, but he raised you as if he was. He oughta care more.”

“It was tough on him too, I guess, when he found out the truth.” Zoe sniffled. “I don’t know if it would been easier or harder if I actually got the chance to know Harley.”

She wasn’t expecting Wade to know either. After all, it was impossible for anyone to be sure what might have been, in another world where things were so vastly different. If she had found out about Harley sooner, if she had been raised in Alabama instead of New York, if her father really had been Ethan Hart all along.

“You know, I’m sorry about what happened,” said Wade then, “but you can at least count yourself lucky that you got a lot of folks that do care about you, Zoe. You got me and you got Lavon, plus ol’ Uncle Brando, now he thinks the world o’ you.”

“I know he does.” Zoe sighed, sitting herself up a little. “And he’s been so great. Honestly, I feel bad that I keep telling him no when he talks about introducing me to more of the Wilkes, but I just felt... I don’t know, almost like I was being disloyal to my other family, you know? But now...”

“But now you think maybe you wanna embrace your Southern side?” asked Wade with a smirk, clearly trying to make her laugh, or at the very least smile.

Naturally, it worked. “Maybe,” she agreed. “You’ll come with me when I meet them, right?”

“Sure thing, doc,” Wade assured her. “Although I’m not so sure how some of the more upstanding Wilkes are gonna react to you datin’ the likes of me.”

“Well, if they’re going to accept me, the illegitimate daughter of one of their own, then I can’t see how they can not accept you,” Zoe told him easily. “Besides, you’re Wade Kinsella. You can charm the pants off anybody,” she teased him.

“Speaking of which...” he said, leaning over and kissing her, his hands moving over her body and making her forget all her worries, or almost anyway.

“Hmm, before we get to that,” she said, pulling back a little. “You did check on Lavon, didn’t you? Please tell me he’s okay.”

“Oh, he is more than okay,” said Wade definitely, quite obviously trying not to look disappointed that more talking was required before he got to where he was hoping to get. “When I went up to the house, he wasn’t alone. Seems he and Lemon reconnected in a pretty big way. Tomorrow, assuming the snow gets the hell outta Dodge, they’re gonna tell George and her folks everything, then let the town in on the secret too.”

Zoe felt her eyes widen with surprise, albeit the pleasant kind. “They’re actually going to be together? Lavon and Lemon?”

“Seems like.” Wade nodded.

“Wow, that’ll be... interesting,” Zoe considered.

“Can’t argue with that,” said Wade, “but that’s not somethin’ we need to worry about this minute, right?” he asked, a very particular and unmistakable look in his eyes.

“No, we can definitely put that on the back burner for a while,” said Zoe, smiling as she pulled him closer again.

Chapter Text

“Well, that went better than I thought it would.”

A great sigh of relief accompanied that statement, before Zoe turned back to wave goodbye one more time to the large assembled group of Wilkes family members she and Wade had just spent much of the day with. It turned out Uncle Brando was not a fluke when it came to Zoe’s blood kin. Almost everyone at the Wilkes family barbecue had welcomed her with open arms and proved to be some of the very nicest people she had ever met.

“I gotta say, your Aunt Maureen is a little scary, and it was touch-and-go for a while there with your Aunt Winifred too,” said Wade, his arm around Zoe’s shoulders as they headed for the car, “but everybody else? Just about as nice as folks can be.”

“I don’t know why I was so worried about meeting them all,” Zoe admitted then. “I mean, why wouldn’t they be nice? Why wouldn’t they like me?”

“Like I have been telling you for days on end, doc, how could anybody not love you?” Wade asked, planting a kiss on her head.

“You’re biased.”

“I am not denying that.”

They both laughed at that as they parted ways and climbed into their respective sides of the car. With their seatbelts on, Wade reached out to start the engine, but Zoe’s hand on his arm stopped him.

“Thank you for today,” she told him seriously. “This was a very big deal and, technically, you didn’t have to come with me, but I’m really happy that you did.”

“Well, for what it’s worth, I’m happy about it too,” Wade assured her, the two of them sharing one more kiss, before he finally got the car started and they drove away. “You know, much as I didn’t mean to do it, I think I got myself a few new supporters for the competition up at the Rammer Jammer this weekend too.”

“Really?”

“Seems like it. I mean, your folks were asking about me as much as about you, so I told them about my work and everything. Some of them knew, others didn’t. Anyhow, I happened to mention the whole thirtieth anniversary event and how Wally has me and Shelley doing this ‘invent a new cocktail’ thing. Soon as they found out it was something that’s voted on by the customers, some of ‘em started offering to come on down Saturday night, maybe throw a few votes my way.”

“That’s great.” Zoe smiled.

“Yeah,” Wade considered. “’Cept I’m pretty sure with the Wilkes bein’ all upstandin’ and everything, they’ll only vote for my cocktail if they actually like it better.”

“And they will like it better,” she assured him. “Come on, Wade, have a little confidence. Nobody mixes drinks like you do. I mean, don’t get me wrong, Shelley is great, but you have real talent.”

That caused a strange expression on his face, which Zoe was about to question, but never actually got the chance.

“Talent, right. Mixing drinks is whatever, doc. I mean, look at you. Now, you have real talent, all the smarts and pieces of paper to prove it. You don’t get letters after your name for what I do.”

“Wade, a university education isn’t everything.” Zoe shook her head. “Obviously, you need it to be a doctor, but that doesn’t mean people who do other jobs aren’t worth just as much. They are. You are,” she promised him.

Even though he thanked her for saying so, it was awful to realise that he didn’t really believe her. When he started talking about some of the professions mentioned amongst the Wilkes clan, Zoe only felt worse. Though some were stay-at-home moms and part-time workers, many had career jobs. An architect, an engineer, a teacher. It hadn’t occurred to her that Wade might feel in any way out of place, being as he was a bartender and Lavon’s handyman.

Just as soon as he pulled the car up between their houses on the plantation, Zoe put her hand on top of his on the gearshift.

“Wade, I don’t like that you feel this way,” she told him, meeting his eyes. “You are an amazing person and it doesn’t matter to me that you don’t have a career job. You’re happy in what you do, right?”

“Mostly,” he agreed, shrugging his shoulders. “Just sometimes I think... I don’t know, doc,” he admitted, shaking his head. “Sometimes, I kind of feel a little left behind, I guess. I never had big plans for the future, never felt much like I needed ‘em. Now, I’m wondering where my life is headed, what exactly I wanna do as time rolls on. Feels like I should have some kind of plan but...”

“Plans are good,” Zoe agreed, “but at the same time, so long as you’re happy, then that’s okay. What I’m saying is, if you want to make a change, that is great, and I’ll support you in that, but don’t think that you have to change for me or my family, okay? You don’t. I love you for you, Wade Kinsella.”

At that, he smiled, a real genuine grin that she could actually believe in. “I love you too, Zoe Hart,” he assured her, leaning over to kiss her lips. “You know, you’re amazin’, right? And I’m not talking about your doctorin’ skills anymore.”

“Well, how about we go inside and be amazing together?” she suggested, sure he couldn’t fail to understand her true meaning.

Two seconds later, Wade was out of the car and opening the passenger door to encourage her out too. Just as soon as her feet hit the ground, Zoe found herself being scooped up into his arms, and she laughed long and loud when he shoved the car door shut and all-but ran up into the carriagehouse.

“And the winner of the anniversary cocktail competition is... Wade Kinsella!”

There was so much whooping and hollering following the announcement, that Wade himself started to wonder if he heard right or maybe he was just dreaming.

“Wade, you won!” Zoe told him, holding onto his arm from the other side of the bar and shaking it around to get his attention. “Congratulations!”

“Yeah, thanks,” he replied absently, finally finding a smile.

He won. He actually did good at something and was successful. That kind of thing didn’t happen to Wade all too often, which was probably why he was so damn stunned that it had right then. Before he knew it, Zoe was letting go of his hand and Wally was shaking it instead, congratulating him on a job well done. The cocktail that the majority of folks had voted for would now be on the menu at the Rammer Jammer, and Wade was the proud recipient of a $500 bonus on top of that.

“Thanks, man,” he told Wally happily. “I mean it.”

“You did good, son,” his boss said with a smile, slapping him on the shoulder, before he walked away.

Wade still felt a little stunned, or actually, make that a lot stunned. Zoe was soon dragging him out from behind the bar for a real celebration, a huge hug and a real good kiss too. She was so damn proud of him, which was something special. He hoped she would feel the same tonight when they got back home and he told her about the further plans he had regarding his bar-tending skills.

“Well, this sure makes up for the lack of MOTY this year,” said Tom with a grin. “I say Wade should be Man of the Year.”

“That’s not quite how these things work,” said Dash, shaking his head. “Though I congratulate you, Wade Kinsella, on a fine cocktail,” he said, toasting the inventor with his glass.

“People around here are crazier than I thought tonight,” Wade told Zoe, rubbing the back of his neck.

“They’re just happy for you,” she replied, shrugging her shoulders. “And yet, you look weird.”

“Thanks a lot, doc,” he dead-panned, rolling his eyes. “I guess I’m just kinda... overcome maybe,” he noted, looking around at all the folks happily drinking something he made up, coming over to shake his hand and congratulate him some more already.

Tom had it all wrong, of course. Inventing one cocktail really wasn’t enough to get a person the MOTY, though Wade felt like he may as well have such a big title, the way everybody was making such a fuss. Most people didn’t even know the real story as to why there was no Man of the Year 2012, though Wade and Zoe were in on the secret. Apparently, it had been a close-run contest between Tucker and the mayor, but after George announced he and Lemon had called off the wedding of the century, and then, Lavon and Lemon’s affair was revealed, neither one seemed right for the title. In a panic, the Bluebell Owls declared there would be no MOTY this year, for technical reasons.

“Hey, you sure you’re okay?” Zoe asked him then, concern written all over her face.

“Uh, yeah, or I will be, I guess.” Wade nodded. “It’s gettin’ late, Wally’ll probably start throwing people out soon, and the clean up here is gonna be kinda epic. I don’t know what time I’ll get home, but I was hopin’ to talk to you about somethin’.”

“I can wait up for you,” Zoe assured him. “Your place or mine?”

“Mine, if that’s okay with you?”

“Of course.”

She kissed him then, congratulated him one more time, then disappeared through the crowd. Wade sighed and watched her go, wishing the time away until he could get back to the gatehouse and talk to her.

It would be a good couple of hours before he made it and Wade was practically dead on his feet. It was three in the morning, not exactly a great time for an in-depth discussion about anything, and yet, he knew he had to do it. He had things to say to Zoe Hart that just wouldn’t wait.

Letting himself into his home, he found her curled up on the couch, her knees tucked into her chest, and a sweatshirt of his own thrown over her. She was as adorable as she was sexy, and as amazing as ever. She was certainly everything he wanted, Wade knew that for sure.

“Hey, sweetheart?” he said softly, crouching down and gently jostling her away.

“Hmm? Oh, Wade,” said Zoe as she came to and saw him there. “I’m sorry, I must’ve dozed off.”

“Not surprising, given the hour,” he admitted. “I appreciate you bein’ here though.”

“It seemed like you had something important to say.”

“I do. I, uh... I need to tell you somethin’. Show you somethin’ too, and I’m just hopin’ that when you see it and hear about it, you don’t... Well, maybe it’s best I just get it over with.”

Standing up, he went over to the bed, fumbling in the nightstand and coming up with his dog-eared notebook. Bringing it over to the couch, he hesitated just a little before finally handing it to Zoe.

“I’ve been thinkin’ a lot, about the future and such. It started the other night, after we spent all that time with the Wilkes clan. Now, I know you said you don’t care if I’m not a career guy, and the truth is, I don’t either, but I do want to do more than just be a bartender all my life, Zoe.”

As he explained, she flipped the pages in the book he had handed to her, a look of understanding coming over her face. Also, she wasn’t laughing or saying she thought he was crazy. Wade took all of that as a very good sign.

“You want to open your own bar,” she said aloud. “That’s what this is, right?”

“That’s what it is.” Wade nodded into his reply.

“Wow. I had no idea that you would want to do something like this and...”

“And you didn’t know I had it in me to make such plans or be so smart,” he finished for, sitting down beside her.

Zoe’s jaw was working with no sound coming out and immediately Wade cut her a break.

“Hey, it’s okay. I know I’m not the smartest guy in the world and I don’t blame you for not expectin’ much o’ me when it comes to havin’ a business brain or whatever. Truth is, I probably will need some help here and there from someone who knows better than I do. Maybe George Tucker, maybe Lavon, I don’t know. What I do know is how to run a bar, Zoe. I’ve been doin’ most o’ what needs to be done at the Rammer Jammer for long enough now. Wally’s been givin’ me more and more responsibility and I ain’t ever let him down, not once.”

“I believe that.” Zoe nodded. “Wade, this is amazing,” she said of the book clasped in her hands. “Your own bar!”

It made him so happy to realise she was as enthusiastic about the idea as he was. Much as he would never say it to her, a part of him had feared she would laugh in his face and think it was all stupid. That he shouldn’t be so dumb as to get ideas above his station or whatever. It was real nice to know that wasn’t what was happening.

“It’s so weird that you’re making these plans for the future, and that you chose today to tell me about them,” Zoe said then, putting his notebook aside and rifling around in her purse for something. “I got these today.”

Wade took the papers she then held out to him, eyes going a little wide as he realised what they were.

“You’re looking to change your name?”

“Last name, not first name,” Zoe confirmed, leaning into his side, her head on his shoulder. “I don’t know. I mean, I’ve been Zoe Hart all my life, but actually, that’s not who I am, not by blood. Not in any way anymore, really, except on paper. The Wilkes have really accepted me. I finally feel like I belong, so why not go the whole hog?”

There were at least a half-dozen things Wade could say to that, but he wasn’t really sure any of them were worth it. Zoe had to already know that he supported her no matter what, that he would love her just as much no matter what name she went by, that all he wanted was her happiness.

“There was one other thing that I was also thinking about changing,” she continued then, tipping her head back to look up at him. “You know, I’ve been here quite a while now, and in a couple of months, the plan was for me to go back to New York.”

“Just a year.” Wade nodded. “That is what you always said.”

“It is,” Zoe agreed, “but since then, things have changed so much. The more I think about going home, the more I realise that, well, New York really doesn’t feel like home anymore. Don’t get me wrong, Bluebell is a crazy place, but I think it might be my kind of crazy,” she said with a soft smile. “Besides, the Wilkes are here, and Lavon, and so many good people. Plus, there’s you, Wade Kinsella. You know, you’re a really big part of why I think I want to stay longer than just a year.”

Wade swallowed hard. “How much longer were you thinkin’ exactly?”

“Mostly as long as we wanted to be together,” Zoe admitted, looking just a little nervous somehow in the saying of it. “Which I figured might be quite a while, right?”

“Could be, doc,” Wade agreed, smiling down, reaching out then to pull her close in his arms and kiss the very breath out of her.

Chapter Text

"I feel bad that I haven't been around so much in the last couple of months, but things just got so crazy, I've barely had a minute to think. Wade says you'll forgive me, because that's just the kind of person you are. Even though I barely met you, I think he's probably right," said Zoe, smiling softly as her fingers ran over the writing on Harley Wilkes' gravestone.

"Anyway, lots of news to share!" she said then, moving back to sit down on the bench and really get into her tales from around Bluebell. "So, Wade and I are still together, which seems to surprise everybody. We've had our ups and downs already, don't get me wrong.

"I thought things were going to get bad when his brother, Jesse, showed up, but we handled it okay. That guy can be just about as charming as Wade when he puts his mind to it, but he doesn't seem to care as much about his brother or his father as he should. Earl was pretty upset to see his boys fighting, but they figured things out in the end. Jesse went off with his tail between his legs and Wade was able to make his father see that they were better off without him coming around too often.

"In better news, it wasn't too long after that when Earl came to me and asked if I could help him get clean and sober. Apparently, he's tried before and mostly failed, but the closest he ever came to making it was when you helped him. I really hope I can do as good a job as you did and that maybe this time he can stay on the wagon. I know it will mean so much to Wade if he can.

"Speaking of Wade, after he won the cocktail making contest, he also managed to get the $5,000 prize for the Bluebell Battle. Well, actually, we got the prize, but I let him take all the money. He's going to need it for this new bar he wants to open. Honestly, he is just so excited. Lavon found a property for him and we're all going to pitch in getting it fixed up. It's on the other side of town to the Rammer Jammer and it's going to be a little different in style, so I don't think there will be any problems. Wally doesn't seem to mind the competition too much, which I know makes Wade happy too.

"Oh, and on the day of the battle, poor Rose developed appendicitis, but thankfully, I spotted it early. It was scary for a little while, but she's doing just fine now. Then not long after that I had Annabeth into the office with all the symptoms of a woman in the first trimester of pregnancy. Obviously, I ran a test, and when I told her the good news, she just started crying all over the place, which was a shock, because everybody knows how much AB wants to be a mother. Turns out her no-good husband, Jake, had left her and run off with a waitress from Baton Rouge!

"Of course, Bluebell being Bluebell, everybody has rallied around to be supportive, and actually, just yesterday, AB was telling me how she's happy with the way things turned out. She always wanted a baby, but her relationship with Jake hasn't been in great shape for a while now. I don't think she really misses him and she is just so thrilled to know she has a little one on the way, I couldn't be happier for her.

"What else? Oh, well, Lavon and Lemon are really making things work between them, in spite of the 'scandal'. Even George seems to have gotten over the news of the affair and is moving on with his life. I actually think it's good for him to be out from under Lemon's thumb. He seems like a whole new George Tucker these past few weeks. He got a motorcycle, took a road trip down to New Orleans like he always wanted, all kinds of things. I'm just happy that he's happy. Honestly, I'm happy that they're all so happy.

"Well, I guess that's all my news, except to say again how great it is to meet all of your-, I mean, our family members. The Wilkes are amazing people, and I should know, since I officially am one these days," she concluded with a smile, even as tears filled her eyes. "I think my only regret is that I can't share all the happiness in my life with you in person, but I want to thank you, Harley... Dad," she said softly, swallowing hard. "I wouldn't be here in Bluebell if not for you. I wouldn't have found my calling as a GP, or made all these amazing friends that I love as much as family, and... and I wouldn't have fallen in love, with the most incredible man, who is just perfect for me. Believe me, I didn't realise he was when we first met, but now, I wouldn't ever want to be without him."

"Well, that works out pretty well, doc." Zoe tipped her head back to find Wade standing behind the bench. "'Cause I wouldn't want to be without you either, Zoe Wilkes."

She smiled at that, leaned up as Wade leaned down and gladly accepted his kiss. He moved around to join her on the bench then, picking up her hand in his own and squeezing.

"You doin' okay?" he asked her gently.

"More than okay," she assured him. "I was just catching him up on everything that's been going on around here lately," she explained, tilting her head towards Harley's gravestone. "I know it's a little strange..."

"It's really not," Wade told her with real understanding. "You want me to go, let you finish up?"

"No, I'm all done," Zoe promised, taking a deep, cleansing breath and smiling across at him. "And I'm not sad, not really. Actually, in so many ways, I don't think I've ever been happier."

"Yeah, me too." Wade smiled back at her, gently moving her hair back over her shoulder. "You know, my life got a whole lot better the day I picked you up off the side of the road."

"My life too," she confirmed without hesitation, leaning in to kiss his lips. "Come on, cowboy, let's go see how the contractors are getting along with your bar."

"I'm with you, Zoe Wilkes," he agreed, as they got up, and headed off to the site of 'Wade's Place', hand-in-hand and smiling widely.