In my story, no one came to the door the night that Wade and Zoe stayed together. Clashing the characters in the way the season ended is great for CW television, but it's just too cruel and ridiculously awkward for me. George did in fact call off the wedding in this story. But instead, it opens on the morning after.

Comfort Chapter 1

Dawn glimmered outside when Wade awakened and saw Zoe's face. Through his sleepy eyes, he almost couldn't believe she was lying beside him, on the next pillow, in the same bed, her bed. The way she invited him in—by blowing the fuse box—was fitting, he thought. He gazed at her face and remembered, just hours ago, the way she felt in his arms, the passion they both showed each other. He felt so lost in her; there was no way out but to stay close to her and see where this could lead. He didn't want to admit his love to her; that would scare her away, he thought. If he could help her get over George, he'd be OK with that. But if she also fell in love with him, well, it was almost more than Wade could hope for.

A few minutes later, Zoe stirred and then opened her eyes. She took a deep breath and sighed, "Good morning," a shy smile crossing her face.

"It is a good morning," Wade replied. He softly kissed her forehead and then her lips.

"I half thought you wouldn't be here when I woke up," she said, still smiling.

"Why?"

She moved closer to him and rested her head on his chest. "Well, . . . I wasn't sure. Old habits are hard to break sometimes."

Wade lifted her head and looked at her. "You mean my usual one-night-stand behavior?" He thought for a few seconds, recollecting his past lovers and how he treated them. "I suppose I've been guilty of that sometimes." He didn't want to admit too much to her. "I don't know. . . . I guess I wanted to see you wake up."

Zoe took another deep breath and sighed again, relieved. She didn't want to be another of his conquests. "And what did you see?"

Wade didn't hesitate. "Like the sunrise on my favorite fishin' spot."

Knowing how much he liked to fish, she took that as a compliment and giggled. "You can be quite charming when you want to be," Zoe said as he pulled her into a deep kiss.

"We can do anything you want today. Or we can spend it right here," Wade said as Zoe smiled at him. "No, wait. I have to work today, damn it."

"What time do you have to go in?" she asked, caressing his chest.

"Eight. It's almost six now," he replied, glancing at the clock.

"I'll come to the Rammer Jammer later. We'll figure it out."

"Hmm, are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Well, this is Bluebell, and the Rammer Jammer is a public place, and . . . I don't think I can keep my hands off you," Wade said as he nuzzled her neck.

Zoe moaned. "I'll take my chances." She stroked his thigh, and they continued what they started hours before.

Zoe didn't want to give Lavon any clue that Wade had spent the night with her, so after they washed and played in the shower together, Wade agreed to head to the main house for breakfast ahead of her. He opened the back door and saw Lavon lost in thought over the frying pan, which at the moment was empty. "Good mornin," Wade began with a wide smile.

"Is it? I'm really not sure."

"Why? What do you mean?" Wade said, grabbing a slice of toast on the counter and taking a bite.

"I just got a call from Brick. George called off the wedding. They didn't get married last night."

"What?" The toast almost stuck in Wade's throat.

"Brick said he told Lemon that he couldn't love her with half his heart. That he was in love with someone else."

Wade looked at the floor. He didn't need to say her name.

Lavon sighed. "I know you have feelings for Zoe. So I'm sorry to give you this news." He shook his head. "Man, this is terrible, for so many people."

Wade felt queasy and threw the rest of the toast in the garbage. "I thought I had a chance. Zoe and I talked about a few things in the barn yesterday. Thought we made a connection. Now . . . it'll just be a good memory." He closed his eyes and recalled the taste of her. "I've gotta go. I'm openin' the Rammer Jammer this morning." His head down, he opened the door and headed to town.

"Hey, Lavon," Zoe said, smiling, as she entered the kitchen a few minutes later.

"I guess I need to tell you the news."

"What's that?" she asked, pouring coffee.

"George didn't marry Lemon last night. He called off the wedding."

She almost lost her grip on the coffee mug. "What?"

"That was Wade's reaction, too."

"You told him? What did he say?"

"That he's lost his chance with you."

Her breath quickened. She felt lightheaded and scrambled for a stool to sit down. "I need to talk with him," she said, covering her face with her hands.

"Who?"

"Wade. I . . . we . . . Oh, geez. What do I do now?" Her eyes darted to Lavon, then the door. "I've gotta go," she called as she ran out.

As Zoe dashed down the driveway to town, George's truck blocked her path and came to a halt. He jumped out of the driver's side, a broad smile on his face. "Zoe," he called. "I'm so glad to see you."

"George, hi." Zoe smiled shyly at him. "I heard the news. I really can't find the words. It's such a shock."

"Yeah. It kinda took me by surprise, too. But my heart kept telling me to go to you. I had to fact the fact that I'm in love with you." George reached for her hand but didn't quite grasp it.

"Where is Lemon? How is she?" As Zoe talked, she could still feel Wade's hands on her body.

"She drove to her cousin's place in Mobile. She'll be there for a couple of weeks, I think, until things settle down." He caressed her arm and said, "Can we get together and talk, this evening maybe?"

"Uh, all right. I need to get to the office now." She had no need to be there, but she didn't want George knowing she had to see Wade.

"But it's Sunday. I can drive you if that's where you're headed." He moved toward the truck's passenger door.

"Sure. OK. Thanks."

From the office window, Zoe watched George leave town, then she walked to the Rammer Jammer. "Wade," she called as she approached.

He was outside, cleaning off the patio tables. He glanced at her, then continued his work. "I know why you're here."

"We need to talk."

"No we don't. I know what's comin' next."

Zoe closed her eyes in frustration. "Wade, at the barn we talked about acting like grownups. Can we do that now, please?"

"Fine, I'll listen. Then you have to listen to me."

Zoe sighed. "Look, I'm sorry, really sorry. But I need to see where this thing with George leads. Maybe it's just a crush, like you said." She looked around to see if anyone was listening.

"So you're just givin' me one night. One night." Wade turned his back and took a few steps, then walked toward her. "We realigned the planets last night, Zoe. When we made it to your bedroom last night, I was smilin' so much I couldn't even kiss you proper."

"Me, too." Her voice trembled. "I'll remember last night for a very long time, Wade. It was . . . more than I had ever imagined. Thank you for being there for me." Zoe searched for what to say next. "But George is right for me."

Wade scoffed. "Really, Zoe? You'll be bored in a month. You know . . . OK, I've screwed up a few times in my life, made some bad decisions, things I'm not proud of. But I'm tryin' to get better at it. Still thinkin' about that bar. Maybe I am a risky bet for anybody. But you think about this, Dr. Manhattan: Is George the right choice? Or is he the safe choice?"

Zoe closed her eyes again, trying to stop tears from forming. "I think it's a great idea to open your own bar, Wade. I admire you for it. But . . . I have to do this," she whispered.

He gazed down the street, trying not to show his hurt. "OK, like I said, I knew what you would say. But just so you know, I'm not gonna be your backup plan." He couldn't look at her any longer, sure that he had lost her. So he turned around and walked into the Rammer Jammer.

##

Zoe convinced George to drive to one of the restaurants along the highway between Bluebell and Mobile. Given how upset Wade was earlier in the day, she wasn't about to force him to look at George's car in front of her house throughout the evening. As she waited for George, she thought back to when she first arrived in Bluebell. George was the first person she had met, a kind stranger who seemed familiar to her in a place so foreign. She felt an ease with him that provided some solid ground. They could discuss films, food, New York—all the things that made her comfortable, at a time when she couldn't find her footing in a land of belles, hoop skirts, and pet alligators. Slowly, though, she realized that she had gained some confidence in her approach to her patients—and a fondness for some of the people and the town's quirky traditions. But when her dad last came to visit, she also realized she needed to stay in Bluebell and push herself to become "a better person." And when her dad said he was proud of her for striving for that goal, Zoe knew it was the right thing to do.

"This has been such a roller coaster for me, and for you, too, I guess," George said to Zoe as they shared an appetizer of tomatoes and mozzarella. "I never wanted to string you along, Zoe, or Lemon either. But Lemon was right. You turned on that New York switch in me and I haven't been the same since," he said as he reached for her hand.

She couldn't quite stop thinking of Lemon standing at the altar. "How is Lemon taking it?" Zoe asked.

"She's pretty angry. That's how I got this bruise on my cheek."

"Wow. She hit you?"

"Yeah. I went to her house to tell her my decision, before she got to the fire hall." George waved his hand. "Look, let's not talk about this now. I'm not proud of this, believe me."

Zoe nodded. "I understand." She, too, felt a bit uncomfortable, knowing that her happiness resulted in someone's pain. "We can take things slow." Her eyes dropped down as she suddenly felt Wade's lips on hers, and her breathe quickened.

"Sure. Tomorrow's Monday. Why don't I pick you up tomorrow after work and we could head to Mobile. There's a good jazz club there, and they serve dinner, too."

"Any chance of running into Lemon there?" Zoe asked.

"Nah, it may not be New York, but Mobile is a pretty big place. Besides, she doesn't like jazz."

##

"So what made you decide to stay in Bluebell?" George asked Zoe the following evening, after they ordered.

"Well, I realized that I had made some friends here, a connection with some people. And if I had left, I would have felt that I was letting them down, especially Rose and Anna Beth. Besides, I still remember the head of surgery in the hospital where I worked in New York: 'You need to see patients as people, not as problems to solve.' I still need to work on that."

"Well, despite what that surgeon said, I can see you're a caring person. Speaking of New York, did you ever attend the Tribeca Film Festival?"

"No, never had the time, really. Always too busy studying."

"It is the best. I was always hoping to run into DiNiro there. It was one of the reasons I attended, I have to admit. Maybe we can go together."

"Oh, well, that would be nice. It's tough for me to get away now, but that sounds like fun." Zoe glanced toward the kitchen. "What time does the band start?" she asked, a wave of anxiety suddenly washing over her. "I have some patients coming in early tomorrow."

At the end of the evening, George opened the truck door for Zoe and they both stepped on her porch. "I had a great time, as usual," George said, slipping his arms around her waist.

"No karaoke tonight, though," Zoe replied, smiling up at him.

"I think we're all the better off for it," he said, grinning. He placed his lips on hers, slipping his tongue carefully through her parted mouth. Zoe felt her jaw tighten but continued until, a few moments later, George broke away. He sighed. "That's what I remember most about New Orleans." He waited for her response, but Zoe was quiet. "Can I see you tomorrow?" he asked.

She brought her hands down from his neck. "Umm, maybe not tomorrow. How about Friday?"

"OK. We can go to my place. I'll make dinner. I'm a pretty good cook."

Zoe hesitated, certain where that would lead. But she said, "That's good, 'cause I'm not."

They both laughed together.

"OK, then. I'll pick you up at the office. See you then."

Zoe turned to the door but George darted in front of her and kissed her quickly.

His lights off, Wade kept watching Zoe's doorway until George left. He swallowed the beer in his mouth, but the taste turned bitter. He didn't want to be with anyone else right now; Zoe still filled all his senses. He'd give her a month, as he told her. He sighed. He knew George would stay at her place eventually. He just hoped it didn't unfold before his eyes.

That night, Zoe buried her face in the pillow next to her and breathed in Wade's unmistakable scent—a mix of Irish Spring soap and bay rum cologne. I have to change these sheets . . . maybe tomorrow, she thought. Yawning, she moved her head to her own pillow. It's the sex I miss, that's all, she continued. George and I have so much in common. That's still there. The spark will come. He's still a great guy. She shifted her thoughts back to New Orleans and the magical time they spent together, but her mind remained unsettled as she closed her eyes to sleep.

##

During the week, Wade tried to avoid Zoe at breakfast. He arrived around six, a full hour before she usually came in. He didn't have the will to offer her the usual teasing or banter. Lavon could tell that his friend was preoccupied with something, but Lavon let it go. He was tired of playing fix-it man to Zoe and Wade's relationship, or whatever it was. Besides, he had his own problems—trying to figure out if, and when, he should talk with Lemon.

Friday came, and George cooked an impressive meal—sautéed scallops, arugula salad with fresh tomatoes, and baby carrots with brown-sugar glaze. "You should open a restaurant, George," Zoe said as she finished her last bite of his homemade peach cobbler.

"Thanks. Most of these are my mom's recipes. I can't take credit," George said, "although I added my own touches. I used olive oil to sautée the scallops, instead of corn oil. Did you ever eat at the Tribeca Grill? Great menu. The Chilean sea bass is superb."

"No. I've had sea bass, but not there. On another subject, have you seen Anna Beth lately? I was wondering if she's started to look for a new apartment yet."

"Why is she doing that?"

"Oh, I guess you were so busy with everything that you didn't hear—she and her husband are getting a divorce."

"No, I didn't know. That's too bad." George shook his head.

"I'm going to call her tomorrow. I think she could use a friend, especially now."

"You know, I'm not interested in anyone else's problems right now." He paused. "Maybe that sounds heartless, but I want to stick to something positive." He grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "What we had in New Orleans was special, and I want to keep that going tonight." He brought Zoe's hand up to his lips and kissed it.

"Do you mean you're gonna sing for me tonight?" Zoe giggled, trying to keep the mood light.

"I want to do more than that." Rising from his chair, he stepped toward her, raised her chin, and kissed her sweetly.

Zoe had to find out. She raised her arms and circled his neck, kissing him back, tentatively at first, then with more feeling. George took her hand and led Zoe to his bed.

She agreed to stay the night. George was tender and thoughtful as a lover. But as he lay sleeping, his arm around her waist, something gnawed at Zoe's heart long into the dark hours.

##

Through his bedroom window, Wade kept watch, and by three o'clock he turned away, knowing she wasn't coming home.