This was a writing challenge that I came round to. These two make the best friends in the show but lets see what that would look like as a romance.
I do not own Hart of Dixie or any of the characters.
Zoe put on her forced smile as she looked up at Lavon from the kitchen stool and sniffed back hidden tears before they got their chance to fall.
"Zoe, he likes you. He really likes you." Lavon said drawing out every word to drive it home. Wade was a good friend of his and he wanted his two good friends to have a the relationship they'd both been working for. Plus he was getting headaches from all the arguments they'd been having in his kitchen.
Straightening her dress so she wouldn't have to meet Lavon's eyes when she said what she had to.
"Wade," Zoe took a deep breath. "Cheated on me." She tried to throw it off as someone cutting her off in a queue but she heard her voice shake. Her emotions just had to get involved and make her look weak.
Lavon sputtered and slammed his drink down on the side unintentionally hard. "What do you mean?" He didn't keep up with the hundreds of topics covered by Zoe everyday but that one hit his head with a sledgehammer.
Zoe huffed and slumped down into a chair. "He slept with someone else Lavon." Even a blind man could see the sadness radiating off her.
"Come here," he wrapped his arms around her shoulders till she all but disappeared. He held her firmly, pushing back his anger at Wade and frowning as he leant on the top of her head. A slam of the kitchen door signalled that Wade was up. A few words skipped through Lavon's head as he clicked to what game Wade would play now, indifferent jackass.
Tensing in Lavon's arms Zoe hoped Wade just hadn't seen her and that she could stay hidden but Lavon reluctantly released her. Staying behind Lavon's back she heard Wade pouring cereal and went to tiptoe toward the door, a few steps to freedom.
Before she was off the stool Lavon's big hand wrapped around hers, he didn't pull her back but it was clear he was telling her that she should stay.
"Do you mind taking that back out to your place Wade? Me and Zoe have some stuff to talk about," Lavon's voice reverberated under his shirt. He was protecting her from dealing with this and Zoe couldn't be more grateful. She'd screwed up so many times but Lavon was still there for her one hundred percent.
Wade kicked the cupboard shut with his heel, 'Yeah, whatever Lavon,' Wade said as he stuffed breakfast in his mouth and he shoved the door open. His nonchalance hurt like pinpricks breaking out all over Zoe's skin. A couple of the tears did escape then and trickled down her cheeks. This was the Wade she'd met when she moved to Bluebell, indifferent and closed off. Lavon peered down at the devastated face of his best friend.
A sharp rap at the door broke them both out of their trance. Lavon had been watching the tears progress, mulling over what to do to Wade's head. Clearing his throat he went to the door and Zoe wiped away the tell tale trails. Pausing till she looked surer of herself Lavon pulled back the door.
"Lavon," Lemon stood awkwardly outside the door holding a basket, dressed all in yellow.
'Well this can't be good,' Lavon muttered stepping back to allow her in. Breezing by she paused when she spotted Zoe.
'Oh did I interrupt something,' no one was having breakfast and Zoe was standing suspiciously in the middle of the foyer.
'No,' Lavon raised his eyebrows at Zoe unable to think of any other cover. 'We were just talking about tonight's firework display.'
'I rather hoped you would join me Lavon. We need to discuss your next campaign. But if you two are going together.' Lemon bristled at being stepped over again for Zoe Hart, insufferable girl.
"No Lemon, it's not like that," Zoe decided it was time to grab her handbag and be on her way to work. No need to complicate whatever Lemon was here to deliver, she obviously didn't want to discuss politics, and Zoe couldn't believe she was still trying to get Lavon back. Lemon had made more than sure that Lavon's heart was smushed in the George tap dance she'd performed. But Lavon's business wasn't hers.
'Actually, we are going together,' Lavon said stepping in Zoe's way before she could leave and pressing a ticket into her hand. His eyes said please and his mouth said quickly, before Lemon did something crazy.
'Oh, in that case you won't want these muffins,' Lemon snapped the lid back down on her basket and rolled her eyes. Her curls bounced angrily as she stormed out but Zoe saw the time and winced, she didn't have time to carry on this conversation so she slipped out too in Lemons wake.
It had been a slow day of run of the mill injuries, nothing serious. Brick was in a pleasant mood, which was in honesty unnerving Zoe enough to have her spying on him, that was until Wade stumbled through the door being half carried half dragged by Tom.
'Oh my gosh,' Zoe clenched her grip on her clipboard and breathed out all her feelings. Got to get into doctor mode, she thought. Wade was obviously inebriated.
'Tom, what happened?' she opened the door to her office and helped Tom get Wade onto the bed.
'I think him and Meatball were playing Chicken or some version of bowling I've never tried.' He rubbed the back of his neck. 'I don't drive though…'
'What form of bowling involves a car?' Zoe snapped as she inspected the head wound Wade had acquired. He was unresponsive under her inquiring fingers, probably a heavy concussed. Idiot, she pressed her heart down that worried about him.
An hour later with help from Brick; Wade was being observed, against his protests.
'I'm really sorry Brick, but I've got to go,' Zoe pushed the last bit of paperwork into Wade's file and shrugged off her white coat. Wade's eyes pierced into her now, completely aware that she was choosing to leave when before she'd have stuck to him. He wasn't offering any explanations or apologies and Zoe wasn't interested. At least that's what she was telling herself.
Brick settled into an armchair with his book, Single Fathers of Independent Daughters. Zoe stifled the ill-timed laugh that crept up her throat. The author would have had to meet Lemon to have any hope of understanding her head.
'Zoe!' Lavon's voice called along the corridor as he headed towards her office.
'Coming,' Zoe took the tie out of her hair and looped her bag onto her shoulder. This day was just getting way too busy for her liking but finishing work meant getting away from Wade's intense glares so she was all up for that.
Lavon caught sight of Wade as soon as he entered the room and his face darkened over. Friend or no he'd really hurt Zoe and Lavon couldn't fathom why. Coming back to face Zoe he made a decision. 'I wondered if you wanted to get dinner before the fireworks,' he said ignoring Wade's presence.
Zoe's mouth opened and closed for a few seconds, was Lavon asking her out on a date? Dinner and fireworks sounded date-like. Lavon didn't mean to ask here, but Wade had really screwed up and he should see what he'd lost. Dinner between him and Zoe happened most nights, it wasn't exactly a special occasion. Wade didn't see it that way though and he saw Wade's whole composure go rigid.
'I need to go back and change,' Zoe said glancing down at her day clothes. If this was a date (which was crazy,) then Lavon had seen just about everything she owned. What's a girl supposed to do when their best friend asks them out on a date to make your ex jealous?
'You look great,' Lavon said catching her gaze and reassuring her, he meant it. There was no one like Zoe Hart in Bluebell. Was it his imagination or did she blush, that felt different.
An hour later he looked up from his second coffee and gulped as Zoe clicked the door shut behind her. She looked much more relaxed than Lavon felt, she'd left her hair natural and a cotton dress sat breathtakingly comfortable on her tiny frame. Lavon's breath caught as he met her bright eyes and small quirking smile. Their friendship wasn't one based on posturing and false impressions; he had seen her in every state and everything about her in that moment trusted him with her heart.
Bracing himself he stood and smoothed his shirt.
'Still great?' she asked stepping a few feet closer nervously. This was incredibly bizarre, to feel so breathless interacting with Lavon.
Lavon nodded a few more times than necessary, 'f-fireworks.' It was normal to stutter in conversation he told himself. Zoe smiled and turned to the door as Lavon followed, they fell into step. Was this to make Wade jealous? Zoe wasn't sure but it felt warm.
The sun was setting as they walked through town. They chatted about likely candidates for medical attention that night. The Harker twins were definitely high contenders. Speaking of which, rushes of red hair flashed past as they made it to the waiting crowd. Lavon gently laid a hand on Zoe's back to stop her tipping off her heels.