I'm so excited to see how many of you have taken to this story already, and for the person who asked about if I'm sticking to this age, yes this story will stick to this time until we get to the end of the story that is. Thank you everyone for the interest in this one. Ok I felt I needed to have a little family time with Wade and Zoe, so I'm sorry there isn't much of Zade in this chapter. I hope you all like this one too. Enjoy!
"Did you have fun with Wade last night dear?" Harley asked a very tired Zoe. They sat at the Rammer Jammer having lunch on Harley's lunch break. The sun shining in through her window had Zoe up at an ungodly hour. She wanted to sleep the day away. It wasn't like she could sleep in anyways. It was routine to meet Harley at the Rammer Jammer for lunch when she didn't have school.
"It was fun and no nothing happened dad. We are only friends, nothing and I mean nothing is gonna happen between us." The words seemed hollow to her. Wade might have been that cookie thief 10 years ago but in the last 10 years at some point Wade had stolen her heart, she had fallen in love with Wade hard. Zoe was certain all of Bluebell, Fillmore and even Mobile saw it, just not Wade.
"One day Zoe I know it. I can see the way that boy looks at you. Every time he has something important to say you're the first one he tells. Things will change between the two of you for the better. Just you wait and see dear." Zoe smiled at her father, the slightest bit of hope rising in her heart. It would only change if Wade felt the same way about her. A girl can dream right?
"Thanks dad." Zoe replied digging into her half eaten burger and fries.
"How I almost forgot to mention this I don't know but I will be out tonight. I wont be back until tomorrow afternoon. I figured you could have Annabeth and Lemon over for a sleepover tonight."
"Why? Where you going and with who?" Zoe asked a bit confused mixed in with her curiosity. Her dad barely ever went anywhere. He said he had everything he ever needed, so he never went out on a date. Zoe felt bad that he never dated because he had her. Surely there was someone in town he fancied. There had to be. Zoe would make it her mission.
"Brick and a few of the guys are gonna go on a hunting trip to the hunting cabin and they invited me along. I took them up on their offer." He explained. Zoe nodded, she was looking forward to a sleep over with her girls. She could see it now, sappy romantic movies, mani's and pedi's, complete make overs and gossip about guys. It would be the prefect night to catch up with the two of them.
"Sounds good dad. Have fun tonight then. I love you but I gotta run and find Lemon and AB." Zoe leaned over kissing her father's cheek going to dash out of the Rammer Jammer.
"I love you too and remember no boys or parties Zoe." Harley called after her.
"I know dad." It's not like she ever broke the rules. They were put in place for a reason. Except for the time Harley had went to Mobile for a meeting and a huge nasty storm reared its ugly head. Zoe hated the thunder and with her dad being stuck miles away from her, she called Wade. But in her defense it was an emergency. Harley had let it slide just that once. Zoe smiled to herself as the memory played in her head as she walked through the town square. She felt complete wrapped in his arms that night. Like nothing could ever hurt her again.
"Hey Z." She heard being called pulling her mind back to the present.
"Hey Lavon." Zoe waved making her way to Lemon's house. Zoe was greeted by Mrs. Breeland. "Hello Mrs. Breeland, is Lemon home?" Zoe asked politely. She was raised with manners treating her elders with respect.
"Zoe please call me Alice. Lemon is up in her room with Annabeth."
"Thank you Mrs. Breeland." Zoe headed upstairs going straight to Lemon's room. Alice shook her head a smile playing on her lips. It didn't matter how many times she told Zoe to call her Alice it was always Mrs. Breeland. Zoe knocked on the door opening it walking in take a spot on Lemon's bed by AB.
"Zoe what a surprise. I wasn't expecting you." Lemon spoke up looking at Zoe as she rummaged through her closet.
"Hey Zoe, what's going on?" AB asked smiling at her.
"My dad's going to the hunting cabin tonight with Brick and I was told to have the two of you over for a sleep over tonight." Zoe explained looking at them with hopeful eyes.
"That would be fun Zoe. We have nothing else to do tonight. I'll let my mom know." Lemon told her hurrying outta the room.
"I just need to go call my mom and see if it's ok." AB went downstairs leaving Zoe all alone in Lemon's room. Zoe got off the bed walking over to the desk filled with pictures of all them through out the years. Zoe picked a picture up where Wade, George and Lavon stood in the back with Lemon, Zoe and AB laughing at something the guys had said. Zoe hadn't noticed until know how Wade's eyes lingered on her.
"Let me pack a bag and we can stop at AB's so she can pack a bag and then we can head to your house and see what we need to stock up on for the sleep over." Lemon stated walking around her room getting what clothes, magazines and make-up supplies were needed. Satisfied with everything she had packed the three of them headed off for AB's house. The girls made small talk on the way over on the movies they wanted to watch, what kind of ice cream they wanted to pig out on and what they would get on their pizza. It took AB just a few minutes to pack what she needed before the girls were once again on their way to Zoe's house to drop Lemon's and AB's things off before heading over to the Dixie stop for what they would need for the night.
With Wade he sat around his table with Jesse, and his parents. They were having chicken sandwiches for lunch. Wade could feel the tension between his parents. He wondered what he had missed well he was sleeping the day away. He had actually tried to say something a few times only to remain quiet taking a bite of his food.
"Do you really have to go Earl?" Wade kept his head down. He knew better than to get involved well his parents were having a spat.
"It's only one night this month. I don't see what's wrong with it." Earl defend himself. Wade hearing enough got up taking his plate of food and his drink outside to sit on the patio. He hated when his parents would fight. Wade looked up when the screen door banged shut seeing Jesse sit down with him.
"What are they fighting about now?" Wade asked with a soft sigh hearing his parents voice's drift out of the house.
"Dad's going on a hunting trip tonight and like last time he didn't talk to mom about it. She had plans of them spending the night together just them two in Mobile." Jesse explained. Wade huffed hearing that. He would've loved to have both his parents gone for the night, it meant he didn't need to be home when Jesse threw a party he wasn't invited to.
"It's not that hard to talk things over with mom. But he fails all the time. I'll tell you now Jess I wont be like that when I get married." Wade stated finishing his lunch.
"What's that Wade? You gonna share every insight with Zoe? There's gonna be times you'll have to do something before getting your Zoe's permission. The fights are what brings you closer Wade." Jesse stated in a matter of fact way, teasing Wade about Zoe as well. He wasn't stupid he saw the way Wade looked at Zoe and he caught the way Zoe would look at his little brother. It made him sick to his stomach.
"I'm not gonna marry Zoe!" Wade exclaimed defending himself. Zoe was his best friend, it was tricky to move from best friend to an exclusive relationship. Just because he had feelings for Zoe strong feelings at that didn't mean he was gonna marry her when they grew up. A lot could happen between now and the future. "Doesn't mean you gotta fight over stupid things." Wade told his brother taking his dishes back into the house hearing the butt end of the argument.
"Fine Earl, you go spend the night with your hunting buddies, I'm going to Mobile for the night." Wade sighed watching his mom storm out of the house her suitcase behind her.
"Aren't you gonna stop her? Go after her?" Wade huffed getting angry that his dad just let his mom walk out of the house leaving for the night.
"There's nothing I can do Wade. It is what it is. Jesse is in charge tonight." Earl stated walking upstairs. Wade stormed out of the house walking the few miles to town. Dammit Zoe! He cussed under his breath. He still had to put a few more hours in at the shop to get his car back.
"Hey Wade, got anything planned for tonight?" George asked walking up to him. He was thinking about spending a few hours with Zoe, but he couldn't keep blowing his friends off for Zoe.
"Nothing why? What's up?" Wade asked slapping George on the back.
"Lavon had mentioned something about going out for a late night fishing trip, figured you'd like to come along."
"Sounds like a good time ahead of us." Wade smirked as they headed off to find Lavon to get everything they would need for the night. "I'll head on over to the Dixie stop for some food." Wade spoke up seeing Zoe walk in.
"Hurry up about it to Wade." George told him with a snort. Wade ignored the comment. It wasn't his fault he always got stopped because people liked him especially the ladies. He loved it when Zoe was there to see all the attention he got. He loved seeing Zoe mad because of it. She was just so sexy when her nostrils would flare and she would deny that she was mad or even jealous because of it.
"Hey Zoe." Wade greeted walking up to her grabbing a few bags of chips.
"Hey Wade." Zoe replied eying Wade up.
"Oh I'm gonna spend the night out on the lake fishing with Lavon and George." Wade told her knowing she wasn't going to ask why he had got some bags of chips for.
"Sounds fun I think. Harley's gone for the night, hunting trip so I invited AB and Lemon over for a sleep over." Zoe told him not caring that Wade didn't even ask. Wade smirked knowing exactly how his night would go. He knew Zoe would say no so he wasn't even gonna say anything to her. He'd run it past the guys and see what they would say and go from there.
"Sounds blah Zoe. I can't keep the guys waiting but I'll see Monday at school if not sooner." Wade told her rushing around the store getting everything he needed. Zoe was able to get in a see ya later Wade before he dashed out of the Dixie stop. Wade rushed to the lake dropping his bags by the boat. Lavon and George looked at him funny. Wade took a minute to catch his breath.
"Wade it's like you saw a ghost or something." George spoke up going back to getting the fishing tackle and fishing poles in the boat.
"Yea what's going on Wade?" Lavon asked getting the food in the cooler with the ice.
"Harley's left for the night and wont be home until tomorrow sometime. Zoe's alone with Lemon and Annabeth." Wade explained gulping a breath in.
"Wade we are a bit to old to go around spying on them." George scolded him.
"I know that Tucker. But what about joining them and having a little mini party of our own?" Wade asked standing there his breathing returning to normal.
"Yea but she can't have a party or boys at her house Wade. Everyone knows that. Zoe wont go for it. You know how she is with rules, especially rules from her father." Lavon explained.
"Let me handle Zoe ok?" Wade asked looking at both of them. Lavon threw his hands up feeling defeated by it all.
"Can we at least go fishing for a few hours?" George asked. Wade nodded as they got the boat out on the water. Wade sat in his spot plotting on what he would say to Zoe to make her agree to it.