Thank you for the reviews that I've received. I really appreciate those that take the time to do this... and I hope you like this next chapter. This one isn't so heavy.
Chapter Three
Zoe felt...altered. The idea of getting worked up over a crisis involving a love triangle or a wacky scheme seemed laughable to her now. She didn't realise how much she'd enjoyed the freedom and safety of Bluebell compared to New York. When she'd been in the city, she'd always been careful, always staying with a friend when she was out – that is if she found the time to leave the hospital and her surgical training. But here? Never given it a second thought. Even being kidnapped round here was practically laughable – the Truitt brothers seemed as dangerous as it could get, and they endangered people more out of stupidity than through intent.
She was glad she didn't remember. Although her mind kept creating images of what she thought had happened, what he had done to mark her the way he had... So she divided her time between feeling numb and feeling sad, sleeping, and organising her house. She didn't realise just how revealing some of her outfits were. Maybe she'd been targeted because of how she'd dressed. It was time for goodwill donations.
She gave herself two days inside the house. If she left it much longer than that, people would start to notice. She'd called in sick for work on Monday, worried she wouldn't be convincing enough, but she had to get outside. She'd cried herself silly and was out of tears. Even after she and Joel had broken up and she'd felt the lowest she'd thought she could go, she'd walked to the Rammer Jammer in her pyjamas. Besides that, she was out of ice cream and wine. A trip to the Dixie Stop was in order.
She checked herself out in the mirror, applying more powder to the shadows under her eyes. She didn't look too bad. Practicing her nonchalant smile, she gave a little pose. Hell, she nearly looked the same as she always did. Nobody will tell, she thought. Grabbing her new purse, she started to walk into town. Not long after, she ran into Wade.
"Morning, doc," he said, flashing her his cute easy smile, although it didn't reach his eyes. "Where you been all weekend?"
Zoe side-stepped him and continued walking, but he didn't get the hint. Rather, he ignored it.
"Not been feeling too well," she replied, keen to get away from him and sound as bright and breezy as possible, although truthfully she had been neither.
Wade frowned in confusion. "Well, I guess we both know why. I came over to talk to you the other night at the bar but you sure shot off in a hurry with that guy," he said sourly.
Zoe stopped, his casual accusation completely unfair, catching her off guard. She didn't realise Wade had paid that much attention. "Could say the same for you. Usually you have the decency to take a girl home instead of just screwing her in the office. But, no. Then you wouldn't have been able to humiliate me quite so completely in front of the whole town." Zoe couldn't believe it. The nerve he had! Wade was making her so angry – and she'd been in such an emotional stupor it felt really good to feel something that didn't keep her down, something that made her feel stronger. So she added "jerk".
Wade dropped his gaze, unable to deny it. "Look I'm sorry. I know it's true. I was drunk. She didn't mean anything, Zoe," he muttered. When Zoe didn't reply, he added "so how did your date go? He drive you home?" Fishing for confirmation of whether she'd slept with him or not.
Zoe began to walk again, but he easily kept stride. "I was drunk," she said mockingly. "She didn't mean anything. You know, I think I've heard that somewhere before."
Wade stopped. "Hell, no. I am not going back there again, alright, we are not even together anymore."
He creased as soon as he spoke. He was meant to be apologising, and he didn't want to hurt Zoe, but he'd been stewing over her behaviour all weekend. How could she have just gone off with that guy? She was supposed to be in love with him. Well, she seemed to be over it now.
Reaching the Dixie Stop, Zoe flung over her shoulder. "I know. It's what you wanted. Bye, Wade. Have fun with your skank."
The door shut in his face. He guess he'd deserved that. He really did feel like a complete jackass for how he'd treated Zoe the other night. She hadn't deserved for him to rub her face in it like that. What had possessed him? And whilst it had felt good at the time, the minute he'd seen her leaving with creepy he'd come crashing back down.
The bar was half-empty when he got there, and he was glad, didn't really feel like being Mr Sociable that day. There was a ton of overdue paperwork to get through, man it piled up since Lemon had left, and he'd picked up his third invoice when he realised Zoe hadn't replied when he'd asked her about her date. She hadn't said a thing. It wasn't like Zoe to not get him back when she could. She usually waxed lyrical about anything that would piss him off when she was this mad. Maybe her date hadn't gone well, or she'd gotten too drunk. Or maybe she was just that upset with him. Shit, he'd really screwed up this time. Abandoning the paperwork, he walked over to Wanda, who was wiping down tables.
"Wanda, can I speak with you for a moment?" he asked, already pulling her out of earshot of the patrons.
"Yes, Wade. What is it?" Wanda asked, enormous smile in place indicating her to be still thrilled about her new pregnancy.
"It's Zoe. I'm..." he was unsure how to start.
"A complete idiot for embarrassing her the other night, pushing her into the path of that sleazeball? Wade, I swear you are your own worst enemy," Wanda helpfully supplied. Wade scowled. He wished his employees were more respectful, at least whilst at work. Yeah, right.
"Yeah. Uh, what did you notice about him?" he asked. Wanda rolled her eyes.
"He was good-looking, charming, and very keen on Zoe," she said, smiling broadly. She loved getting under Wade's skin.
"Anything else, Wanda?" he asked roughly.
"I'd never seen him before, so I know he's not local. He bought her a lot of drinks. He paid in cash. She seemed to be having a good time. I was busy when they left, I just turned around and they'd gone. Why? Has something happened? Or have you decided to jerk that poor girl around some more?"
Wade denied it, shaking his head sharply. "No, just got a weird feeling. I'm sure I've seen him before, but every time I try to place him, it disappears" he said, hand on the back of his neck in a gesture of frustration.
Wanda looked at him sharply, making a mental note to accost Zoe the minute she saw her. "You think he's bad news?"
Wade turned away and started walking back to the office, avoiding conversations people were trying to draw him in to. "I don't know," he called back, shrugging his shoulders. Right – stop thinking about Zoe and start thinking about your livelihood, he told himself as he got back to work.
-HOD-
AB knew Zoe had called in sick, but she was hopeful that her friend was recovered enough to hang out that evening. So armed with a pot of chicken soup and some crusty rolls, she marched round to Zoe's door, and knocked sharply. And again. No answer. Zoe must be out. Dang it, she thought. Reheating never tastes the same. Should've called first.
Just as she had decided to leave the soup on the doorstep, the door opened and a very sleepy, sad looking Zoe appeared. "You okay, sweetie?" asked AB. "Brought you soup."
Zoe was thankful for her friend but wished she'd had more notice. Normally she was a neat freak, but today the house was in a state. The friends paused on the porch, before Zoe invited her in with a concealed grimace. AB walked in and was pretty shocked. Zoe's bed was unmade, with used tissues covering the duvet and patches of floor. What seemed like all of Zoe's clothes were strewn about the floor as well. And Zoe had a lot of clothes.
"What's all this," AB asked, concerned. "If you're sick why have you been organising?"
Zoe laughed it off, if the unnatural sound she made could be called a laugh. AB looked at her. "Okay Zoe Hart, tell me what's going on. You don't seem yourself," she ordered, ladling soup into a bowl before her friend could protest.
"I just thought it was time for a clear-out. You know, changing seasons, fashions..." she trailed off, as AB raised her eyebrows at her, and handed her the bowl. Zoe knew that her body was hungry. Apart from ice-cream she'd pretty much been leaving out all the major food groups. Still, it just didn't seem appetising. She sipped a small amount off her spoon to satisfy AB, feeling like the best way to distract her friend was to ask her about herself.
"Whilst you're ill? Really?"
"So how are you feeling now that you and Davis have split up?" she asked as nonchalantly as she could.
AB's eyes narrowed. "Is something going on here, Zoe? Are you really just sick? How did it go with that guy from the Rammer Jammer? You left so quickly, I was worried."
Zoe accidentally on purpose dropped her spoon, so she could spend a second hiding her face whilst retrieving it. She'd wondered what she should say, the best idea would be to downplay it much as possible. "He was nothing special," she said, faking a relieved smile. "I think it was definitely beer goggles though, because once we left and I started to sober up, he didn't really seem so great."
AB sat down, intrigued. "You seemed to like him well enough at the bar."
"That was for Wade's benefit. I had to try and make him jealous after the show he put on, didn't I?" Zoe asked, her voice becoming more natural.
"So why'd you leave?" AB asked, reminding Zoe of a dog with a bone, wishing she would quit her line of questioning.
"What can I say, the drink went to my head. Combination of empty stomach, long week at work, being a woman, and a petite one at that... And I'd had enough of the Kinsella X Show, if you know what I mean." Her friend grimaced. Agreeing with her, that was fair enough thought AB, mollified. Sensing a pause in the line of attack, Zoe seized the advantage and repeated her question about Davis.
AB gave a small smile. "To be honest, I feel relieved. I'm glad he proposed when he did because it made me stop and consider him properly. I'm still in love with Lavon, Zoe. I shouldn't have let things go as far as they did with Davis, he was always just a rebound for me, and you know what? I'm not even upset about him. My head is still filled with Lavon. Even though I know he never loved me enough to have children, you just know it's right with some people. I think he is my soul mate," she added. "And now, he is waiting for Lemon to return from her cruise, which means that beyond anything else there is no longer any possibility that he has got or ever will have any feelings for me. So if things stay the way they are I'll never end up happy with anyone else until I put myself out there and find a new man that will help me forget these feelings for Lavon." Her tone indicated her increasing unhappiness until even Zoe could tell there was a hook dangling in front of her, waiting to be caught.
"What are you thinking, AB," said Zoe suspiciously. She had a feeling she knew the tone this conversation was taking.
"Come out with me this weekend in Mobile," pleaded AB in full begging mode. "Please? I need to get over Lavon, you need to get over Wade, and we could both do with getting out of this sorry town for a night," she stated matter-of-factly. "We could stay over in Mobile so nobody has to drive. It's a proven fact it'll make you feel better. Come on, Zoe. Think of all the cute guys out there."
Zoe slurped a large spoonful of soup and stuffed some crusty bread into her mouth so she could play for time before replying. The thought of going on a night out seemed inconceivable. She had a brainwave.
"Actually, my mother called me earlier and there's this amazing film festival in New York this weekend, and I've decided to go and visit her," Zoe blurted.
AB frowned again. "Really? Does Brick know? Isn't it your weekend to be on call?"
Not playing your best game, Hart, Zoe thought as she pinched herself mentally for being so stupid. Why couldn't she have thought of something that she wouldn't immediately be called on? "I'll speak about it to him tomorrow. The festival's so good, I can't miss it. And I want to see my Mum," added Zoe, realising it was true. Her mother was safely removed from Bluebell, and couldn't over interfere with her life. Plus, she loved her unconditionally and Zoe knew she wouldn't judge her. Maybe she could actually talk to her about this.
"Oh," said AB, disappointed. "Maybe the weekend after, then." She stood up, and surveyed Zoe's living space. "What kind of system have you got with these clothes, Zoe? You know some of these are dry clean only," she said disapprovingly, noticing the crumpled designer labels. Zoe shot to her feet in alarm and came over to pull her clothes from AB's hands. "It's a little hard to explain. Leave them, please," she said sharply, before turning away and dumping the clothes on her bed. She paused for a moment, her nerves totally frazzled by the pretense, and said without turning around "I'm still feeling tired, AB. Thanks for the soup. Hopefully I'll be well enough for work tomorrow, but I want to get an early night."
AB was taken aback, and unwilling to leave whilst she hadn't quite got the full story. "Zoe, it's six o clock in the evening. It's still light out," she said. Despite the fact that Zoe's bedroom was an homage to Kleenex, her friend's nose wasn't running. Clearly something bad had happened. However, it was pretty clear that her friend didn't want to talk about whatever it was as no reply was forthcoming. She hoped that Zoe would sleep whatever the hell it was off that was causing her to act so strangely and be right as rain tomorrow. She decided to be the friend Zoe wanted, and let it go. This time. She'd keep an eye on the situation in future.
Zoe was hugely relieved after AB left, and took the remains of the soup outside to pour down the drain so the smell wouldn't permeate her house. She had every intention of reading a trusty romance novel, where the heroes were kind, sexy and honourable, before sleeping. Picturing her latest story, she heard a twig crack, sounding loud in the comparative quiet.
She shot her head up and looked around for the source of the noise. It was possibly only a wild animal, probably even Bert. Still though, her heart quickened as she stayed totally still, alert for any further noise. A second twig crunched, closer this time, and Zoe started to ease back. Normally she wouldn't have thought twice about marching over to see what was there, but now, things were different. What if she had told Sean – no, wait – Ian - where she lived? He could come back and find her again.
Turning round slowly to go back inside her house, she collided with a hard male chest. Instinctively, she screamed.
A/N: Mwahahaha. Just had to leave it there!
