I had hoped to update before now but - silly real life, being all busy! Can't complain though. :) I'm still working to get to all of your reviews from last chapter, but you continue to just blow my mind with all your reviews and love for this story. Thank you so so much.

There's a bit of fluff to this update - figured after 2 tense updates, fluff was necessary. But it's not ALL fluff... :) This chapter is inspired by Jake Owen's "Places To Run." If you listen to it (it's on his debut album from about 5 years ago) it *might* give you some loose hints on where things are going...

THINGS I OWN: Pretty new makeup. I'm dangerous in Ulta/Sephora. THINGS I DON'T OWN: Hart of Dixie

"Zoe! You're a girl!" Lavon stated as Zoe breezed into the kitchen. She pointed at Lavon as she dropped a bag of groceries on the counter.

"And you are a genius!" she exclaimed. Wade, who was sitting on a bar stool playing a video game chuckled.

"Hey, Zoe," he said, sparing her a quick glance that lost him a position in the race he was currently involved in.

"Hey," Zoe answered, a smile threatening her lips. She went to work unpacking her bag.

"Lavon Hayes needs help," Lavon said, ignoring her sarcastic comment. "What do you get a girl for Christmas?"

"A girl?" Zoe asked. "You get a girl Barbies. Dress up clothes. Maybe some of that makeup for kids, you know, the stuff that's non-toxic and comes off with water?" Lavon frowned.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"You asked what you get a girl for Christmas. I'm telling you."

"That's what you get a child for Christmas. What's Didi gonna do with Barbie doll?"

"Oh, you mean what do you get a woman for Christmas," Zoe said, giving him a pointed look. Wade grinned, listening in.

Lavon had been listing off potential gift ideas for Wade's approval, each one worse than the next, until Zoe had walked in. Wade didn't know all that much about women, but he did know that a portable heater or a gym membership were bad ideas, regardless of how often the woman in question mentioned being chilly at work or wanting to get back in shape. Besides, even though Christmas was still just under three weeks away, he'd already picked up her gift and he was pretty damn proud of it. As far as he was concerned, the rest of his Christmas shopping was smooth sailing.

"Just help me, Big Z," Lavon said. Zoe shook her head, amusement written across her face.

"You really are desperate," she stated.

"Yes. I'm desperate. What do I do?"

"Well," Zoe started, taking a batch of fresh spinach to the sink to rinse it, "you've been together what, 3 months?"

"Something like that," Lavon confirmed, hanging on to Zoe's every word.

"Jewelry is out," she continued. "You haven't been with her long enough to give her some heart-shaped necklace or whatever."

"No jewelry?" Lavon asked. "Are you sure? I thought women like jewelry."

"Do you want my help or not?" Zoe asked. She pulled out the cutting board and the biggest knife Lavon owned.

"Whoa, what are you doin'?" Wade asked, catching a glimpse of the knife.

"Making a salad," Zoe answered him.

"This is my time with Zoe," Lavon told him, pointing his finger at him. "You go on and pay attention to your video game. You can have your Zoe time later."

"Zoe time?" Zoe asked. Wade shook his head and turned back to his video game.

"Back to the issue at hand," Lavon said, turning back to Zoe. "Didi. Christmas present. Go."

"What does she like?" Zoe asked. "Does she have a favorite book or a favorite movie? A hobby, maybe?"

"Well, she likes to make things – crafts and stuff. And she really likes Gone With The Wind."

"Okay. Start there," Zoe told him. "Think about it. If you still need help in a couple of days, find me for more 'Zoe time.'" She started chopping her spinach.

"I'm holding you to it," Lavon said. He picked up his car keys from the counter. "Now, I've got a town hall meeting to preside over. You two behave yourselves while I'm gone." He gave Wade a pointed look before exiting the kitchen. Wade finished his race, cursing under his breath when he finished in third by less than a car length. He'd have won if he hadn't been distracted by Zoe.

"So," he said, putting his controller down and turning on the stool so he was facing Zoe. "How was your day?" Zoe glanced at him as she started cutting strawberries in half.

"Surprisingly busy," she answered. "I'm going to be a respected part of this community yet." She glanced at him again. "How was yours?"

"Not bad," he told her. "Opened the Rammer Jammer, had this beautiful woman stop in for lunch, came home, played some NASCAR Unleashed and now, I'm talkin' to you."

"Beautiful woman at lunch?" Zoe asked. "Do I know her?" Wade grinned and slid off the stool.

"You might," he said, making his way to her. "She's from New York. Looks an awful lot like you, actually. Sounds a lot like you too, come to think of it."

"You know, I think I do know her," Zoe said. She put down her knife and turned so she was facing Wade. "You convinced her to try a Reuben which was surprisingly good despite the whole sauerkraut thing."

"Yeah," Wade nodded, just inches from Zoe now. "That sounds like her." For a moment, Zoe thought he might kiss her. But to her dismay, he just leaned on the counter, leaving her with no choice but to go back to making her salad.

It had been nearly two weeks since he'd told her he was going to ask her on a date and he still hadn't done it. Zoe tried not to obsess about it. She tried not to be that girl and spend her time wondering why, exactly, he hadn't asked her yet. They still spent a lot of time together, her stopping by the Rammer Jammer, him coming over just to say hi. The night before, they'd taken over Lavon's couch while he was out with Didi and forced each other to watch a movie of their choice, Wade picking an action-packed thriller that Zoe had proclaimed had no storyline while she'd made him watch one of her favorite chick flicks. She had decided that if he didn't ask her out by New Year's Day, she'd take things into her own hands.

"Should we be at this town hall meeting of Lavon's?" she asked. "Isn't that kind of like church around here? Everyone goes more or less because they're supposed to?" Wade shook his head and plucked a strawberry out of the bowl before lifting himself onto the counter.

"It's just a bunch of Junior League ladies hagglin' Lavon for fundin' for one project or another," Wade said. "He'll come back here and rant and rave about how ridiculous they all are and then tomorrow he'll go hole up in his office and figure out a way to give 'em all what they wants. He'll never have to worry about not getting' re-elected so long as he keeps doin' that."

"I will never understand small town politics," Zoe commented. Things were nowhere near as cut and dry in New York as they seemed to be in the Bluebell political world. Wade picked up a bottle of salad dressing from the bag of groceries she'd brought home.

"Light Raspberry Vinaigrette," he read. "Is this even real dressin'?"

"It's good," Zoe told him. Wade shook his head and looked closer at what she'd come home with.

"Goat cheese?" he asked, taking a container out of the bag. "Dried cranberries? Slivered almonds? I thought you was makin' a salad, Zoe."

"I am," Zoe said. He looked at her to see if she was serious. She was.

"With this stuff?" he asked, tilting his head towards it for clarification. Zoe nodded.

"I used to go to this great little place by my loft in Soho that had salads like this. I've been craving one and since it involves zero cooking, I figured I could make it." Wade watched as she dumped first the strawberries then a pack of blueberries over the spinach she'd chopped. "There's going to be plenty so you and Lavon eat as much as you want." She opened and drained a small can of mandarin oranges and dumped them into the mix.

"I'll pass," Wade told her. "I think Lavon probably will too. We've got a whole fridge full of frozen pizzas, corn dogs and microwaveable French fries. Ain't no reason for either of us to try any of that. Fruit ain't supposed to mix with spinach leaves. Or goat cheese."

"All you eat is processed crap," Zoe countered. "Lavon too. If it's not processed, it's rolled in batter and dropped in a deep fryer. Both of you are going to die of high cholesterol and heart disease."

"Least we'll go out eatin' what we want," Wade argued. "A pizza has got to be better than this." He nodded at her salad bowl just in time to see her add in the goat cheese.

"At least I'll outlive you both and get to say 'told you so' at your funerals," Zoe shot back.

"That ain't fair. Everyone knows the woman outlives the man."

"That's because women are smarter. And eat healthier."

"Yeah, they die smart and starvin,'" Wade countered. Zoe laughed softly as she added the dried cranberries and almonds. She liked bantering with Wade. He generally had an answer for everything. Seeing as she did too, it kept their bantering lively.

Wade went for the freezer, having decided that a couple of corn dogs and microwaved fries didn't actually sound that bad. Zoe added some of her salad into a bowl and tossed it with the vinaigrette while Wade microwaved his frozen meal.

"Try this," Zoe said, holding out a forkful of her salad to him. "I guarantee you'll like it and change your mind about corn dogs." Wade looked at the forkful of spinach, goat cheese, blueberries and one single strawberry. A drop of raspberry vinaigrette dripped from it and fell back into the bowl. He shook his head.

"If I eat that, I'll officially be cashin' in my man card," he informed her.

"Your man card?" Zoe repeated.

"Yeah. The card that allows me to be a man and not eat prissy goat cheese salads."

"Between 'man cards' and 'Zoe time,' I have got to find a girl to hang out with in this town," Zoe stated. She put the forkful of salad in her mouth to punctuate her point.

"But there are things you can do with me that you can't do with a girl," Wade said with a hint of a grin. "Or I reckon you could…"

"Wade!" Wade laughed. Now that she knew he liked her, he'd been careful not to make as many innuendo-filled comments but sometimes he just couldn't help himself. Zoe usually took it good-naturedly, however, and either rolled her eyes or delivered one of her own witty comebacks.

The pair took their meals to the couch and Zoe turned on the TV, settling on a syndicated episode of a sitcom she'd seen a dozen times. She played with her salad, moving the leaves around and picking out fruit. She had something to ask Wade and for some reason, she was a little nervous.

"Not as good as you thought it'd be, huh?" Wade asked.

"What?" Zoe asked, being brought out of her thoughts by his voice. He nodded at her salad as he took a big bite of corn dog.

"Your salad. Not quite as tasty as you lead me to believe," he said through a mouthful of food.

"Oh, no. It's fine. Good, actually. Not quite the one from back home, but close enough." Wade raised an eyebrow.

"Then what is it?" he asked.

"Well, um, I was wondering… What are you doing on the Friday before Christmas?" Zoe asked. Wade, not sure where she was going with her question, shrugged.

"The only thing I could be doin' is workin' I guess," he answered. "Why?"

"Well, I um, need a ride to the airport and I was hoping maybe you'd take me? It's just that my mom, she wants me home for Christmas which is her holiday. We used to celebrate Hanukkah too since my dad is Jewish but then I found out he's not my dad and I've got to figure out what exactly that means for me and Hanukkah now so yeah, I need a ride to the airport and I was hoping that maybe you could take me."

Zoe took a deep breath and tried not to look too hopeful – or embarrassed about her rambling. She was more than a little excited about spending a few days in New York but didn't want to offend the Bluebellians she'd become so fond of with her excitement over getting out of the small town and in to the big city, even if it were only for a few days.

"I can do that," Wade confirmed, grinning at her nervous ramble. "When are you comin' back?"

"Late on New Year's Day. You know, New Year's Eve in Time Square, all that stuff." Wade nodded.

"Guess that beats Bluebell's dance at the community center," he commented. "Need me to pick you up from the airport?" Zoe smiled at him.

"If you don't mind," she said. "But if you do have to work or something comes up either time, I can ask Lavon," she added quickly, wanting to give him an out. "It's not a big deal. You don't have to. I just thought that because… Well, I just thought you might want to see me off and I thought…"

"I'll be there," Wade said, cutting her off before she could get too far into telling him over and over he didn't have to take her. Zoe smiled and nodded.

"Okay," she agreed. They settled into silence, both of them thinking. Zoe was pondering just how much she could accomplish while she was in New York during her short time there. Wade was thinking about Zoe, when and how to ask her out, and cursing the fact that she was so damn attached to New York.

When it came to Zoe, that was his biggest fear – New York. It was too late for him to avoid falling for her. It had been too late from almost the moment she set foot in Bluebell. But now that he had, and especially now that she knew, he wasn't sure how he'd handle losing her when her year in Bluebell was up. There was always the chance she'd choose to stay, whether because she wanted to or because she didn't get whatever fellowship she was after. But if he were a betting man, he'd place his money on her heading back north. He didn't think his heart could handle that.

That was part of the reason he still hadn't asked Zoe out on their date. He had every intention of doing so, and as soon as he figured out where he wanted to take her and mustered up the courage to ask her, he would. But he knew that once they went out on an actual date, assuming things went well, he'd be a complete goner. He hadn't put his heart on the line like this in a very long time and the more he thought about it, the more it scared him. He knew she was worth it, but words like 'relationship' and 'commitment' had been sworn out of his vocabulary a long time ago. His phone rang, stopping his thoughts before they went too far off track.

"Hey, yo," he answered when he saw it was George.

"How opposed would you be to extending our trip to Mobile by a couple of hours tomorrow?" George asked.

"To do what?"

"Get the town Christmas tree. When Lemon found out I was heading up there, she volunteered me to pick it up. I tried to tell her I was on business but then your name came up and she figured I had help and that was that."

"Not like there's a choice then, really," Wade answered. George chuckled. When Lemon decided something, there wasn't much that changed her mind. "Looks like you're drivin.'" They confirmed their arrangements to leave from the Rammer Jammer after breakfast in the morning before hanging up.

"Road trip?" Zoe asked, trying to hide her curiosity.

"Just goin' up to Mobile with George. Lemon's making us pick up the Christmas tree for the town square on our way back," he told her.

"With George? I didn't realize the two of you were friends. First you're investigating suspicious vets, then you're picking up Christmas trees. "

"Friends is a strong word," Wade told her. "This is more of a – legal – trip."

"Legal?"

"Just stuff with my sister and my dad, nothing major. With him bein' like he is and her bein' in Mobile, things get complicated sometimes. Just makin' a few things official. We'll sign some papers and be on our way to the Christmas tree farm in no time." At least Wade hoped that was how things worked.

"You mentioned spending Christmas with them," Zoe remembered. "Is that still your plan?" She knew Lavon was going to visit his parents and taking Didi with him. The thought of Wade spending Christmas alone – or even with his father – pulled at her heartstrings.

"Yeah, I get to go spend Christmas with 'em," he said, not sounding nearly as excited as most people would. "I've been told I'm spendin' the night Christmas Eve so I can be there for the kids and Santa and all that."

"Those kids to seem rather fond of their Uncle Wade," Zoe said, recalling how both his niece and nephew had been hanging on to his every word and in some instances, literally hanging on to him, during their time in Bluebell on Halloween.

"They're pretty great kids," Wade admitted with a grin. He was rather fond of them, even if he didn't see them as much as he reckoned his probably should. His eyes fell on the Xbox. "Wanna race me?" he asked Zoe, nodding at the controllers. Zoe returned his grin.

"You're on, cowboy."

"Well that didn't go as planned," George commented. Wade glanced at him.

"Never does," he answered. George shook his head, his frustration with the situation still gnawing at him.

"We're getting it figured out," he told Wade. "Slowly and not ideally, but surely, nonetheless."

"It is what it is," Wade said with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulder. George pursed his lips but didn't reply. He knew Wade liked to pretend this didn't bother him, but having known Wade his whole life and been his best friend for a lot of it, he also knew it was an act. This was eating Wade up inside and it would take nothing shy of a miracle to get him to admit it. But George being George, he couldn't help but try. He glanced in his review mirror to make sure the Christmas tree they'd picked up was still secured.

"So you and Zoe, huh?" he asked. He glanced at Wade just in time to see a grin threaten the corner of his lips.

"Maybe," he admitted. "We'll see."

"You taken her out on a date yet?" George pressed.

"The way this town talks, you'd know it if I had," Wade answered. George had to grin. It was true. The town had talked of nothing but Zoe in the two weeks since Judson's true colors had become common knowledge. If Zoe and Wade had so much as thought about going on a date, it would have been big news. There was plenty of speculation about the two as there was, Sheriff Bill having told Addie how Wade had been the one to get through to her as she'd panicked and Addie, of course, had shared that gossip gem during her weekly visit to the salon.

"Are you going to take her out on a date?" George continued.

"What is this? An audition to take Oprah's place?" Wade asked.

"Just getting the dirt straight from the source," George replied. "So are you are you or aren't you?"

"I plan to," Wade told him. "I just need to figure out the when and where part of it."

"It's good to see you serious about a girl for a change," George said, keeping a casual tone. "Let's see. There was Stella. The Hollis twins – both of them…"

"They were twins?" Wade interrupted. "Huh. I just thought I was really drunk."

"Like I said, it's good to see you serious about a girl," George said seriously. He hadn't even started listing out Wade's many conquests.

"Yeah, well, Zoe's different," Wade told him. It was more than he would have said to most people who asked him about Zoe, but George was an old friend, even if they weren't the closest of friends anymore. They drove a couple more miles in silence. Wade tapped out a beat on the window jam, lost in thought. George bided his time, waiting for the right opportunity to come out and say what he needed to say.

"Say Wade? How much does Zoe know?" he asked finally. Wade looked over at him.

"'Bout what?" he asked although he was sure he knew what George was talking about.

"About all of this, why we spent most of the day in Mobile." George spared him another glance, careful to keep his eyes on the curvy back road.

"She knows I had to go to Mobile to sign some papers," Wade answered.

"Papers about what?" George knew Wade too well for this game. Wade sighed.

"Papers about stuff with my dad and my sister," he admitted. George blew out a breath.

"Wade…"

"Don't start lecturin' me. I don't need to hear it."

"You really think this is the best way to handle this? Just not tell Zoe anything? You know how our town is, Wade. It'll come up eventually. For your sake, I recommend you be the one who brings it up and not one of the town biddies the next time the gossip chain goes quiet."

Wade didn't say anything. He knew George was right, but he couldn't bring himself to tell Zoe the truth about what he'd been doing in Mobile. It would bring up a whole new set of problems, not to mention bring things to the surface he had long thought he'd buried. He knew things like this had a way of resurfacing, but he was going to take his changes and deal with whatever the consequences ended up being.

"Just tell her the truth," George advised. "Seeing as she spent her whole life not knowing Harley Wilkes was her father, I'd say enough people have lied to her in her lifetime without you doing the same."

"She doesn't need to know," Wade said again, squirming a little. He hadn't thought about how many other people had lied to Zoe. "Pretty soon, all of this will be over and done with and behind us and I won't have to worry with it anymore. And, seeing as this is a legal matter between me and my lawyer, it doesn't look like you'll be telling her anything either."

"My legal obligations are the only thing keeping me quiet," George told him.

"Just get us and this damn tree back to Bluebell," was Wade's reply.

Exhausted hardly covered it. It had been the longest, busiest week of her professional career and seeing as she had done her residency in one of the top hospitals in New York, that was saying something. The flu had hit Bluebell and Zoe was sure she'd seen three-quarters of the population in her office, one of them being Brick Breeland who had refused to get a flu shot when she'd brought it up two months earlier. A small, non-doctor part of her had taken an incredible amount of joy in having him sitting on her exam table.

"Hey," she managed when she entered Lavon's kitchen, dropping her purse and doctor bag on the counter. She made straight for the fridge, eager to get her hands on her box of leftovers from the takeout she'd ordered from Fancies the night before and then go to bed.

"You look half dead, girl," Lavon commented from the couch. He himself was on the upside of a battle with the flu and was still a little lacking in the energy category. He'd sat down on the couch two hours ago, propped his feet up on the coffee table, and didn't plan to move for at least another two hours.

"I finally get the practice to myself and all of Bluebell comes down with the flu," Zoe answered. She dumped her leftovers on a plate and popped them in the microwave.

"Say, have you see Wade today?" Lavon asked. Zoe frowned.

"No," she said, realizing for the first time she hadn't so much as had a text from him all day. He always texted her during the day, usually some silly observation or a piece of gossip. He'd even spent most of his trip to Mobile with George a few days earlier texting her. She'd been too busy to realize she hadn't heard from him all day. "I didn't get a chance to leave for lunch and I was so busy – he could have stopped by the office and I'd never know it. I'll stop by his place on my way home."

"Thanks," Lavon said. "Not like him, off being so quiet. I ain't heard so much as the rumble of his car engine all day."

The microwave beeped and she fetched her meal, covered it with a paper towel. "See you later," she called to Lavon. She made her way through the yard and down the path to Wade's. She frowned, a little concerned as the gate house came into view. His car was parked in its usual place, but the lights were off and it was unusually silent for him to be home. Zoe climbed the stairs.

"Wade?" she called. She tapped on the door before letting herself in. "Wade?" she called again. She left her plate and bags on the counter in the kitchenette and wandered farther into the house. She tripped over a boot in the floor, catching herself on the back of the sofa to keep from falling. "Wade? Are you here?" There was no sign of him. She ventured into his bedroom. There he was, sound asleep under a mountain of covers, his breathing labored. He coughed once.

She sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled the covers back some. "Hey," she said, resting her hand on his bare shoulder. He was hot to the touch. She rubbed his shoulder, trying to wake him. Slowly, his eyes fluttered open.

"Zoe?" he asked hoarsely.

"It's me," she confirmed. "Looks like the flu caught up to you." Wade groaned and made to pull the covers back around him. Zoe stopped him. "How long have you been like this?" He'd been find the night before, even bragging to Lavon that he hadn't been sick in years save for a few minor head colds.

"Woke up sick," Wade moaned. He managed to turn over to his back but Zoe could tell it took all the energy he could muster. "I hurt all over," he admitted. Zoe nodded.

"That sounds right," she told him. "I'll be right back." She went back into the kitchen and fetched the doctor's bag she'd taken to carrying with her. She returned to Wade and opened it. "Open your mouth," she directed as she covered a thermometer with a fresh protector. Zoe busied herself with checking his glands and doing a quick physical assessment while she waited for it to beep.

"102," she told Wade when it finally chimed. She took out her penlight. "Open up." She checked his throat which was red and swollen.

"Am I gonna live, Doc?" Wade asked in a weak attempt to make a joke.

"I think you'll be fine," Zoe told him. "You're just going to have to take it easy for the next few days. Lots of rest, lots of fluids." She left his room again and got him a glass of water. She pulled out a sample pack of pills and opened them. "Take this," she directed. "I'll leave you a few packs. Take them every 4 to 6 hours. An antibiotic won't do you any good so you'll need to get some sort of over the counter flu meds to help with the aches and pains and the fever."

"I have Nyquil," Wade managed. He pulled the covers up to his chin. He was freezing.

"Nyquil is good," Zoe confirmed. She pulled the covers back down. "Take this." Wade sighed and pushed himself into a sitting position. Zoe handed him the pills and his water. "You should probably try to eat something too." He shook his head, handed her back the nearly full glass of water, and laid back down.

"No food."

"You need to drink all of this," Zoe told him, holding the glass out to him. "You have to stay hydrated." Wade groaned in return. Zoe sighed and put the water on his nightstand. "Get some rest," she told him, standing. "If you need me, just call me."

"You're leaving?" Wade asked.

"I've been treating sick people all day. I'm exhausted. I'm going to eat my dinner and go to bed so I can do it all again tomorrow."

"But…" Wade stumbled for words. He wasn't one to ask for help – something he and Zoe had in common – but he didn't want her to leave. Zoe stood in the bedroom's doorway, her arms crossed over her chest. Wade, her usually upbeat, smiling, protective Wade, was lying in bed, looking impossibly weak and sick. She sighed. She couldn't leave him.

"I have leftovers from Fancies," she told him. "Want some?" Wade shook his head.

"No food," he said again.

She went into his kitchenette and ate her food quickly. It was lukewarm at best, but she was too hungry to care. She thought about going home and changing into something more comfortable, but a laundry basket of clean, unfolded clothes was sitting on the sofa. She dug out a t-shirt and a pair of boxers and deemed that good enough. She slipped into the bathroom and changed. Wade lifted his head off his pillow when she walked back into his bedroom.

"You stayed," he said. Zoe climbed onto the bed beside him. He rolled over to face her.

"I stayed," she confirmed. She lifted the covers and slid underneath.

"I don't want to get you sick," Wade told her.

"Unlike everyone else in Bluebell, I got the flu shot," Zoe told him. "And if I do get sick, it will be because I've seen pretty much the entire population of this town in my office, all of whom have the flu. Not because I decided to sleep in your bed tonight." Wade smiled although Zoe could tell he was fighting sleep.

"Thanks for staying," he mumbled out.

"You're welcome," Zoe answered. "Get some sleep, okay?" Wade nodded and closed your eyes but opened them almost instantly.

"You sure I won't be the responsible party if you get sick?" he asked.

"Only a fraction of it."

"Come here, then," Wade said, holding his arm out. He wanted Zoe close to him. He wasn't a needy sort of guy, but it had been a long time since he'd had someone to take care of him when he was sick. Zoe slid closer and he wrapped an arm around her. "You get some rest too," he said. He rested his head on her shoulder, noticing for the first time she was wearing his clothes. Zoe could feel his fever seeping in through the thin fabric, but was oddly comforted by it. She reached up and took her hand in his, pulling his arm tighter around her.

"Zoe?"

"Hmm?"

"I ain't forgot about our date." Zoe smiled in the darkness.

"Neither have I," she told him. She squeezed his hand lightly and felt him squeeze back. He kissed her shoulder and soon, both of them were asleep.

Couple of things: 1) Wade is clearly hiding something. While this is the first update where it's been completely evident, it's definitely been mentioned in passing a couple of times... 2) That salad Zoe made? It's to die for. I get them at a coffee shop here in Nashville and have had the 'man card' conversation. :)

Thanks for reading and reviewing!