Sorry for the shorter chapter today, but there will be another chapter up tomorrow. Enjoy! Thank you all for the love you're giving this story.
"I don't understand why you won't just talk to her and explain that you're sorry for what you did," George commented, sipping his beer.
"It's not that easy, not when Justin is back firmly placing his life back into Zoe's life. I can't compete with the father of her daughter," Wade sighed, gently rubbing his cheek, where's Zoe's small hand had kissed him at. "If her slapping me meant anything, I'm going to keep my space from her."
"You sure you ain't looking at this differently?" Lavon asked, eating a fry.
"I was an ass to her, but that doesn't mean she had the right to slap me. I was trying to fix things!" Wade exclaimed, under his breath, not wanting the rest of the bar to know his business.
"You need to try harder," Lavon stated. "Kissing her like that isn't going to fix anything. She had every right to slap you."
"You sound like my Mother," Wade joked, resting against the bar.
"And what did your Ma say about this?" George asked with a laugh.
"You nuts?" Wade asked, his eyes growing the size of saucers. "Do you really think that I'm going to tell my Mother that I was being a jackass to Zoe because of Justin?"
"Dude, you're jealous. The sooner you tell yourself that the sooner you can fix things with Zoe."
"Lavon, I ain't jealous!" Wade protested, sipping his beer.
"Then why are you here instead of at home, working things out with Zoe?" George questioned.
"You act I live with Zoe," Wade scoffed.
"Neighbors, close enough," Lavon shrugged. "You can't love the Rammer Jammer that much that you want to spend your night off here," he commented, looking around.
"I know how I feel and," Wade sighed, running a hand over his face. "Fine!" He exclaimed, jumping up. "I'm jealous," he hissed under his breath, walking out.
He was human, he had every right to be jealous. He was letting himself feel something for Zoe. Letting himself move on from everything that happened with Aggie. He had healed from that heartbreak and the second he was ready to open his heart up once more, something had to ruin that. He had to ruin it for himself. He was stupid! Because Zoe had told him before that Justin meant nothing to her. She had made that clear from the start. And here he was throwing that right into her face.
Seeing the note on his door, brought a smile to his face. Stuffing his hands in his pockets he headed over to Zoe's place, kicking a few rocks on the way. "Hey," he said softly, rubbing the back of his neck.
"He fell asleep on the couch," Zoe told him, looking up from her place on the steps. Wade nodded sitting down next to her.
"I'm sorry I was an ass to you about Justin showing up. And I had no right to kiss you like that either and for that I'm sorry. But there was just something about him showing up that pissed me off."
"It's like you thought you lost me, even though you didn't have me?" Zoe questioned, tilting her head to the side to look at him.
"Kinda. I know I didn't have you, not yet anyway," he sighed. "I didn't even get the chance to ask you out."
"You saying that you were jealous?" Zoe asked with a hint of a smile.
"Do I really have to say it?" Wade groaned, casting a glance at smirking Zoe. "Yeah, okay I was jealous."
"That's cute and all but you have no reason to be jealous of Justin. He is only half the man you are. You're more of a father to Ariel than he will ever be." Hearing those words made a grin come to his lips. He tried his best to be a good father to Braxton but hearing how good of a father he had been to Ariel was something else. "You're amazing with Braxton, Wade." He shot Zoe a look, freaked out that she was able to read his mind. "What?" She asked with a few giggles before turning serious.
"Nothing," Wade commented, reaching out for her hand. Zoe laced her fingers through his.
"Wade, I'm sorry for slapping you," she told him softly, rubbing his cheek.
"I get it now. I was out of place for doing that. I can't be an ass to you and kiss you and expect everything to be good between us. I deserved more than just a slap to the face." Without warning Zoe pressed a soft kiss to his cheek.
"I get it, I think. I don't think I would be all cheery if the roles were reversed. But Wade you need to understand that Justin is apart of my life because he's Ariel's father and he wants to be apart of her life. I didn't ask him to come and throw my life off balance."
"I do understand that and that doesn't change how I feel about you."
"Good," Zoe remarked, moving closer to him. "So that question you were going to ask me," Zoe smiled, batting her eyelashes at him. Wade chuckled, moving to press his lips against hers. Zoe smiled into the kiss, her free hand, running through this hair.
"Mommy." It was Ariel's little voice that broke the two kiss. Zoe quickly jumped to her feet seeing how pale her daughter was looking. "My tummy hurts," Ariel whined on the edge of tears. Zoe sighed feeling how warm she was, picking her up.
"I'll get Brax and get out of your hair," Wade said, slipping inside to pick up his sleeping son. "Oh and Zo after Ariel gets better I'm taking you out on a date," he smirked. "Feel better honey," Wade whispered, pressing a soft kiss to her head.
"That sounds like you're demanding a date," Zoe stated, looking at him pointedly.
"That's because every time I try to ask, something happens and I don't want to take my chances again. So I'm telling you that I'm taking you out on a date," he replied, walking home with a smile on his face. It was a start.
