XII

Wade wiped down the bar, checked the cash register and picked up his car keys. Everything was finally ready. He glanced around the Rammer Jammer, which was satisfyingly full. Things had settled down since their earlier teething troubles. Cody and Wanda were working well together. Everything, for once, seemed on track.

'You okay if I go?' he asked, walking up to Wanda.

'Of course.' She smiled indulgently. 'Say hi to Zoe for me.'

He grinned, a little shyly and grabbed his jacket.

'Wade!'

He rolled his eyes at Wanda and turned around.

'Lemon.'

Lemon was rushing into the bar, clutching a piece of paper. Her eyes were big and blue and a huge smile lit up her face. She thrust the print out into his chest.

'They want us to come and seal the deal!' she declared excitedly. She was practically bouncing up and down with excitement. He peeled the paper out of her grasp. 'There's a band called…' she leant closer to him to read the email. 'Trigonometric Functions,' she frowned, 'and they want them to come and play here next month.'

'Really?' Wade grinned.

'Yes! We've got to go to Mobile to discuss the details,' Lemon said, smiling up at him. He scanned the email.

'When?'

'Tonight.' Her smile widened, her eyes alight. 'They are only there for the evening, and want to get together and finalise things.' She grabbed his arm, excitedly, then, as if remembering herself, stepped back. 'We have to be there at seven,' she said, somewhat primly.

'Lemon…'

Lemon stopped. Wade was frowning. What on earth was there to frown about? Hadn't he heard her? An important music promoter was booking the Rammer Jammer. They were about to realize their dreams. She looked at him for a moment, then suddenly realized. He was wearing a new white shirt, clean jeans and he looked very handsome.

'Zoe?' she asked, voice brittle.

He nodded.

'I had forgotten.' She looked down, then back up again, straightening her shoulders.

'I'm just on my way out. I'm picking her up at the airport.'

She nodded, suddenly preoccupied with a mote of dust on her hem. Why, at the most important times of her life was Dr Zoe Hart there to ruin everything?

She took a deep breath.

'Do you have to?' she enquired, voice measured, looking up. She met his eye, her own unflinching and cool. 'Can't she get a cab? I mean, I know it's been a week, Wade, but this is important.'

Wade shook his head.

'This is your business, Wade. Surely she'll understand that?' she continued.

'I can't, Lemon. Not this time.' His hazel eyes were serious.

'But you made such a fuss about my cutting you out last time…'

'I know.'

'But now it's convenient for you, you'll just drop it?'

'Any other night, Lemon,' his voice was quiet but firm.

'So what am I supposed to do? Go without you? Postpone the meeting?'

'Go without me,' he said, smiling. 'You've done it all so far. You don't need me there.'

'But we're a team. I do need you.' She stopped, not wanting to sound any more needy. 'There may be details to iron out. Contracts to sign.'

Wade frowned, straightening his bag on his shoulder uncomfortably.

'We shouldn't be signing anything without asking George to look over it in any case.' He glanced at his watch and shoved his hands awkwardly into his pockets.

'You'll be fine, Lemon. You set all this up. The final meeting should be a breeze.'

'But this will be our first major success!'

'No. That was what you did with Gloriana. And there'll be others.'

'It won't be the same!'

He gave a small smile.

'I'm sorry, but I can't.'

She met his gaze, but couldn't hold it. What an earth was wrong with him? It wasn't as though Zoe had been away for long; scarcely more than a week. What was so important that he couldn't make this meeting?

Lemon gazed at him, suddenly comprehending.

'You're serious about her, aren't you?'

He met her eyes but didn't answer.

She gave a sharp nod in acknowledgement.

'Well. I never thought Wade Kinsella might be settling down before me,' she said crisply. 'She's really got her clutches into you, hasn't she?'

'Lemon…'

'Oh, I know. I'm being uncharitable.' She stretched out her hand. It was trembling slightly. She took the print out from his grasp, careful they didn't touch. 'Anyway, since you are otherwise occupied, I'll just have to manage.' She tailed off at his expression, then forced a tight smile of apology. 'I'm sorry, that was uncalled for.' She allowed her eyes to soften. 'You just go and pick up your girlfriend. I will be fine.'

'Yes, you will.' Wade smiled in relief, the leant over and kissed her cheek quickly.

'You will be fine, you know,' he repeated, rather ambiguously. She managed to meet his eyes, which were rather more sober than she had anticipated. She flushed, then nodded, looking down and smiling again.

'I know. It's no big deal.' She shook her head and patted his shoulder. 'I'll text you to let you know what's happening,' she said breezily. 'I know you'll be too busy to pick up the 'phone.'

She walked towards the office, refusing to let herself turn around and watch him. Instead, she opened the door and closed it behind her quietly. She had known this was coming, but it hurt nonetheless. It wasn't so much Wade as the fact that everyone had someone: Wade and Zoe, Lavon and Annabeth. Even her father had found Shelby now. She suddenly felt rather frightened. She was thirty and single, with no prospect of anybody. This triumph suddenly felt very hollow. How on earth had she allowed things to get like this?

Wade woke with a start, a cramp in his neck from where he had slumped backwards on the plastic seat. It was ten fifteen. He'd already been waiting over four hours. He sat up, rubbing his neck and glanced at the arrivals screen. Zoe's flight was still marked as delayed. Just what was goin' on? It would have been quicker to walk from New York at this rate.

He rose, contemplating a coffee but didn't want to leave the arrivals area. Instead, he picked up an abandoned newspaper and leafed through the pages. Then, finding nothing more interesting than an article on an alligator heist, he checked his phone to see if Zoe had called. She hadn't. There was a missed called from Lemon, but he really couldn't be dealing with her just now. He turned his 'phone off and paced around the concourse.

He'd been thinking about Zoe coming home for days; about what he would say to her, and these last couple of hours had been absolute hell. He just wanted to see her; kiss her; take her back home with him. He rubbed his neck. His head ached. There were so many things he needed to say. He glanced back at the screens, willing the flight call out to change to 'landing'. The truth was, he was nervous. Excited. Scared to death. He swallowed. Christ.

'The delayed flight Delta 1743, has just landed. We apologise for the delay, which was caused by a technical fault at JFK.'

Wade turned around. So, finally. He smoothed down his shirt, noticing that it was crumpled and slightly marked from a patch of grease on the chair. Typical. Why couldn't it just have gone right for him this evening? He was nervous enough without this additional crap. He looked around, plunging his hands into his pockets, and glancing around at the assembled people. There were a couple of drivers with placards, and a few young women waiting for boyfriends; a little girl clutching a teddy, no doubt waiting for her Mom. Next to her was a guy with a huge bunch of roses. He frowned. Maybe he ought to have bought flowers? He looked around. Was there still time? Was there anywhere still open at this hour? He glanced up at the board and decided against it. Knowing his luck, Zoe'd arrive just as he left.

He shifted uncomfortably and stared at the arrivals gate, willing the first passengers to come from baggage reclaim. Any moment, she'd walk through in her ridiculous shoes, and…he took a step forward. There she was. He smiled. He could feel his heart racing as she glanced around, looking for him. She looked so tiny and fragile and utterly gorgeous. He smiled, then frowned. She seemed…anxious. In fact, she had stopped, without seeing him, and was now turning back towards the entrance. It was as if she was waiting for someone who was following on behind. Wade let his arm fall. Surely Jonah wasn't with her? He felt the blood drain from his face as he thought what that could mean. Then he saw Zoe smile, a little tightly, as a tall, distinguished grey haired man turned the corner, dragging a black case. The man looped his arm through hers then looked up towards him. Wade had only seen him once, in Mobile Hospital, but he wasn't difficult to recognize. The knot in his stomach tightened, and he frowned in confusion. What was Zoe's father doing here?

'So, you must be Wade?' Wade looked up from Zoe, who was smiling, somewhat apologetically at him. He had wanted to kiss her, but now he wasn't sure, feeling confused and self-conscious. Zoe looked anxious too, glancing between the two of them. He frowned, once again wrong-footed. Why hadn't she said anything?

'Yeah.' He stretched out his hand to exchange Ethan Hart's handshake. 'I didn't know you were comin',' he stated the obvious.

'Well, it was a bit of a last minute thing,' Ethan Hart said, taking control. 'Zoe's mother had told me so much about you,' he said, with a smile. Wade ran his hand behind his neck. Had she? Well, that sucked.

'Really? That's nice.'

'Well, some of it was, anyway.' Ethan smiled sardonically. Wade shifted, and swallowed.

'You got everythin', Zo'?' he managed, turning away. He reached out to take her case and she nodded miserably. He felt her touch his hand briefly for reassurance and he smiled, feeling some of the tension dissipate. He let his gaze flick over to hers. She looked absolutely terrified. He felt a surge of anger that her father was making this so hard. Unaccountably, it made things easier; she needed him to be okay with this. He sensed this was an altogether different situation than had happened with her Mom. He smiled at her in comprehension, and saw her eyes reciprocate with gratitude, then he moved the luggage over so he could take her small hand in his.

'So, Wade. I understand you're a business man?'

They walked through the concourse, making desultory conversation. Wade nodded slightly, wondering what impression Zoe might have tried to give. No doubt something rather more glamorous than the fact he co-owned a roadhouse on the edge of a small town in Alabama.

'Yeah. Well. I guess.' He walked around the car and opened the trunk. Zoe had already slid into the rear seat; she'd been more or less mute the whole time. Now Ethan Hart was leaning against the Ford, hands in pockets and ankles crossed.

'I co-own the Rammer Jammer,' Wade said, closing the trunk and making his way to the driver's door. He wished he had known Zoe's father was coming. He might have tidied out some of his junk. Having got into the passenger side, Ethan Hart was now leaning into the footwell, picking up a spare fishing reel. He looked across at Wade.

'It's a bar,' he explained, looking away and starting up.

'I remember.' Ethan Hart looked out as the lights of Mobile passed the window. 'I seem to recall the eggs tasted of beer.'

Wade glanced at him, turning onto the coast road. 'That's right,' he agreed. He exhaled quietly. He was not going to react.

'Business good?' Ethan asked, rather more agreeably, after a considerable silence.

'So far.'

'How long have you been there?'

'A couple of months. Though I used to work there before.' Wade glanced in the rear view mirror, where Zoe was slumped in the darkness. She looked fraught, glancing between the two men but not daring to take part. 'How was the conference?' he smiled at her, trying to be reassuring. She managed a tight grimace.

'Good.' She glanced at the back of her father's head. 'It was good to be back in New York.'

Wade smiled again, then looked back into the night. It wasn't exactly what he had wanted to hear, but then, nothing so far, was turning out as he'd hoped.

Lemon sat in the darkness and stared at her cell phone. She took a shaky breath. She didn't know what to do. She wasn't sure she could drive. She felt faint and nauseous. She shifted in the car seat. She didn't know what to do.

She scrolled through her contacts, noticing her hands were shaking. She couldn't call her father. For obvious reasons, Magnolia was out. Annabeth would be with Lavon, and she really couldn't face them. Cricket…she frowned. Cricket was useless, there was really no point. George…no, George was probably on a date. Besides, she couldn't call him. She scrolled down further. The only person was Wade. But Wade wasn't there. Or, at least, Wade wasn't answering. No doubt declaring his love to Zoe. She felt the tears rise in her throat. She knew she shouldn't call him, but she didn't know what else to do. She hesitated over the call button. There really was no one else.

She pressed redial and allowed herself to slump against the steering wheel. Please, for once, let him answer. If he'd have been here, this would never have occurred. She'd known as soon as she'd arrived this evening that there was something strange about it. The 'promoter' had been very elusive; she wasn't sure he knew Gloriana at all. Everything that had happened since had confirmed it, and now…she shuddered. She'd been lucky, she knew. She smoothed down her skirt. Her hands were still trembling. She felt herself begin to shiver, despite the sultry Alabama night. She guessed she was in shock. Well, she couldn't afford to be. She tightened her grip on the cell phone and pressed redial again. Please let him be there, she thought, starting to panic. She couldn't sit here all night, but wasn't sure she could manage anything else.

'Right. Here we are.' Wade turned to Ethan. The neon lights of the Whipoorwhirl Hotel flashed on and off through the windscreen. After the last half hour of small talk, he was relieved to have arrived. It wasn't that Ethan Hart had been unfriendly, exactly. It was just that Zoe's Dad quite clearly hated his guts.

He opened the door but Zoe's small voice interrupted him.

'No, Dad's staying at my house,' she said, hurriedly. Wade turned around his seat.

'He's what?'

'He's staying in my house.' She frowned at his expression. 'There's an event at the Whipoorwhirl. It's fully booked.' She glanced between them again. 'I'm sorry, I should have said.'

Wade's turned in the driver's seat. Zoe noticed he was clutching the steering wheel rather tightly, his knuckles white against the leather and his shoulders visibly tense. It seemed to take him a minute before he could compose himself. Then, with the air of a condemned man, he turned the key in the ignition and drove off.

'Oh, Wade.'

Zoe stared around the room. There were flowers everywhere. Vase after vase, and, she noticed, the table was set. There were candles, as yet unlit, and what looked like champagne on ice, though the ice had melted after the four hour wait. She could see some boxes from Fancies on the side, too, by the trash can. She flushed and turned around. Wade was standing at the doorway, looking down. She suddenly realized how he was dressed, a little crumpled but gorgeous. He'd made such an effort, and she'd ruined it. Again. He looked up at her, as if sensing she was gazing at him, and smiled sheepishly. He raised his eyebrows and shrugged.

'I didn't know,' was all he said. His smile died a little as he looked at her and her heart went out to him. She bit her lip and shook her head.

'I didn't know how to call,' she replied in a small voice. They looked at one another for a moment, and Zoe felt her throat constrict as tears rose. Wade gave a helpless nod, then visibly straightened and turned around.

'I'll put this in your room. Tidy up a bit for you,' he said to Ethan.

'No, son.' Rather unexpectedly, Ethan Hart extended an arm, halting him half way across the room. He gave a tight smile, which Wade met levelly. He felt mildly embarrassed, but mostly very, very annoyed.

'What?' He dropped the case and folded his arms. Ethan's smile broadened.

'There's no need to look so furious. I was merely going to suggest I head out.'

'What?'

'Well, you've clearly got an evening planned.' He glanced around the room then back towards Wade. 'Why don't I head over to your bar; what is it, the Ram Jammer?' He smiled at Zoe. 'I can get a drink and leave you two alone for an hour or so?'

'You don't have to Dad…' Zoe began anxiously, stepping forward.

'Oh yes I do, Zoe.' He smirked. He turned back to Wade. 'I can see that from this guy's face.' He grinned at Wade's surprised expression and patted his shoulder idly. 'You just leave that case there and call me a cab. Then you and Zoe can talk. And eat. And whatever else you planned.' He suppressed a grin, but the amusement lit his grey eyes. 'I'll come back a bit later on.'

'You can take the car,' Wade offered, feeling awkward.

'I've already had a drink.' Ethan shook his head.

Wade glanced at Zoe.

'You can stay in my place,' he began. He saw Zoe blanch. 'But it's a bit of a dump.'

Ethan shook his head.

'Nope. I'll head out and come back later. What time is closing?'

'About two, usually.'

'Then I'll be back after that.'

Wade glanced at Zoe, but she was just looking at her father helplessly. Well, if Ethan Hart wanted to be noble, he wasn't about to refuse the guy. He exhaled, then took out his cell to call a cab. He frowned. That was odd. There were ten missed 'phone calls.

'Everything all right?' Ethan asked, seeing his expression.

'Yeah…' he trailed off. Lemon had said she would text. She knew Zoe was coming home.

He glanced at his phone again, wondering if he should call her.

'What is it?' Zoe asked.

'Lemon called.' He hesitated. 'Quite a few times.' He met Zoe's gaze and shook his head. 'She's at this business meeting in Mobile. It's probably nothing.'

'Who is Lemon?' Ethan asked.

'My business partner,' Wade said, ringing his voicemail.

'Isn't she the one…'

'Yes, Dad,' Zoe interrupted quickly. She flashed a quick look at Wade.

'Perhaps I should wait outside...?' Ethan began, glancing between them. Wade interrupted.

'No. I have to go and find Lemon.' His voice was low and his face was ashen. 'Somethin's up.'

To be continued...