Zoe had made her mind up. There was no way she could go back to New York for school. She had gotten accepted in Mobile and she had every intention of transferring. She was doing this for Wade and Jackie. But above all that she was doing this for her. There was no place she would rather be. This was the right choice for her. She knew she could always transfer back once things went one way or another.
"Zoe, why didn't you tell me that you were transferring?" Harley asked, looking over the stacks of papers and the booklets that cluttered her desk.
"It was a last minute thing. It's what feels right for me at this moment in time. I wouldn't be comfortable being states away, if something does happen, ya know?" She asked, placing her book down. "I'm doing it for me. And I'm sure about this. I don't want to miss out on anything. I'm still getting a good education. It doesn't matter where I get my degree, I'm gonna be working along side you and Mr. Breeland," she rattled off.
"Sweetie, where you go to school is up to you, but I would have liked for you to tell me about it before hand so we could have discussed it. I'm not mad about it."
"I'm sorry, Dad, really I am. But I had so much going on, I just overlooked it and then I had already made my mind up. I'm still trying to balance being Wade's girlfriend with giving him the space he needs for this. I miss him, but I don't want to intrude either," she sighed.
"Go on over there for dinner. They'd love to have you. Every single one of them. They all love you, Zoe. You're part of their family. Go spend time with them," Harley ordered her in a gracious way.
"You talked to Earl or Jackie didn't you?" Zoe smiled, hugging her grinning father.
"Earl stopped in and said he missed seeing you around. Go have fun, Zo. You can't sit here and worry." Zoe nodded, heading out. She had really missed being with the Kinsella's. She just wasn't sure how to act around Jackie.
Wade was doing everything he could at home. It was putting a damper on his social life, but his friends would have to understand. Zoe understood and Wade was thankful that she wasn't a clingy girlfriend.
"Wade, you need to go out and have fun. Staying in isn't doing you any good," Jackie told him.
"I don't want to go out," he responded.
"Surely you want to go spend time with Zoe," she commented. He did want to go out and spend time with her. Forget about his problems for a few hours. That did sound like a good idea. And it would put his mom's mind at rest.
"What's with the extra plate?" Wade asked, sitting in his normal spot.
"Wouldn't you know it, the prettiest-soon-to-be-doctor-lady showed up," Earl commented.
"Oh Earl," Zoe said, walking in from the kitchen. Wade smiled, realizing just how much he had missed his girlfriend over the last few days. Zoe sat next to Wade, her hand instantly finding his. Wade squeezed her hand. He really wanted to kiss her, but he really didn't want his family to be watching either.
For the first night in a long time it seemed the laughs kept coming. Wade couldn't remember the last time his stomach hurt from laughing so damn hard. Zoe was curled up to Wade on the couch. "You really didn't have to transfer to Mobile, Zo," he commented.
"I know, but honestly it's the best thing for me right now. It's what I want, okay?" Zoe asked, looking up at him.
"Okay," he commented, stealing a kiss. Zoe was all to happy to kiss him back. "Let's go watch a movie in my room," he commented, pulling away from the kiss. Zoe nodded, taking his hand and following behind him. He had left the door open a crack. Zoe quickly got under his blankets, checking her boyfriend's behind out as he bent over digging for a movie to watch. Crawling to the end of the bed, Zoe smacked his butt, making him jump. He turned around an evil smirk in place. Zoe backed up on the bed, Wade right there. He pinned her to his bed, hovering over her, his lips working over the sensitive skin of her neck.
"Wade," she moaned out, feeling the bulge in his pants press against her. Wade pulled back to look at her.
"I know Zo, my parents are home and that would be awkward," Wade commented, breathlessly. Zoe nodded, sitting up some crashing her lips against his. She had missed making out with her boyfriend, and the little kisses they would sneak throughout the day.
Wade was able to get a movie picked out and Zoe was half laying on top of him. Her leg was kicked over his, her head resting on his chest and her hand absentmindedly drawing patterns on his chest. Wade held her close, his fingers playing with some of her hair.
Earl walked by peeking into the room. A smile on his lips seeing the movie was over and both kids were sound asleep holding each other. He had expected that little girl from New York would change his youngest in some way, but he wasn't expecting her to change him in such a huge way. He chuckled turning the TV off, love would change you in that way. He pulled the door shut, leaving them be. He'd call Harley and explain things to him.
"How are they?" Jackie asked.
"Sound asleep," he told his wife. "They're cute," he chuckled.
"I don't know how good of an idea it is to let them sleep in the same room," Jackie sighed.
"What are they going to do with us right down the hall?" Earl asked, getting himself ready for bed. Jackie shrugged. "They'll be fine and they don't have enough nerve to do anything like that with us around, not after last time." Jackie nodded, letting her husband be right about this.
Zoe woke up plastered to Wade's side. Her smile fell remembering where she was. Looking at the clock she started to panic. It was after 2 in the morning.
"You might as well go back to sleep, Zo. It's too late to go home now," Wade mumbled. "You'll face the same consequences whether you go now or in the morning. But do you still have a curfew now that you're 18?" He asked. She still had to abide by her dad's rules since she lived under his roof. But Wade had a made a point, it didn't matter if she went now or later. She was to comfy in her boyfriends embrace to move anyhow. She relaxed, letting sleep consume her once again.
Come morning she was relieved to find out that Earl had called her Dad. She was even more excited that she was going to spend the whole day with her boyfriend in Mobile. That was after she went home had a shower and changed clothes.
They had hit the arcade and spent hours playing games and winning tickets. Wade had got enough tickets to get Zoe a little blue zebra. They had enjoyed their day together, laughing and letting everything go. By mid afternoon it was starting to get dark outside, a huge storm brewing. They had decided not to risk driving back to Bluebell when the sky opened up hurling rain and hail down on them. They drove to the closest hotel and got a room for the night. Zoe tossed her soaked clothes over the side of the tub joining Wade's. She had crawled into bed curling up next to Wade.
She let her hand skim over Wade's chest, her lips kissing where her fingers played. Wade closed his eyes, enjoying his girlfriend's lips lighting a fire in his gut. Zoe kissed her way up to his lips, straddling him. Wade flipped them over, kissing along her jaw line and neck. Zoe bit her lip, feeling Wade's lips kiss between her breasts.
Wade looked up at Zoe to make sure that she wanted this. Zoe nodded her head, wanting this more than anything.
