Hello everyone! Happy Friday, or whatever day it is that you're reading this. Welcome to the sequel for Come Along, We'll be a Real Family. There is a few years that separate that one and this one. And I'm excited to dig into what they've been up to and how different their lives are now. I held off on posting this story until I finished Repeat of Life. The final three chapters to that story will be posted next week.
Disclaimer: I do not own Hart of Dixie or the characters used, expect for little Sofia. The rest belong to their rightful owners and creators.
Without further ado, have a good weekend or whatever day it is for you and enjoy!
"I love you," she whispered against his lips.
"As I love you," he smirked, closing the small space between them. The kiss turned heated within seconds, hands roaming every inch of bare skin they could find.
"Wade," she breathed out, her eyes slamming shut as his teeth grazed over her pulse point.
"Zoe," he warned, flipping them over on the bed, pinning her roaming hands above her head to the bed. "Relax," he whispered into her ear.
Zoe woke with a start, a hand going to her chest, feeling her erratic heartbeat over the dream she was having. Her free hand felt the bed beside her, finding it empty. She let out a soft sigh.
She let her eyes close, slumping back against her pillows. She couldn't understand why she was dreaming about a guy, an old friend that she hasn't seen in 10 years. They lost all contact with each other, two years after she left for school and he the military. When you live on opposite sides of the country with your own things going on, it's easy to lose friendships.
It was easy to keep track of him, with the help of the internet and such. He was making big waves with his band. The band he created with a few of the guys from the service, he had been discharged, for what she doesn't know. They went from being unknown to the hottest band in the country overnight. She was proud of him, wished she could tell him that, but she couldn't. She'll always be proud of him. Then one night he vanished leaving his band behind. No one knew why he left. It was a big mystery, one, not even his fans could figure out. She knew though and her heart broke for him. Again she wanted to reach out, but couldn't.
She does miss him greatly. She often wonders how life would have turned out if things would've been different for them. How life would be if she would have admitted to her feelings that summer and the following summer where he was concerned. But she didn't want to ruin the friendship they had built. Turns out they were better at ruining the friendship than keeping it alive.
She doesn't have many regrets in life. Can only ever think about the things left unsaid between her and Wade as the only regret she has. Things could have been different between them, or they wouldn't be different even with what she had to say to him. It's hard to know and as much as she tried to figure out the big what if between them, she'd never know, just like she'll never know if she'll see him again. He didn't exactly come back for his mother's funeral, what will make him come back for her? He can't possibly be thinking about her the way she's been thinking about him. He's had some very public relationships and flings. It's enough to know that she's not the one on his mind, not the way he's been on hers lately.
"Mommy, Mommy, wake up," Sofia yelled through a fit of giggles, bringing Zoe back to the present.
"Morning my little love bug," Zoe smiled, opening her arms up, for her daughter to jump into them. "What story today?" She asked, snuggling with her baby girl.
They spend a few minutes curled up in bed. Zoe telling her daughter a story from when she was little. Almost always Wade would be in the story. Sofia wanted to meet this friend of her mommies. Other days Sophia would pick a book to read. More so than not she wanted to be told a story about her mommy. Today was no different. They'd start their day with a story and they'd end their night with a story, again it would be a story Sofia choose. It wasn't very often she'd pick a story that had herself as the main character. Those were stories left to be told by her dad.
"Sweetie, are you ready to head out?" Zoe asked, stepping into her daughter's room, seeing her daughter sitting in a pile of clothes. Tears streaked down her face. Without her daughter saying a single word, Zoe knew exactly what was wrong.
"No, momma," the little girl said, breaking down into sobs. Zoe sighed, picking her little girl up, rubbing her back as they headed to the laundry room. The second Zoe saw her little girl sitting in a pile of clothes with her jammies on she knew what the problem was. Most days her little girl will wear anything, looking forward to what she could pick out for the day, as Zoe saw nothing wrong with Sofia picking her outfits out. She wants her daughter to feel free in expressing herself.
"Mommy washed the dress," she told her daughter, pulling the dress from the dryer while holding onto her to show her the clean dress. Once a week she had to wear the dress, lavender in color, with a puffy skirt, gemstones littered about the skirt. A dress her daddy bought for her on one of his business trips to Nashville. It's the only dress Sofia will wear willingly. Otherwise, it's shorts or pants. More of a tomboy than anything else.
Sofia's light blue eyes sparkled once more seeing the dress, ready for her mom to help her into the dress, her tears are long forgotten. Zoe had her daughter grab the shoes she wanted to wear, telling her that she would help her put them on. Sofia ran back to the living room with her pair of pink cowboy boots her grampy Sela bought for her. Earl Kinsella wasn't the little girl's grandfather where blood was associated, but he was an honorary grandpa, Jackie being an honorary grandma to the little girl. Even Brick was a grandpa to little Sofia. Harley being the only true Grandfather in Sofia's life.
Zoe quickly brushed Sofia's hair, placing the brown locks into pigtails with big pink and purple bows, Sofia's favorite. "Ready to go see Daddy?" Zoe asked, placing what Sofia would need into a bag before getting her things squared away.
"Uh-huh," the little girl nodded, taking her mother's hand once the door was locked.
The start of their walk was filled with chatter as Sofia listed off all the things she wanted to do with her daddy, today and tomorrow as Zoe would pick her daughter up tomorrow afternoon. She hated that George only saw her two days a week. That's not what she wanted for her daughter. It's the best that can be done with George going between Nashville and Bluebell to see his daughter.
"I love you." Zoe smiled listening as her daughter told the residents of their little town, the same thing she has told them since she learned how to say I love you while walking along Main Street making their way to the practice. They all found it cute, smiled, and told the little girl the same sentiment. "I love you." Zoe gave the man a nervous smile, giving her daughter her attention and not seeing the gentle smile that crossed his face.
"Sweetie," Zoe said, coming to a stop to look down at her little girl. "What have I told you about telling strangers that you love them?" She asked, sending an apologetic smile to the man who is now nothing more than a stranger to her. Telling the people she sees daily a simple I love you and a stranger I love are two very huge differences. It would be fine if Sofia knew him other than in a few pictures from when they were younger. But there's no way she knows those pictures are of the man standing before them.
"If it helps my name is Wade," he said, bending down next to Zoe looking at the little girl, giving Zoe a small fright and goosebumps to race along her arm that brushed against Wade's. "But your mama is right about what you tell strangers," he said.
"Sofia," the little girl smiled, twirling back and forth, making the sparkles on her dress twinkle in the morning sun. "Like in my Mommy's stories?" Sofia asked with big brown eyes, curiosity filling them.
"Let's see what Mommy has to say, huh?" Wade asked, turning to look at a slightly embarrassed Zoe. It may be years since they last saw each other, but it's like no time at all has passed them.
"Yeah, sweetie, just like the stories," she nodded, keeping her focus on her daughter and not whatever smug look Wade has on his face. She can't handle seeing him and processing what it all means. That confession made Sofia smile big and bright, forgetting she's off to see her dad for the night. Zoe can see all of the questions, and more stories to come. For once she's thankful that tonight she will be with her dad. She needs the time to process everything.
"It's wonderful to meet you, Sofia," Wade smiled, holding his hand out for the little girl to shake. Which she did with a beaming smile on her face. "I'll be seeing you around," he said, taking a flower from the bouquet he's carrying and giving it to her. Sofia smiled brighter, smelling the soft pink flower. Wade smiled, standing up, flashing Zoe a smile, and going on his way. He didn't want to keep them any longer. He's sure he'll be seeing Zoe around, Bluebell isn't very big.
"Come on sweetie, we don't want to keep daddy waiting," Zoe told her daughter. Sofia nodded and skipped alongside her mom as they made their way to the Jammer.
She laughed to herself, it's not every day that you have a steamy dream about your former friend and run into him mere hours later. She found herself curious as to why he's back. Wondered if she would be seeing him again and if they would talk. As bad as it is to say, she hopes that the practice stays full giving her no time to think about anything Wade associated. For a variety of reasons she knows that she will be seeing Wade again.
Dropping Sofia off with her father at the Jammer, Zoe made her way back through town to the practice. She sighed to herself entering the practice to see that it's sitting empty. Not the start she wanted, as doesn't want to think about Wade, and that dream she had of him this morning. She can't be thinking about things like that in public, more importantly at work.
"Doc, I've got this little red bump," Tom freaked out as he rushed into the practice.
"Relax for me Tom," she said, showing him into the exam room, letting all thoughts of Wade go as she focused on what looked to be a spider bite on Tom's hand.