Hey guys! Happy Thursday! Have a good weekend and I will see you with a new chapter on Tuesday.

Enjoy!

"Are you sure about this?" Zoe asked, looking at Wade as he pulled into Harley's driveway.

Wade said nothing as he parked the car. With the engine turned off he turned in his seat, unlatching his seatbelt, he took her hands in hers. He's told her countless times over the morning that he wants to be there when they tell Sofia the news. He knows it's not going to be easy, that Sofia is going to take it hard when she fully understands what it means, but he's not going to miss the chance to have this conversation with Sofia. He's not going to be there only for the easy talks with Sofia.

Dating Zoe, he understood what he was getting himself into. That he would be a step-father to Sofia, at some point. And along with that he can't pick and choose when to drop into her life with a talk. He wants Sofia to see him as a second father figure in her life. That she can come to him with anything. And to get to that point in their relationship, he needs to start being there for her now, even if he doesn't like how it's going to go.

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else, Zoe," he assured her for he can't even remember how many times. "To make us work, to have us be a family, this is how it needs to be. I'm not going to ditch you or Sofia because that conversation is too hard to handle for either of us," he told her.

"Have I told you today that I love you?" She asked with a smile on her face.

"Hmm, I can't remember, think you can help me with that?" He asked, a smirk playing on his lips as he leaned closer to her.

"Nope, can't help you there," Zoe teased, pushing her door open.

"You sure we can't work something out?" He asked, undoing her seatbelt.

"Oh, I'm sure we can," Zoe smirked, slipping from the car. "Just not now," she called over her shoulder as she headed to the front door of her dad's house.

"Such a tease," Wade stated, shaking his head. Walking to the front door he chuckled to himself hearing Zoe laugh entering her dad's house.

"Mom," Sofia's voice rang out as she collided with Zoe for a hug.

Wade watched with a smile on his face as Zoe picked her daughter up, kissing her all over her face. Sofia giggling and struggling to get away. Watching Zoe and Sofia, made him want to have that close of a bond with a child of his own. He can only hope that when he does have a child that they are close. That at the end of the day his child is going to think the world of him.

"Wade," Sofia giggled, colliding with his legs.

"Sofia," Wade chuckled, picking the child up. He hugged her, spinning in a circle making her giggles louder. "Let's go find your ma, huh?" He commented, once the things around him stopped spinning and righted themselves.

"Kitchen silly," Sofia laughed, pointing behind her.

Chuckling Wade walked towards the kitchen. He shook his head when Harley pushed a cup of coffee in his direction. He dropped Sofia onto the kitchen island where they were standing. Wade frowned to himself noticing the looks between father and daughter. He wondered what they were about, but he wasn't going to ask. If either one of them wants him to know, they will tell him, otherwise, it isn't any of his business.

"Sweetie, go get your shoes on," Zoe told her daughter, helping her down from the kitchen island. "You can say it now," she sighed, looking to her dad, Sofia out of earshot.

"I have nothing to say about it," Harley said, refilling his cup of coffee. "I am not judging what you do or how you raise Sofia, that's all up to you, and the best way you think it is to raise her," he stated. "I just don't see why you can't stay for breakfast," he commented.

"Because I would rather not have to push talking to Sofia back any further than necessary," she sighed. Other than not wanting to put the talk about Wade living with them off, she also has to work in the afternoon. As it is they're going out of Bluebell to share the news with Sofia because they don't need the whole town to know their business before it even happens. "I promise we can have breakfast later in the week," she promised her father.

Harley nodded. Smiling Zoe pressed a kiss to her father's cheek, heading off to check on Sofia. Wade grew nervous, wanting to rush after Zoe to leave Harley behind. Standing with him now is just as daunting as it was when he showed up to take Zoe to prom. He's certain the same promise will be made.

"I can't say that I'm okay with this new development," Harley stated, sipping at his coffee. "I like what you and Zoe have, that's not what I'm saying," he quickly told Wade, not wanting him to think anything worse for wear. "What I mean is that I think you both are rushing into the whole moving in together, especially with Sofia in the picture," he explained.

"I get where you're coming from Harley, but you have nothing to worry about. I love Zoe and I love Sofia," he said. "I can promise you that I am going to do everything I can to protect them, to keep them safe. I know I haven't been the best person over the years, but this is where I want to be. Zoe's the one person I can't afford to lose again," he admitted.

"I believe that," Harley stated. "Zoe is my daughter, Sofia my granddaughter, I'm the one that has to look out for them," Harley sighed, placing his coffee cup in the sink. "I may not agree with things, but it's not my relationship. All I need to know is that they're not going to get hurt," he told Wade.

"It's not a promise I can keep, but it is one I do my damndest to keep. Hurting them hurts me as well," Wade told him, being as truthful and as open as he can be about the whole situation with Zoe. As far as Wade is concerned he's hurt Zoe enough over the years with his whole disappearing act. He doesn't want to hurt her like that again. Not intentionally or on purpose.

"Ready?" Zoe asked, walking into the kitchen following Sofia as she the little girl headed to Harley to say goodbye. Wade nodded, ready to get to Mobile and to tell Sofia about them living together.

"Will you be my new daddy?" Sofia asked, poking at her pancakes. It was a question Zoe was waiting for. They had waited until after their food arrived before striking up the conversation that needed to be had.

The car ride from Bluebell to Mobile was spent with Sofia telling them details of her night with Harley. From the cookies they made, to the movies they watched, the tea parties, and everything in between. They let Sofia talk. Easier to let Sofia fill the void than to try to make small talk on the drive. When they got to the restaurant for breakfast they found a table away from others to have a semi-private conversation. A lot more private than they would have ever had in Bluebell.

"Not exactly, your daddy will always be your daddy," Wade told her. He wouldn't appreciate someone walking into his life wanting to replace one of his parents. He wouldn't take too kindly to some woman trying to replace his mom. Because of that, he doesn't expect Sofia taking too kindly to him wanting to be with Zoe, but he's not now or ever going to try to replace George. He simply wants to be a part of Sofia's life.

"Wade is right, no one is going to replace your daddy, he will always be your daddy, and he will always be there for you," Zoe said, wanting to ease her daughter's fears. "Think of Wade as being your second father," she tried to explain in a way that Sofia would understand.

"The thing is Sofia, you can call me anything you feel comfortable calling me. I'm perfectly okay with you calling me, Wade. Just know that I'm going to look out for you the same way your mommy and your daddy does," Wade explained in hoping that she would fully understand that he's not trying to take the place of George.

Sofia nodded her head, taking a small bite of her pancakes. Wade and Zoe sharing a look, not knowing what Sofia was thinking or if she is okay with Wade moving in. Zoe can understand why she's worried about Wade replacing George.

"It's like Daddy and AB," Zoe said, trying to gauge her daughter's reaction to the news. "AB didn't replace me, just like Wade isn't going to replace your dad. He will still be in your life, you'll still spend your days with him and spend nights at his house," Zoe told her daughter.

"I'll be there when you want me to be, and when your mom or dad can't be there," Wade added on to what Zoe said. "Is that okay with you?" Wade asked, picking his glass of juice up to take a drink.

"Nothing is going to change, other than having Wade living in the carriage house with us," Zoe assured her daughter.

"Can you make grits?" Sofia asked looking at Wade. Zoe holding her laughter in. "Mommy doesn't like making them," she shrugged in way of an explanation.

"Because they're gross and taste disgusting," Zoe said with a shudder.

"Yes, Sofia, I can make you all the grits you want to eat," Wade informed Sofia, laughing under his breath at Zoe's reaction to grits. Some things don't change and oddly enough that gives him hope that things will work out.

"Okay," she nodded a smile on her face as she ate her breakfast.

"I thought it was going to be a bit harder than that," Wade frowned, taking a bite of his bacon.

"Me and you both," Zoe agreed, looking at her daughter. She really did expect Sofia to put up a bigger fuss in Wade living with them. "Worries me on how the next few days are going to be when she realizes that you're going to be there in her space during the day," she commented, digging into her food before it gets any colder.

"However she handles it, we will be there to reassure her," Wade said, easing Zoe's mind. Zoe nodded. Zoe's found over the course of being a mom, that she will always be there to assure Sofia through things she's going to find difficult. Zoe trusts Wade will be as well.

There's a lot when it comes to Wade and trusting him. She feels like many wouldn't trust him after he took off and never looked back. Not until it suited him best. There's just something about Wade, that something has always been there even when they were kids. Trusting Wade is one of the easiest things she has ever done. There's plenty of reasons why she shouldn't trust him, but that's not who he is. That is something that she is positive about.

"What? Do I have something on my face?" Wade asked, giving Zoe a funny look, catching her staring at him. Zoe shook her head, an amused smile on her face. "Something in my teeth?" He asked, picking his spoon up to look at his teeth.

"No," Zoe laughed, reaching across the small space of the table, placing her hand on his arm, forcing him to lower the spoon. "You have nothing on your face or in your teeth," she stated.

"Then what is it?" He asked with a smirk. "Couldn't get enough of this handsome face?" He teased.

"You wish," Zoe laughed, even if he hit the nail on the head. "I love you," she simply told him.

"It's not a wish when you know it to be true," he smirked, lacing his fingers with hers. "I love you, Zoe," he shared, kissing the back of her hand.

After breakfast, they headed back to Bluebell, Sofia insisting that she help Wade pack his things. Wade put her to work, doing a few easy things. Wade's not in a hurry to grab everything. What he doesn't get this time he can grab at a later date. While Wade and Sofia packed his belongings up, Zoe made room for Wade's clothes in her closet or well their closet. A smile broke out on her face at the thought of sharing her space with the guy she loves. Maybe it won't be so hard to tell him yes.