A few weeks have gone by since Joel left. Wade was back to work and Wyatt was adjusting wonderfully. Annabeth watched him most days and Zoe had him on her days off. Today was one of those days.
"Come on Wyatt. Walking is so much more fun." Zoe said as she tried to get him to walk to her.
"No" he said and sat down
"I tried all morning, he'll stand forever but won't move those feet." Wade said walking out of the bathroom.
"Dada." Wyatt pointed
"You gonna be good for Zoe? Cause yesterday you drove AB crazy."
"AB" he laughed
"I can't believe how many words he says now in just a month."
"I know. It's crazy. "
"When does the social worker come back?"
"Friday."
Zoe nodded and looked at Wyatt. "You need a haircut."
"Ya think so?" Wade asked
"It's a little long. He should look all handsome for her when she comes."
"I work the next two days. If you want you can take him to Susie today."
"Really? Ok." She looked back over at Wyatt. "You're getting a haircut later."
"No." He smiled at her
"I hate that word." Wade said. "Alright, I have to go before Wanda freaks."
"Say bye to Daddy." Zoe told Wyatt
Wyatt looked up at Wade and crawled over to him. "Up."
Wade picked him up and gave him a kiss. "Bye Buddy. Be good."
"No." He laughed
"Good luck Doc." He handed him to her
Zoe took him and smiled "Thanks. Say bye."
"Bye" Wyatt waved
"See ya." Wade waved back and left the house
Wyatt turned to Zoe "Dada."
"He went to work. You'll see him later. Now we're going to work on this walking thing."
"Woey."
Zoe laughed "Yep, that's me."
"Doc."
"That's me too." She poked him in the belly and he laughed "Wyatt."
He looked at her and then smiled "Wat."
"Very good, so smart. Just like Daddy."
"Da."
After a couple hours Zoe got bored and decided to head into town.
"You ready to go into town, get that haircut?"
"No."
She couldn't help but laugh. "Brat. Let's go." She picked him up and carried him out of the house. She put him in the stroller and started her walk into town. She passed a few townspeople and waved and then strolled right into hair salon. "Hey Susie."
"Hi Dr. Hart. Hi Wyatt." She waved at him and he smiled. "What can I do for you today?"
"You have time to give this little guy a trim?"
"I sure do. It's slow today. Everyone has their appointment for the next two weeks. Closer to Christmas."
"Makes sense." Zoe smiled
"Alright, you can put him here." She put a booster seat on the chair she wanted him on.
Zoe took Wyatt out of the stroller and put him on the chair. "Alright Bud, sit there. Susie is gonna cut your hair."
"No" he said but didn't move
"His favorite word." Zoe sighed
"He is so cute. Looks just like Wade when he was little."
Zoe just smiled at her as she began to cut. Wyatt watched everything she did in the mirror; his little eyes didn't stop moving.
"All done." Susie said stepping away
Zoe looked up and smiled "So adorable." Wyatt was cleaned up and Zoe took him off the chair. "You did so well too. I'm shocked."
"Best first haircut I've done in years."
Zoe put Wyatt back in the stroller and paid Susie. "We'll see you soon. I think it's time for lunch."
"Have fun you two." Susie waved as the left.
"Rammer Jammer?" She asked Wyatt
"No"
"Yes." She laughed
They walked down the street and into the bar. Wade was clearing a table when he spotted them.
"Hey" he waved
Zoe smiled "Hi."
"Dada Dada Dada." Wyatt said trying to climb out of the stroller.
"Woah woah, relax little man." Zoe said trying to get him out and picking him up.
Wade put the dishes in the back and then pulled a high chair over to an empty table.
"Dada, Dada." Wyatt said again as he got closer.
Wade couldn't help but smile at the reaction he was getting "Hi Pal." He finally took him from Zoe. "I see you got that haircut. You look good."
Wyatt wrapped his arms around Wade's neck and clung to him.
"Someone missed his Daddy." Zoe smiled at them
"I missed you too. How was he?"
"Excellent so far. Answered everything with no but he always did it anyway."
"Pain in the butt." He smirked and put him in the high chair. "I'd offer you wine but you're on duty."
"I'll just have water."
"You want food?"
"Yes." She smiled at him. "I'll have a burger."
"Alright and for you sir?" He asked Wyatt
Zoe laughed. "Whatever his Daddy says he can have."
"Hot dog?"
"Sounds good."
"I'll be right back."
"Joel's been gone for almost a month and those two still aren't back together. You win." Wally said handing Chester a 10 dollar bill.
"I told you it was gonna take at least until Christmas."
"Are you two betting on when Zade will make a comeback?" Dash asked sitting next to Wally at the bar
"Yeah but I already lost." Wally sulked
Dash just grinned and looked back at Zoe and Wyatt at the table.
Wade returned with her water and sat down. "Mind if I join you?"
"Nope, you deserve to eat too." She smiled
"So he was really good for you?"
"Yes, we played, read a couple books, and watched some Curious George. It was a good morning."
"How was he getting his haircut?"
"Excellent, just sat there and watched."
"Why is he a terror for AB then?"
"AB" Wyatt giggled and babbled some other things after that
Zoe and Wade shook their heads. "I guess he just loves me the best."
"Well that's never been a question." Zoe smiled at him. "So, your mom coming for Christmas?"
"I don't know. She's off on some business trip now, haven't talked to her in a while."
"She know Joel left?"
"No"
"She liked him that much?"
"Not really but she'll just have something to say that another one of my relationships failed. Not that she should talk."
"You'll find someone." He said and then got hit with a napkin "Hey" he said to Wyatt
"Hey" Wyatt said back
"You're not paying attention to him." Zoe giggled
"Don't encourage him."
"Da" Wyatt said
"You need to behave yourself Dude, Santa's watching you."
Zoe looked at him. "I don't think he knows who Santa is yet."
"Got to start sometime. That's all I remember my mom ever telling me this time of year. Not that it ever worked on me, but I still got presents." He smirked
"Of course you did."
Wade smiled at her. "I'll go get our food. Be right back."
"Ok"
Wade returned with the food a minute later. "Here ya go." He put Zoe's plate in front of her and sat down with his and Wyatt's. He cut up the hot dog and put the plate in front of Wyatt. "There ya go."
"Yum" he said and shoved a piece in his mouth
"I love him." Zoe smiled
"Yeah, I think I'll keep him."
"You better."
Wade smiled at her. "There is no way I'm giving him up."
"I'm so proud of you Wade."
"Thanks, I really couldn't have done any of this without you. You're amazing with him. Don't get me wrong AB is great and he loves her but I never would have expected you to be the way you are and I'm so thankful for that. You're a great friend."
"I'm so happy to help you out, you're a great friend too and I love being with him and you. I'm so glad I came back here and I really don't know why I ever left. I would definitely count that as one of the biggest mistakes of my life."
"Things happen for a reason." He shrugged "I'm glad you came back though."
Things went silent after that. They all ate and Wyatt fell asleep in the high chair.
"I guess I should get him home." Zoe said looking at Wyatt
"Yeah, I'll see you in a couple hours." He winked at her and got up. He carefully picked Wyatt up and placed him in the stroller.
"See ya later." She whispered and left
Once she got back to Wade's she put Wyatt in his crib and watched TV. Annabeth came running into the house a couple hours later.
"AB" Wyatt pointed when he saw her
"I love how he says my name." Annabeth gave him a kiss on the head and then turned to Zoe "Guess what?" she asked with a giant smile
"What?" Zoe asked very intrigued about what had Annabeth so excited
"Lynly is going back to Texas in two weeks to go back to school."
Zoe smiled as big as Annabeth. "YAY! Maybe I'll get my house back. Not that I don't love living with you but I've missed my house."
"Oh I totally understand, don't worry. I cannot be more excited right now."
"Me too!"
"You guys are coming over for dinner right?"
"Yes, what time?"
"You can come over whenever you want; dinner should be ready in a half hour."
"Ok great, I'll just change him and come right over now."
"Sounds great. I need to go check on the lasagna before it burns. See you in a little bit."
Zoe did what she had to do and then walked over to Lavons.
"Hey Lavon."
"Hey Big Z, Wyatt my man. High five." He said holding up his hand and Wyatt slapped him five and laughed
"I love this kid." He said and took him from Zoe. "Let's go watch some football."
"Don't give him chips." Zoe called after him
"What? I can't hear you, oh well." Lavon laughed
"Ugh, he's going to spoil his dinner." Zoe said to Annabeth
"Ok Mom." She laughed
"Shut up." Zoe laughed "You need any help?"
"Sure, you can make the garlic bread, that's about all that needs to be done."
"I can do that."
Wade came in the house about 15 minutes later.
"Hey Ladies." He smirked grabbing a beer out of the fridge. "Smells great."
"How was work?" Zoe asked
"Good, nothing exciting today."
"Oh come one Refs." Lavon yelled from the couch
"Aaah" Wyatt yelled with him
The girls laughed and Wade walked into the living room. "Who's playing?" he asked sitting down next to Lavon
"Dada" Wyatt smiled and climbed onto his lap
"Hey kid." He tasseled his hair. "Were you good?" he asked and looked over at Zoe
"Perfect." She smiled
"Good boy."
"He likes you better than me." Annabeth laughed
"No he doesn't." Zoe laughed with her.
"It's alright, it should be like that." She said and immediately turned to take the lasagna out of the oven. "Dinner's ready." She called
Lavon turned the TV off and they all went into the dining room.
"You know he's going to make a mess." Wade chuckled
"He'll be fine." Lavon smiled at Wyatt
"Who is that?" Wade asked pointing to Lavon
Wyatt looked at him and then at Lavon. "Von" he laughed
"Very good and that?" he asked pointing to Annabeth.
"AB." Wyatt replied. Wade then pointed to Zoe "Doc."
"Good job."
"Woey" he then said
Everyone laughed "That is so cute!" Annabeth gushed
After they ate dinner, they were all sitting in the living room watching TV. Wyatt was snuggled up on Wade's lap with his blanket.
"Fatherhood looks good on you Wade." Lavon smiled at him
Wade smirked "Thanks, I'm enjoying it. Especially now that he's gotten into a routine. You guys are awesome though, it would have been a lot tougher if I didn't have you all here. I don't even know if I would have been able to keep him."
"We are one big happy family." Lavon laughed
"Best family I've ever had." Wade said and looked down at Wyatt. "He's out, I should get him home. I'll see you guys tomorrow." He stood up and readjusted Wyatt.
"I left my bag at your place, I'll come with you." Zoe said getting up from the couch
"Ok, come on. Good night guys."
"Night Wade."
"You staying here tonight?" Zoe asked Annabeth
"Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow."
"Enjoy" Zoe winked at them and followed Wade out the door.
"I hate to wake him." Wade whispered
"Don't, just put him down. You changed him a little bit ago, he should be fine."
"He doesn't have pajamas on."
"He has a sweatshirt and sweatpants; he's fine, put him down."
"Alright." He said and laid him down covering him with the blankets. "Out." He smiled and turned to Zoe. "Thanks for watching him."
"Anytime." She smiled and walked towards the door. Wade was following her and Zoe suddenly turned around. "Woah" she said when she practically bumped into him.
"Sorry, didn't think you would turn around." He glanced down at her
Zoe looked up at him and they locked eyes "Not sure why I did." She whispered
"Weird" he whispered back and brushed a piece of hair behind her ear.
Zoe's breath caught in her throat as Wade inched closer to her. All of the sudden she couldn't move, her mind was racing telling her to go but her body wouldn't budge. Wade got closer and closer, his mind was clear, he knew what he was doing and he couldn't think of anything he wanted more in that moment. Zoe wasn't backing away and neither was he.
"Move Zoe." She kept telling herself but she moved in the opposite direction she was thinking and closed the distance between them, crashing her lips to his. Her arms wrapped around his neck and his moved to her waist, pulling her closer to him. "Wade" she moaned and then her eyes shot open. "Oh my gosh, Wade." She pushed off of him. "I'm so sorry, I have to go." She grabbed her bag off the floor and walked out the door.
Wade sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "Dammit, what was I thinking?"