Hey everyone, welcome to day 8 of the Hart of Dixie countdown to Christmas!

Enjoy!

For the first time since arriving at the resort, Zoe held a smile on her face, making her way from the elevator to her room. The smile didn't leave when she saw that her mom was still locked away in her room, on the phone talking to someone. Her mom's voice carried through the closed door in a heated argument over whatever was being said to her.

Shaking her head, wondering why her mom would rather work than relax, she headed to the bathroom, to get ready for the night. Washing the make-up off her face and the rest of her nighttime routine, before heading to her room, and shutting the door, so she can finish getting ready for bed. Crawling under the covers she faced the window as the moonlight filled her room. She thought about closing the curtains but enjoyed the view the moonlight gave her.

Laying in bed waiting to drift off to sleep, she replayed the events of her day. One minute she's in tears over her father, the next she's in tears over a story Wade told her. She couldn't believe her luck when Wade pulled her into his body while she cried her eyes out. And he didn't run off or find her repulsive for crying on him. Two things she figured he would have done. For once luck happened to be on her side.

She likes that she made friends with Wade. What she didn't get is that there is plenty of teenage girls better looking than her filling the resort and he choose her. The boys at her school, choose looks over everything else, and it made her think that all boys are like that. And maybe Wade is like that back in his hometown in Alabama. With her, he seems like a pretty decent guy her age. He hasn't tried anything on her, wanting nothing more than to be her friend.

She can use him as a friend while they're at the resort together, there's no denying that. She does find him a little more than cute. He's rather good-looking, they don't make the boys as hot as he is. Does she wish he would try and kiss her? Heck yes, she does. She wants to feel his slightly chapped lips pressed against her soft ones. Is she going to make the first move? Nope. She doesn't want to be the one to ruin the little friendship they have started. She is more than okay if nothing but a friendship blooms between them.

She didn't come on this family vacation for a boy. She came because she thought that for once since he took off across the ocean that her dad would keep his promise. Except he didn't, and Wade had been a nice distraction from that today. She just doesn't want Wade to be a distraction to her. She wants his friendship, if only for a few days out of her life. It will be the memories she gets to keep, whether or not those memories involve knowing just how good of a kisser he happens to be.

Pushing Wade and her father from her mind, wanting a clear mind for a good night's sleep, not wanting any blemishes or pimples to pop up overnight to embarrass her in front of Wade more than she already has. He's a saint for dealing with all of her baggage and still wanting to know why she was crying, to begin with. She thought about telling him what was going on, but she didn't want to put her problems on him, not when they were having such a good time. She really hopes it wasn't a fluke and that tomorrow they have an even better time than today.

Closing her eyes, she lets herself drift off to sleep, dreaming about what life could have been like. Letting her dream be the escape from how sucky her reality happens to be at the moment. And if her dream is filled more with Wade, than anything else, who has to know?

When she woke it was too dark skies, snow coming down in blankets. The gloomy day put the smile right back onto her face. A glance at the clock by her bed told her that it was a quarter to 8, informing her that she got roughly 7 hours of sleep. Not as much as she would have liked, but enough to enjoy her day with Wade.

With plenty of time before needing to be in the lobby to meet Wade anywhere between 10 and 11, she took a little longer picking out her outfit. Once settled on jeans and a cute shirt, she headed to the bathroom. Casting a look at her mom's room hearing her mom pacing around. Wondering just when her mom finds the time to actually sleep.

Her shower took a bit longer than normal, letting the hot spray from the shower turning her skin pink. She did cool the water down when washing her hair and face. She took her time getting her make-up to look just right. Once finished she added her favorite shade of red lipstick, assessing that she didn't have any toothpaste drying around her mouth, she left the bathroom, tossing her pajamas on her bed, slipping her boots on, and tying them. On her way out the door, seeing she still has over an hour before there could be any sight of Wade to show up, she grabbed her coat, making sure her mittens, hat, and scarf came along as she headed out to the lobby.

Seeing the lobby mostly empty, she headed to the breakfast bar, and found an apple danish to eat while she waited on Wade to show up. Waiting a few hours in the lobby is far better than waiting in her room for it to be time to meet up with him. In the lobby she can people watch, and keep her mind from trailing off into the wrong territory, not wanting to cry over her father again.

She sat in the same spot as yesterday on the couch, the fire burning bright. Zoe watched a couple dancing in the falling snow, bringing a smile to her lips as watched the couple with smiles on their faces. She wants to have that kind of love when she gets to be their age and not a workaholic like her parents. Whoever their kids are, if they have kids, they're lucky to have parents like that. The longer she watched them, the more she came to realize that a love like theirs is rare. She got up feeling uncomfortable watching them any longer when they started to kiss.

"Zoe, right?" A male voice asked, unsure of himself, while she was busy making a small coffee, needing the caffeine.

"Do I know you?" She asked, looking over her right shoulder at him. She couldn't place the guy.

"Nope," he smirked, shaking his head, hands in his coat pockets. "Wade will be awhile he's still in bed sleeping the morning away," he commented, seeing if she could piece it together.

"You're his brother, Jesse," she said. She remembers Wade telling her stories that involved his brother, and when she tried to ask about him, she got very little information about him. Not that she pressed him on the matter of his brother, the older one by the looks of it. "I don't see the resemblance," she commented, taking a sip of her hot coffee.

"Because I'm the better-looking one," he says with a wink. "What?" He asked, watching Zoe look him over shaking her head at him.

"I don't see it," she told him shrugging her shoulders. She found Wade to be better looking than Jesse.

"That's okay," he winked. Rocking back on his heels.

"Is there something that I can help you with, Jesse?" She asked. She wasn't trying to be rude or to make him feel like he was unwanted. She wants to know why he sought her out.

"I wanted to know you, because my brother is being tight-lipped about you, and I have to look out for him," he shrugged like it wasn't a big deal.

"That's very sweet of you," Zoe smiled, having both her hands wrapped around her coffee. "There's not much to know," she told him. "He helped me yesterday, by cheering me up, and I would like to think a friendship is blooming, if only for a few days," she shrugged, not wanting to make a big deal out of things.

"You two are alike," Jesse laughed. "It's not going to hurt to say more about the other person," he said shaking his head.

"There isn't anything special to know. We just get each other," she shrugged a smile on her lips.

"There's nothing I can say to get more out of you is there?" He asked, licking his lips.

Shaking her head, a small laugh on her lips, she told him, "No, there's nothing interesting about me. Things with Wade just clicked yesterday, and I'm sure things will be different today."

"With as giddy as he was, I don't think so," Jesse chuckled, pulling a laugh from Zoe. Hearing Jesse say those words, made her stomach flutter.

"Jesse, you're up early," the woman Zoe had been watching earlier dance in the snow with her husband said, walking up to them.

"Just wanted to meet Wade's new friend, as he won't tell me anything about her except her name," Jesse smirked, turning his parents onto Zoe. "My mom, Jackie, and my dad, Earl," Jesse introduced to Zoe.

"Mom, Dad, Jesse," Wade said, walking up to the small group, cutting Jesse off. "Morning Zoe," he smiled, coming to stand next to Zoe, missing the looks that passed between his parents.

"Morning Wade," Zoe smiled, happy to have Wade there with her. She doesn't mind meeting his parents as they're just friends, but it's still a bit nerve-racking for her.

"Mom, Dad, this is Zoe, we met yesterday," Wade introduced.

"What am I? Chopped liver?" Jesse asked.

"I'm sure Zoe already knows you," Wade retorted.

"I would love to get to know you, Zoe," Jackie said smiling at her. "Why don't we all go get some breakfast and get to know each other," she suggested.

"I'm out," Jesse commented, walking off before anyone could stop him.

"I'd like that," Zoe smiled, being polite. She doesn't want to hurt Wade or his parent's feelings by not agreeing to have breakfast together.