Welcome everyone to day 9 of the Hart of Dixie countdown to Christmas! I'm happy you guys are liking this story thus far.

Enjoy!

"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.

"Mom, Dad, this is Zoe, we met yesterday," Wade introduced, where he had cut Jesse off. It shouldn't have been Jesse to introduce Zoe to their parents. She is his friend, not Jesse's. Jesse already pissed him off by more than likely cornering Zoe into talking to him, after he clearly told him to stay away from her.

"What am I? Chopped liver?" Jesse asked, amusement written on his face.

"I'm sure Zoe already knows you," Wade retorted, moving closer to Zoe, wanting to protect her, even though he knows he doesn't have to do that. He quickly learned that Zoe can protect herself.

"I would love to get to know you, Zoe," Jackie said smiling. "Why don't we all go get some breakfast and get to know each other," she suggested. She wants to know a little something about the one person her youngest is going to be spending the majority of his time with.

"I'm out," Jesse commented, walking off before anyone could stop him. Wade snorted in his head. Of course, he would bale on them. He, himself, would like to bale on his parents, but Zoe's following words seal his fate for breakfast.

"I'd like that," Zoe smiled.

Wade helped Zoe put her coat on. As much as he would like to ditch breakfast with his parents, he knows he can't do that. His Ma raised him better than that. And it isn't going to hurt him or his friendship with Zoe. Holding the door for Zoe and his parents, he zipped his jacket following behind them.

"I hope you didn't feel pressured to say yes to my parents," Wade commented, falling in step with Zoe, his parents in their own little world walking in front of them. "I promise you that they wouldn't have minded if you turned their offer down," he stated.

"It wasn't that," Zoe shook her head. "I don't mind," she shrugged. "What's the worst that can happen?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"With them, it's hard to say," Wade sighed, shaking his head. When it comes to his parents, they can do anything to embarrass him. They'd do just that if they got an inkling that they like each other. Or more over if he likes Zoe more than a friend.

"Are you afraid?" Zoe asked with a giggle.

"No," Wade said, not very believable to his own ears. He stuffed his hands into his coat pockets, the chilly wind freezing his fingers."Why would I be afraid?" Wade asked, nudging her with his elbow.

"Maybe because your parents will give away all your secrets," she teased him.

"Can't say I have any secrets," Wade smirked. "None that my parents know," he stated with a cocky smirk.

"That might be so, but they do have stories you might think are embarrassing," she shrugged, following his parents into a small cafe.

"That doesn't scare me," he whispered in her ear, following his parents to a booth at the back of the cafe.

He's not going to let on to Zoe that it does scare him a bit. He doesn't want Zoe to see him as anything other than the guy he was yesterday. His dad will be the one to bring up some story from when he was little and didn't know any better. His mom, while she might join in on the stories, but she's also gonna want to know everything she can find out about Zoe, wanting to make sure she is good enough, or maybe she wants to make sure that he is good enough for Zoe. Not that either one matters, as they're friends with practically no time for anything to change between them. It's one winter break of their lives, who says they'll ever see each other ever again?

"Tell us, Zoe, where do you call home?" Jackie asked, picking the menu up to look over it. Jackie and Earl sat on one side, with very little room between them, so much so that they are sharing a menu.

"New York," Zoe answered, looking over her menu. Wade keeps a distance between them on their side of the booth, as he looks over the menu. "I wanted something other than tropical beaches this year," she told them.

"I would have loved to be on a beach soaking in the sun, instead of freezing to death," Wade grumbled, shutting his menu, having picked out what it is he wants to have for breakfast.

"Wade, you can soak up the sun all summer long," Earl sighed. "We brought you and your brother here, to experience something else."

"A little family fun, and have you not been having a fun time?" Jackie asked, her eyes darting to Zoe, and back to her son, raising an eyebrow at her youngest.

"For the most part," Wade said, looking at Zoe. He wants to convey to her that he has been having fun with her, despite not wanting to be there, to begin with.

"We'd like to meet your parents, Zoe," Jackie said, wanting another couple to spend time with.

"I'm sorry to disappoint," Zoe told them, looking over the menu even though she knows what it is she wants. "My dad is working in Italy, I think, he kind of works everywhere over there," she sighed, taking a deep breath. "And for my mom, she's locked herself in her room, to do work. I don't think she's ever actually taken time off," she told them. Wade noticed the hint of sadness in her tone.

"Zoe's offered to help me conquer the slopes," Wade announced, wanting the attention off of Zoe and the ongoings of her family. It's not any of their business with what is going on when it comes to her family. They're not there to judge anyone.

"I don't know how much help I can be," Zoe smiled, thankful for him. "I can ski, but it's not the best, and I don't know a thing about snowboarding," she told him, shaking her head.

"It's better than falling on my ass every single time," he stated.

"Wade Kinsella!" Jackie hissed at her son. "We don't use that language at all, especially around pretty girls," she reprimanded her son.

"I'm sorry," he apologized looking at his mom. "I'm sorry for my use of language, Zoe," he said dramatically, looking at her, and getting a small smile from her.

By the time he could make up an excuse to get out of his parent's clutches, Zoe had already heard a good chuck of his childhood. How he won the cutest baby when he was 6 months old. How he had to go to the bathroom at his Uncle Mo's house, only that he couldn't wait and used the potted house plant in the living room instead. Or how they witnessed his first kiss when they came home early from their date and caught him in his room with Kelly.

"I should warn you, I haven't skied since I was 10," she told him, as they rented out what they needed.

"Then we can suck together, learn together, and maybe ice our broken egos in front of the fire afterward," he told her with a smile. He wants to spend as much time with Zoe as he can, she's the one thing that is making this so-called family trip bearable.

"I'd like that," Zoe smiled, a hint of a blush covering her cheeks.