Chapter Six:

Zoe's phone was ringing off the hook when she woke up the next morning, "He…llo," She yawned her way through. "Oh Rose!" She became more alert, "Are you alright? You still are taking your medicine for aftercare right?" Zoe had visited a couple days ago in the hospital—well more like, sneaked in, Rose's mom was still not happy with her.

"Yes, I know its early but I got to go to school and I have to know how was your date with Wade?" She squealed.

Zoe could not help the grin that spread across her face, "Well…it wasn't bad."

"Oh come, you have to tell me more than that!"

"Rose…" the doctor heard another voice in the background.

"I know mom, I'm almost ready!"

"It was really good and I guess I'll kiss and tell, because he is a really good kisser."

"I knew it!" Rose exclaimed.

"Rose are you alright?"

"Fine mom, oh Zoe this is so exciting, I got to go but keep me updated!"

"Okay," She agreed, "No problem."

She was about to pass back out when she heard a knock, "Ahh, what I hope the whole town isn't here to ask what happened? I hope they don't put stuff like that in the paper."

She opened up the door to find, "Dad? What are you doing here?"

"I was kind of worried when you called me a few days of ago and I tried to get here as fast as I could. I know things haven't be perfect between us, and I just wanted to do something about it, I'm just trying my best Zoe. "

"Oh I'm sorry, dad, I panicked. My friend Rose had ended up in the hospital and I was worried and other things were falling apart and now things…well things are crazy but good."

"Really," he raised a brow. "Can I come in?"

"Sure, I need to get ready for work but I got a few minutes right now."

"I was planning on getting a hotel in the next town over."

"Are you sure? You could...just stay here." She was being polite but secretly she hoped he decline.

"Of course, what do you mean things have been crazy?"

"Well...Rose my friend was sick and I should have known because I was a doctor, but I didn't, and well…anyway the good thing is I'm dating…well not dating but it turned out really well…so I don't know…"

"Oh was it that fellow what was his name...Gerald?"

"George," She was surprised that he would bring him up. "No, no, it's not him."

"Who is it?"

"Oh he is just I guy I met through a friend…nothing serious yet….uh Dad, why don't we do lunch or something and we can talk more than."

"Okay," he agreed, "at that little café right?"

"Yeah it will be around one or so."

"Sounds good, give me a call if you are running too late," He waved good bye. She shut the door.

"Whew, what a morning…oh I need a moment to figure this out! My dad is here…my freaking dad is here!"

Wade heard loud knocking at the door. "What the hell! I'm coming, I'm coming." He opened the door.

"Lavon, what are you doing here?"

"I tried calling you last night," Lavon looked around the room, "Zoe, that darn woman wouldn't tell me anything."

"About what?"

"About the date, how did it go?" He asked eagerly.

"Are you serious you came over here just to see how my date went." Wade looked at him with a brow raised in disbelief.

"You never been shy about telling me before, usual you broadcast so loudly I have to cover my ears."

"Well, this is…different." He crossed his arms.

"I know…" Lavon grinned, "That is why I want to know…come on."

"Well…" Wade smiled, "It was…great."

The Mayor held out his hands, "Is that all I'm going to get? I need to know more, my man." He slapped Wade's back.

"We had dinner, we caught fireflies, and she kissed me. It was right perfect you know."

"That's good," his friend nodded, "That's real good. So when you going out, again?"

"I have no idea!"

"Really, maybe you should hold off on it."

Wade suddenly felt a smidgen of worry. Did Zoe not enjoy the date as much as he did? "Why?"

"Well actually that's the reason I came here for."

"I knew you wouldn't be here just to ask about my date."

"Zoe's dad is here."

"He is here? I'm not ready to meet the parents yet."

"You already met him, and that's why I'm suggesting you hold off, just for a couple of days."

"Well...damn," He frowned in response.

Lavon shook his head, "It will be alright, see you later."

"So this guy you are dating?" Her father inquired as he poked at his eggs.

"Dad, it is just as good as in New York, eat it."

"It's a little running," He shook his head, "That's besides the point, so this guy you are seeing?" He was insisted, he would make sure she was able to achieve her dreams. A man might keep her from those if she did not watch it.

"I would not call it seeing, it was one date. It is not serious…yet,"

"Yet?" her father questioned.

"What?"

"I just think you might be getting too involved, I respect your decision in staying here if that's what you want, but you plan on leaving in a few months right?" Her father explained, "Don't get attached to some boy, alright. You're not 15, anymore."

"Dad, I know, I'm a grown woman. This thing between me and Wade it is probably not going to last, anyway. We are too different."

"Then why are you dating him in the first place? Why get distracted?"

"I don't know, because I like him, and we had fun. Why do I always got to think of the future, I've been thinking about the future my whole life. I'm just taking a break."

Her dad nodded knowingly, "So this is just a break?"

"I…" Zoe hesitated that made Wade sound like some kind of fling you use to blow off steam before you took a big exam. "Well…I wouldn't call it a break, I have been pretty busy at the office, you know just last week I had a patient that…"

"Zoe, it is all alright if you need to have a little fun, just don't let it take away from the big picture, okay?" She was right. Her father just thought Wade was some random guy and not…what did it matter? She did not know who he was to her right now. How could she except her father to see him different, when she did not even know how to see him, herself.

"Well, anyway, so you have any big surgeries going on?" She changed the conversation.

George needed a drink. Lemon was driving him nuts with the wedding, plus she had been trying to seduce him and it was not going so well. There was the fact she cheated on him but there was also this thing were he liked Zoe—a lot. While it was not exactly a lie that he was worried about the doctor dating the local playboy; he had not entirely explained his motives. When he heard it, and then when she told him, he felt a surge of jealously. Now, he knew it was not good to lead anyone on, but…now he had doubts again and…besides he was kind of curious what happened with Zoe and Wade. Though, he had no plans of asking Wade directly, he was sure the town would be inquisitive enough for him, especially at the Rammer Jammer.

He walked in and told Shelly his order. She served him a couple shots of Southern Comfort, "How's it going?"

"Oh pretty good…hey I guess you heard about Wade and Zoe!"

"Yeah, they went on a date."

"The whole town thought it would be a disaster, but it turns out that Wade is smitten and well…I heard Zoe was glowing brighter than a shooting star in a clear sky."

"Oh?" He was not sure how he felt about that. He was glad the guy had not hurt Zoe but…that meant she was happy with...Wade...and...He did not want to think any further on it.

"Yep, looks like there could be another wedding in a year," She teased and George felt himself tense a bit.

"It was just one date."

"Yeah," She tilted her head, "Look at him sweating like a hog," George watched as the bartender took a couple of deep breaths and seemed to shake whatever bothered him off. He was extremely anxious. George could tell by the way he kept washing the same glass. "He is as nervous as a baby goat around a coyote, the poor guy."

"What's wrong?"

"Zoe's dad's in town,"

"Zoe's dad! That's a surprise, what's he in town for?"

"Oh nobody really knows, just checking on his little girl," She leaned in and smiled, "So how's soon to be Mrs. Tucker," She patted him on the back.

"Oh she is good, wrapped up in the wedding and all that, but good, well thanks for the drinks," He tossed a few bills down, "Bye…"

"I'll see you at the Wedding," She said with a sweet grin.

He was not sure, but… "Yeah,"

"So what is with all that?" her father pointed out the massive decorations all around the square.

"Oh…there is a wedding coming up…kind of big deal here. The couple has been together for awhile."

"Oh, who is the unlucky pair?"

"Dad!"

"What?" he asked, "You know what I think of marriage."

"Only because yours didn't work out. It doesn't mean somebody else can't, anyway it is George something…Lime, Leme, or something," Purposefully misstating her name. They walked passed a huge banner with the couple's name on it. "Oh Lemon." She put on a bitter grin and hoped her father would not noticed.

He did.

"Is that," he pointed to the guy, "The guy's who's father I did heart surgery on not too long ago."

"Uh yeah...George, yep he is getting married." Her father raised a brow. "Don't worry," She laughed, "It is not like I'm planning on ruining their wedding, anyway um…do you want to meet Wade." It was a horrible, terrible idea, but no worse than hanging around crazy swans and fluffy flowers.

"Yes, if that is alright. I think I would." By tone of her father's voice…it was still the worse idea. She took him to the Rammer Jammer anyway.

"Oh hey!" She greeted Wade with a wave. Things were still off balance, they just been on one date and it was totally too soon to meet the parents, except the bartender already met both parents. She knew her mom would not be too surprised to find her dating him, but still she could feel the air of disapproval from her father. She could also see the tension in Wade. She realized he wanted to impress her father and it was kind of sweet…and not going to happen. "So dad this is Wade my uh…"

"Boyfriend," Wade was unsettled to see them. He sincerely was going to avoid them all day, but he could not keep her from coming to the Rammer Jammer and Shelly was busy. Wade's voice was hopeful as held out his hand. Even though, he was unprepared he desperately still wanted to make a good impression. Zoe's father just stared at it, until it dropped, "Well…it's alright I been busy wiping tables and uh…" He wiped his hands on his jeans.

"Yeah…" It took her a minute, "But yeah…my boyfriend."

"He is a bartender." Her father pointed it out as if it was an insult to him.

"Yeah, did I forget to mention that…well…he is working on getting his own bar one day," Why did she still feel the need to impress her dad?

"Well…good luck on that…I heard business is tough these days,"

"Yeah, well it's a working progress, still trying to work out the details…uh do you need a drink?"

"No," Zoe said almost too quickly, "We got to go…uh dad don't you need to pack…you probably should get back right to the hotel."

Her father looked confused but then he gazed at his phone, "You're right I have a flight to catch in a few hours, and I still got to drive to Mobile. It was…interesting meeting you Wade."

As they were walking out the door her father finally brought up why he was really there.

"Look Zoe, I didn't just come here for no reason at all."

"Then why did you come here?" She looked up at him, eager as ever to make him happy but at the same time she was upset with how he treated Wade. So there may have been a twinge of angry in her voice.

Her father did not register anything wrong and continued, "I told Boston I go to work for them if they would take you on too."

"Oh, well um…"

"Well, you wouldn't have to go right away. Why don't you think about it, okay,"

"Oh okay,"

"Maybe after your year is done."

"I…yeah…I…don't know..I'll think about it, Dad." She should have been ecstatic at the idea, but Blue Belle was growing on her and there was...another reason to stay.

Zoe went back home after work. There was a knock at her door. She opened up to see Wade standing there with his hands behind his back.

"Zoe, hey...um."

"Hey," She smiled.
"I just.. your dad hates my guts doesn't he?"

"Don't worry about my dad, he wouldn't be happy with anyone I was dating, anyway."

"Even if it was George Tucker?"

"Honestly, especially if it was George Tucker my dad hates lawyers." She laughed a lit bit, remembering some of her father's grumblings.

"Really?"

"Yeah, he doesn't want me to get distracted."

"Distracted from what?"

"Oh you know…um being a doctor."

"Well, I doubt you get too distracted from that considering on our date you did all doctoring stuff, anyhow.

"So um….where you planning on asking me out again? I don't know if I got that point across but I…" His lips pressed against hers.

"Sure, I'll have extra money this Friday so we could go…"

"To Mobile, oh let's stay out all day." She recalled that was the day of the Wedding and she did not want to be anywhere near it.

"This wouldn't have to do with the Tucker Wedding would it?"

"Wade," She let her shoulders slump, "I'm trying, but give me time…please."

"Give you time…I don't get it doc do you like me or not?"

"I do, I just…"

"Love George."

"Please Wade this has just started, let's give this a chance, please. I don't know why but I really want to try." She was begging with him and she knew it.

"You want to," He was a bit shock at that, but it made him feel a little better about the whole situation.

"Why?" Because I could love you, and I am already falling.

"I…I really like you…okay…and you like me right, so why not?"

He just shook his head, still aware that he was the consolation prize, "Whatever, fine, I'll see you this Friday."

"Wade?"

"I just need to cool off doc, but I'll see you Friday." He walked back to his house.

She did not know why she was trying so hard. She was going to be gone in three months, anyhow. Right? Was it just out of pity? No…She shook her head, besides Wade would never stand for that and she was too old to date a grown man out of pity. No….really, it was just her heart was already invested and as wise it would be to cash in her chips and run. She did not want.