This is the last chapter guys. Hope you like it. Thank you to everyone that read, followed, reviewed and favorited - it really meant a lot to me. Leave a review, let me know what you think of the story.
Zoe found herself outside of the carriage house. She had somehow made it home after baring her heart and soul to Wade with no response whatsoever. She had driven home on auto-pilot, not really aware of her surroundings until she was back on the plantation. She felt like she was in shock but simultaneously she felt at peace for the first time in a long time. She had finally been completely honest with herself and with Wade and told him everything he deserved to hear. Now all she could do was wait. Had she been clear on the message she was trying to get across? Zoe wondered to herself. Did he realize that she was in love with him and wanted to be with him? Maybe she shouldn't have been so quick to leave the cabin? Maybe she should have stuck around for awhile in case he had questions? She made her way into the carriage house and to her bed, where she lay staring up at the ceiling going over each aspect of her recent interaction with Wade, trying desperately to keep her panic and insecurities at bay.
She was surprised that she hadn't shed any tears. She'd done plenty of crying over the 6 weeks that she had been in New York. Coming to the realization that her life was going in the exact opposite direction she intended left her reeling. After that night of Lavon's Christmas party, she still wasn't ready to admit to herself that she could be in love with Wade, but she knew she couldn't continue her relationship with Joel anymore. When he had proposed, though, it was like a light had been illuminated in her head and in her heart; the only thoughts in her head at that time revolved around Wade. She knew then, without a shadow of a doubt, that being with Joel had been a mistake when she was clearly in love with someone else and had been their whole relationship.
She had taken those extra weeks for self reflection and soul-searching. She typically made rash decisions and rushed into situations without thinking or preparing for the consequences. Being with Wade again couldn't be a hasty decision. She wasn't even sure if he would want to be with her, but she knew if they had any chance of making a relationship work, she was going to do it right this time around. She was also ready for the possibility that he may not want to be with her. Maybe she had hurt him too deeply for there to be any love or relationship left to salvage. It would be heart-breaking if he didn't want to be together again, but she had to prepare herself for whatever his decision would be.
She wasn't sure how long she lay there looking up at the ceiling going over every reaction, every expression that Wade's face had shown during her talk, when she heard a sharp cracking sound and the carriage house suddenly went dark. She sat up in the bed and looked around her place – the electricity had gone out. It had been raining most of the evening but she didn't remember hearing or seeing any thunder or lightning. She got up from the bed and made her way cautiously towards the windows to see if the rest of the lights on Lavon's plantation were out as well.
Looking out the window, through the downpour of rain, her eyes landed on the gatehouse – there was a soft glow coming from inside Wade's house. She thought that maybe she was imagining it. Zoe made her way slowly towards her front door, trying to avoid bumping into anything in the dark. When she finally reached her porch and looked across the pond at Wade's place, it looked like there was indeed light coming from the gatehouse. She looked back into her dark home in confusion. How did he have electricity and she didn't? Did he leave a light on before he left? Zoe wondered. She didn't recall seeing lights on at his place earlier but maybe she had just failed to notice – she had been pretty preoccupied. Zoe grabbed for the umbrella that she kept by her door and donned her rain boots before stepping off of her porch and making her way over towards the gatehouse to investigate. As she came out of the small wooded trail that led her to Wade's place, she stopped suddenly. His car was there – parked just outside of his house.
She looked towards his porch and that's when she finally saw him. Standing there, waiting for her. She felt her heart pounding in her chest. She slowly made her way towards his porch. He watched her intently. "You're back?" she asked quietly as she made her way onto his porch. She let her umbrella fall to the side. He nodded. Not knowing what to say, Zoe tried to make inane small talk, "The electricity is out…my place is completely dark…"
Wade gave her a small smile, "I know. I blew out the fuse box…which was kinda hard since Lavon made me change that thing after the last blow out." He blew out the fuse box on purpose? Why would he –? Looking around his porch, she noted the numerous lit candles and the kerosene lanterns that illuminated the small area – that was the glow she had seen from her house. A small smile played on Zoe's lips as she took in what he'd just said. The last blow out had happened the first night they had been together – the night of George and Lemon's wedding. She had caused the fuse box to blow that time on purpose, to call him over to her place. He did this on purpose….he wanted her to come over to his place.
"I realized that I didn't really say much when you came to see me at the cabin earlier," he started. She looked up at him, biting her lip, eager and slightly apprehensive about what he was going to say. "I've been a real jerk since you left for New York. No one's really wanted to be around me. I've been angry and moping around town, imagining you having the time of your life in New York with your fiancé. It's been rough thinking that I've lost you a second time and going through that heartbreak again…."
A tear escaped down Zoe's cheek hearing his anguish over the past 6 weeks thinking she was in love with and engaged to another man. Without thinking, she took a step closer to him and reached for one of his hands and held it between her own. She took it as a good sign that he didn't pull away or put distance between them.
"Everything you said today is what I've been waiting to hear for what feels like forever," he said quietly. She looked up at him hopefully, suddenly realizing just how close they were standing and having a hard time focusing on anything besides his lips. He lowered his head slightly to rest his forehead on hers. "You will never know how sorry I am about the night of Battle of the Bands. I never meant to hurt you. I didn't think you could ever love me and I just wanted you to be happy with someone who deserved you….so I lied. Every dumb thing I've ever done in my life and that will always be the biggest regret of my life," he whispered fiercely.
She let go of his hand, and reached for his face, "Wade, stop. You wouldn't have felt like you had to make up that lie if I didn't make you feel like you weren't good enough…." He straightened up and shook his head, pulling away from her slightly, looking like he was about to interrupt her. She tightened her hold on the sides of his face and pulled him so that he was eye level with her. "Wade, you have to know that I've already forgiven you….that I want to try to move past all of that," Zoe said, her eyes welling up with tears. "And you have to know that I'm sorry too for…everything…for pushing you into something you didn't want to do with your band, for not listening to you and not being a better girlfriend…for leaving and never having the courage to acknowledge what you said to me the day I left…for not calling you to tell you I wasn't planning on coming back…." He tried pulling away from her again, but she wouldn't let him go, staring at him intensely. "Wade, we've both made mistakes. You can't just blame yourself."
Wade nodded slowly, looking down at her for a few minutes, silence engulfing them. He finally spoke again, "I guess it's good if we both own up to our mistakes. Learn from the past so we don't mess up our future…"
Zoe felt her heart leap with joy but couldn't help feeling cautious at the same time too. It had taken her quite awhile to get to this point, to finally admit her true feelings to herself and then to him; it wouldn't be fair of her to expect a quick declaration of feelings from Wade. Maybe he needed more time to be sure that he wanted to be with her again. "What are you trying to say Wade? I mean, you always forgive me for my screw-ups – you practically let me get away with murder. I don't deserve you. You should take time…all the time you need to really think if you want to be with me, if you really want to give us another shot because – " Zoe was silenced suddenly by Wade's lips crashing into hers. She was stunned for a few seconds but recovered quickly and returned his kiss passionately.
After a few minutes, Wade pulled away slightly from Zoe. "You were freakin' out Doc," he said quietly, a small smile playing on his lips.
She pushed one of his shoulders playfully, "I mean it though Wade. You should take time to decide if you really want to be with me. Maybe you don't remember correctly, but sometimes I can get a little crazy – "this time he covered her mouth with one of his hands.
"Doc, hang on, I clearly remember how crazy you are but let's leave some things a mystery that I can discover later," he chuckled.
She rolled her eyes playfully as she grabbed the hand covering her mouth and held it between her own. "Wade, I am serious though – I'm sorry I wasn't more supportive of you when we were together."
He gave her a sad smile, "I know. Apology accepted," he said as he kissed her forehead.
"Why are you so good to me?" she asked quietly, not really expecting an answer.
"You have to know that I love you," Wade stated.
Zoe looked up at him as tears welled up in her eyes. "Still?" she questioned.
"Always," he replied simply as he pulled her close.
"I love you – so much," she whispered as she pulled him down slightly for a kiss.
They ended up in his (well, really, her) wicker chair that looked out over the pond and watched the rain continue to fall. They talked, making future plans for dates and just falling back into the conversation and banter that came so easy to them once their walls were finally down. Sitting in his lap with his arms around her was the safest and most loved Zoe had felt in a long time.
"I do have a question about something," Wade said. Zoe turned in his lap to look at him and noticed that his gaze wasn't meeting hers. He was looking nervously down at their intertwined fingers when he asked, "What about Tucker?"
"George?! What about George?" Zoe asked, confusion evident on her face.
"What about your feelings for him?" Wade asked simply. "When you first got to Bluebell and for quite some time after that, you thought he was the man of your dreams. You ran to him after we broke up and told him that you should have been with him. Do you still….I mean aren't you always going to wonder…." Wade trailed off nervously, rubbing at the back of his neck, hoping that she wouldn't try to make him elaborate further than that.
Zoe swallowed hard. "That was a mistake," she said, looking Wade in the eyes, needing him to know how serious she was. "I was hurting and heartbroken and was looking for something – anything – to make the pain stop. I didn't have romantic feelings for George then. I haven't for a long time," she said while looking intently at Wade. She needed him to know that all that nonsense with George was done. "I had all that time to think in New York and I've realized that George has been like a security blanket for me…and I think I've been one for him too. We only turn to each other when we're heartbroken or after just ending other relationships. We don't really want to be with each other – we just seek out each other for comfort when things don't work out with the people we truly want to be with. I don't want to be with him – now or in the future. And, no, I'm never going to wonder what it's like to be with him because I basically did date him by dating Joel. It's a comfortable relationship… that lacks any chemistry or passion and bores me to tears," she said honestly.
She noted that he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief as she leaned in to kiss him.
"What about New York?" he asked after several kisses.
She smiled at him, "Well, we will go visit every now and then, "she stated absent-mindedly as she snuggled into his arms and rested her head on his shoulder. "But I don't want to live there. Bluebell is home. You're here."