Sorry for the wait, but unfortunately you are going to have to get used to it, because I'm trying to make the chapters longer at the same time as I'm really busy at work, trying to save up some money, so the updates might not be as frequent as they have were at first.

Disclaimer: I do not own Hart of Dixie.

16. Casablanca

Wade threw himself on his bed. He looked to his side at his alarm clock and it read four in the morning. He sighed and took of his jeans and shirt before closing his eyes.

He'd been working at the Rammer Jammer until nine in the evening and then he'd decided to head over to his dad's garage. There he'd found a couple of cars waiting repairs, so he'd gone to find Lenny's note on what was wrong with them and then got to it. It had taken a bit longer than he'd expected, but he liked working on cars, it was something he was good at and he felt good when he finally left the garage and headed home.

So now, as he was slowly drifting off to sleep he was fairly happy with himself and his last thought was that in under 48 hours he'd finally be on his second date with Zoe.

Zoe and Annabeth were sitting outside, eating lunch.

"So, that idiot Whitney stayed over again last night, seriously, when will their stupid experiment be over" Annabeth said exasperated.

"Remind me again why you don't like Whitney? He seems like a great guy to me" Zoe said, looking up from her salad.

"Oh, he's just so annoying"

"AB, do you by any chance like him?"

"What, no"

"You so do" Zoe exclaimed, laughing at her friends desperate state.

"I do not. I am with Simon and it's going great, remember? Plus, he's in college, he has never taken a second look at me, I'm just Kyle's stupid baby sister"

"AB, you're totally hooked on this guy"

"Would you stop looking so smug, please? Okay, yeah, I may have had a small, fine huge, crush on Whitney ever since he and Kyle became friends a couple of years back, but it doesn't matter, ok, so will you drop it please?"

"Sorry, consider it dropped, but you were the one that brought him up"

"Yeah, well that's because I wanted you to spill about you're evening out with him at the Rammer Jammer" Annabeth said, a bit of jealousy in her voice.

"It was not an evening out wit him, first, it was in the afternoon, not evening, second, Kyle was there too, and third, we just bumped into each other and decided to grab something to eat"

"Fine, afternoon out, then, but why? You guys friends now, or something?"

"No, yeah, I don't know. Why had a nice chat on our way back from the movies, and then again when he came into the practice on Wednesday. I like him, he's fun"

"Oh" Annabeth said, her voice going down a bit.

"Not like him, like him, just as a friend, ok? You ain't got nothing to worry about, I really like Wade, and wanna see where that goes"

"Since you mention Wade, aren't you going on a date tomorrow night?"

"Yeah" Zoe replied, smiling.

"Want me to come over tomorrow to decide on an outfit? You could help me to, I'm going out with Simon and could use your advice"

"Sure, I'll come over to your place, dad's having some old friends from med-school over, don't wanna intrude on him"

"It's a date" Annabeth said, laughing.

Zoe was walking towards Annabeth's house. She was wearing almost nothing, the shortest possible shorts and a light tank top but still the heat was killing her. It was one of the few things she disliked about Alabama, the heatwaves. You were always uncomfortable and the heat made people crazy, and she didn't really like crazy. But as she walked up Annabeth's driveway she thought that heatwaves definitely had it's perks – Kyle and Whitney were standing in the driveway, looking into the hood of Kyle's car and because of the heat they wore nothing but shorts. Yes, she was absolutely committed to see where this thing with Wade was going, but that didn't mean she couldn't admire a nice body from afar.

"Hey, Zo, Annabeth's upstairs, just head on in" Kyle called out to her as she passed them.

"Thanks" she called back, grinning at them as she went into the house and headed upstairs towards Annabeth's room.

"Hey, AB" she said as she walked into the room.

"Zoe, thank God, you can knock some sense into me. I've been sitting in here staring out the window for almost an hour" Annabeth exclaimed as she jumped up from the windowsill.

"It's a nice view" Zoe smirked as she noticed that Annabeth had been watching Whitney.

"Oh, shut up" Annabeth said and lightly shoved Zoe. "I was thinking, it's only noon and Crickett was talking about how a few people were gathering at the pond out on the old Breeland estate, maybe we could go check it out?"

"You think I'm welcome there? If you heard it from Crickett then the Belles will probably all be there, right? Won't Lemon behead me?"

"Nah, supposedly everyone's going"

"Well, if everyone will be there, then we can't miss it, now can we?"

Annabeth just smiled and the girls headed downstairs.

"Were are y'all goin'? Though you guys had some big dates or somethin'?" Kyle asked when the stepped out.

"What's it to you?" Annabeth shot at him.

"Jeez, I ain't interrogatin' you or nothin' here" Kyle said back, his hands in the air as a show of innocence.

"Whatever" Annabeth said, shaking her head at him.

When they were out of hearing distance Zoe turned to Annabeth.

"You know, if you wouldn't act so much like the annoying little sister, then maybe Whitney might not see you like that but as the amazing girl you are"

"I do not"

"AB, please, if Kyle opens his mouth you snap at him. He really is a nice guy, and if you won't kill me for saying so, really hot."

That earned Zoe a disgusted look from that made her burst out laughing.

"Common, you gotta admit, he's good looking"

"Whatever" Annabeth said, shaking her head. "Besides, it doesn't matter how I act, I'm with Simon, remember."

"Yeah, though I kind of get the feeling that's just because you won't really let yourself go for Whitney"

"So what if it is?"

"It's kinda unfair to Simon"

"Hey, he's had his fair share of girls, he ain't innocent either"

"Touche" Zoe said and the girls laughed as they turned off the main road and started trailing the old paths up the old and abandoned estate. The Breelands had owned it back in the times of the Civil War, but had decided to move closer to town a couple of hundred years back, but the estate was still theirs, just left empty a couple of miles out of town.

When they got closer to the large pond they could here music blasting and laughter. As they reached the pond they saw that the party was already in full swing and everyone was there.

"Annabeth, there you are, common, let's get you a drink" Lemon called out when she saw them arrive.

Annabeth looked over at Zoe, apologetically.

"It's cool, go have fun. If you can, I mean, it's Lemon"

"Be nice" Annabeth smiled and hurried over to Lemon.

Zoe watched her walk away and then turned around and skimmed over the area. She spotted some of her friends and went on to join them.

It was almost five o'clock when Zoe finally left the party. She had to run all the way to her house where she jumped into a quick shower and then had to get ready on a very slim time frame.

When she heard the knock on the door she was just finishing applying her mascara.

"Zoe, Wade's here for you" Harley called upstairs, not bothering with the same teasing formalities as last time.

"Coming" Zoe yelled downstairs as she tossed on a few golden bracelets and quickly made her way downstairs.

"Hi" she said as she saw Wade, standing there in nice looking jeans and a clean white T-shirt.

"Hi, you look great" he said as she grabbed her purse. She was wearing a yellow sundress that went down to just mid thigh, her hair was just loose around her face and she wore flat strap sandals.

"Thanks, so do you" she said as they headed out the door and she called goodbye to Harley and Pauline.

"I thought 'bout somethin' nicer, but the heat is excruciatin'" he said apologetically.

"No, really, Wade, you look good" she said and he blushed a little. "So, where are we going?" Zoe asked as she got into the passenger seat of his car. He had the top down so they wouldn't suffocate in the heat.

"Well, last time we went on a very typical date, you know, formalities with the father, Fancies and all. This time I'm takin' you on a real Kinsella date" he said smirking.

"A real Kinsella date" she repeated amused.

"Yup" he said, chuckling at her.

"You know, I've actually been on a few dates with a Kinsella, and they were mostly just the usual thing, dinner at Fancies or some other similar restaurant."

"Well, that was Jesse, he's all typical and borin'" he said, trying to sound chipper, though his mood had darkened a little. He didn't like to be reminded that his brother had actually dated Zoe before him.

"Alright, so what is a real Kinsella date like?" she asked, not noticing his slight mood change.

"You'll see" he said, grinning at the expression on her face.

"I hate surprises" she said, pouting.

He just laughed at her and kept on driving.

When he passed the Bluebell town line Zoe started to grow a little bit uneasy, but not because she didn't trust Wade, it was more that she found it really unsettling to not now where she was going.

"Seriously, Wade, are you taking me somewhere to murder me or something?"

"Nah, you're way to pretty for that" he said, grinning his famous Wade Kinsella smile to top of his very characteristic remark.

She laughed nervously and started fidgeting with the hem of her dress.

Wade noticed it and started thinking of something do draw her attention away. It had not been his intention to make her uncomfortable, he really thought she would enjoy his plans.

"I heard there was a party up at the Breeland estate today, did you go?"

"Yeah, Annabeth and I decided to ditch our getting ready plans and go check it out. It was well worth it. It was awesome, everyone was there. I literally think you were the only person from school that wasn't there"

"Oh, goody, now everyone'll think I'm a party pooper"

Zoe just laughed at him. "No, they won't, you're Wade Kinsella."

He grinned at her comment, deciding to take it as a compliment.

"So, wanna fill me in on this legendary event?"

"Sure" she said, smiling as she dived in to describing the main events. Wade looked over at her and couldn't help but smile as he watched her enthusiastically describe some funny story.

She got so caught up in her stories that she was surprised when Wade pulled over and stopped the car.

"Here we are" he said and unfastened his seat belt.

Zoe looked around. They were in the parking lot of a roadside diner. "Where exactly is here? I'm starting to rethink my murder theories"

"Here is the finest dinin' establishment in the whole of Alabama." Wade said as he got out of the car and hurried over to open Zoe's door for her. He was still a southern charmer after all.

"You're telling me you've tried all places that serve food in the whole state?" she asked jokingly.

"Don't be a wise ass" he said as she got out of the car.

They got inside and walked over to a booth. The diner was just your typical diner, checkered table cloths, red leather on the seats and chubby waitresses in their mid forties.

"Welcome to Fred's Diner. Here are your menus, holler when you're ready" the waitress, whose nametag read Yolanda, walked away.

"This is definitely not Fancies" Zoe said laughing and picked up the menu. Wade placed his hand on the menu, pinning it down.

"No, trust me, there's a special reason for drivin' all this way. We don't need to look at the menu" he said and Zoe reluctantly let go of the menu.

"Wade, I appreciate the southern gentleman as much as the next girl, but this isn't the middle ages, women have free will now" she pouted.

He just laughed at her. "I know, but just this once" he said, pleading.

"Fine, but it better be good"

"This is the best cheeseburger in the history of cheeseburgers" Zoe exclaimed half way through her burger.

"Told you so" Wade chuckled.

"But it's not really date appropriate" Zoe said, wiping sauce from her chin. "It's messy"

"I disagree, it's hot seein' a girl eatin' like their supposed to, not bein' all lady-like"

"Well, if you say so" Zoe said and continued attacking the burger.

When the waitress came asking if they wanted dessert Zoe started to say no, stating she was full but Wade dismissed her.

"I'll have the pecan pie and she'll have a slice of chocolate cake"

"Wade" Zoe whined when the waitress was gone. "I wasn't being polite or anything, I really am full"

"Zoe, you have not lived until you've had Fred's pecan pie with a side of chocolate cake"

"Wait, what? You're planning on mixing the two together?"

"Yeah, it's delicious"

"Whatever you say" Zoe said, looking at him like he was an alien.

A few minutes later the waitress came over with their desserts and Wade took matters into his own hands, splitting both in two and giving Zoe one piece of each and taking the others for himself and then he dove in.

Zoe regarded him suspiciously, but he seemed to be really enjoying this so she decided to dive in.

"Eew, Wade, this is disgusting" she said, pushing the plate away from her.

Wade looked up and laughed at her horrified expression. "Your loss, my gain" he said and she sat there watching him completely rinse both plates.

"How do your abs stay visible?" she asked when he was finally finished.

"You noticin' my body now?" he asked suggestively.

She just punched him in the arm.

"Ouch, that wasn't necessary. And for your information, their just so awesome they don't wanna go into hiding" he said, smirking.

"Your such an idiot" she said as the waitress came over with the bill. "Wade, let me, I feel so bad for ordering the pricy lobster and then letting you pay for it" Wade put his hand up to stop her rambling.

"No, not a chance. I've got a job now, remember, I can pay. Plus, this place is really cheap, it's just one of the things that add to it's perfection"

Zoe reluctantly let go of her purse and watched him stick the bills into the check holder.

"So, is this it, or are we heading of to the best movie theater in the whole of the Southern States now?" Zoe asked sarcastically.

"Well, as a matter of fact, we are" he said as he opened the car door for her.

"Really. And where is that, if I might ask"

"Oh, you may not" was all he said as he backed out into the road and turned back the same way they'd come.

They spent the ride back talking about whatever was going on around Bluebell and suddenly were passing the town line again.

"I'm pretty sure the best movie theater in the Southern States isn't in Bluebell" she said, looking over at him.

"Oh, I guess you really don't know everything" he smirked and turned into a street of the main street around town square and stopped outside his father's garage.

"In your father's old garage?" she asked, disbelief on her face. Wade didn't say anything just went and searched his pockets for the key. He opened the door and let her into the garage. The cars he'd fixed earlier had been replaced by a worn down truck.

Wade let Zoe into the back office and up stairs that led to a loft over the office. There were tires stacked all over them, but there was also an old couch and a movie projector facing the wall.

"Wade, what is this?"

"I told you, the best movie theater in the Southern States. It plays whatever you want, beside from the most recent releases, whenever you want and in total privacy"

"This is amazing" Zoe said as she took a seat on the couch.

Wade smiled as he went and put in the movie and grabbed a popcorn basket from behind a stack of tires. He sat down besides Zoe and put the popcorn basket in his lap. He looked over at her and she smiled at him before turning to the screen.

"Oh, Casablanca, I love that movie, how did you know?"

"Just guessed, it's a classic girl movie, figured you probably liked those"

"So what, I'm just a basic stereotype?" she asked playfully.

"Far from it" Wade said, looking at her like she was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen, which, in his mind, she was, and he smiled at her when she blushed under his gaze.

The movie started and they were sitting real close, her body leaning a little bit towards his and he decided to just go for it and put his arms around her shoulders, he skipped the whole yawning part, though. At his move she just leaned closer, resting her head on his shoulder as she continued watching the movie.

Wade was a bit surprised when it ended, having spent most of the movie staring at her. She looked up and met his gaze.

"Wade, this was amazing, thank you so much" she said as she leaned in even closer and kissed him.

"Your welcome" he said as she broke the kiss and started to lean back. He grabbed her head with his other hand and pulled her back to him, kissing her more fiercely. She reciprocated his kiss, moved her hands up his chest and to his neck, wrapping them around it. Wade gently leaned her back down on the couch without breaking the kiss and he moved his hand gently down her side and rested it on her hip, his other hand moving from her cheek into her hair.

They lay there on the couch, making out heavily for a while and Wade got caught up with it and started moving his hands up her bare thigh, under the skirt of her dress. Zoe was a little freaked out by it, but she was also too caught up in the heat of the kiss and she was enjoying it so much she didn't do anything to stop him, though a tiny voice in her head was screaming for her to stop this, that she was not ready to lose her virginity just yet. Zoe knew the voice was right, but God, it felt so good to have Wade's hands all over her.

But before she could finish her internal battle her phone started ringing.

Wade reluctantly removed his lips from hers and sat up as Zoe went for her phone.

"Hey, dad"

"Yeah, no, I'm fine, just forgot the time, yeah, I'm on my way" she said and hung up.

"Guess I gotta take you home, just in case I get really sick and need to be on the doctor's good side" he joked and Zoe laughed nervously, still trying to compose herself after their heated make-out session.

When Wade pulled up her driveway they could see Harley staring out the kitchen window so Zoe just hurried out and into the house.

"It's almost two in the morning. I know I'm not too strict on curfews and such, but this is pushing it, young lady" he said angrily as Zoe got inside.

"I'm sorry, dad. Really, we were just watching a movie and forgot the time" Zoe said, avoiding her dad's eyes. She really hated it when he was angry at her, she wanted him to be proud of her.

"Well, keep a closer look next time" he said, his voice warming up a little.

"Next time?" Zoe asked, daring a hopeful look up at her father.

"Yeah, well, I can't really keep you in the house forever, now can I? Guess I gotta face the fact that you're growing up" he said and Zoe just hugged him and gave him a peck on the cheek before heading up the stairs. When she had finished brushing her teeth and getting ready for bed she went to her window and saw Wade, standing in his room. They smiled at each other before Zoe dragged her curtains closed and went into bed.