Thank you all for all of your kind comments and reviews - I so appreciate them! Real life was busy, between my big girl marketing job and my freelance gig since it was a big week in my industry and so I didn't get a chance to work on this often. I'm already working on the next update so stay tuned!

This chapter was interesting to write. I consider it a bit of a turning point - it sets a lot of things in motion or at the very least, makes you think about things (or makes Zoe think about things...) The chapter title comes from the Chris Young song "Small Town, Big Time."

THINKS I OWN: A crockpot that I made the BEST mac and cheese in earlier. THINGS I DON'T OWN: Hart of Dixie.

Wade looked up as the bell over the Rammer Jammer chimed, announcing another customer. He nodded towards a table for two in a back corner, then tossed the rag he'd been drying glasses with aside and grabbed a couple of beers.

"Here," he said, sliding the bottle across the table as he sat down.

"Thanks," George answered, catching the bottle with one hand while pulling papers out of a briefcase with the other. He set a file on the table between them.

"So?" Wade asked. George sighed and he knew what that meant. They'd had this same conversation every few months like clockwork. He cursed.

"You're going to have to contest it," George told him. "I know that's not ideal, but at this point, you're out of options. I can start the paperwork as soon as tomorrow morning, but it's still going to take some time." Wade rubbed his hands over his face.

"Alright," he agreed. "In the meantime, send those back, maybe we'll get lucky this time."

"You haven't been lucky since before I came back from New York," George reminded him. "But I'll send them back." He reached into his briefcase and pulled out another folder. "Now, the more interesting part of our meeting."

"What'd you find out?" Wade asked, leaning forward.

"First of all, you realize Zoe will kill us if she finds out what we're doing?"

"She's five feet tall and weighs next to nothing. I think we can handle her," Wade said. George glanced around as if expecting Zoe to come barging through the door at any minute. Given that it was Halloween and she was wound tighter than ever over the festival, it wasn't unlikely.

"Take a look at this," George said, opening the manila folder and sliding it across the table. "I used up several favors to get this, but no one by the name of 'Judson Lyons' has ever attended Virginia Tech's veterinary school – or any other vet school that I could find." Wade frowned, reading the documents in front of him.

"So either he's not a vet or he's a vet with a fake name." George nodded in agreement while Wade continued to read. "There's nothing here," he said after skimming the few pieces of paper in the folder. "Not even a former address."

"Exactly," George confirmed. "Judson Lyons – at least the one that currently resides in Bluebell, Alabama – doesn't have a paper trail of any kind."

The two looked at each other, both minds trying to put together all of the many missing pieces concerning the town vet. They had decided the day after they met Judson to do some digging, both of them sure there was something amiss about him. George had called in some favors while Wade's job was to keep an eye on Zoe and in turn, Judson. He had spied Judson outside of Zoe's just a few days earlier, arguing with someone on the phone. He'd managed to slip close enough to learn that Judson owed someone money – and a lot of it. It hadn't surprised him to learn from Zoe that Judson had taken off for another long weekend the next day.

"What do we do?" Wade asked. George shook his head.

"Nothing for now," he said. "We don't have enough to go on to prove anything at this point. I've got a couple of guys working on it, but until they come up with something solid, all we can do is keep an eye on him."

"And watch the doc like a hawk," Wade agreed. His mind was already racing ahead. He knew Judson and Zoe spent a lot of time at Zoe's in the evenings, most of which he worked. It made him uncomfortable that Zoe would be entirely alone with Judson.

"Speaking of Zoe – what's going on between the two of you?" George asked.

"That seems to be everybody's favorite question today," Wade commented. Shelley had asked him the same thing earlier.

"The town is talking, you know. Dr. Lyons goes out of town, you two spend almost the entire weekend together…"

"Despite what the town may think, spending the weekend with Dr. Hart has not been for pleasure. That hay bale maze set up in the Town Square? It almost cost Doc her life last night – at my hands." And it had. He'd been frustrated with Zoe before, but yesterday, he'd had to walk away to keep himself from taking his frustration out on her. She had been micromanaging his every move as he'd worked on first one Halloween project then another, changing her mind every few minutes. It was getting late, he hadn't slept much and he'd had enough. He'd expected to go toe-to-toe with her when he'd returned but instead, she'd taken a deep breath, apologized, and let him work in relative peace.

"I don't doubt it," George said. "She's barged in my office in search of Didi a few times in the last week. Didi hid in the bathroom at one point and made me tell Zoe she hadn't come back from lunch yet." He started gathering his files. "I'd better get going. I've got to help Lemon bring a bunch of cakes or something over to the festival for the Belles Booth." They both stood.

"Thanks," Wade told him sincerely. George studied him for a moment before nodding.

"I'll keep you posted," he said. "On both accounts. You keep an eye on Zoe." The two bumped fists and George departed. Wade went back behind the counter, his thoughts heavy.

Somehow, by some gigantic miracle, she had pulled it off. She, Dr. Zoe Hart, had pulled it off. Granted, a lot of it had been done already. Rita Maddox had been doing an excellent job of planning and coordinating. Zoe only had to pick up where she left off – and put her own personal twist on it. In just over a week, running on little sleep and even less patience, she had managed to put together an incredible Halloween festival-turned-extravaganza that all of Bluebell had turned out for.

Everywhere she looked, kids were playing games, trick-or-treating at the many booths set up or visiting the petting zoo. Their parents looked equally as happy, keeping an eye on their little ones while gossiping with neighbors and stealing candy from their kids' trick-or-treat sacks. People had even cheered for her, given her a round of applause, when she'd made a short speech at the start of the festival, welcoming them all. Even Lemon Breeland had begrudgingly told her she'd done a good job and if that wasn't a victory, Zoe didn't know what was.

"Dr. Hart, Lavon Hayes is impressed," Lavon said, coming up beside her. "Not only did you pull it off, for the first time in years, it looks like you'll come in under budget and that makes the Mayor very happy."

"I couldn't have done it without Didi," she answered. And you, of course. And Wade." Zoe looked across the town square to where Wade was playing cornhole with a few guys she'd seen him hang out with around town. "Especially without Wade," she admitted.

"He's a good guy," Lavon said, following her gaze. "A complicated guy, but a good guy." He patted Zoe on the shoulder and headed off to mingle like any good Mayor was expected to do. As soon as Lavon had departed, Zoe was commandeered by Elsie Hall, a sweet older lady she had met a few times. She smiled politely as Elsie gushed about how wonderful the festival was and even how nice Zoe looked. She glanced at Wade over Elsie's shoulder, drinking a soda as he waited for his teammate to take his turn.

That was the second time Lavon had told her Wade was complicated. Curiosity nagged at her as she was greeted by festival goer after festival goer, telling her how much fun they were having or else congratulating her on a job well done. Two of them had even mentioned needing to make an appointment with her to have one ailment or the other checked out. She kept catching glances of Wade as she worked the crowd. Usually he was with a group of friends, but she had seen him talking to both Lavon and George at one point. She'd decided she'd imagined the wave of jealousy that reared up when she saw him talking to Claudia, well known around Bluebell for her promiscuity, something Zoe knew first hand to be the truth as she had treated her for it.

She realized for the first time that she didn't know Wade's story. She knew his father was the town drunk and that he worked at the Rammer Jammer, that he had a penchant for loud music and spent an awful lot of time fishing. She also knew he had a tendency to turn up at just the right time, whether she knew she needed help or not, and that he could turn just about any conversation into one of sexual innuendo with the turn of a phrase.

But that was all she knew about him. She knew Lavon's life story, not just the parts that she'd learned over the years of being a fan, but that he broke his arm when he was 7 and trying to run away from his grandmother who was set on taking a keen switch to the back of his legs after he threw a baseball in the house and broke several pieces of her china. She even knew more about George than she did about Wade and he didn't live just across the yard from her.

"You really pulled it off, Dr. Hart," said Addie. "My boys are having just the best time. So is my husband, for that matter. He hasn't stopped playing cornhole since he got here." Zoe looked over to the cornhole tournament again which had somehow become the gathering place for all the men in Bluebell. Sure enough, Sheriff Bill, uniform, gun belt and all, was heckling Ray Thompson as he took his turn.

"Thanks, Addie," Zoe said, meaning it. "And thank you for putting up with me this week. I know I was a little difficult."

"No more so than any other week," she said. Zoe gave her a guilty grin. "Look at that fool." Zoe looked on with Addie as Sheriff Bill did a victory dance, hands in the air and all. Wade was among the onlookers. He caught Zoe's eye and winked, giving her a grin. Zoe averted her eyes and tried to hide the small face playing at her lips.

"That boy is plum crazy about you," Addie said, catching every moment of Zoe and Wade's interaction.

"What, Wade? No," Zoe said, shaking her head. "It's mating rituals he's interested in. And besides, I'm dating Judson."

"So the flush in your cheeks has nothing to do with that grin the boy just gave you?" Addie asked knowingly. Zoe instinctively put her hands on her cheeks.

"I'm not blushing," she stated. "I'm – chilly." Addie shook her head, knowing there was no point in arguing with Zoe.

"Speaking of Dr. Lyons, you tell him it would do him good to actually be in his office from time to time. Old Miss Whittaker? She took her cat down to see him, something about hairballs, and his office was locked up tight in the middle of the day."

"He's been trying to get settled," Zoe defended. "Having moved here abruptly myself, I sympathize."

"There's something funny about that man," Addie said. She pointed at Zoe. "You watch yourself, Dr. Hart. Zander! Don't you dare!" Addie left Zoe's side in a hurry to stop her son from pushing his little brother into the bobbing for apples barrel. Zoe wondered why it was so hard for everyone around Bluebell to give an outsider a chance.

It was like he had radar. He wasn't intentionally looking for Zoe but every time he wasn't wrapped up in a conversation or playing cornhole, his eyes fell on her. She was glowing, as far as he was concerned. The festival had gone off flawlessly. He'd be lying if he said he didn't have his concerns. While things had seemed on track, they usually veered off drastically where Zoe was concerned. She needed this and it was worth the sleepless nights and ridiculous errands to make sure it happened.

He watched her talking to Addie and couldn't help but grin at her when she caught him looking. He winked at her and while she turned her head quickly, he didn't miss the blush of pink that colored her cheeks. He didn't doubt his own colored just a little. She had that effect on him.

"So the rumors are true," came an all too familiar voice. "Wade Kinsella has fallen for the new doctor in town." Wade sighed and turned to face the tall, pretty blonde.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Annabeth called me the other day, said my baby brother was hung up on the new doctor in town. I had to see it for myself. I thought for sure she was pulling my leg but judging by what I just saw – and what everyone's been telling me – she's right on the money."

"Seriously, what are you doing here?" he asked again.

"We brought the kids down to see daddy and do some trick-or-treating," his sister answered. "You'd know that if you ever answered your phone."

"Been busy," he said. He took a long swig of his soda. He wouldn't have complained if it was something a little stronger. "But that's usually your excuse, ain't it?"

"Don't," she warned him.

"Tomorrow's the first," he told her. "Daddy gets his check. But you can't be bothered with all that, can you?" There was venom in his voice but if it affected her, she didn't show it.

"You know my life is in Mobile," she told him.

"And you family is here. Or at least what's left of it."

"I could argue that your family is in Mobile," she shot back. "The door swings both ways, Wade."

"Bluebell is home. Regardless of what you tell people." She sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. She wasn't going to do this today, not with her kids playing nearby and not in public for all of Bluebell to hear. Not that Bluebell wasn't already well-versed in the ways of the Kinsella family, particularly the younger two who got on as well as a cat in water.

"Come up to Mobile for Thanksgiving," she told him. "The kids would love to see you. And bring Daddy. It might do him some good to get out of this place for a change."

"I'll be staying in Bluebell but I won't stop Earl if he wants to come up there."

"And celebrating with who? It's a family holiday, Wade." Wade just shrugged. He wasn't much on holidays, especially the ones that emphasized family. Last year, he'd spent Thanksgiving on the Gulf, fishing, drinking and chasing skirts. He wasn't opposed to doing that again this year though he found himself wondering what Zoe Hart's plans might be. Likely, she'd be heading to New York.

"I don't know why you don't just have Daddy committed," she said. "He can't take care of himself. Have you been inside the house lately? It's disgusting. He had a week of dishes in the sink, easy. And it smells to high heaven."

"Because that's not what Momma would have wanted," Wade told her pointedly. He saw Zoe, looking at him with an expression somewhere between curiosity and disgust. He wondered if it were possible that she was the least bit jealous. He wouldn't be the one to correct her if she was.

"What Momma would have wanted…" He didn't get to find out what Momma would have wanted, however. She was interrupted by a man rushing up to her with a screaming little girl, dragging a small boy along behind him by the hand.

"She fell," he said. "Tripped over a crack in the asphalt. Her knee is skinned up pretty bad." He watched as his sister bent to look at his niece's knee. His brother-in-law was right – it was skinned up pretty badly. He exchanged a polite nod of the head with the brother-in-law before reaching to pick up the little boy, dressed as a cowboy.

"Hi, Uncle Wade!" he said happily. Wade smiled at him.

"Hey, cowboy," he replied. He looked around for Zoe and spied her talking to George and a somewhat disgusted looking Lemon, Rose hovering at her elbow. "Doc! Got a patient for you!" he called to her. Her eyes fell on the crying girl and she quickly made her way over to them.

"I'm Dr. Hart," she said, brushing past Wade. "What happened?"

"She skinned her knee up pretty bad. Nothing serious, but it does need a good cleaning," the man holding the crying girl answered.

"Let's take her to my office and I'll get it cleaned up for her. It's just up the street there," Zoe said, nodding at the big blue building in the distance. The group started towards the building.

"Wade? Aren't you going to introduce me?" the woman asked. Wade rolled his eyes but obliged.

"Doc, this is my sister, Meredith," he said. "And her husband, Eric. The fairy with the skinned up knee and crocodile tears is my niece McKenzie and this here cowboy is my nephew, Jacob."

"Nice to meet you," Meredith said, extending her hand. Zoe shook it as well as the awkwardly offered hand of Eric as he juggled a still crying McKenzie in his arms.

"Sister?" Zoe asked Wade softly. Wade didn't reply. The complications of Wade Kinsella were starting to become a little clearer. She led the way up the stairs and unlocked the office. She turned on the lights and directed the family to the exam room. Wade took up a seat in the waiting room, engrossed in a conversation with his nephew over what seemed to be trucks and trains.

Treating a simple skinned knee should have been easy. If it weren't a four year old, it would have been. But McKenzie had no interest in her bloodied knee being cleaned, her tights ripped and her fairy wings askew on her back. She fought Zoe, kicking and screaming, arms flailing. Her parents made excellent attempts to hold her down, but she wriggled free each time. If she wasn't trying to treat her, Zoe would have been impressed with the girl's moxie.

"Mac, what's going on?" Wade said, entering the room. The girl stopped squirming long enough to look at Wade. Zoe ceased her opportunity and made to swipe her knee with antiseptic. She had barely made contact before McKenzie was once again in a fully involved fight for her knee to remain untouched.

"Y'all go sit in the waitin' room with Jake," Wade told his sister and Eric. "You're just makin' it worse. " Eric didn't argue, glad for the reprieve. Meredith opened her mouth to protest but Wade just jerked his head toward the door.

"She'll be fine," Zoe promised over the girl's screaming. Meredith nodded and left the room. Wade approached McKenzie.

"You still watch that show about the girl who does all the explorin'?" he asked, leaning on the exam table. McKenzie looked at him warily but nodded. Zoe resisted the temptation to try cleaning her wound again, waiting to see if Wade could actually manage to calm her down. "She's got what – a pet bear that goes with her?" he asked.

"Monkey," McKenzie answered quietly.

"That's right. It's a monkey. What's its name again?"

Zoe waited for several minutes, listening as Wade discussed Dora the Explorer with the girl. He had clearly missed quite a few episodes as McKenzie spent a lot of time correcting everything from Dora's pet to what kind of bag she carried. Zoe wasn't all together surprised that Wade knew the show's bad guy was a fox named Swiper. That seemed like the sort of thing Wade would remember. When McKenzie was fully involved with telling Wade about the recent Halloween episode she'd been allowed to stay up past her bedtime to watch, Zoe went to work cleaning up her knee.

"All done," she announced a few minutes later, the area, though bruised and puffy, no longer covered in blood and the wound itself clean.

"Here that, Mac? Dr. Hart here done fixed you right up," Wade said. "That won't so bad, was it?"

"You done?" she asked Zoe, her pretty blue-gray eyes – the same shade as Wade's – red from crying. Zoe nodded.

"I'm done," she confirmed. "We just need to put a few Band-Aids on it. You'll need about three – that was a pretty big boo boo you've got. Do you want to pick them out?" The little girl nodded and Zoe retrieved her box of bandages from the supply cabinet. "Pick any three you want." Zoe and Wade exchanged a soft smile as McKenzie mulled over her choices.

"Cinderella, Belle and Thomas the Tank Engine," she finally announced.

"Good choices," Zoe confirmed, picking out the three bandages.

"You look like Belle," the little girl stated.

"Do I?" Zoe asked, going along with the child. She'd learned quickly since moving to Bluebell that it was easiest just to humor her youngest patients as long as it didn't interfere with their medical care.

"Yep," she said. "My mommy looks like Cinderella. Jake – he's my little brother – he likes trains so I got that one for him."

"Well that was very kind of you," Zoe said. "There you go. Cinderella, Belle and Thomas the Tank Engine, all working to make your knee feel better."

"Tell Dr. Hart thank you," Wade prompted his niece as he picked her up from the exam room table.

"Thank you, Dr. Hart," she said. Zoe reached out and straightened up her fairy wings.

"You're welcome," she said. The three made their way into the waiting room. Wade put McKenzie down and she took a few ginger steps before showing her parents and brother her newly acquired bandages. Zoe returned to the exam room to straighten up. She didn't hear Wade follow her and gasped in surprise when she turned to toss the bandage wrappings in the trash.

"Thanks," he said, leaning on the doorframe. "She can be a bit of a handful."

"Must be the Kinsella in her," Zoe answered. Wade grinned, almost guiltily. "I didn't know you had a sister." She hoped she sounded casual.

"She lives up in Mobile. She's married, has kids. We don't exactly relate."

"To say the least," came Meredith's voice. "But my brother and I will just have to agree to disagree – on a lot of things." She came to stand next to Wade in the doorway. Zoe could see the strong resemblance between them when they stood side by side. She could also cut the tension with a knife. "Thank you for taking care of Mac," Meredith said. "I'm sorry she was so difficult."

"It was no problem," Zoe said. "Her knew will probably be sore for a few days, but she should be back to running and jumping in no time. You may want to clean it with some hydrogen peroxide the next few nights and change the bandages – if she'll let you." Zoe and Meredith exchanged a smile. They made their way back into the waiting room.

"Uncle Wade!" shouted Jacob, sprinting to Wade. Wade caught him up with one arm, righting his cowboy hat with the other. It seemed like the little boy idolized his uncle. Zoe retrieved the lollipop jar from Addie's desk and brought it over to the kids.

"Since you guys were so good, pick a lollipop as a reward," she said, holding the jar out to McKenzie and then Jacob. "And since it's Halloween," she reached in and pulled out two more, "why don't you take two? But don't tell my other patients. They might get jealous." The kids looked delighted.

"We should really get going," Eric said. "It's already late and it's a good drive back up to Mobile." Meredith agreed. They said their goodbyes and another round of thanks yous to Zoe and headed outside, Wade following them. He stopped in the door.

"You gonna be okay here, Doc?" he asked.

"I think I can manage," Zoe answered. "Go. Walk your family to their car or whatever you Southern people do." Wade grinned.

"You need a ride home?" he asked. Zoe shook her head.

"I'll catch one with Lavon. He's on the cleanup committee."

"I can stay…"

"Go home, Wade," Zoe told him, firmly but with a smile so he knew she wasn't being harsh. "I already owe you big time for all of your help. Go get some rest – or use all the electricity you want until I get home." Wade chuckled. "But seriously, thanks – for putting up with me, helping me, getting the pumpkins… I owe you." Wade glanced over his shoulder as his sister navigated her family down the street then stepped back inside the door.

"Since you owe me and all – know how I said I was on the lookout for a slutty nurse?" Zoe nodded, eyeing him. She knew where this was going. "Well, I'd take a slutty doctor – and you already have the little white coat."

"Out," Zoe ordered. "Now." Wade laughed.

"Come on, Doc," he said. "You can even bring that stethoscope of yours. Just warm it up real good before you use it on me."

"Out," Zoe said again, this time moving to shove him towards the door.

"Such violence," Wade stated, allowing her to manhandle him through the door. "And here I thought you took an oath to help people."

"Goodnight, Wade," she said, shutting the door in his face. She listened to the sound of his laughter as he made his way down the sidewalk.