I think this is my least fav chapter in this story. It didn't come out how I had pictured it. Having a big romantic kiss, wasn't in the cards for this chapter as I didn't think it would work out, I wanted one, it just didn't work out that way, as I found out, it wouldn't work that way.
You guys I'm blown away with how you all like Wade being a music teacher, that wasn't even thought out, more spur of the moment writing, as I wanted him to have something different from being a bartender/owner of the Rammer Jammer.
I'm thinking this one will be coming to an end shortly, as I have a sequel planned out and in order for it work out I need a few more years to pass by.
Enjoy!
His mind was so far away, New York far away that he didn't even know how he managed to get to Zoe's place. It was the lights that were on throughout the house that got his attention. Maybe Jesse had been right about a high school party. He sighed just thinking of the damage that could've been done to the place. There were no cars or music and there were no people, so he could only assume that the party was over with, and he would be left to clean the mess up.
"Zoe?" Wade questioned, seeing Zoe step around from the side of the house. "I thought you were still New York," he commented, slowly piecing things together.
She was out back enjoying the quiet night Bluebell had to offer her when she heard the crunch of the gravel under the weight of tires. At first, she had thought it was Jesse coming back. The longer time passed with no other noise than a car door being shut, she went to investigate. Color her shocked seeing Wade approach the house.
"Came back a few hours ago, Jesse didn't say?" She questioned. She had figured that he would've told Wade that she was back in town, she didn't tell him he couldn't tell people.
"No, but I should've guessed. He did say he talked to you." Leave it to his brother to pull a stunt like this. He would get Jesse back for it, the plan already festering in his mind.
"Yeah, we did. What are you doing out here if you didn't know that I was here?" She questioned. She got why Jesse would send Wade on a wild goose chase for, but she was holding herself back on making the move she needed to make.
"Jesse made a false excuse for me to come here," he replied. "Now that I know that everything is good here, I'm going to go. Celebrating," he replied, rapping his knuckles on the porch railing. Leaving seemed like the best option for him at this moment. He could stay and they could work through things, but something told him it wasn't the time to do so at this point.
"Your wedding?" She questioned, looking down.
"Uh no," he replied shaking his head, earning Zoe's attention once more. "Wedding has been canceled, you and Jesse are the only two that know about it," he told her. "I'm going back to school, plan on being a music teacher," he told her, making his way to his car.
"That is wonderful, Wade. You will be an awesome music teacher, congratulations," she told him with a genuine smile leaning on the railing. That was all the praise and encouragement he needed.
"Thanks, Zoe," he smiled, pulling the car door open. "Night," he said climbing in.
Zoe gave him a small wave waiting until he was out of sight before going back to her spot, her smile growing bigger, she wanted to call out to him, make him stay, talk through things now that they were single, but she didn't know if Jesse had told Wade about her break up with Joel. Things could wait. One thing she should have done was listened to what Jesse had to tell her earlier in the day.
Driving back to town Wade couldn't wipe the smile off his face. He was going back to school, the women he had loved since he was a teen was that much closer to being his. He wanted to be with her now, but he didn't see the point in pushing her any further, there would be time before she left again. He needed to woo her, show her that everything she needed was right here.
"I thought you wouldn't show up," Jesse remarked, the second Wade joined them at the table, beer in hand.
"The place was empty and locked up tight; I would run off, but I want a clear head to go forward; I won't rush into this and make anyone doubt my feelings for her," he replied with a smirk.
"What are we missing?" George asked, looking between the brothers.
"Not much," Wade replied, taking a drink of his beer. "Are they Jesse? Or maybe you would like to tell us what's going on," he challenged, a glint in his eyes.
"You mean to tell me the house was empty?" Jesse questioned puzzled, ignoring the last part of what his brother said. Wade nodded, laughing on the inside. "I have a phone call to make," he said excusing himself pulling his phone out as he exited the bar. There was no way that she would be sleeping at this time, the sun was still up.
"I'll be back in a second, there is something I need to do," he told his friends, heading out the back door, he hoped it wasn't too late.
"Wade, hey can I call you back. I'm talking…"
"To Jesse, I know," he said cutting her off trying to make it quick as possible. "I'm paying him back for sending me out there under false pretenses, told him the place was empty, can you go along with it if it's not too late?" He asked a hint of pleading in his voice.
"I can do that," she smiled into the phone.
"Thanks, Zo. Do you think I can stop back over later tonight, if it doesn't get too late?" He questioned nervously.
"I'll be up for a while yet," she told him, clicking back over to Jesse.
Wade returned to the table jumping into the current conversation. He was laughing along with his friends, an eye staying on the door that Jesse had gone through. Knowing that Zoe was in town and besides him only Jesse knew, he wanted to keep it that way, liking that secret. His smirk grew seeing his brother finally enter the bar once more.
"How'd the call go?" Wade asked, taking a drink of his beer.
"Good, they were on a walk enjoying the perks of the country, since it has been sometime since they have last been in the country," he commented. "Are you sure you really checked the place over?" Jesse questioned.
"Seriously guys, what is going on? Lavon does not like secrets," he stated, giving the brothers pointed looks.
"Wade is going back to school. Don't have kids, he is going to be a music teacher," Jesse easily said, taking the heat off of Zoe. She was hiding away for a reason, and he wasn't going to expose her.
"Dude that is great," George told him, proud of his friend for going after what he wanted. "I had never thought of you as a teacher before," he chuckled. "Not with the trouble you caused."
"Laugh it up, Tucker," Wade dryly told him. "I didn't either, but I think it will be a good fit," he smiled.
"You will be an amazing teacher, Wade," Lavon assured him.
"Thanks. Can we now, please enjoy our night out and find someone for, Jesse?" He asked, ready to move onto a different topic.
Even with Jesse shaking his head and protesting they set out to find a woman for Jesse. With the guys busy discussing who would be a better fit for Jesse, he made his exit. Driving to the house this time was more memorable than the earlier one. This time he was looking forward to it.
Turning the car off, he walked around the porch, seeing no point in knocking, not if she was still behind the house. He smiled seeing her laying on a blanket in the middle of the back yard, gazing up at the stars.
"Do you know how many years it has been since I have been able to do this?" She asked him, her eyes not leaving the star lit sky.
"My guess is too long," he replied, laying next to her on the blanket.
"You would be right," she told him, looking at him. "I'm no longer with Joel," she told him, reaching between them to lace her fingers with his. "Not even my dad knows this yet, but I'm moving back here; it would be a shame to leave such a beautiful home empty."
"I'm honored you told me first," he said, squeezing her hand gently. "Is this what you want?" He asked, referring to him and not the move.
"I've wanted to be with you even when I thought otherwise, Wade. The only thing I'm sure of is being with you," she told him.
Wade smiled, moving to put his weight on his elbow, his hand staying connected to hers, his free hand cupping her face. "I'm pleased to hear that," he whispered, pressing his lips ever so softly over hers.
"However, we need to take this slow, Wade."
"I wouldn't have it any other way," he smiled, brushing his thumb over her lips. "Or we can say we've wasted enough time and crash a certain wedding making it ours," he suggested, looking lovingly at her. Those thoughts about waiting going to hell, he was going after what he wanted. He could still woo her while married to her. "Think about it, Zoe. How much time do we need to waste before we realize we are it for each other? I don't care if we ever get married, as long as I am with you. I stupidly let you go ten years ago; I won't make that mistake again," he promised her.
"We can't control everything Wade, what if we don't work out? What if we fall out of love?" She questioned, bringing her free hand up to rest on the hand he had on her face. "We need to be realistic."
"The what ifs will always be there holding us back. I have loved you since I was 15, it is highly unlikely that I will fall out of love with you, Zoe Wilkes. We will work out if we fight for us and not give up, don't you feel the same?" He questioned.
"I want to," she confessed, biting down on her lip. Loving him and marrying him were two things she didn't need to question, it was about the timing of it all. "I have been in love with you since I was 13, I just refused on saying anything until I knew how you felt," she told him, with a soft smile.
"And you had to wait two years for that to happen, look at the stuff you had to witness because you wouldn't do anything about your crush for me. Everything we need to learn about each other, we can do that, but I don't want to waste another minute of our lives together," he told her, determined more now than before to make her see his side of things.
"I don't either, Wade; however, marriage is a huge step, and you were going to marry another woman. And I was with someone else; I don't think it would be fair to anyone if we were to rush into a marriage."
"Fair? It's not like we are using the other as a rebound. I want to marry you, Zoe. Do you love me enough to want that with me? A future together?" He questioned her.
"Yes, Wade, I want to marry you, have kids with you, to have it all with you," she assured him.
"Then what's the problem, Zoe?" He asked. Zoe looked down, not able to come up with an answer for him. Everything she told him, he had a response for. "I'll give you a few days to figure it out; I'll be there waiting for you; it won't change anything between us if you don't show up, I will not let you go," he told her, making a move to get up.
"Please, stay," she pleaded with him. He nodded his head, laying back down. Removing her hand from his, she curled into his side laying her head on his chest. He kissed the top of her head, there was no where else he would rather be than where he was with the love of his life in his embrace.