A/N: A/N: Thanks for the latest reviews, reader-peops :) It was fun writing Lemon & Zoe actually being friends last chapter - they really have no reason not to play nice in this version of events. Of course, Annabeth & Zoe should be friends too, right? :)
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)
Chapter 18
"I am definitely feeling better. Not that anything significant has happened yet, but I am more positive about it, plus a boatload less anxious since Lemon took back the curse."
Zoe opened her mouth to speak then closed it again without a word escaping. She had tried to explain to Annabeth, several times in fact, that there never was an actual curse on her or any of the Belles. That all their fertility issues were most definitely a result of the stress and anxiety that Lemon was sharing around, rather than any kind of witch-related voodoo. Apparently, it just wasn't sinking in, but in the long-run, Zoe supposed it didn't really matter. Annabeth was happier than before, that was the most important thing.
"Well, that's good," she said, handing her friend a glass of wine and then picking up her own to clink against it. "To feeling happy and positive."
"Oh, cheers," Annabeth agreed, before they both took a sip. "I should thank you again for inviting me over. Like I said on the phone, I'd have had you over to ours, but Jake had plans with his buddies for a poker night, so..."
"No, no, it's fine." Zoe waved away her concerns. "I was more than happy to have you come over here. Honestly, it's so great to have a girly night for a change. Don't get me wrong, I love Lavon like a brother, and Wade is an amazing boyfriend, but sometimes, a woman needs another woman to talk to, you know?"
"Yes, I do know." Annabeth nodded her agreement, a wide grin on her face. "But I'll be honest, I don't know how any woman could ever not want to be in the company of two such good-looking men as Mayor Hayes and Wade Kinsella. I mean, I'm a married woman, so obviously, my opinion is subjective or whatever, but those two are just hotter than noon on 4th July!"
Zoe almost choked on her next mouthful of wine when she heard that. Not that she was arguing exactly, because it was a fitting description of Wade, no question. She supposed for some people Lavon could be seen that way too, it just wasn't Zoe's personal point of view.
"I'm sorry, am I getting a little carried away?" Annabeth asked worriedly. "It happens sometimes when I drink wine."
"Honestly, you're fine," Zoe assured her. "Let your hair down, enjoy yourself. You deserve to."
"Well, I'm sure you do too," her friend said definitely. "No offence to Dr Breeland, because he is a wonderful man, I wouldn't say a word against him, but it is so nice to have a female doctor around the place. You just fit into Bluebell so well, in spite of all the people around here thinkin' you wouldn't last more than a day."
She said it so cheerfully, it was difficult not to laugh. Zoe was sure her pride ought to be wounded at the thought of nobody in town having any faith in her when she first arrived, but she was actually okay with it. Frankly, she didn't have much confidence in herself in the beginning. Out of her comfort zone didn't even begin to describe how she felt in those first few days or more, but things were very different now.
"Trust me, AB, I never expected to fit into this charming community," she said definitely, "but... I don't know, most people are friendly and nice. Wade is amazing and Lavon has been so supportive too. Now I'm making friends like you, and I'm getting more patients at the practice too. Even Brick has warmed up to me, plus I met my Uncle Brando."
"Oh, Brando Wilkes is such a lovely man!" Annabeth enthused. "He's a lot like Dr Wilkes was, I think, which must be so nice for you, in his absence."
"It really is," Zoe agreed. "I mean, obviously, it would've been great to know my father, but Uncle Brando is so great and he's going to introduce me to more of my family soon. It's not a bad feeling."
"Then I think we should drink a toast to that!" said Annabeth with enthusiasm, raising her glass higher. "To the Wilkes family."
"The Wilkes," Zoe agreed, clinking her glass with her friend's own one more time, then watching as Annabeth swallowed down the rest of her wine in one huge gulp.
"Okay, now, we need to get this party goin'!" she declared then. "What say we order in some food and see if we can't find some real naughty movie on the TV?"
Apparently, it was going to be an interesting girls night in.
"Well, he didn't look none too happy," said Wade, passing by Sal Nutter on his way into Zoe's exam room.
"Most people who need treatment from a doctor aren't feeling so well or so happy," she reminded him, finishing up with her notes and then kissing her boyfriend hello. "Please tell me you don't need an appointment."
"Not of the doctorin' variety," Wade confirmed, shaking his head. "I was just hopin' maybe later I could take you to lunch or somethin'? Feel like we hardly had a moment alone this past week or more."
"I guess things have been a little crazy busy around here." Zoe sighed, while Wade pulled himself up to sit on the edge of the bed.
"Crazy is right, doc. Between you spending time with your uncle and AB and Lemon, plus your working, and me doin' all those fix-it jobs for Lavon and taking on those extra shifts at the Rammer Jammer. Aside from a couple o' times when he crossed paths at breakfast, I can't think when I last saw you for more than a minute here o' there."
"You're right, we really have not been prioritising each other enough." Zoe frowned. "We need to do something about that."
"Which is why I'm here," Wade told her, leaning closer and capturing her mouth for another good long kiss. "So, lunch?" he asked, when they parted.
"Um, yes... or at least, I think so?" she said, sounding uncertain. "I'd need to check what appointments I have. It's been a little busy today, but we could be coming to a lull, if I'm lucky.
"You mean if I am lucky," her boyfriend countered.
"If I'm free, then we both get lucky... or maybe something that doesn't sound quite so much like sex," said Zoe, shaking her head - it was clear she really hadn't meant for it to come out that way.
"Well, much as I wouldn't object to that," said Wade, waggling his eyebrows, "I'd be happy just to get to share an hour of your time over some food at the Rammer Jammer or somethin'."
"Which sounds great," she agreed with a smile, "but like I said, I have to check with Addy first. One second," she said, putting up one finger and then rushing out the other door.
While she was gone, Wade hopped down from the exam table and just wandered around the room, thumbs in his pockets as he went. He passed through into the office and smiled at the pictures on Zoe's desk. He stole a piece of candy from the dish in the corner, knowing she wouldn't mind, and then, his eyes fell on her cell just as it lit up with a new message. It wasn't that he meant to read what it said, but the conversation between Zoe and Rose had been left open and his eyes just happened to be aimed that way.
Rose:
So, did Wade ask you to the Sweetie Pie Dance yet?
Wade's eyebrows rose when he read those words. It really hadn't occurred to him to ask Zoe to that particular shindig. He had been before, a few times, though it wasn't really his scene. Maybe it should've occurred to him that Zoe might like to go, but he wasn't so sure. Besides, this past week, he had hardly seen her at all, so when he would've got a chance to ask her, even if he wanted to, Wade didn't know.
"Good news!" Zoe announced as she re-entered the room, startling Wade who shifted quickly away from the desk. "No more appointments until three, so I am absolutely free for lunch." Zoe grinned.
"Sounds good to me, doc. Let's get out of here."
She shed her white coat and happily accepted his arm around her shoulders as they finally headed out together.
"Oh, my cell!" she said, rushing back from the door to grab the phone before returning to him, reading the message on the screen as she did so. "It's Rose, but I'll get back to her later," she explained.
"She need help with somethin'?" Wade asked carefully.
"No, no problems," Zoe confirmed. "Just girl talk, you know how it is"
"Sure," he agreed, deciding not to ask anymore.
If Zoe wanted to go to the dance, she would let Wade know. She sure as heck wasn't backwards in coming forwards, that was for sure. Hell, he almost thought maybe she would ask him, if she really wanted to. Of course, there was every chance that she had no plans to go to the dance at all and it was just Rose poking fun or some such.
"Wade?"
He hadn't realised he had become so distracted thinking about it until Zoe made a big deal of getting his attention.
"I'm sorry, what?" he checked, making sure to listen as she repeated her question about how he was getting on with the plumbing issue up at the plantation house. "All fixed up, doc. Lavon was real pleased to have things back to normal."
"Hmm, normal" Zoe considered. "I'm not so sure I know what that means anymore. I mean, nothing about my life right now would've seemed normal a year ago, even six months ago."
"But you're liking the normal you have now, right?"
The beaming smile that Zoe had on her face when she looked up at him quelled any fears Wade may have had to the contrary.
"I love this normal that I have right now," she promised. "Of course, I'll like it even better when we get to the Rammer Jammer and get some food. I am starved!"
"Your wish is my command, Zoe Hart," Wade assured her, quickening his step and chuckling when she struggled to keep up, with her short legs and her too high heels.
To her credit, she found a rhythm, and when he slowed just a little, she kept pace pretty well. That was his Zoe, she was a trier alright, and he loved the bones of her, even if he hadn't said as much just yet. It was still kind of weird to realise it was true, that he could love a woman that way, but Wade was pretty certain about it. He never felt so much for another person before, not once in his life.
"Zoe?"
"Yeah?"
He opened his mouth to ask her, to say the words, 'Will you be my Sweetie Pie?' but they just wouldn't come. It was too stupid. He felt like such a fool.
"Uh, nothin'" He shook his head. "I don't know, I forgot already."
She laughed when he said that and he laughed along with her, because it was just easier somehow. Maybe in the next few days he would wait and see if Zoe brought up the dance and take it from there. For the time being, lunch was all that mattered and getting to finally spend a little time together. Everything else could wait for another day.
"So, he didn't ask you?"
"No, Rose, Wade did not ask me to the Sweetie Pie dance, and frankly, I am more than okay with that," she told her friend definitely. "The whole thing is a little too..."
"Southern?" asked her friend, giving her the side-eye.
"No." Zoe rolled her eyes. "Just a little schmaltzy and cutesy. I mean, why? Why do two people who love each other have to prove it by declaring each other their 'Sweetie Pies'? I mean, it's just-"
She stopped talking very abruptly when she turned around and realised Rose was literally jumping up and down in place, clearly holding in some kind of girlish squeal too. Zoe was so confused, until suddenly her friend exploded with what had her so over-excited.
"Oh my God, you love him!"
"What?" Zoe didn't have time to process before Rose suddenly flew at her, wrapping her arms around her and hugging her tight.
Replaying her own words in her head, Zoe was stunned to realise that she really had just said she loved Wade. She hadn't done it consciously, not at all. After all, she hadn't actually said those words to Wade, so she really should not have been telling Rose, but it just happened.
"I love Wade," she said softly to herself, realising the very definite truth of it.
Scary as it ought to be, Zoe glanced into the mirror and noted there was a smile pulling at her lips. Maybe it didn't have to be all that scary. Maybe it could just be a good thing.
Maybe.
To Be Continued...
