A/N: As always, very much appreciating the reviews - thanks, folks! :) So great to know y'all are enjoying this story.

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 5

"Wow, you look... amazing."

Zoe knew there ought to be more to a guy's attraction to a woman than how she looked in a dress, but honestly, there was certainly nothing bad about making a man's eyes go wide that way just by opening the door. Besides, it wasn't as if Judson liked her purely for her looks. He had complimented her mind earlier that same day, fully bowled over by her ability to impress a professor, known throughout U of A for not liking anyone as a rule.

She had to admit to feeling a little over-dressed as Judson walked her off campus towards his favourite eatery. He looked nice enough, but his dark jeans and button-down shirt didn't quite do justice to her Chloe. It was at that point she realised they were probably not going to eat anywhere too fancy.

"It's a great place," he assured her all the same. "It's kind of a restaurant, but also a bar, modelled after its namesake in this little town down on the bay..."

The description started to sound all too familiar and Zoe felt her heart sinking into her empty stomach. By the time they were standing across the street, staring up at the red neon sign that declared 'Rammer Jammer' it seemed too late to back out. Zoe really wished she could find an excuse not to go in, but she had nothing.

"Something wrong?" Judson asked her, his expression full of concern.

Of course, she could fake an illness or similar, but Zoe didn't have it in her to do so. Lying to her date wouldn't be fair, and besides, she really did want to spend the evening with him. She just would have preferred they didn't share a meal in the place where she spent her first night out at U of A. The self-same place where she had seduced Wade Kinsella, who would doubtless be tending bar again tonight, ready and willing for her to offer him a second chance to fall into bed together, apparently.

"Zoe...?"

"I'm fine," she said, both too loud and too fast, she was sure, and certainly with too big of a forced grin on her face. "I'm sorry, Judson, I was just... Um, I guess I'm a little nervous," she told him honestly. "I have to admit, I don't date all that much."

"Really?" he checked, shaking his head slightly. "I find that so hard to believe. Seems to me you should be getting asked out all the time."

Zoe didn't have an answer for that one. Of course, she got asked out sometimes, but not all that much, truth be told. She wasn't always so approachable, she was well aware. Some guys were intimidated, either by her intelligence, her manner, or both. Others liked to aim their sights at the girls who were just easier, for lack of a better word. Also, Zoe probably didn't meet as many potential dates as she might, spending more time in her room with her books than out at parties, mingling with her fellow students and such. This she told Judson, in the shortest, simplest way she could, as they crossed the street and headed inside of the Rammer Jammer.

Judson led her right to a table, pulling out her chair like a gentleman would. She thanked him and sat down, hoping he didn't notice as her eyes scanned every inch of the bar. In no time at all, she spotted Lemon in the far corner with a large group of girl-friends, the sorority sisters she had mentioned earlier, of course. Then she saw Wade behind the bar, flirting up a storm with two girls at once, neither one of which seemed to mind at all. They both seemed to have forgotten to put on much more than underwear before they came out too. Zoe looked away fast, putting all of her attention on Judson alone.

"So, uh..." she began, realising fast that she didn't know where to go after that and wishing she hadn't talked herself out of the conversation-starter flashcards idea that she had earlier. "Do you like your name?"

It seemed like a reasonable question to ask any person, but especially someone with a name that felt unusual. Maybe it was very common in the south, but Zoe hadn't heard it yet. Thankfully, Judson didn't seem to take offence at being questioned about it.

"I never really thought about it much," he admitted, shrugging his shoulders. "I guess I'm just used to it, since I've had it all my life."

"Hmm, interesting." Zoe nodded. "Do people call you Jud?"

"Sometimes," he admitted, "though, if I'm honest, I mostly prefer it when they don't."

"Huh, okay. Duly noted."

"Well, how about you?" he asked her then. "You like the name Zoe?"

"It's fine. It actually means eternal life, which I guess is a good name for a doctor, right?"

"I guess so," Judson agreed, with the sweetest smile.

Zoe felt herself start to relax just a little, for all of five seconds, before Wade appeared, calling her by name. She was so startled, her knee slammed hard against the underside of the table and she had to bite her lip not to say something unladylike. Judson seemed like the type to be offended by that kind of thing.

"Well, fancy seeing you here," said Wade, grinning all over his face, probably knowing he had got her back in some way for the head bumping incident earlier. "And Judson Lyons. I had no idea you two knew each other."

"We met in biology class," Judson explained. "I'm sorry, I didn't know that you and Zoe were acquainted."

"Oh, we go way back, right, Zoe?" Wade continued to grin, even as she felt her face grow hot with as much anger as embarrassment. "Gotta be almost a week now since we first met, via Lemon Breeland," he explained, pointing over to where Lemon herself was taking command of a dozen sorority girls close to the bar. "Yes, sir, she has just gone out her way to make Zoe here feel welcome down south, and dragged me and George Tucker into the whole process. Not that we're exactly kickin' and screamin' to get outta the task. Who would be, am I right?" He winked at Judson and nudged his shoulder too.

Zoe wanted the floor to open up and swallow her right there and then. Sure, Wade was sticking to their deal and not telling anyone about their night together, instead speaking as if they really did meet for the first time last Sunday, via Lemon's introduction, but at the same time, it was blatantly obvious that he was making her squirm on purpose. Letting her wonder, even fear, what he might reveal to her date at any moment.

"I think we're ready to order, waiter," she said pointedly, grabbing for a menu, not at all ashamed of the fact she had managed to wipe the clever smile off Wade's face with her remark and the tone she used to make it.

"What can I get for you, ma'am?" he snarked back at her.

Judson looked between the two of them, then seemed to decide not to ask what was going on. Instead, he picked up his own menu and gave it a glance, before declaring he would have the catfish.

"That sounds wonderful. I will have the same," Zoe decided, without even really considering any other options - she really just wanted Wade to go away already. "And an Appletini please."

Judson added a request for a beer, and then, thankfully, Wade left them alone. He didn't have any other choice and Zoe was glad about that. She wasn't sure why he made her so tense so easily. Certainly, the first night they met she hadn't felt that way, not once things got started between them anyway. Not that she needed to be thinking about that, not in that moment, not ever again, because it was a one-night thing. Never, ever to be repeated. Never!

"I have to admit, I was a little nervous about asking you out."

Zoe turned her head to look at Judson so fast, she almost gave herself whiplash, but his comment had really surprised her. Before she could ask what made him so wary of her, he told her anyway.

"I mean, there's so much talk about you. Oh, all good, I swear," he explained fast. "It's just with you being a Yale transfer and from New York and all. I guess I was just worried that you would be... well, that I wouldn't be sophisticated enough for a girl like you."

"Oh, Judson, I'm not so sophisticated." Zoe shook her head, trying for modesty, unsure if she was really pulling it off. "I mean, sure, New York is very different to Alabama, but we're all human beings, right?"

"Sure," he agreed, nodding along, "but you probably go on dates in real high-class restaurants, get taken out to Woody Allen movies and such. This can't be the kind of place you're used to, that's for sure."

"You're right, it's not," she admitted, "and yes, I have been taken to fancier restaurants, and I do like Woody Allen movies, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy a nice meal with a nice guy from Alabama too."

She was considering reaching across the table to put her hand on Judson's own, deciding for rather than against the moment she saw Wade coming over again, with their drinks and food expertly balanced on a large tray. Gripping onto Judson's hand, she also leaned in closer and put on her best smile.

"I'm actually really glad you got up the nerve to ask me out tonight," she was saying, as Wade served their meal. "I'm very flattered to be taken out by such a gentleman," she said pointedly.

What exactly Wade's scoff of laughter meant she didn't know and didn't care to ask about it either. It was only as the date went on that she started to realised he probably knew something she didn't about Judson. Nice and sweet and handsome as he was, apparently, in close quarters for more than a half-hour, he was just the most boring person ever.

It probably wasn't his fault. They were eating, so conversation was complicated enough just by mouths almost always being full, but when he did talk, Judson really only seemed to have two topics of conversation. College football - which Zoe knew next to nothing about - and becoming a veterinarian - which was fine, but not all that thrilling to someone who had no real interest in animals at all.

Zoe was sure this was going to be her one and only date with Judson Lyons, which was a shame, but just one of those things that happened in dating sometimes, she supposed. She could only hope that he was as bored as she was and therefore unlikely to ask her out again, saving her the awkwardness of having to let him down easy.

Unfortunately, for reasons she didn't want to explore too much, Zoe found herself sending a few mixed signals whenever Wade came by the table, or even seemed to be looking her way. With his eyes on her, she could not resist the temptation of all but throwing herself at Judson, first across the table, and then later, on the dancefloor.

As one slow dance melted into another, Zoe felt Judson pull her a little closer. Looking up into his eyes, she recognised the look she saw there. He was getting very into the moment, she could tell, most likely about to try to kiss her or something. It wasn't what she wanted, not really, and as much as he had been a real gentleman all night, she knew she really didn't want him getting any ideas about their date turning into an all-night affair.

"Um, I think I'm all danced out for now," she said, pulling away. "In fact... uh, I'm just going to use the ladies' room."

She all but bolted from the dancefloor then, hating herself for acting like such a fool. After all the positive signals she had sent Judson's way, she really couldn't blame him for thinking it was okay to try his luck. Not that he had actually tried anything, but she was sure he was about to.

Making Wade jealous had been fun, even if she didn't want to think about why, but Zoe wasn't going to go so far as to start making out with a guy on the dancefloor just for that alone. Judson was a nice guy, but she already knew she wasn't going on any more dates with him, so it really wouldn't be fair to give him false hope.

"Or at least not any more false hope," she told her reflection in the mirror while she washed her hands.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped out of the ladies' room, startled to find Wade leaning against the wall opposite the door.

"What are you doing?"

"Just wanted to ask how your date was goin' with Mr Boresville." Wade smirked at her, pushing off the wall and getting in her path. "Don't get me wrong now, Jud's a nice guy and all, but he could bore the pants off a person just by saying 'hello.'"

"For your information, he doesn't like his name being shortened to Jud," said Zoe smartly. "Also, he is not boring, he's just..."

"Real boring?" Wade filled in for her, smiling widely yet. "Oh, come on, sweetheart, the guy is as dull as ditch water. Smart and decent and upstanding and everythin', I get that, but if he was any less interestin', he'd see himself off with his own lack o' personality."

Zoe wasn't sure why it made her so mad that he was ragging on her date like that, or maybe she did and it was that same reason that she didn't want to think about before. As if she needed Wade Kinsella's good opinion. As if anybody did!

"Judson may be a little boring," she conceded, "but at least he's actually in college," she retorted crossly, arms folded tight across her chest. "What's the matter, Wade, jealous?"

"What do I have to be jealous about?" he asked, all full of incredulity, apparently. "'Cause the guy learns from books better than I do? So, what? I can name you a hundred things I know more about than good ol' Judson."

"Like mixing drinks and unclogging drains?" Zoe countered indignantly.

Wade stepped in closer, towering over her and half-pinning her to the wall at the same time. "Like rebuilding engines, and taking care o' myself in bar fights... and helpin' tightly-wound, crazy girls from up north blow off steam so good, they can't think about anythin' but that night we spent together for a whole week afterwards."

Zoe swallowed so hard she almost heard the audible gulp of it. She certainly couldn't have breathed if her life depended on it, which she supposed it did, but strangely enough, that wasn't the part of biology that was on her mind in that moment. Wade Kinsella was infuriating and insulting and ridiculous, but he was also so right in what he said about that night they spent together.

It really had been on Zoe's mind a lot. He had been on her mind and a whole lot more than she was entirely comfortable with. She had dreams about him, really epic erotic dreams, and even in class, she had caught her mind wandering once or twice in his direction.

Of course, his having such an ego about it made her want to deny everything.

"You act like you're so amazing," she told him, wishing her voice sounded stronger and much less breathy than it seemed to be, "but you must have been thinking about that night too. You couldn't stop looking at me tonight, even though I was here with another guy."

"If you know I was lookin' at you, then you musta been lookin' at me," he countered, his hand on the wall near her head by now, lips so close to hers that Zoe could almost taste the next words he said. "And I was just wonderin', you tired of just lookin' yet, Zoe? Like I told you before, that deal we had can always be... renegotiated."

"You think way too much of yourself, Wade Kinsella," she told him smartly, and yet in the very next second, she was gripping onto his shirt, pulling him in that final inch or two and kissing him like her life depended on it.

To Be Continued...