A/N: Thank you to all you lovely folks that keep on sending me reviews :) I'm trying to combine all the important parts of canon into this fic, as well as include lots of Zoe/Wade content, and obviously, take into account the changes I've made. It's a lot to juggle sometimes, but hopefully, it's coming across okay to you, dear readers :)

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 12

"Wade Kinsella, can't you look where you're going?!"

Lemon's exclamation was the first he knew that he had all but knocked her flying, and as it was, she had dropped a whole bunch of papers on the ground, that he quickly stooped to help her retrieve.

"Sorry 'bout that, Lemon," he told her, grabbing up the last of the fallen pages. "Guess my head is in the clouds just a little bit right now."

"Yes, well, I don't suppose I was entirely concentrating either," she admitted, with a look he couldn't quite understand, as they both stood up again.

It occurred to him then that maybe he did know what had her distracted after all.

"Uh, how'd things go at the hospital with your daddy?" he asked, almost afraid of the answer he might get - if she started crying, he was going to hate it.

"Oh, there's absolutely nothing to worry about there," she told him with a bright smile, waving away his concerns with her free hand. "He had his MRI and it came back all clear, so he is absolutely fine, but thank you for asking."

"Anytime." Wade nodded, smiling back at her, glad enough to hear it was good news. "So, I guess that explains why you're lookin' so chipper all of a sudden."

"I can't deny that knowing my father is in good health makes me happy, as it would anybody, but actually, I am in a joyful mood for more reasons than just that," she explained. "You heard, I suppose, about the competition in town to win a fine sailing vessel?" she asked, gesturing up to the sign that had advertised the event, still hanging over town square even then.

"Heard somethin' about it." Wade nodded. "Some plan the mayor cooked up to keep the spring breakers from runnin' off to Daphne, so they say."

"That may have been the reason the event was held, but the winner was not one of your so-called spring breakers. I, Lemon Breeland, had the tenacity and staying power to win the grand prize, which means I now have enough money that I can put in an offer and buy the Rammer Jammer from Wally. Isn't it just so exciting?"

Thrilled as she looked at the prospect of what she was about to do, Wade felt like a heel for what he had to say next. Rubbing the back of his neck, he tried to choose his words real careful, though whichever way he sliced it, he knew damn well he was going to bust up Lemon's latest dream.

"Uh, not exactly sure how to tell you this," he said, squirming terribly and he knew it, "but see, the thing of it is, Wally, he gave me first refusal on the Rammer Jammer, on account of me having worked there so long, and him knowing I was looking to have my own place and all..."

"You?" Lemon squeaked, smile fading, lip wobbling. "He, uh... You and he..."

"We agreed terms last night." Wade nodded solemnly. "Signed the paperwork first thing this mornin'. It's a done deal."

He watched the pain cross her face and wished he could take it back. Well, not entirely, because Wade was real glad with the deal he had made to own the Rammer Jammer. It was his dream, for far longer than Lemon had the idea in her head to take over, he suspected, but that didn't mean he liked it any better, watching her get so upset.

"Congratulations," she said, swallowing hard as tears filled her eyes. "I'm sure you'll make quite the success of the place."

"Lemon, I don't..." Wade began to tell her, but she was already turning around and rushing away. "Damn it!" he cursed to himself, kicking at the ground.

The last thing he wanted was for his good news to hurt anybody else. Infuriating as Lemon could be sometimes, and she really could, he wouldn't do that to her on purpose. He honestly had no idea she would ever want to own a place like the Rammer Jammer, and even if he had, he couldn't just give up what he wanted to please her. He just wished he didn't have to go through his day knowing he had made her cry like that.

A loud yell went up then, catching his attention, making him take notice of the ongoing spring break events. Apparently, the fighting in foam was still happening, and Jonah Breeland, oblivious to his cousin's upset, was well and truly enjoying the festivities.

"Hey, Kinsella!" he called and waved him over, when he saw him standing there. "You know, it's a damn shame that Zoe never had any free time to come out and join in the fun. I got a feeling she would have really got into this."

Jonah's eyes were flashing in a way that Wade didn't much care for as he implied that Zoe ought to be taking off her shirt and jumping into things with all the other girls.

"Hey, that's my girlfriend you're talking about," he said, a warning in his voice that he wasn't ashamed to know was there.

Sure, most likely Jonah was only making a joke, but suddenly, it didn't seem too funny to Wade. Zoe was better than all this craziness. She was somebody to be respected as well as loved and adored. The look on Jonah's face when he stared at Wade then proved he was surprised by what he just heard.

"Yeah, I'm still havin' a little trouble with that concept, you know, you being a committed boyfriend and all," he admitted, shaking his head, "but hey, I didn't mean anything by it either way. I swear, if Zoe was single, obviously, I would be taking my shot," he said, with just a little too much enthusiasm for Wade's taste, "but I would never, ever hit on her, given she's with you. Come on, she's obviously not the cheating type, and you and I go way back, so no way," he said definitely, shaking his head, his hand at Wade's shoulder.

He meant it. For all that he could be slippery and fast-talking and all sometimes, Wade was pretty sure that he could trust Jonah not to hit on his girl. Besides which, he made a good point about Zoe too. She was absolutely not the cheating kind, so even if Jonah did try his luck, he wasn't going to get anywhere fast. Best he stuck to charming the young ladies on their spring break and all. He'd do just fine with them, no doubt.

"You know, if you like Zoe all that much," he said then, getting a real good idea, "you could maybe put in a shift over at the practice, give her a break for a while? It's been kinda rough on her these past couple of days, with Brick being out of commission and all." Jonah looked like he was seriously considering it, though already his gaze had wandered back to the topless girls wrestling in the foam. "I could be pressed to a couple o' free beers at the Rammer Jammer if you were to help out," he said more loudly.

Jonah looked back at him and smiled big. "I'll see what I can do, you know, a little later on," he said pointedly.

Wade rolled his eyes, slapping his buddy on the back before turning to walk away. Jonah didn't take any offence at his old friend thinking he was kind of shallow. Maybe he was, but that was okay. Wade had been the same once, and now, he was a dedicated man in love, starting his own business, and being a real stand-up citizen. Jonah knew someday the same could happen to him, that he would take his medical career just a little more seriously and maybe even settle down with a nice girl. Of course, the time for that wasn't quite yet.

Watching Wade exit town square, he absolutely intended to let his attention go back to the scene before him, but instead, his eyes drifted to a young woman of some quality coming the other way, sharing pleasantries with Wade as they passed each other.

"Annabeth Thibodaux," said Jonah, as she came closer.

"Well, I haven't been called that in quite a while, but thank you, Jonah Breeland. I have to admit, I like it a whole lot better than having myself still be tied to Jake Nass," she told him, making a face that he was sure the memory of her ex-husband well-deserved. "I'd ask what you're doing out here, but I think I can probably guess," she said, eyes going just a little wide as she surveyed the scene before her then. "Oh, what it is to be young, beautiful, footloose and fancy-free," she said softly, so much so he almost didn't hear that last part at all.

Jonah figured maybe he wasn't supposed to, but he had, all the same, and he didn't mind telling Annabeth what he thought about it either.

"Come on, AB. You're not exactly old, and as for beautiful, you and I both know you are as stunning now as you ever were," he said with a grin, "and since you got rid of that no-good husband of yours, you are footloose and fancy-free, right?"

The pink blush that rose in her cheeks was as pretty as she was, the smile she gave him as bright as the sun. "I guess I am," she said, in regards to being free, "but you need to stop being such a sweet-talker, Jonah Breeland. You're like as not to get a woman into trouble, you go on that way," she told him.

Jonah grinned back at her and leaned in a little closer. "Would that be so bad?"

"I am exhausted!" Zoe declared as she came into the carriagehouse and flopped down on the couch with a thud, head going back and eyes immediately closing. "I know Brick needs rest after the whole hospital thing, and I don't mind that he's taking time out, I really don't, but I swear every person in town, not to mention half the spring break crowd, have been through my office today. I have been rushed off my feet!"

Wade left his toolbox and came over to sit beside her, making quick work of taking off her shoes and rubbing her sore feet. "Sorry to hear you're sufferin', doc," he said sympathetically. "For what it's worth, I did ask Jonah to come give you a break. Offered him free beers for the favour too. Guess he went and got himself all kinds of distracted with the girls that go wild."

"I guess so." Zoe sighed heavily, pulling her feet out of his lap as she sat up beside him and leaned her head on his shoulder instead. "Thank you for trying anyway. Everything go okay with Wally?"

"Papers are all signed and sealed. Tucker did whatever needs doin', money's goin' from my bank account to Wally's own, and the Rammer Jammer is as good as mine."

Zoe smiled at that. "That's so amazing. You're really doing this, Wade. Owning your own bar. Isn't that cool?"

"Doesn't suck," he told her with a smirk, leaning down to kiss her lips. "You want I run you a nice hot bubble bath?"

"Hmm, I would love that," she said, kissing him back, "but the tap on the tub-"

"Is all fixed up," he promised her. "What do you think I was doin' in here with the toolbox and all? You really think I was gonna leave you with a busted tub like that?"

"Not really," she said, shaking her head a little. "You're so good to me, Wade Kinsella."

"You know it, baby," he told her, surprising her then as he scooped her up into his arms and began carrying her to the bathroom. "'Course, prob'ly best you make the most of me bein' so attentive and chivalrous and all. More I think on it, the more I realise this whole having my own bar thing is gonna take an awful lot o' my time, not to mention my money. I got plans, sweetheart, big ones. Gonna be refurbishin' going on, an awful lot o' hard work and everything. Sorry to say you might not have me around all that much for a while."

Zoe didn't especially like hearing that, but she did understand what he meant. She was so happy for him, getting his dream like this, and more than a little proud of him for even wanting to be this way. Pulling him close, she kissed him firmly on the lips.

"Well, if you're going to be so distracted and busy for the next little while, maybe I should make the most of you while I have you here," she said, with a look in her eyes she knew that he would recognise all too well.

"Really? 'Cause I thought you was tired and wanting to have yourself a bubble bath," he checked.

Zoe grinned all the more. "Oh, I can rally, I'm really good at that, and as for the bath," she said, looking down into the tub, now they were right beside it. "There's room for two in there, right?"

Wade grinned back at her. "Guess there's only one way to find out for sure."

To Be Continued...