A/N: If you take the time to leave a review, then you're a great person - thanks, y'all :) Now, time for spring break to come to Bluebell, and all that entails ;)

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 10

Spring break had come to Bluebell, complete with all the craziness that entailed. Honestly, Wade was glad of the distraction, in a lot of ways. The last couple of weeks had gotten kind of intense, what with Zoe talking young Rose down off a ledge over her boyfriend potentially cheating on her (which of course, he was not!) and all the work that Wade himself had been putting into figuring out where his new bar was going to be and how it would take shape. Then there was Lavon moping around about something or other that seemed to not-so-subtly involve Annabeth and Lemon, not to mention all the drama over a missing cashbox at the church fundraiser.

It was enough to make a person's head spin, that was for sure, which was why Wade was perfectly fine with the town being taken over by crazy-drunk co-eds for a spell. There was no better tonic for a barrel load of drama than a reminder of what it was to be young and dumb! He said as much to Zoe, as he walked her to work that morning. Unfortunately, she didn't seem quite so enthusiastic about the young folks letting off steam all over Bluebell.

"I just don't get it," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "I mean, what is so great about running around half-naked, fighting in foam, drinking beer upside-down, and having random sexual encounters that you can't even remember in the morning? I'm not judging, I swear, if it makes people happy, then yay for them, but I just never saw the appeal, not even when I was young."

Wade scoffed at her choice of words. "You ain't exactly old now, doc," he told her, leaning down to kiss the top of her head, "but I take your meaning, I guess. It is a while since we was their age. Hey, you think if we had known each other then, we would've gotten together?"

Zoe laughed a little too loudly at that. "Oh, no!" she said definitely. "I was way too strict about school and studying to have wanted to date you then, and you absolutely would not have wanted to date me."

"What makes you so sure on that?" asked Wade curiously. "I'll bet you were just as smart and beautiful and sassy as you are right now."

"I guess, probably," Zoe agreed, blushing just a little at the compliments as she looked up at him, "but I seem to remember you telling me that you were pretty wild back then, even more so than when I actually did come to town. If I had moved to Bluebell when I was eighteen or twenty... well, honestly, I can't even imagine doing that, but I really think we would've been even more different than we are now."

"For all our differences, I think we're doing okay together," he said, pulling her to a halt and right into his arms too - she went willingly.

"I know we're doing more than okay together," she agreed easily. "After all, opposites attract."

"Speakin' on attraction..." he said then, pulling her ever closer until finally their lips met.

They were so caught up in what was only supposed to be a quick kiss goodbye before she headed on into the practice, Wade was real startled when he suddenly heard a cat-call to his left. Pulling away from Zoe, he glanced up ready to tell some whippersnapper where to go shove himself and got a real surprise when he saw someone he knew.

"Well, Jonah Breeland. What are you doin' back around here again so soon?"

"Apparently, Bluebell is doing spring break," his old friend said, gesturing to the mayhem in town square. "Only a fool would want to miss out on that."

"Ain't that the truth? 'Course I might take issue with you calling my girlfriend here a fool."

That piqued Jonah's interest, as Wade had known it would. Zoe said she didn't have time for another debate on the subject.

"Some of us have work to do," she said smartly. "I'll see you later, cowboy," she told Wade with a wink, not even seeming to mind when he smacked her lightly on the butt before she finally went inside.

"Still together," said Jonah, shaking his head. "You know, I don't think I'll ever stop being a little amazed that Wade Kinsella has a permanent girlfriend. Who ever thought mankind would see the day when the wild man of Bluebell was tamed?"

"Took a heck of a woman to do it." Wade shrugged his shoulders. "But you gotta admit, I held out for the best."

"Can't argue with that," his friend agreed, looking over his shoulder at Zoe's retreating form, right before she disappeared in through the door.

It was only then that Wade felt a little uncomfortable. He knew all of Zoe's best attributes, and of course he was aware that others knew about them too. He kind of loved that a lot of people probably wished they could call her their own, yet he was the one she wanted.

Still, there was something about Jonah having a thing for Zoe that gave him pause for thought, made him just a little nervous somehow. Wade shook it off fast. Zoe loved him, she told him as much, and he wouldn't ever doubt her. Besides, as much as Jonah was a player, he wouldn't ever try anything with Zoe. He and Wade went back too far for that.

"Yeah, I'm not sorry I came back for another visit right now," said Jonah then, watching the college kids enjoying their fun, most especially the girls, of course. "Not sure I could've picked a better time."

"Well, you knock yourself out, Breeland," Wade told him, slapping him on the shoulder. "It's like Zoe said, some of us have work to do. I may have a notebook full o' plans and a lump sum o' cash besides, but none of that is gonna make a bar unless I put in the work."

"You're opening your own bar?" Jonah blinked at him. "How long was I gone?"

Wade laughed at his expression. "Come on, walk with me a while. I'll fill you in on everything you need to know."

"This could be perfect for me."

Annabeth frowned at that particular declaration from Lemon, feeling just about as confused as she ever had about anything in her whole life.

"I'm sorry, I think I turned over two pages at once in this conversation. How did we get from a rumour about Wally selling the Rammer Jammer to something that could be perfect for you?"

Lemon rolled her eyes. "AB, you silly, they are one and the same thing," she insisted, lowering her voice and leaning in closer across their corner table at the Butterstick. "I know that place is kind of a dive, but we both know how I could just transform it, if I only put my mind to it. I need a project, something I can really sink my teeth into, and the Rammer Jammer could be just ideal. I could make it what it should be. A real nice place, that's just as popular as it is now or maybe even more so. All it needs is a little class and shine adding to it, and there is no-one better qualified to bring such things to an establishment than me."

"Oh, I agree with that," Annabeth said without pause, "but honey, there is the small problem of actually buying the place," she added, just as gently as she could. "Last I heard, you don't exactly have an overabundance of funds."

"That is true, but it just so happens that I also know a way to come by a healthy amount of money in less than forty-eight hours from now."

Annabeth wasn't sure what to think when she heard that. Several different ideas of how a woman could make money fast flew through her mind, several coming from movies that her mother wouldn't like to know she had ever seen! Not that she thought for a moment that Lemon would go that far for money, of course. She just didn't really know what to think, not even when the brightly-coloured flyer was pushed onto her empty plate.

"Okay," she said, shaking her head. "This is a competition for college kids to win themselves a boat."

"No, Annabeth, this is a competition for anybody to win a boat," Lemon corrected, "and that boat is worth a lot of money, up to $50,000, I heard, which would be more than enough for my needs. The timing is just perfect. Since the Rammer Jammer is barely on the market, there'll be nobody able to get in an offer before I do. Who around here has the money and would want to buy that old place anyway?"

"So, I was thinking, 'Who around here has the money and would want to buy this old place anyway?' and then it hit me. You're looking for a place. Why not this one?"

Wade opened his mouth to answer that question and found he hardly knew where to begin. It had been enough of a shock to hear that Wally wanted to sell the Rammer Jammer at all, but to have him offer it to Wade, when he knew damn well he was hoping to open his own place? That was a whole other level of surprising.

"Uh, not that I don't appreciate the offer of first refusal or whatever," he said after a while, rubbing the back of his neck as he tried to find the right way to phrase what he meant to say, "but I worked in the Rammer Jammer a long while now, Wally. It's been great, don't get me wrong, but this is your place. It is what it is. I had ideas o' my own, of what Wade's Place was gonna be. The Rammer Jammer ain't exactly it."

He really didn't want to disappoint his boss, and he also knew he was probably a fool for not taking this opportunity of both a good deal on an established business and a chance to ensure he had less competition all in one. Still, Wade had got real invested in doing this thing the right way, no short-cuts or half-measures. He didn't just want to run any bar, he wanted it to be is own, the way he pictured it in his head. He only hoped Wally could understand that.

"Wade, let me tell you somethin'," he said, shaking his head. "This place is how it is because I made it this way. Now, if you took it off my hands, you would have all the right in the world to make it how you want it to be. You can switch out the tables and chairs, redo the decor, refurbish it all to hell and back, and I couldn't care less. Hell, change the name to 'Wade's Place' if you want to. Why do I care? I'm retiring!" he said definitely, no hint of a joke in his tone or manner.

Wade was more than a little amazed. Change the Rammer Jammer? It was a crazy concept, but he supposed it could work. The place was great, but it had been around an awful long time. It could take a few updates, some alterations, a face-lift, maybe. If he changed the name, he couldn't see anybody minding all that much either. After all, it was the only bar in town, and only had Fancies for competition when it came to the dinner market. He had no luck finding any other suitable location for his own place so far.

"I'm guessin' you'd be okay with me thinkin' about all this a little bit?" he said to Wally then. "I mean, it's a big decision to make and I don't wanna make a wrong one."

"I can't promise I won't take another offer if it comes my way eventually, but I can give you a little time, I guess."

"Twenty-four hours?" Wade suggested, offering a hand to shake on the deal he hoped to make. "Just don't sell it to anyone else in that long, and there's a good chance I might just take the place off your hands."

"Deal." Wally smiled, shaking hands.

To Be Continued...