Rebounds & Reunions (6/12)
“OK, ready?”
“Yes,” Wade grumbled, still slightly annoyed at the stubbed toe he had just received because of Lemon’s insistence that he should be blindfolded.
That annoyance only increased when she accidentally pulled out a few strands of hair as she untied the handkerchief. Or attempted to. Instead, she ended up pulling the knot painfully tight.
“Dammit, Lemon!” Wade cursed, reaching up and pulling the blindfold off his head with a sharp tug. And then he stared around the building, speechless.
After a moment to regroup, Lemon spread her arms out and sang “Ta-daaaaaa.” Wade fought a feeling of déjà vu.
“What is this?”
Lemon lowered her arms and stared at him with something between disappointment and frustration. “It’s a building, Wade.”
“I know that, Lemon. Why are we here?”
“It’s…it’s for sale.”
“I know that too, actually.”
“You do?”
Wade stepped farther into the room, struggling against the rather unexpected feelings being in there again caused in him. He didn’t realize he was still so angry and disappointed about how everything had gone down a couple months ago.
“Why are we here?” he asked again.
Lemon inhaled. “I think we should buy it. It could easily divide into two sections, and our hours wouldn’t overlap much so we wouldn’t even disturb each other’s business.”
Wade faced her, a look of shock on his face; Lemon simply smiled exaggeratedly wide and nodded to demonstrate she was serious. Wade looked around the room again.
His brain shouted at him that he wasn’t ready, it wasn’t time yet, he needed more…something. But his subconscious was already working as he answered.
“Peggy won’t give me a loan.”
“Peggy’s a former Belle,” Lemon reminded him. “She can’t turn me down.”
“I can’t,” Wade paused, slightly embarrassed. “I can’t afford the down payment.”
“Well,” Lemon suggested slowly, in an obvious attempt not to offend him, “How about I front you? I think you’re good for it. Besides, this place needs a lot of work and you’ll obviously have to take the lead on that end of things.”
Wade breathed out, hands on his hips and surveying the room again. Lifting one hand and rubbing it down his face, he thought. And then he turned to Lemon.
“OK. Let’s do it.”
**
“Penny for your thoughts?”
Zoe looked up at the, she had to admit, somewhat unexpected question. She and George usually didn’t talk much when they met for breakfast. George would review his schedule for the day while Zoe waited for the caffeine to kick in. She never was and never would be a morning person. In fact, she kind of hated that George always wanted to have breakfast together.
And she didn’t want to think about the fact that they still had to meet instead of just being together in the mornings. The glacial pace of their relationship was very high school. And yet neither one of them pushed for more than some hot-and-heavy make-out sessions. Zoe was incredibly frustrated. At least…that’s what she thought she was feeling, at any rate.
“Um, nothing. It’s too early to be thinking anything.”
George laughed lightly. “It’s not that early,” he disagreed. “I bet you had to get up lots earlier for your commute in New York. I know I did.”
Zoe tried not to sigh. She never would have guessed it could possibly happen, but she was officially bored with talking about New York. Thankfully - well, not thankfully, of course, because it was George and she wanted to spend as much time as possible with him now that they were finally together - but, thankfully, she happened to see Lavon walk past the window of the café. Zoe stood abruptly, and George looked up at her in surprise.
“I’ve got to talk to Lavon; I just remembered.”
“Oh, OK, well - ”
Zoe didn’t wait for him to say anything. She barely waited long enough for him to stand up. Leaning closer, she gave him a quick kiss to the cheek and hurried out the door.
“Lavon!”
He turned around and when he spotted her, gave her a huge smile. “Morning, Zoe. Have a nice breakfast?”
“Uh…yep,” she replied as she looped her hand around Lavon’s elbow. “Though I missed you. Breakfast doesn’t really feel like breakfast unless it’s the three of us around your kitchen table.”
Lavon snickered, nodding in agreement as they turned at the intersection and headed towards the practice.
“How are you?” Zoe asked, suddenly realizing that between work and George she hadn’t spoken to her friend in several days.
“Fantastic,” Lavon answered her quickly, his smile growing even wider.
“I can tell! What’s going on?”
“Oh, nothing. Just thinking about breakfast.”
Zoe looked at him skeptically.
“I had a good one this morning too. Even though there was only two of us.”
“I guess so. What’d you and Wade - ”
“Not Wade. Haven’t seen him in a couple days.”
“Oh…well, then, who - you dog!”
“A gentleman doesn’t kiss and tell,” Lavon observed haughtily.
“Tancy?!”
Lavon shrugged. Zoe exhaled, staring out at the road as she shook her head.
“You know, I was kind of surprised at first. I couldn’t really see it. But I don’t think you’ve been this happy since I’ve known you, and that’s saying something.”
“I am happy,” Lavon agreed.
“I can tell. You actually seem a little crazy-foolish about it. I’m almost expecting you to start skipping.”
Lavon threw his head back in laughter. “That’s what you should expect from someone falling in love.”
“Mmm,” Zoe said noncommittally. She fought a feeling of sadness that the circumstances of her and George getting together didn’t allow for that kind of freedom. She wondered if she’d ever experience the flirting and passion, all those extraordinarily heightened emotions of trust and fear that went with letting your guard down with someone, letting them in. She wondered if she’d even recognize it happening. Or acknowledge it already might have happened, added a tiny voice in the back of her head which she promptly forced silent again.
“I’m happy for you,” she finally said.
Lavon glanced at her sideways. After a long moment, he said, “Wish I could say the same.”
Zoe furrowed her brow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I just…,” Lavon said with a sigh. “Neither George, Wade, Lemon or you are skipping down any streets, I’ve noticed.”
**
“I feel kind of…sick,” Wade observed as he and Lemon walked out of the real estate office.
“Yeah,” Lemon nodded, equally dazed. “Me too.”
“We just…”
“Bought a building. For our businesses.”
Wade looked over at Lemon, who met his gaze. After a moment of staring at each other, they both burst into laughter.
“Oh my God, Wade. I can’t believe it.”
Wade just shook his head. “I will pay you back, you know. For the down payment.”
“I know,” Lemon said with a nod. “I’m not worried.”
“Where’d you get the cash anyway? Trust fund? Savings bond?”
“No,” Lemon said slowly, clearly somewhat embarrassed. “All of my accounts are shared ones with Daddy, actually. Well, I guess you could say they’re his accounts and I have access to them. I’ve never…really made any money of my own.”
Wade didn’t say anything for a moment. “So…where - ”
“I sold something, OK?”
Wade stopped walking and turned to stare at Lemon. “What’d you sell?”
“Some jewelry,” Lemon said, sighing loudly as she stepped around him and continued walking. “A couple old necklaces and bracelets and…things.”
“Your mom’s?”
“No.”
“Then why are - ”
“And my engagement ring!”
Wade grabbed Lemon’s arm and pulled her over to the nearest bench. He dragged her down to sit with him and stared at her. Lemon avoided his eyes, looking around erratically as her breathing turned ragged. Wade reached up, placing one hand on her shoulder and cupping the side of her chin with the other. He forced her to make eye contact.
“You OK?”
Lemon exhaled sharply. “Yes. I’ll be fine.”
Wade didn’t reply, his silence indicating his skepticism.
“Really, Wade. It’s fitting in a way, isn’t it? Using my old life to start my new one. I’ve wasted my whole - just years, chasing after that fairy tale ending, wanting to be the wife and mother my mother wasn’t. And I was happy. I would have been…happy. Maybe it’s not the modern thing to say. Maybe I’m not as sophisticated as Zoe Hart with her fancy education and career. But what would have been wrong with that life? Why didn’t he want it with me? Why didn’t - why didn’t she?”
“OK, Lemon,” Wade tried to interrupt, feeling very much out of his league. “You’re - ”
“And it’s not them! It’s not; it’s me! I wasn’t enough! He wanted someone else! And she had a - a new child, a better -”
Lemon broke off, sobbing hysterically into her palms. Wade patted her back awkwardly.
“Look,” he said slowly. “Let’s go to the pawn shop or wherever you sold it and get your ring back. We can figure something else out.”
“I don’t want it back,” Lemon all but shouted.
“OK,” Wade agreed quickly, before adding in confusion. “What do you want?”
Lemon finally stopped crying. She inhaled slowly and sat up straight. “I want to stop feeling like I’m losing my mind.”
“Well…I don’t know how to help you with that. Unless you have a notebook.”
“What?” Lemon turned to stare at him in confusion.
“Just - it’ll help, actually. It’s a good way to try and get over someone.”
Lemon sighed, then sniffled. “It’s not George,” she confessed. “Not completely. It’s my mom. I think I need to talk to her finally.”
“Yeah, but Lemon, your mom’s gone.”
“No, Wade. I know exactly where she is.”
Chapter Seven