JustmissRiss23_

Yeah, Wade definitely knew that he couldn't really leave the love of his life.

Cadenf

And him going to Atlanta wasn't him either...and I think Joel made him realize he wouldn't be happy if he left.

JustmissRiss23_

Oh, yeah. Definitely. We know that for a fact, he would be miserable without Zoe. Sometimes I wish there should have been more to their conversation when Wade was finishing packing up his car telling him that he couldn't go back to his "old" life. I feel like Joel was the one who made him come to that realization and the scene seemed to be somewhat cut short imo.

BlueDog9

They needed that time for the pointless triangle

JustmissRiss23_

Yeah, very frustrating. Because it just seemed like there should have been more conversation going on with that scene. The entire scene IMO is somewhat confusing because it not only was short, but there wasn't much to it. We first have Joel telling Wade to "step back behind the bar and into his old life" and Wade saying "No" and looking over at Zoe and then Joel saying "I see" and then Wade just agreeing.

What were we supposed to really take away from that? I want to know what you both think?

Cadenf

I think Joel knew he was leaving because of his feelings for Zoe and his feelings overwhelmed him. BUT....to me, what did Wade suddenly get on the road and realize that Atlanta wasn't his new life, because it isn't like he planned to get back with Zoe and in the next episode he even tells her as much.

JustmissRiss23_

Yeah, that is true. Part of me thinks that scene was to show that Joel was coming to the realization that Wade was leaving because it his feelings for Zoe were overwhelming him and it was too much for him to stay in Bluebell. So Wade was trying to make an escape. I see Wade possibly was on his way to Atlanta and turned around because it wasn't the life he really wanted. Especially since he knew now that Zoe loved him and a bit of hope for the future of his relationship with Zoe came back.

Cadenf

I do think someone needed to remind him that Atlanta and the desk job wasn't for him and it couldn't be Zoe...and Lemon was too busy telling Zoe she loved Wade, and honestly Lemon wouldn't have been the right person either.

Joel was close with Wade and saw the real side of him and also knew Zoe...he was the perfect person to tell him what he was trying to deny. He couldn't stay because of Zoe but he couldn't leave because of Zoe either.

BlueDog9

The only time you could say Joel was the perfect person

JustmissRiss23_

Yeah, and you could definitely see that after Joel explained that Wade wasn't a tie guy, he was trying to convince himself that it was the right choice to move simply because he felt like moving was the only way that his feelings for Zoe wouldn't overwhelm him.

I do like the way you put it. Wade couldn't stay because of Zoe, but he also couldn't leave because of her. I think we see both in 3x22. When he was talking to Zoe after she declared her love to him, he still felt like he had to leave Bluebell despite knowing how she felt. But when Wade finally came back, he realized he couldn't actually go through with that. He definitely realized he would be miserable without Zoe in his life, AND with a desk job.

BlueDog9

His picture always had to include Zoe

JustmissRiss23_

Definitely! I don't think he ever could picture a life without Zoe in it.

BlueDog9

He couldn't even try

JustmissRiss23_

Not at all. By that point his life was so intertwined in Zoe's that I don't think he could ever go back to a life without her in it.

BlueDog9

Same for her