Valedictorian at New York med school, surgeon's daughter Zoe Hart declines an offer to join obscure Alabama Gulf town Bluebell's senior doctor Harley Wilkes to join his country practice, but he kept sending postcards. When she's told to get a year of practice experience to develop patient in order to be admitted to the surgical training, she finally accepts, to her mother Candice Hart's distress. Harley meanwhile died but named her heir to what's actually only his half of the practice which local Dr. Brick Breeland wanted to continue alone. Zoe hesitates whether to stay, appreciating helpful gentleman local lawyer George Tucker and ex-national sports hero Lavon Hayes, now the native mayor, but starting badly with womanizing estate caretaker Wade Kinsella and misled by her first patient who faked an eye test before running over George. Yet an unwanted pregnancy proves decisive.

In his playful way, Wade shows angelic patience with fickle Zoe's nocturnal fears, even spends a night on her bad couch. She not only crashes the mayor's borrowed car on a medical visit, but is convinced to have seen a fisherman whose portrait is on the pub's wall of deceased villagers. At examination, Leon Mercy, who seems to haunt her at night, was only reported missing, as she would have been looking for him in the wood hadn't Wade tracked them down. George finds the mayor unwilling to release on protected home for the happy couple to move into, but Lemon changes her mind about it after another incident with her unruly sister, which prompts George to make Brick face his parental duty.

Zoe gives the town Santa the day off, and has to get Crazy Earl to play Santa. Ruby is set to leave town, but Lavon wants her to stay and marry him. George and Tanzi exchange gifts. Zoe tells Wade she wants to date him in public.

Zoe reluctantly agrees to allow Joel to throw her a birthday party at Lavon's to help cheer him up, but things go awry when her mom surprises her with a visit. Vivian wants to meet Wade's dad, but Wade is leery of how she might react. AnnaBeth gets an interesting request from the Belles that she was not expecting but, in light of recent developments it might be the perfect distraction for her. Meanwhile, George is determined to prove to Tansy that his nemesis Scooter McGreevy has not changed and is fooling everyone.

When Zoe's mom takes her on as a client, Zoe is secretly thrilled that she will finally get her mother's undivided attention. Brick is surprised to hear that Lemon is returning to town soon, so he enlists Lavon's help to throw a welcome home party for her. However, her return hits an unexpected snag and she is forced to turn to Wade for help. Meanwhile, George is roped into helping Magnolia.

Zoe goes to New York and Wade follows. After so many ups and downs, they are finally making progress in their relationship. Meanwhile, Lemon, Annabeth, George and Lavon remember their high school days and make decisions about their love lives too.

When Zoe makes an important decision, Wade tries to take care of everything before the baby is born.