Ep 13. Sweetie Pies & Sweaty Palms

Zoe Hart, the protagonist of the show, is encountering a difficult time in Bluebell, Alabama. Her love interest and local lawyer, George Tucker, has reconciled with his ex-fiancé Lemon Breeland and they are officially back together. Zoe, heartbroken, ventures to a new bakery in town in an effort to avoid her feelings.

There, she meets Ruby Jeffries, a charming and talkative woman who is the owner of the bakery, Sweetie Pies. Ruby is warm towards Zoe, complimenting her presence and her style. They chat for a while and Zoe realizes that Ruby is also going through heartbreak, recently having broken up with her boyfriend. They both agreed that they can't stand the idea of being alone on Valentine's Day.

Elsewhere in Bluebell, the town is preparing for an annual Sweetheart's Ball. The ball is a popular event in town, and everyone is excited to attend, except for Wade Kinsella. He's is the town's local bad boy and bar owner, and he has always been a little unenthusiastic about the event. He finds it forced and cheesy, and doesn't understand the point of it all. He tells George that he's not planning on going, but George's girlfriend Lemon, who is the head of the dance committee, overhears their conversation. She tells Wade that he will be escorting her to the event, leaving Wade with a "great."

Zoe decides that the best way to heal from her heartbreak and cheer Ruby up is to throw a "Anti-Valentine's Day" party to celebrate singledom. Zoe enlists the help of her friend and coworker, Lemon's cousin Lavon Hayes, to use his restaurant as the location. They decorate the place with black and red balloons, ordering heart-shaped pizzas and having a karaoke machine set up.

The party is a success, with many of the town's single residents in attendance. Even George, who is still confused about his feelings for Zoe, shows up. However, Lemon is not pleased with the event. She sees it as a direct attack against couples, herself included, and believes that Zoe is only trying to upset her. She confronts Zoe at the party, causing a heated argument between the two.

At the Sweetheart's Ball, Wade shows up in a matching outfit with Lemon. The two of them are the perfect couple for the event, with Lemon looking stunning in her dress and Wade surprisingly handsome in a suit. Throughout the evening, Wade seems dissatisfied and bored with the event, sitting at the same table with Lemon, not moving much. Eventually, he leaves the ball in the middle of the dance, making up an excuse.

The next day, Zoe confronts Lavon about his behavior at the Anti-Valentine's Day party. Lavon had gotten drunk and was embarrassing himself in front of everyone. Zoe is concerned for him and asks him to open up about his issues. Lavon admits that he's still in love with his high school sweetheart, Ruby Jeffries, and hearing about her heartbreak at the bakery made him relive his own heartbreak from years ago. He wants to move on but doesn't know how.

Zoe offers to speak with Ruby and tries to set her up with Lavon. Ruby, however, is still hung up on her ex-boyfriend and is not interested in a new relationship. Zoe understands, but she knows that Lavon needs to move on from his heartbreak and finds a different way to help him.

At the end of the episode, Lemon confronts Wade about his behavior at the Sweetheart's Ball. She believed he was being a bore on purpose to make fun of the event, but Wade admits that he went because he likes her. They end up sharing a sweet moment, dancing together in their cabin.

The episode ends with Zoe and Lavon realizing they have a lot of history together, meaning growing up in Bluebell. The two of them decide to make the most of their current situation, hanging out and discovering places to visit in town.