Dangerous Light

“I’m so sorry,” Athena barely gets her purse into the booth before Max is standing up. “I thought I could get here on time, but the traffic…”

“Ma belle,” Max sounds overly excited, quickly gaining all of Athena’s attention. “Come dance with me.”

Jordan looks up from his menu, not sounding as upset as he had in the car earlier that day, “she hasn’t even gotten to sit down yet, Max.”

Athena shrugs and shakes her head, “it’s fine. I didn’t suggest this place to sit and listen to the band.”

Jordan watches as Max drags his best friend away by her small, manicured hand.

“Calm down, Gronk.”

Looking at Sidney, Jordan takes a deep breath. “I’m calm.”

“You look like you wanna rip Max’s head off.” Sidney smirks. “He’s just dancing with her.”

Jordan looks back toward the dance floor, heightening Sidney’s curiosity as well. Both men look into the small group of dancing couples, seeing their friend and teammate dancing with Athena. They watch as Max slowly twirls the young woman, large smiles occupying both the French-Canadian and blonde’s faces.

“It could be worse. They could be doing some kind of club dance out there.” Sidney muses, sitting properly in the booth again.

Smirking, Jordan shakes his head, imagining people attempting to bump and grind to a live band’s cover of Frank Sinatra’s "That’s Life".

Sidney hums along to the music, flipping his menu over to continue reading. “This place is nice.”

Jordan continues to stare out at the dance floor, “how do you know?”

“Caviar. Escargot. Fillet Mignon. Porterhouse. T-bone. Salmon. Goat. Ostrich. Sounds like they’ve got just about everything.”

Jordan glances back at Sidney after a moment of silence, “that doesn’t get to you, though?”

“The fact that they serve ostrich?” Sidney looks up from the menu.

Shaking his head, Jordan looks back at his friend. “No. Max dancing with Athena.”

Sidney looks back through the intricate gaps and designs in the back of the booth to see Athena and Max dancing to the music. Compared to the rest of the couples on the dance floor, they are actually much less intimate looking. Turning back to Jordan, Sidney shakes his head, “no.”

“Why not?”

“Because they’re just dancing.” Sidney shrugs, “that’s not really a threat to me.”

Jordan crosses his arms. “How does it not bother you, though?”

Again, Sidney shrugs his shoulder. “It just doesn’t. Why does it bother you so much?”

“Well, you wouldn’t really worry about it, but I just don’t want her getting hurt.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sidney’s eyes narrow slightly.

Jordan shrugs.

“No, you have to tell me.”

A smirk coming to life on his face, Jordan looks at his hands. “You like her, Sidney. I’m not stupid.”

“So?” Sidney scoffs. “You like her, too.”

Jordan shakes his head slightly. “She’s just my best friend.”

“So no one is allowed to like her?” Sidney crosses his arms, “just because she’s your best friend.”

“Not necessarily.”

Sidney leans back, crossing his arms. “Enlighten me.”

“If I can prevent her from getting hurt, I’m gonna do it. She’s had her heart broken too many times already.”

“So, you’re just gonna put her in a bubble until a knight in shining armor shows up to sweep her off of her feet?”

Jordan shrugs.

“You can’t do that, Jordan. That’s not fair.”

Both men slowly lean back on their designated sides of the booth.

“What’re you thinking?” Sidney recognizes the look on Jordan’s face. Half the time, the blonde man can keep a secret like no other. The rest of the time, his face just gives it away.

Shaking his head, Jordan wrings his hands as he glances out to the dance floor as the song ends.

Glancing over his shoulder, Sidney sees Max and Athena slowly separate. He turns back to Jordan, “just spit it out.”

“She deserves better than one of us,” Jordan says dejectedly, with a meek shrug of his broad shoulders.

The dismal silence over the table is broken when Athena slides into the booth next to Sidney, “oh my goodness. That was so much fun.”

Max chuckles, sliding into the booth next to Jordan.

“Why didn’t you guys tell me Max can dance so well?”

Sidney glances at Max, “I didn’t know Max could dance.”

“Me either,” Jordan chimes in nonchalantly.

A waitress walks up, interrupting the conversation. “Can I get you all something to drink tonight?”

The men order their drinks after Athena orders her lemon water.

“So,” Athena speaks up as the waitress walks away, “have you guys enjoyed Vegas?”

“It’s too hot,” Sidney shakes his head.

Jordan shrugs, “it’s a nice place for vacation.”

“I love it.” Max smiles.

Smiling, Athena nods. “That’s good.”

“Ma belle, will you be staying here?”

Tucking some hair behind her ears, Athena thanks the waitress as the woman sets her water down in front of her.

“Are you guys ready to order?”

Looking around the table, Athena sees the guys nod. “I guess we are. I’ll have the chef’s salad with vinaigrette dressing.”

All of the men order some form of meat, but Athena does not pay attention as she opens her purse and subtly checks her cell phone. The text message she’s been waiting for is there. I’m home, safe & in 1 piece darling. Call me when you get to the Bay.

“Ma belle,” Max insists, grabbing the woman’s attention.

Looking across the table, Athena returns the smile Max gives her.

“What were you gonna say?”

“Oh,” Athena takes a sip of her water. “I’m just gonna go back to Thunder Bay.”

Max makes no effort to hide his disappointment. “Oh.”

“Aw, don’t gimme that look. Please.” Athena jokes, wincing as Max shoots her a look with puppy dog eyes.

“You’re too much fun to just be going back to Thunder Bay, ma belle.”

Stirring her drink, Athena shrugs and shoots a glance in Jordan’s direction. “I, uh, I’ve gotta go back home.”

“Why, though?”

“That’s the only place I have to live?” Athena smirks, looking around the table.

Sidney chuckles, along with Max.

“You should come and see Pittsburgh. I think you’d like it.”

Shrugging her shoulders, Athena takes another sip of her water. “I dunno.”