Diamonds in the Sky

Sean, Elise, and Zoe headed down for Warren 77 at the end of the game, Max planning to meet them there. Max did not want Elise around any of his teammates but they had other plans and thirty minutes later, Max, followed by Claude, Danny, Wayne, and Scott made their way into Warren’s and towards Zoe, Sean, and Elise. Zoe squealed and scrambled out of the booth to hug Danny.

“You know one day she’s going to figure out she’s in love with Danny and leave you,” Sean said to Max.

Danny grinned and Zoe leaned against him. “Too bad Danny’s got a hot wife at home that he adores,” Zoe said.

“Ce ne serait pas vous arrêter. Si vous avez demandé à Danny de s'enfuir avec lui, vous ne seriez pas regarder en arrière,” Max said, sliding into the booth, then Zoe beside him after she gave hugs to the other three men. (That wouldn't stop you. If Danny asked you to run away with him, you wouldn't look back)

“Tu es le seul que vous pouvez la manipuler, personne d'autre ne la veux,” (You're the only one you can handle her, no one else would want her) Danny said, sitting down beside Zoe. Claude squeezed in next to Danny and Scott and Wayne slid in beside Elise and Sean.

“Je suis juste ici, les gars,” Zoe added. (I'm right here, boys) “Et je ne suis pas une poignée.” (And I am not a handful)

“Oui, vous êtes,” Claude piped up. (Yes, you are). Zoe stuck her tongue at him.

Elise giggled softly and smiled up at Sean. They were already shoulder to shoulder but she leaned closer to him to whisper, “do you understand anything they’re saying?”

“Not really,” Sean replied. “But I think I’ve got the gist of it.” Elise nodded. She leaned over Sean and held her hand out to Scott. “I’m Elise,” she said to him. Her chest pressed into Sean and he looked to the ceiling, slowly counting to ten as Elise’s warm body settled against him, one of her hands on his thigh as she reached across him.

“Scott,” he replied, introducing himself. “This is Wayne.” Elise shook his hand also.

“You grew up with Max, right?” Scott asked.

Elise nodded. “Yes I did.”

“Any embarrassing stories we should know?”

Elise giggled. “I may have a few,” she teased.

“What is going on over there?” Max asked, his eyes narrowed as he watched Elise with his teammates and Sean.

"Nothing," Elise said innocently. “Scott was just asking for my best Max Talbot story.” She settled back into the space beside Sean, letting her fingers drift down his thigh before her hand settled just above his knee. Sean felt his heart stop and he looked to Elise who stared at Max with a playful smile on her lips.

“Nu-uh, no way. Don't you go spilling my secrets to those boys.”

“You mean I shouldn’t tell them about Catherine?”

Zoe stopped talking to Danny and whipped around to look at Elise. “Who’s Catherine?” she asked.

“Yea, Elise. Tell us about Catherine,” Scott egged her on. Max groaned and laid his head on the table.

“Catherine was a senior when Max and I were freshman and he was in love with her. She was the most popular girl in school and Max worshipped at her feet, followed her around like a puppy. She strung him along and Max did everything she asked. Really thought he had a chance too until the night her boyfriend and his friends pranked him, videotaped it, and got it shown during the morning announcements Monday morning at school."

Max's teammates roared with laughter and began to tease him. "Just you wait until one of you brings an old friend around. I'll find out your secrets and laugh at you," Max said. "You,” he said, pointing at Elise, “ I will get you back for this."

"You won't," Elise said.

"Oh but I will."

Elise shook her head firmly. "You won't. Zoe won't let you."

Zoe grinned beside him and kissed Max's cheek. "You can not embarrass Elise. She's a girl, not one of your teammates."

Max pouted and Elise laughed at him. "Not fair."

"I hate to do this to you boys, but I need to use the restroom," Elise said. She smiled sweetly and Wayne and Scott slid out of the booth, then Sean. Elise slid across the leather and stood. Zoe shoved at the boys on her side, forcing them out so she could go with Elise.

"Change out of those jerseys while your gone too," Claude said with a shake of his head. “Fucking Rangers.” The loss of the night still stung. Elise linked her arm through Zoe's. Max's eyes trailed after the girls and when they were out of sight, turned angry eyes to Sean.

"What is that?" He demanded of Sean.

"What?"

"Why is she wearing your jersey?"

Sean shrugged. "Because Zoe doesn't have a Del Zotto?"

Max growled lowly. "Fuck you, Avery. What are you playing at?"

"I haven't talked to her in two weeks. I'm not her keeper."

“Zoe asked you to watch out for her.”

“And I told Zoe no.”

“You never tell Zoe no.”

“I did this time. As a matter of fact, I also told you that I wasn’t going to watch out for her. I told you both to leave me out of it and that I was done. I wasn't kidding. She’s a big girl and she can take care of herself.”

The table fell silent until the two girls reappeared, jerseys draped across their arms. Max glared at Sean and Sean ignored him, talking to Danny across the table. “Ok, what did Sean do?” Zoe asked. Elise’s head tilted to the side and she shot a questioning look to Sean. He rolled his eyes in response.

“Its not always my fault you know,” Sean said, staring at Zoe coldly. She shrugged and slipped into the booth once Claude and Danny stood up.

“Actually, it usually is.”

“Fuck you Zoe.”

“Do not talk to my wife like that,” Max threatened.

“Fuck you too, Max. Fuck you both.” Scott and Wayne were standing so Elise could sit back down but before she could, Sean got out of the booth. “Have a nice night,” he said as he walked away from them.

“You two really have to calm the fuck down,” Elise said. “I’m perfectly capable of deciding who is or isn’t good enough for me. I appreciate that you have good intentions but really?” She shook her head and grabbed her purse. “It was nice to meet you all,” she said, nodding at the other four men. She turned in the direction Sean had gone and strode away before anyone had the chance to react.

“Sean!” Elise called out. He stopped and faced her. She hurried across the restaurant to reach him.

“What are you doing?” Sean asked.

“This.” She stopped in front of him and grabbed his shoulders, hauling herself up on tiptoes and planted her lips on his. Caught by surprise but recovering quickly, his arms slipped around her waist and held her against him, supporting her body in his arms. They heard Max shout from the table.

“Elise...” Sean warned softly.

“Stop making excuses and take me out, on a date, right now. You owe me dinner.”

“Let’s get a cab and I’ll take you to Tiny’s.”

“I would very much like that,” Elise smiled. She took Sean’s hand in hers and he headed out of the restaurant, hailing the first cab he saw. He gave the address and they rode in silence, Elise still holding her hand in his.

“This is all your fault Max Talbot!” Zoe exclaimed, punching him in the arm as they watched Elise and Sean kiss.

“How is this my fault?”

“You antagonized him!”

“Me? I was defending you.”

“Defending me from Sean? Really? Its fucking Avery. I handle him better than anyone.”

“Looked to me like Elise handles him pretty well,” Scott interjected.

“Shut up, Hartsy!” Max and Zoe yelled at him as they continued to stare each other down.

“Now they’re leaving together! Bon travail, idiot!” Zoe shouted. (Good work idiot)

“C'est de ta faute,” Max told her. (This is your fault)

“Vraiment? Ma faute? S'il vous plaît, dites-moi plus.,” Zoe sneered at him. (Really? My fault? Please, tell me more)

“Vous l'avez poussé à son.” (You pushed him to her)

“I pushed him?! That’s fucking rich, Talbot,” she said condescendingly. “I told him to stay away and he actually listened for once. You meanwhile are playing the part of overprotective big brother. You’re the one pushing her right to him!”

“I am not overprotective!”

“Really? You wanted to maim my brother for talking to her last month.”

“He was eyeing her!”

“Of course he was! Elise is beautiful. She’s not a princess you get to lock away in a tower!”

“She does not need to date Sean fucking Avery!”

“What the fuck is wrong with Sean?!”

“You mean beside the fact that he is so fucking in love with you?”

“Il n'est pas amoureux de moi!” (He is not in love with me)

“Oui. Il. Est,” Max said through clenched teeth. (Yes. He. Is.)

“Non, il ne l'est pas. Croyez-moi. Il tombe pour Elise, dur.” (No he isn't. Trust me. He's falling for Elise, hard)

“He’s not good enough for Elise. He’s a prick.”

“Don’t you dare insult my friend and pretend to know who is or is not good enough for him! Elise would be lucky to have a guy like Sean in her corner!”

“If he knows what's good for him, he will stay the fuck away.”

“You son of a bitch! Who is good enough for her then? You?”

“Oh my god, you two both shut up!” Danny commanded, slamming his closed fists on the table.“Merde! Anyone with two eyes can tell he likes her and she likes him. You can’t make them not like each other just because you say so. Get the fuck over yourselves.”

“Arrgh!” Zoe let out a frustrated cry. “I hate you and your stupid moral high ground,” Zoe said to Danny after several breaths. He smiled at her and pulled her into a hug, kissing her forehead.

“I know.” He released her and she turned to Max.

“Look, I know Sean really likes Elise but in respect of our wishes, he has stayed away from her, completely, for the last two weeks. And Elise, well, she likes Sean. She told me so and she asked me to help her with him. Max, I’m going to help her, whether you like it or not. I trust Sean not to be a complete dumbass when it comes to Elise because I see the way he looks at her and I want Sean to be happy and Elise makes him happy. You saw that picture on the carousel. They were both so happy it was practically sappy.”

Max grumbled. “I don’t like it.”

“Well I don’t care what you like. I care about what Sean and Elise like and that’s each other. So either you’re with me or you’re against me.”

“Against.”

“Have it your way.” She turned to Danny and nudged him. “Excuse me.” Danny nodded and elbowed Claude out of the booth, then himself as Zoe slid out behind him. “Have a good road trip, boys,” Zoe said. She hugged Danny, then Claude as Wayne and Scott stood and then accepted hugs from her also. Max leaned back in the booth, steadfastly avoiding Zoe’s eye. She rolled her eyes at him and walked away from the group.

“You are a moron,” Wayne said as they all sat again. “That woman is the best thing to ever happen to you and you’re going to fight, about this, the night before we go on a road trip for two weeks?”

“But-” Max began before Wayne cut him off.

“No buts. Elise is allowed to date whoever she wants. Hell, if Sean wasn't already in love with that, I would’ve given her my number. Now get your panties out of a twist and go after your wife before Danny pulls that Prince Charming bullshit he’s so good at and swoops in for her!” The others laughed while Max pouted. Zoe stomped back to the table moments later. She placed both palms flat on the table and leaned down.

“Max fucking Talbot, stand up before I kick your ass in front of your teammates!” Zoe said lowly.

He sighed heavily and then clambered out of the booth. He pulled his wife to him fiercely and kissed her. “I love you.”

“I know. Now take me to your hotel room and show me how much.” He smiled rakishly at her.

“Boys,” he said, tipping an imaginary hat to his teammates. He curled his arm around Zoe’s middle, whispering exactly what he intended to do to her in her ear and she giggled, pressing herself against him as they walked out of the restaurant.