Diamonds in the Sky

Elise and Sean stumbled in his front door, tangled in a heated kiss. Elise pressed Sean forward to his couch and they tumbled down onto it. “I want to thank whoever taught you to kiss like that,” Sean murmured to her.

Elise giggled. “It was Will.”

“Max’s brother?! Are you kidding me? And Max didn’t kill him?”

“Max has no idea.”

“How is that possible?”

Elise shrugged. “He was off playing hockey.”

Sean nodded. “That makes sense. But seriously, a Talbot? Really? This is my fucking luck. My best friend marries a Talbot and you made it with a different Talbot." He flopped back dramatically on the couch and Elise laughed at him.

“I didn’t make it with Will. We only ever kissed. He didn't even get to second base.”

“Really?”

“Really. So stop fretting about losing all your women to Talbot’s and kiss me again.” He grinned and pulled Elise into his arms.

“What are we going to do anyways?”

“About?”

“Max and Zoe,” Sean said.

“They’re just going to have to get over it, aren't they? I like you.”

“I like you too.”

“Well you have a funny way of showing it, Mr. Avery.”

“See, there’s this girl and she’s my best friend, and she scares me sometimes and I try not to cross her when she tells me not to do something.”

“I asked her to help me; that’s why she made you go tonight.”

“I’m glad she did.” He kissed her softly. “So tomorrow, can I take you out? There’s a gallery opening I was going to go to and I’d love it if you went with me.”

“That sounds great.”

Sean picked Elise up in his arms and kissed her before setting her on the floor in front of him. “I want to do this right. I don’t deserve you but I want to.”

“You deserve me, Sean. Don't ever doubt that.”



Zoe sent a text to Sean early the next morning. She felt terrible about everything that had happened in the last two weeks and she wanted to apologize to Sean in person.

Can we talk?

Breakfast at your hotel?

Thirty minutes?

I’ll be there.

Sean dressed and hailed a cab to the Ritz where Zoe was staying. She was waiting for him in the lobby, flipping through USA Today. “Hey,” he said when he got close enough to her. Zoe looked up and smiled, climbing out of her seat and hugging Sean.

“I am so sorry for being a bitch.” She pulled back and looked him in the eye. “I had no right-”

Sean cut her off. “You have every right. I fuck up, a lot. You know this better than anyone. You were looking out for her.”

“Still, I had no right to tell you she was off limits and then expect you to babysit her. That was wrong. And then to get mad at you? Jesus, Sean. You had every right to be mad at me but I was out of line. I’m sorry. And I’m sorry Max was a fucking jerk to you last night. I made him pay for that last night.”

Sean groaned. “Really? TMI.”

Zoe laughed. “Good thing you love me.”

“God knows why.”

She laced her arm through his and they headed towards the hotel restaurant. “Sean Avery, I believe my life would be incredibly boring without you in it.”

“I doubt that very much,” Sean replied. “You have Max.”

“I keep Max on his toes.”

“You keep me on my toes.”

“Elise can keep you on your toes.” The hostess led them to a table and Sean helped Zoe into her chair before taking his own. The hostess handed them menus and walked away.

“I really like her, Zo.”

“I know. She likes you too.” Sean smiled. “What did you do last night?”

“Took her to dinner.”

“That’s it?”

He shrugged. “We kissed but I took her home to her place. We have a date tonight. I'm trying to do this right. I don’t want to rush into it. I want it to be....perfect.”

“Sean, you’re growing up!” she exclaimed. “Oh my God! You’re becoming a real boy!”

“Will you keep it down? I have a reputation to maintain.”

Zoe reached across the table and held Sean’s hand in hers and squeezed it. “I’m proud of you Aves.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.”

She smiled broadly. “I love you more than a fat kid loves cake.” He shook his head at her.

“I don’t know why I subject myself to you sometimes,” Sean said with a chuckle.

“I’m irresistible, you’re irresistible. Obviously we have to stick together.”

“I just tolerate you.”

“Liar. You loooove me.”

“To the moon and back,” Sean answered her, raising her hand and kissing the back of her palm.

Zoe grinned. “Now, about Elise. I have some insider information I’m going to share with you so listen up and take notes.”



Elise was heading out of the building as Sean and Zoe pulled up in front and emerged from a cab. “Hey!” Zoe called out happily to her. Elise smiled and waved to her and Zoe rushed over to hug her. “I owe you an apology too. Coffee later?”

“An hour? I have to get to this meeting...”

“Sure. Just text me and I’ll come to you.” Zoe headed inside the building and Sean held the cab for her.

“Hey,” Elise said to him, kissing his cheek.

“I’ll pick you up around 7?”

“Okay. See you later.” He smiled and pulled her to him in a breath taking kiss.

“Later.”

Sean headed inside to his apartment where Zoe had already made herself at home in his kitchen, baking away. When her phone buzzed an hour and a half later, she grabbed her purse, kissed Sean on the cheek and headed out, instructing him to to take the last batch of cookies out of the oven in five minutes.

Elise watched as Zoe approached the coffee shop from her spot at a table in the front window. She waved and Zoe stepped inside. She approached the counter and ordered a drink before joining Elise.
“Thanks for meeting me,” Zoe said as she slid into the chair. “I really appreciate it, Elise.”

“Its no problem, Zoe.”

“Look, I’m really sorry about last night, for the way Max and I both acted. And I’m sorry I tried to control Sean by telling him you were off limits. I had no right to tell him what he can and can't do, and I certainly had no right to try and control your love life. He really likes you though and I just want him to be happy. He pushed me so hard to talk to Max, to take him back, because he knew Max made me happy and it's all he’s ever wanted for me. Now I want to repay the favor. He’s my best friend and its been awhile since someone has made him smile the way you do.”

“He’s had you,” Elise said softly.

“He’ll always have me, and if you can handle that, then you’ve already won half the battle. I’m never going anywhere. I know its weird since we’re also exes but there’s so much more between us than that. I love him, faults and all. And trust me, there are plenty of faults.”

“He was in love with you before?”

Zoe sighed. “Yes, once upon a time.”

“Recently,” Elise said firmly. “He carried a torch.”

“Its not like that.”

“I know its not but it was.”

“You have to understand what we’ve gone through.”

“Its okay Zoe. You two have a history. But its just that, history. I know how much you love Max and I know he comes first. I can live with Sean being second in your life. I don’t expect you two to change.”

“He needs someone that will make him number one. He deserves that.”

“Was it you once?”

Zoe looked away, staring out the window for a long minute before looking back to Elise. “Yes,” she answered softly. “Sean was always my number one until Max came into my life. I love him, as much as I love Max, but Max has all of me. Sean never had all of me. Close, but there was always someone else, whether in his life or mine.”

“What is he really like?”

“Sean is Sean. He can be a complete pain in the ass, an absolute douche bag. He’ll say anything, he’ll do anything. But when he means it, when he lets those walls down, he is the best person I know. He’s caring and kind, and he will do anything for you, even if it means sacrificing his own happiness. He doesn’t let very many people see that side of him but its the Sean I know and love.”

Elise smiled softly. “I want him to let me in the way he does you.”

“He will. I can tell. Look, the honest truth is I haven’t seen Sean act this way around a woman, ever. He’s really trying to be the man he thinks you deserve, to feel like he has earned the privilege to be with you.”

“He deserves this. Why does he think otherwise?”

Zoe laughed. “Because he’s a douche. But he’s my douche and now he’s your douche too. Wait...that is so not even coming out right.”

Elise laughed along with her. “Its not but I totally understand.”