December 6, 2014

christmasI moved around my posting schedule for All I Want For Christmas in order to lessen the gap between a few parts. I’ll be posting the next part on Thursday, Dec 11 and then Part Four on Dec 16. I want to post often, but space it out so that Christmas Eve chapters are closer to that date, and finish it with New Year’s Eve.

Lisa asked about the angst content — when you compare it to A Few Words or The Best Thing, it’s practically pure fluff. But, haha, yes, there’s some conflict.

The response to that first part has been amazing, and it means so much. I post across five sites (here, Road to Nowhere, Archive of Our Own, Fanfiction.net, and Liason Underground) and though it can often be a time consuming process, it’s worth it since I average closer to 15-20 feedback responses for everything I post. You guys are fantastic 🙂

My aim at CG is make it easier for you guys to find what you want to read and to find it fast. If there is anything I can do to facilitate this, to make it easier, please don’t hesitate to tell me. This site is for you guys, after all 🙂 madworld

I had a breakthrough on Mad World, and I was finally able to iron out the ending. I think it’s so much better than the original story or the second attempt to plot it and I’m looking forward to outlining it in more detail. Thanks for the response to the poll.

I’m still tweaking the site so please bear with me 😀

This entry is part 2 of 9 in the All I Want For Christmas

Santa baby, forgot to mention one little thing
A ring
I don’t mean a phone
Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight
Hurry down the chimney tonight
Hurry down the chimney tonight

Santa Baby, Eartha Kitt


December 2

ELQ: Jason Morgan’s Office

“Spinelli, hold my calls until I’ve finished meeting with Ms. Webber,” Jason told his gangly executive administrative assistant as Elizabeth slipped past him into his office.

“Yes, sir, Mr. Morgan, sir.”

Jason closed the door and flashed a smile at Elizabeth as she stood in the middle of his office, her portfolio clutched in her hands as always. “Good morning.”

“Good morning,” she replied, drawing her bottom lip between her teeth. She shifted her weight from one black stiletto heel to the other. “Ah. Did you get the contracts? I had Kiki drop them off with your assistant.”

“Mmm-hmm,” Jason nodded. “Have a seat,” he told her, gesturing towards the shortened conference table. “Do you want coffee or tea? I can ask Spinelli to bring it in—”

“I’m fine.” Elizabeth sat down, careful to smooth her black skirt down so it didn’t bunch up. “Emily signed the contracts before her vacation—”

“It looks fine.” Jason brought his own coffee over. She appeared to be in a hurry to conduct business, but Jason didn’t mind drawing her out a bit more—her cheeks were flushed and she was having trouble making eye contact for more than a moment.

Nothing to talk about, indeed.

“Um…” She twisted her pen in her slim fingers. “I think…maybe we should…” Elizabeth sighed. “About yesterday. When you asked if there was anything else we should talk about.”

“Yes?” Jason tilted his head, unable to hold back his grin. “You said there was nothing.”

“So…I might have overstated that.” Elizabeth shifted. “It’s just…what happened that night…” She took a deep breath. “Look, I don’t usually get drunk and hit on my boss—”

“I’m not your boss,” Jason told her. An important distinction.

“Right. Well, anyway.” Elizabeth pursed her lips. “My roommates were there that night, and one of them dared me to drink this ridiculous mixed cocktail with like…a ton of alcohol—” She huffed. “Not that I was too drunk to know what I was doing. That’s not what I’m saying.”

“Nothing would have happened if I thought you were,” Jason said. “There’s no benefit to me to spending time with someone too intoxicated to enjoy it.” He leaned forward. “And I hope I’m not being too arrogant if I assume we both enjoyed ourselves.”

“Well, yes, of course.” The flush spread to her collarbone and the chest area revealed by the white silk blouse she wore. “I mean, I’d been attracted to you before that—” She closed her eyes. “Okay, not important.”

He considered it very important, but filed it away for later. “Elizabeth—”

“Anyway. I woke up the next morning, and I just…I panicked, so I just…said the first thing that came to my mind and left.” She twisted in her chair. “I know it’s…practically history to you, but I just…we’re going to be working together for the next few weeks—”

“Why is it history to me?” Jason interrupted. “It was just a few weeks ago—”

“You…never said anything afterward.” Elizabeth blinked. “I mean, you…never…I don’t know, you didn’t call. So I just…”

“Elizabeth.” Jason leaned back, casually resting a foot on his opposite knee. “As far as I was concerned, you’d made it clear you weren’t interested in pursuing it past that night. Even considered it a mistake.”

“Oh.” Her eyes widened just slightly. “Well, I didn’t. Not exactly, I mean.” She shook her head. “Well, I guess now that we’ve cleared the air—”

Jason let both feet drop to the floor and leaned forward, lowering his voice. “Are you saying you’d be interested?”

The discomfort bled from her shoulders and the light in her eyes changed. She tilted her head to the side. “Are you saying you are?”

“A man would have to be dead a couple of years if they weren’t interested in you.” He reached for her hand and toyed with the fingers.

Her lips parted slightly. “This is probably a bad idea,” she murmured. “But right now, I can’t remember why.”

He grinned. “What do you say we deal with the business at hand and if you’re not busy tonight…a drink after work?”

“That sounds…perfect.”

The Next Day

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “You had these contracts yesterday, Jason.” She leaned over him at his desk as he skimmed the catering paperwork in front of him.

“Your assistant left it with Spinelli who forgot to drop them in my box before I went home.” Jason flipped a page. “This isn’t too much to pay for caviar?”

She arched a brow. “How would you even know? It’s competitive. And I find it hard to believe Spinelli forgot. The kid worships you.” She wrinkled her nose, and leaned against the desk as he continued to peruse. “How did you end up with him? He doesn’t exactly give off that executive air.”

“He drives my grandfather crazy, so he has a job forever as far as I’m concerned.” Jason scrawled his initials on a page before flipping to the next. “He used to work in one of the tech departments. My computer broke. He fixed it. I promoted him.”

“I’m sure that’s the entire story.” Elizabeth shrugged. “Whatever. I stole mine away from my last employer.”

“Right.” Jason signed the last page and glanced up at her. “Emily went to a party last summer you planned at an art gallery. She was quite proud she lured you away.”

“Just between us?” Elizabeth leaned in, a wicked smile playing across her lips. “I hated my job so much if Emily had just offered me a dollar over my current salary, I would have leapt at it. As it was, you guys paid dearly.” She snorted. “And made quite the enemy of Ava Jerome, since I convinced her daughter to jump ship.”

“Well, you’re worth every penny.” He grinned at her, but the tease fell short of its charming intention. She returned the smile, but shifted away from the desk.

“Thanks for signing those. I’ll have Kiki get them over to the caterers.” She reached for the pile, but Jason caught her wrist.

“What? What’d I say?”

“Nothing.” Elizabeth offered her a half smile. “There’s…just a ton more vendors to nail down this week. I mean, most are holding the dates open because Emily always uses them, but I still need to negotiate prices for this year, and—”

He drew her down into his lap, and she sighed. “Elizabeth. We had a good time last night, didn’t we? I like you. If I say something that offends you, I can’t read your mind to find out what it is.”

She pursed her lips. “Nothing. I just…I mean, I know…” She huffed. “This sound so stupid when I say it out loud, so believe me, I’m aware I’m an idiot. But…we slept together last month. And now…I don’t know…we’re…” She wiggled her fingers. “Whatever—”

“And me saying you’re worth every penny when I’ve barely worked with you strikes you as a services rendered comment,” Jason finished.

“I told you it was stupid.” She slid her fingers over the nape of his neck, playing with the short hairs there. “I know you didn’t mean it that way—”

“Emily has done nothing but rave about you for months,” Jason told her. “She told AJ the only reason she could even dream of taking this time off was because she knew you’d step in without a hiccup. My sister has been working at ELQ for seven years. She’s never so much as taken a weekend off, let alone a month, so when I say you’re worth every penny, I mean it because I know how much Emily depends on you.”

“Well, see, now I feel even more stupid.” Lacing her other hand behind his neck, she continued. “How can I ever make it up to you?”

“Well…” Jason’s hand slid around her waist and drew her closer. “I think we can think of a few things.”

Her laugh slid into a moan as his lips covered hers, his fingers burning into the skin beneath her thin red dress. A trail of heat burned down her thigh as Jason’s hand slid around to her knee.

“If I could make a request,” he murmured, drawing back slightly. “You look great in these little pencil skirts, but they’re not exactly….conducive to this type of activity.”

“I’ll take that under advisement.” Elizabeth reluctantly disentangled her arms from his neck. “I really should go send these contracts back.”

“I have late meetings tonight,” Jason admitted. “Tomorrow?”

Elizabeth scooped the paperwork from his desk, and grinned over her shoulder as she headed out.

This was going to end in complete disaster, but her roommates were right. Opportunities with men like Jason came along so rarely, she was going to hold on with both hands and enjoy every minute.

For the rest of that first week together, their daily meetings became less about the paperwork Jason barely studied before scrawling the necessary signature at the bottom. Instead the half hour he’d carved out of his morning schedule were spent in his office chair or curled up on the sofa, making out like teenagers.

That first weekend, she’d hoped to spend the night with him, but an emergency with an ELQ subsidiary sent Jason to New York until Sunday evening.

Monday morning, Elizabeth breezed past Spinelli into Jason’s office. He was leaning against his desk, grinning. “You’re early,” he teased.

“Did you get the contracts Kiki sent over?” Elizabeth asked, tossing her portfolio on the conference table.

“Already signed.” Jason eyed her outfit. “I like the dress.”

She arched a brow, stepped forward and grabbed his shirt in her fist. “Any other business?”

“None that I can think of.”

She had clearly not enjoyed his absence any more than he’d liked spending the weekend away, as they came together in a tangle of lips and hands, each trying desperately to get closer. His suit jacket was on the floor before he knew what to think and her back hit the sofa with a hard fall.

“Sorry,” he muttered, torn between dragging her dress over her knees or tugging the wide cowl neck over her shoulders. Her busy hands were drawing apart his shirt and tugging it from his pants.

“Didn’t even notice,” she responded, her breaths coming in short pants as his lips nipped at her collarbone. “You have the best hands.”

“Yours aren’t so shabby.” He drew back slightly to brush a kiss on her lips. “I missed you.”

“I missed you, too.” Elizabeth flushed, her fingers dancing down his bare chest. “I bought something special for Saturday night.”

“Well, I hope you’re free tonight to put it to use,” Jason said, his hand sliding past her knee to the soft skin of her inner thigh.

“It’s all right, Spinelli. I’ll just be a minute—” The door opened on those words and his cousin, Ned Ashton, stopped in the doorway. “Ah. Sorry.”

Elizabeth squeaked and frantically tried to get out from beneath Jason, who just slowly rose to his feet and glared at his cousin. “If Spinelli tells you I’m busy—”

“Next time, I’ll listen.” Ned arched a brow. “You must be Elizabeth.”

“Um…” Elizabeth shoved her rumpled hair over her shoulder. “This…” She sighed. “Yeah, that’d be me.”

“I’ll just leave these notes here.” Ned laid the papers on a table near the door. “I’ll see you at the board meeting later.”

He exited, and Elizabeth stepped away when Jason reached for her. “I’ll have to learn to lock the door—”

“Jason, do you know that’s the first time I’ve seen the CEO of this company?” She buried her head in hands. “Oh, man. What a first impression.”

“It’s not a big deal—”

“Not a big deal,” Elizabeth repeated flatly. “I suppose Ned walks in on you with women all the time.”

“No,” Jason drawled. “But I’ve walked in on him enough that I think I’ve earned one in return.” He drew her closer. “Listen. It’s not the end of the world. He’s not just a nameless corporate shill. He’s my cousin. He’s not going to care.”

“I guess we were flirting with disaster….being so unprofessional at work,” she murmured.” She combed her fingers through her hair. “Thank God my office is just down the hall. Kiki probably won’t even notice.”

“Well, we should see each other more often outside these four walls.” He brushed a kiss against her unsmiling lips. “I’ve been stuck in meetings, but I should be clear for tonight. And…I’d like to take you to the ELQ parties later this month.”

Elizabeth furrowed her brow. “I’ll be there anyway, Jason. I—I’ll be working—”

“Yes,” Jason said. “But I’d like to take you as my date. Pick you up. Drop you off.” He grinned. “Maybe not so much the second part.”

A nervous laugh escaped her lips. “Jason…that’s…the entire company will be there. Not to mention pretty much all the richest people in the state.”

“Which is why I want to spend time with someone I actually like.”

“But…” Elizabeth twisted her fingers together. “Then…everyone would see us together.”

“Ah…” Jason rubbed the back of his neck. “Is…that something that would be a problem? Because I didn’t think it would have to be a secret.”

“There’s a difference between a discreet…whatever and…making the grand debut at the biggest events of the year.” Elizabeth wrinkled her nose. “I’ll…can I just…think about it?”

Slightly annoyed, but knowing that he’d asked her on the tail end of a particularly embarrassing moment, he let it slide. “Fine.”

“Okay.” She reached for the portfolio she’d discarded earlier. “Um, just…send those contracts back to me when you’re done with them.”

“I already signed them,” Jason reminded her. He reached for the small stack. “I’ll call you later to firm up plans for tonight.”

“Okay.” Elizabeth leaned in for another kiss. “Jason, I really…I’m glad you asked me. It’s just…I’m an employee. I…have to think these things through more.”

“I guess.” Jason watched her go, cursing her cousin and himself for his poor timing.

ELQ: Ned Ashton’s Office

Ned just grinned at him when Jason followed AJ into his office for their monthly board meeting prep. “Jason. Glad you could tear yourself away.”

AJ arched a brow as he crossed to the mini bar to pour himself a tumbler of gin. “Something going on I should know about?”

“No,” Jason said, sending Ned a dark look. “He’s an idiot.”

“Jason was being welcomed back in fine fashion by Emily’s assistant when I dropped by this morning.” Ned sat down at the conference table. “I see you’re making the best of your unexpected foray into event planning.”

“Elizabeth?” AJ asked. “Damn it. I was waiting another month for her settle in before I turned on the charm.” He sipped the gin. “You’ve scooped her up before I even had a chance—”

“If either of you value your lives, you’ll shut up now.” Jason stabbed a finger at Ned. “Don’t you dare mention this morning to her again. She’s mortified that’s the way she met the CEO.”

Ned waved it away. “Didn’t you tell her it’s a family tradition? It’s how we always meet the new women.” He shuddered. “I actually walked in on Grandfather once.”

AJ scowled. “Why the hell do you gotta put those images in my head? Seriously. There’s not enough liquor in the world.”

“I’m sure you’d try to find it,” Jason said dryly as his older brother turned the glare on him.

“And didn’t you tell her that’s how you met my first wife?” Ned asked.

“And mine,” AJ said. “Well, the only wife. And it was my bedroom at home. Once you go Carly, you turn away marriage pretty much forever. If not for Michael. I’d block that out for good.” He sighed. “Twenty-two years of blissful freedom. Never get married when you’re eighteen. You know nothing about life.”

“Isn’t it how you met my second wife, too?” Ned frowned. “I distinctly remember Lois and Alexis never forgiving me for that lock.”

“How do you even keep them straight?” AJ asked. “I mean other than Lois, because you know, Brooke. But I don’t even think I remember the other two.”

“Alexis’s sister,” Jason reminded him. “And the blonde that made Carly look normal.”

“Faith.” Ned sighed in memory. “Insane, but worth all six months.”

“Right, so didn’t you just tell Elizabeth it’s practically family tradition?” AJ asked. “Though come to think of it, it is the first time we’ve caught you.”

“You’re just including yourself in my discovery?” Ned asked. “Of course you are.”

“If you mention it to her even once, I’ll make you sorry you got out of bed in the morning.” Jason leaned forward. “Are we understood?”

“Fine, but I swear, the next gorgeous woman who comes to work here, I have dibs,” AJ told him. “I should have called dibs in July.”

“Way to act five years old,” Ned sighed. “You’ll have free reign since it looks like Jason and I are otherwise engaged.” He hesitated. “To be serious for a moment, Jason. I hope you’ve thought this through. If it doesn’t work out, and Elizabeth leaves the company, Emily will never let you forget it.”

Jason narrowed his eyes. “I don’t foresee it being a problem.”

“You never do at the beginning,” AJ said, with a sad sigh. “And then you wake up one morning and realize you’ve married a piranha.”

December 5, 2014

So I know this doesn’t look look a whole lot different than the last theme (header and three columns) but you’ll notice the colors and design is a bit more evenly distributed. I’m not done tweaking it yet. One of the most difficult things about customizing a wordpress theme is the CSS (which controls the colors, the links, pretty much everything that makes your page pretty) because every theme and every element has a specific name.

I’m still playing with it, but it’s ready for wider distribution since it’s better than the old one. Let me know if something doesn’t work or you simply can’t stand something.

Update

As I remarked earlier, I’m continuing to tweak the site. I fixed the site images in the right hand side bar so that they’re showing side by side (or they will if your screen resolution is wide enough).

I will continue to work on this — adding styling elements and tweaking for future customization and layouts. So here’s what I already know needs to be done:

1. Comments — It’s pretty close, there’s still some work to be done.
2. The Sort Stories & Site links in the top menus. These are just short cuts to the areas that already exist in the sidebars, I’m just putting them in a more easily seen spot. The Stories and Readers sections are ready to go.  The Home link has been removed from the Story section because there’s a huge prominent one now.

I’m also working on updating each story page with a bit more organization, but that is an ongoing process and won’t likely all be done at the same time.

So other than those issues, if you have an issue with the site (if there’s a color not working for you, or something is just so ugly you want to set it on fire), please let me know!!

December 3, 2014

First things first: The Best Thing, Chapter Thirteen has been added. I’ll probably continue posting it only once a week until it’s completed. It’s a difficult story to write due to the content and the type of subject I’m dealing with. If I finish it ahead of a schedule, I might bump up the posting, but only if I have another story ready.

That being said, I have a much more straightforward story I’m working on, All We Are, the marriage of convenience story I’ve been playing around with. I already have three chapters done, and I hope to be about halfway through by the end of the month. I can start posting that in late January/early February so I’m posting twice a week.

Once those two stories are done, I’m unsure what story will be next. I should work with Feels Like Home (the rewrite of Tangle), as it’s storyboarded and ready to go, but I also have Mad World, For the Broken Girl, and These Small Hours also in the wings.  I should have a more definitive idea once we get into the new year.

On the subject of Mad World, I’m still working out some plot details. If you’ve read the preview I posted in the spring, you know the PCPD is going to have a hand in this case.  Rather than creating original characters as police officers, I thought about bringing an old cast member back. Taggart’s already in the story.

I could either utilize Dante, Jesse Beaudry, Nathan, David Harper or Cruz Rodriguez. The latter two were Lucky’s partners in 2008 and 2006 respectively. Or I could go ahead a create an original character. Whenever I can’t decide these things, I turn to you guys.

[socialpoll id=”2235360″]

So please let me know what you think 🙂

This entry is part 13 of 34 in the The Best Thing

Take my hand, I’ll teach you to dance.
I’ll spin you around, won’t let you fall down.
Would you let me lead? You can step on my feet
Give it a try, it’ll be alright

– All About Us, This Is We


June 7, 2005 

Warehouse: Sonny’s Office

Something had changed.

Sonny sat behind his desk and studied his partner, the man whom he still called friend though he had a feeling that was more of a label than a description.

And something was different about him.

Could he ask Jason? Had things been quiet, even stable between them long enough? The last blow up had been more than a month ago, the blow up about Johnny Zacchara’s surveillance. Sonny had continued making his lists to control his conversations and had taken to locking himself in the maid’s room at the penthouse when Carly was at the club and the kids were gone. In that room, he allowed himself to rant, to rave, to scream.

He let the emotions out, hoping that the release would control them. And they were, to a certain extent. He exerted complete control in the areas he could—he carved more time out to cook, concentrating on teaching Michael to eat healthier and spending more time with him in particular.

To keep control in his personal life, so he could keep his cool during business meetings.

He could do this.

Sonny cleared his throat and glanced at his list. Jason. Mickey. Trucks. He could do this. “Ah, your sister’s wedding went well, I guess.”

Jason nodded, his expression guarded. “It did, she and Nikolas are in Greece for the honeymoon.” He shifted, looking almost uncomfortable. “I haven’t been by since because—”

Sonny held up a hand. “If there was something to report, you’d tell me.” He laid his hands flat on the desk, because sometimes just that centered him. “Um, you doing okay? I mean…” He paused. “Elizabeth doing okay?”

Jason didn’t answer right away, but Sonny didn’t let the irritation rise, didn’t feel it crawl into his throat. Maybe it was going to be okay. He had worked hard the last few weeks to get himself under control.

Once he could control the dark moments, he could eliminate them.

‘She’s fine,” Jason answered finally. “We, decided, ah…” He glanced away, seemed to make some sort of internal decision before meeting Sonny’s eyes. “We’re seeing each other.”

This was not going to be a problem. Elizabeth was a good woman with a beautiful child. She had always cared for Jason, would be good to him. Would be good to Evie.

And Sonny, above all, knew that he wanted what was best for Evie.

He knew he wasn’t. Not until he could control himself.

“Good,” Sonny said finally, hoping it had not taken him too long to answer, but Jason seemed to understand that that extra pause was a good thing. He was thinking before he spoke, weighing his words. “Ah, it’s nothing I didn’t expect to hear, but it’s good, you know? I know you don’t believe me, but I always liked her.”

“I know. She…” Jason shifted again. “She said the same about you.”

“Good, good.” Sonny crossed Jason’s name off the list. “You haven’t reported in about the surveillance, so I figure we don’t know anything new.”

“No.” Jason shook his head, and now the frustration Sonny had been feeling filtered into his expression. “We’re not closer to figuring out who took the truck and took out Mickey. The Ruiz brothers are in Miami, no movement from them. No unexplained meetings or calls. I told Roscoe to stay on it, to see if I could move another man down there to cover one of the brothers.”

“And…the Zaccharas?” Sonny asked. He would make it through this. If Jason told him Johnny wasn’t involved, this time Sonny was determined to trust his judgment. Jason had no reason to protect Johnny, this man had met Elizabeth who was no longer just a friend.

Jason sighed. “I had Jimmy on Anthony. No movement there, but Anthony doesn’t leave Crimson Manor that often. People come to him. Nothing out of the ordinary, according to him, but it’s tough. Can’t tap his phones because there’s always someone there. He’s looking into ways to get more information. I told Stan to get some tech help, so Stan found someone to take on that work. I’ll know more in a week or so.”

He was quiet a moment. “I talked to our Johnny about Johnny Zacchara, and he recommended Francis. So I pulled him up from the island. He’s covered Zacchara, but mostly it’s galleries and restaurants when the kid is in the city. He’s in Port Charles often.”

“How often?” Sonny winced when he heard the sharp tone in his voice. No. Let him finish.

“A few nights a week,” Jason admitted. “His girlfriend has a place, Zacchara is there most of the time.” He stopped for a moment. “He goes to Luke’s a lot. And he was at Jake’s one night, playing pool.”

Something in his voice had shifted there. There was something Jason wasn’t saying. “And?” Sonny demanded. He didn’t notice that his hands were balled into fists.

“And he played a game of pool with a guy who used to work for Alcazar,” Jason admitted. “But Francis seemed to think Johnny didn’t know the guy. He came in late, his girlfriend was already there with some friends from work. He played the game to kill time and then he left with Nadine.”

“You didn’t think to lead with this?”

How the hell was he supposed to trust the bastard when Jason kept lying to him? And damn it if it wasn’t a lie to tell them they had nothing to go on.

“I didn’t…I know how you were going to look at it,” Jason said, but his tone was placating, Sonny could fucking hear that endless note of patience. Fucking Sonny is crazy again, just be calm, just be measured.

He wasn’t a damned child.

“You keep telling me this son of a bitch is innocent,” Sonny snarled. “Why the hell can’t you see it? He’s the only enemy running tame in my territory, he’s around when shipments go missing, when trucks get hijacked. He’s talking to Alcazar’s fucking men, and you’re telling me the little shit is innocent?”

He was out of his chair now, his balled fists on the desk as he leaned forward.

Jason dipped his head, and Sonny hated him in that moment because the bastard was just trying to think how to answer him, how to keep Sonny calm.

“What do I have to do to make you see I know what the hell I’m talking about?” Sonny continued, his voice rising. “Haven’t I made sacrifices to show you I’m in control, but you keep fucking treating me like I’m going to lose it, like I don’t know my own organization. Damn you, Jason, I gave you my daughter. When the fuck are you going to start trusting me?”

Jason raised his head but the placating expression was gone, his eyes were angry, his mouth tight. “You think you gave me Evie?” he retorted. He also got to his feet, his clenched fists at his side. “Is that what you think happened?”

Taken aback by the tone because Jason rarely confronted him, Sonny straightened. “What do you call it?” he snapped. “You have her, I don’t.”

“I call it cleaning up another one of your goddamn messes.” Jason stepped forward. “I shouldn’t have changed those results. I admit that was a mistake. But you kept it going. You decided that I was right, that Carly would destroy those boys in the divorce. You strung Sam along, making her feel like trash, making her feel like Evie would always be an afterthought to Michael and Morgan.”

“And you didn’t reassure her, did you?” His head was spinning, his blood spoiling. “You fucking took your chance to have your own family. Were you fucking her after all?”

Jason shook his head, the disgust on his face clear. “She died pleading with me to keep her daughter from you. And I promised her I would take care of Evie. But if you had wanted her that night, if you had asked me to sign over guardianship, I would have done that, Sonny.”

“Oh, but now it’s too late?” Sonny stalked around the side of his desk and jabbed his finger at Jason. “Is that what this is? You taking a stand, Jason?”

“What do you want me to say?” Jason spread his arms out wide. “You made the decision to let it stand. You chose to leave Evie with me. You didn’t give her to me, you just kept your life from blowing up.”

“This is payback for Michael isn’t it?” Sonny demanded. “For taking him in, for adopting him. He was yours—”

“He was never mine.” Jason’s hands fell to the side. “And Evie’s not mine. Not really. But she was Sam’s. What did we always say about Carly’s right to keep AJ out of Michael’s life?”

“Don’t you fucking turn this around on me—”

“I’m not. You want me to take a stand, Sonny? Fine. You used Sam and made her feel like nothing. You signed paperwork without reading it, and terminated your parental rights. And you chose to let that stand when you learned that I had guardianship and you were nothing to her.” Jason stepped forward. “Sam made her choice. And you made yours. You’re going to have to live with that.”

Before Sonny could say something—anything—Jason had slammed the door behind him.

Son a bitch.

Port Charles Municipal Building: Hallway

“Thank you again, Ms. Webber,” Mayor Garrett Floyd said as he walked her out of his office. “That painting is exactly what I wanted.”

“Well, I’ve never worked on commission before,” she admitted as they stopped in front of a bank of elevators. “But I was intrigued by your request. Just a lot of blue.” She readjusted her purse strap. “I’m glad you like it.”

“We’re very proud of you, Ms. Webber,” the mayor told her. “One of the new leading lights of the art world is a hometown sweetheart. I want to make sure everyone sees my Webber original.”

Because now he had amped up the charm, and his hand that been casually guiding her forward on her upper arm slid down to cup her elbow, Elizabeth sighed. Well, at least he paid first. She stepped back.

“It means a lot that so many in town have been supportive of my work,” she remarked. “Did I tell you that Jason Morgan was at my showing in New York?” She laughed, the sound almost artificial. “He should have known with our relationship, I would have just given him the painting.”

Floyd’s hand dropped to his side, his smile disappeared. “Your, ah, relationship.” One giant step back. “Ah, yes. I remember hearing something to that effect. Well, then.” He coughed. “I’ll just…have a nice day, Ms. Webber.”

“Sack of crap,” she muttered when he had turned the corner back to his office. She jabbed the down button.

“Nicely done, Elizabeth.”

It was the first time in more than a year she had heard his voice directed at her. She slowly turned to find Ric standing there, in a suit and carrying a briefcase.

“Ric,” her voice still flat from her conversation with the mayor.

“I’m sorry.” And now he shifted, seeming uncomfortable. “I know…that we had, I suppose, an unspoken agreement to just…co-exist without interaction—”

The doors slid open, but Elizabeth just stood there. Better to let him get this done so she could go home, feed Cameron, and then meet Jason at Jake’s.

That’s all she wanted to do right now, particularly after dealing with the oily mayor and now seeing her ex-husband.

“We did, and I was satisfied with how that was working out.” She switched her bag to her other shoulder, just to have something to do with her hands. “What’s changed your mind?”

“I, ah, didn’t want you to hear it from anyone but us, because I just…” Ric exhaled harshly. “I’ve never been good to you, Elizabeth. I didn’t know if you’d even care, but—”

“Spit it out, Ric. I have other things to do with my life.” She folded her arms in front of her, her heeled toe beginning to tap against the marble floor.

“Alexis and I are having a child,” Ric said quickly. “I just—”

Her hands fell to her side, her mouth parted. “Oh.” Her stomach twisted, but she couldn’t understand why. “Well, that’s nice.”

“I just…” His hand reached out, but dropped before he could finish extending it. “I wanted to…make amends. To make sure that…everything is okay.”

“That what is okay?” Elizabeth retorted. “What do you want from me, Ric?”

“I—” He looked away. “I just wanted you to be happy—Alexis mentioned that you were seeing Jason again—”

“What I do is none of your business,” Elizabeth cut in. “Do you want me to wish you happiness, Ric? Tell you all is forgiven? Is that what you need to hear?”

“Elizabeth—”

“How about this?” She hit the elevator button. “I don’t think about you much at all, Ric. You’re out of my life and that’s just the way I like it.”

Jake’s

Jason straightened and turned away from the pool table when he heard the outside door to the bar open. Elizabeth walked in, took in the empty room, dumped her purse on a chair and walked straight towards him. When she wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her head to his chest, his arms automatically slid around her shoulders.

“Hey. Bad day?”

She nodded, and some of his own anger and frustration slid away in response to hers. How often in the last few weeks had she listened to him talk about his problems with Sonny and Carly without asking for anything in return?

He slid his fingertips down the soft, thin material of her light purple sun dress. “What happened?” he asked.

“God.” Her voice was muffled. “The world.”

“Okay.” He released her for a moment in order to set his pool cue awkwardly behind him on the table, before tilting her chin up to look at him. “I thought you were dropping a painting at the mayor’s.”

“I did.” She glanced away. “That was fine. I mean, he hit on me afterward, but—”

Jason scowled and stood up straight, dislodging her temporarily. “What?”

“Don’t worry, that was just…a minor annoyance.” She waved a hand. “I only had to mention your name before he turned as white as a sheet and hurried away.” Her hands slid from his back to the belt loops of his jeans. “I don’t think I’ll be hearing from Floyd again.”

Setting that aside, Jason nodded. “So what happened?” he asked again.

Elizabeth tilted her head back, her hair falling like a waterfall down her back. “Ric was there.”

Stupid little piece of scum. This world would have been a lot better if Jason had been allowed to wipe him from the planet years ago. “What did he do?” he demanded. “I can take care of Ric—”

“It’s not him so much as…” She pursed her lips. “He wanted to tell me that Alexis is pregnant, because he thought it would bother me if I heard it from someone else, like I’d be blindsided.” She rolled her eyes. “God. As if I spend my time thinking about him and his new wife.”

“Okay,” Jason drawled, tilting his head. “So if the pregnancy doesn’t bother you…”

“It’s just…” She shook her head and looked down. “I hate seeing him. I hate remembering who I was when I was with him—” Elizabeth wrapped one arm around her waist and used the other to cover her eyes. “How little I must have valued myself to swallow his lies, to believe in him—”

“Hey.” He reached for the hand over her eyes and took it between both of his own. “Hey. Don’t do this to yourself.”

“It makes me angry, Jason.” Now with her chin tilted up, her eyes flashing . “How could I do that to myself? To let myself be degraded that way? I let myself believe that I deserved to be used, that I couldn’t do better—”

“But you don’t believe that anymore.” His chest burning, he gripped her hand more tightly. He hated watching her do this to herself, to castigate herself for a mistake that she’d already fixed. “You told me that yourself, remember?”

“I know.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “I know. I just…sometimes I forget. I was standing there, listening to him talk about amends and how he wants me to be happy—” She rolled her eyes. “And I just…don’t know how I let that happen to me.”

“You have to forgive yourself,” he told her. “You said it was easier when you and Ric just ignored each other’s existence, but it’s clear that’s not going to be an option.” Unless Ric did something that warranted him being tossed from a moving car. “So you’re going to have to forgive yourself.”

“I…” She pressed her lips together. “I did, Jason. I-I told you that I was in therapy last year, that I realized why I was with him—”

“Knowing the reasons why is different from forgiving yourself. Elizabeth, you did the best you could. You saw it was wrong, and you got out.” The back of his hand slid down the soft skin of her cheek before sliding into her hair. “You started a new life. You told me that you had finally stopped seeing yourself as broken.”

“I know.” She swiped at her eyes. “God. I know. Maybe I left therapy too soon. It’s so easy to say I’m past it all when Ric’s not in my life. But it’s arrogant to pretend five months of therapy can solve years of unhealthy choices.” Her smile was shaky but genuine, so the tightness in his chest eased.

“I just…wish you could see you the way I do.” He brushed his lips lightly against hers, feeling some of the tension bleed away from her shoulders. “You’re so strong.”

She huffed and looked away, but her cheeks flushed slightly. “Jason—”

“It would have been so easy to stay in California. You were making a good life for yourself there. I know Port Charles holds a lot of bad memories, you didn’t have to come back and face them.” He tilted his head a bit, trying to meet her eyes. “Elizabeth, I know it’s…going to take more time, but you can’t keep looking at Ric Lansing and blaming yourself. You’re better than that, and you deserve more than that.”

“I know.” She nodded. “I do know that. I came home to get my life back, because staying away would be like running away. And I’m so glad I did.” Her fingers gripped the material of his shirt. “Because I found you. And this…being with you, has been worth it. I’m not just talking about the last week or so, but since the minute I sat down on the bench last winter…” Raising herself up on her tips of her toes, she pressed her lips to his.

“I’m glad,” he murmured.

She drew back after a moment and glanced around the bar. “Where is everyone anyway?”

“I…paid Coleman to close the place for the night.” Jason gestured towards the table where she had dumped her purse. “Do you want a beer?”

Elizabeth frowned and eyed the vodka bottle next to the open bottle of beer, with a few shot glasses next to it. She looked back at him, her arms sliding away from his waist. “Did…did something happen today?” she asked. “It’s…not like you to close the place. You…like the atmosphere here. You told me no one bothers you here.”

“I just…didn’t want to be around people,” he said after a moment, but he already knew he was going to tell her what had happened earlier. It was too important not to, but he’d hoped to wait a little longer. Their relationship could never be normal, but he’d hoped for something resembling it tonight.

“Okay.” She drew in her bottom lip. “I…did you want to talk about it?”

He sighed and reached for the pool cue. “Not really. Do you want to play?”

“I’d rather watch you.”

As he lined up a shot, Elizabeth took one of the empty shot glasses, filled it with vodka, and tossed it back like it was water.

“Do you remember the last time we were in here?” she asked after he had taken the shot and sent two balls into the corner pocket. He glanced up to find her leaning over the table slightly.

“Uh…yeah.” He stood and rounded the table for another shot. “The last time I came home.”

“Mmmhmm…” Elizabeth walked towards him, her fingers drifting over the cheap wood the table. “You taught me to play.”

“I tried.” Jason straightened and turned as she approached him, setting the cue on the table. “You weren’t really paying attention.” And they’d been interrupted, but he wasn’t going to say that. That was before, and it didn’t matter now.

“Well, I was very distracted.” She stepped in front of him, and turned so that her back was pressed against his front. She reached for his hands and pulled them around her waist. “You had your arms around me…” She tilted her head back and he leaned down, brushing his lips on the soft skin just behind her ear. “I could feel your breath on my skin…”

“I wanted to kiss you,” he admitted, his thumbs sliding across the soft cotton, her skin almost burning beneath his skin.

“You have no idea how many dreams…” Elizabeth turned in his arms, her lips a breath away. “How many times I fantasized about that moment, about being in your room…that day you washed my makeup away…” Her fingers brushed over his cheek. “I had this one dream about you and my little black dress…peeling it off with your teeth…”

He was tired of the teasing, of the images of she’d created in his mind. For too many years, Elizabeth herself had been a fantasy, a vision he could not bring himself to trust, to hope for. He remembered that dress, remembered the gloves she had left in his room. He could still smell the scent of her perfume, the way her skin felt beneath his fingers as he watched his face.

Still remember the almost mocking vision of her in his room, smiling at him.

He closed his mouth over hers, his hands sliding to her waist, gripping her hips tightly, dragging her closer to him. Her fists were tangled in his shirt, one of her legs sliding around his waist, trying to get closer.

He drew back. “Elizabeth—”

“Is upstairs empty?” she asked, her hands tangled in his hair. She nipped at his lip. “Maybe your old room?”

Jake’s: Upstairs Room

“When do you have to be home?”

Elizabeth raised her head from Jason’s chest, blinking at him. “Hmm? Oh. No special time. Gram put Cameron to bed for me.”

His fingertips resumed the light stroking of her spine, her toes almost curling from the shivers. This moment…the last hour or so…had been everything she’d dreamed about and more.

“I’ve been trying so hard not to see all of this as a second chance,” she murmured. “Because I don’t really think we ever had a proper first one.”

“Oh?” His hand slid all the way up her back and into her hair.

Elizabeth propped herself up on her elbows to peer more closely at him in the dim light offered by the moon filtering through the old blinds. “I mean, we had chances but…you know, I just…don’t think either of us were ready.” She smiled faintly. “But maybe we were supposed to find each other this time.”

“I don’t know about any of that,” he said after a moment. “I just know the day I looked up and saw you standing at the bottom of the stairs at the docks…” He hesitated. “I don’t know how to explain it. It was like…finding something you didn’t even know you were looking for or was lost.”

She closed her eyes, her smile spreading. “I know exactly what you mean. I came home to raise my little boy, to be with my family. I told myself I was done with love, with romance because there wasn’t room for it. But Emily was right.”

He laughed, turning flat on his back. “Don’t ever tell her that.”

“Believe me, I’ll save that for when we have a really big fight.” She bit her lip. “She asked me not to walk away from it if I found it again, and I’m so glad I listened to her, Jason.”

“She told me the same thing.” His finger slid over her brow, as if tracing her features, and then fell away. He slid up the back board a bit, so he was sitting up. “I should tell you what happened earlier today.”

Elizabeth drew her legs up, so she was sitting across from him, tugging the sheet over her body. “Another fight with Sonny?”

“Yeah.” He leaned over and switched on the bedside light. He looked weary. “But it was…it was different.” Jason was quiet for a moment. “I know I always tell you there are things you can’t know—”

“And I really get that,” Elizabeth began, but he held up a hand.

“But there’s also things I should tell you because it’s…” He lifted a shoulder. “It’s different now.”

“Like when Johnny Zacchara introduced his girlfriend to us but hadn’t told her anything.”

“Right.” He reached for her hand. “I need you to know the people involved. Your guard will know people by sight, but I want you to be aware.”

“Okay.” Elizabeth nodded. “Whatever you need.”

Jason exhaled slowly. “Without going into detail, there’s been trouble lately. You know that because I put Milo on you a few months ago, but even before that, he was just…I asked him to be around.”

“I figured when I saw him at Kelly’s every time I was there and had never seen him before.” She squeezed his hand.

“Right. Well, we don’t know where the trouble is coming from which makes it difficult because we have to keep our eyes on everyone.”

“And you and Sonny disagree on who to keep your eye on?” Elizabeth tilted her head. “But…hasn’t that sort of thing always been your strength? What Sonny expects from you?”

“Yeah.” He dipped his head. “There’s…one person in particularly. Sonny is convinced he’s the guilty party, but I don’t…I just don’t see it. I put a guy on him anyway.” He sighed. “And this idiot just…does things that doesn’t help his situation. Makes him look guilty. And I can’t not tell Sonny these things because then it’ll make him think I’m keeping things from him.”

“And that’s what happened today?” Elizabeth asked. “Jason—”

“That’s how it started,” he told her. “But it…he said that I should trust him, trust his instincts, that he’d been trying to prove that I should by giving me Evie.”

“Giving?” she repeated, frowning. “That’s…not what happened.”

“No,” he agreed. “And I told him so. He accused me of sleeping with Sam—” He stopped and met her eyes. “Which never happened, Elizabeth. I promise—”

“I know that,” she murmured. She’d heard some snickers, wisps of rumors that she’d been a rebound. While most of the town had never accepted Evie’s paternity, they had assumed Jason and Sam were sleeping together.

“It just…he threw Michael in my face, wanting to know if keeping Evie was payback for his adoption…and I told him that he’d made the choice to let Sam’s con stand when Evie was born.” He closed his eyes. “And he asked me if that meant it was too late for him to change his mind.”

She knew how the conversation must have ended for Jason to have waited all night to discuss this but her heart broke all the same. “What did you tell him?”

“That I was choosing my promise to Sam, the way I chose to protect Carly from AJ. I—I had never told him before…about Sam’s last request. About her pleas to keep him away. I told him we’d all made our choices.”

“You told him you were keeping Evie.”

“Not in those words, but he knew that’s what I meant.” He shook his head. “I didn’t even know I was going to say it until it happened. I know we talked about it, about refusing to sign over guardianship. I really didn’t know what I was going to do until it happened.”

“What made you decide?” she asked softly.

“I thought about what you said at Christmas. About Evie and her best interests. That’s…it’s what Sam wanted me to do, to protect her daughter. And I don’t…trust Sonny. Not the way he is now.” Jason drew her closer, his arm around her, her head tucked into his chest. “The thought of putting Evie into Sonny and Carly’s care…I can’t do it. If Sonny would just…let himself crash so we could dig him back out, maybe.”

“But as long as he holds himself in check, you’ll maintain the status quo?” Elizabeth asked. “Jason, what if he calls your bluff? What if he tells Carly?”

“He’d have to sue me for custody,” Jason told her. “He’d have to win in court to force my hand. I-I didn’t want it be like this. I thought maybe it would be temporary.”

Maybe. Or maybe he’d just put his head down and avoided thinking about it, but Elizabeth knew he’d hoped deep down that somehow, some miracle could be wrought to fix the damage. “I know,” she murmured. “But you’re right. Evie should come first. And you know if Sonny were the man he used to be, he’d see that, too. He went back to Carly for Michael and Morgan, didn’t he?”

“He did, but I wish he hadn’t.” He was quiet for a long moment. “You don’t think I should wait for Sonny to make the next move.”

“I think…” Elizabeth drawled, “that you probably have enough on your plate without making the situation worse. If you’re having business troubles, that should be the focus. I’m sure Sonny, in his more stable moments, feels the same. Find out who’s giving you issues. If Sonny wants to push this, if he wants to make an unstable and possibly dangerous situation worse, well then, that’s his prerogative.” She looked up at him. “I wish I could do more, Jason. I feel like listening isn’t enough.”

“It’s…everything.” He leaned down to brush his lips against hers.

Later, as they both reluctantly dressed to return to their respective homes and children, Jason put a hand on Elizabeth’s upper arm. “Would you…tomorrow night. I…” He shook his head slightly. “Would you come over tomorrow and spend the night?”

She wanted to. After tonight, she wanted to spend every night with him, but… “I don’t know, Jason. Cam is pretty good about my grandmother or my brother putting him to sleep, but he likes having me there in the morning—”

“No, I mean…” He drew her closer. “You said you wanted me to be important to Cam. To be part of his life.”

“I do.”

“I want you to be in Evie’s life. To be important to her.” He hesitated. “So I want you to bring Cam over. For you both to be there. I-I can give Nora the night off, she’s already off on Mondays.”

“Oh.” Her cheeks were burning, her heart pounding. She knew what an important step this was, even if Jason couldn’t quite articulate it. It was the start of blending their two lives together. Of their children becoming part of what was happening between them.

Did she want to take that risk? To open her heart to Evie, to let Jason be so much a part of Cam’s life?

“Of course. I can’t wait.” She kissed him firmly to show him her hesitation was unimportant. They had a chance to really make a life together and she couldn’t wait to find out where it was going.

December 2, 2014

So I’m about go write the last part of this story so I can send it off to Cora, and decided, eh, I don’t want to wait any longer to post. I have amazing issues. I’ll be posting the next part Sunday (maybe Saturday, haven’t quite decided yet).  So here’s the kick off for Christmas:  All I Want For Christmas, Part One.

I also added another article in the Fanfiction 101 series: The Peaks and Perils of Pantsing.

I’ll be back tomorrow with The Best Thing, Chapter 13.

This entry is part 1 of 9 in the All I Want For Christmas

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Soon the bells will start
And the thing that will make them ring
Is the carol that you sing
Right within your heart

It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas, Michael Buble


December 1

ELQ: Jason Morgan’s Office

The moment his younger sister waltzed into his office with a bright smile, Jason Morgan should have known she was up to something.

“My wonderful brother!”

Jason rose to his feet. “Emily, I’m kind of in the middle of something, so if you need something—”

Emily draped herself elegantly in the white chair in front of his desk and waved him away. “This won’t take more than a minute. I have the most incredible news!”

“Your Christmas parties aren’t going to cost this company a single cent?” Jason cautiously resumed his seat and set aside the projected quarterly earnings. “Because that would be news.”

“My parties, as you so generously term them, are the reason people work at ELQ, the reason why we have such an amazing public reputation. At a time when huge corporations are seen as the Anti-Christ, ELQ is—”

“Yeah, yeah.” Not in the mood to deal with his sister’s impassioned defense of her position as the event planner for ELQ, Jason leaned back. “What’s the news?”

“I’ll be spending the entire month in Greece,” she declared, clasping her hands to her chest with a dreamy sigh. “White beaches, cabanas, a private island—”

Jason set down his pen. “This month?” he asked. “You’re going to Greece this month?”

She blinked her caramel colored eyes with a practiced innocence he did not believe for a minute. “It’s the best time, you know—”

“This month,” he repeated. “December. The month in which ELQ is committed to throwing no less than five ridiculous events in the span of two weeks.”

“Well, yes, I do feel bad about that,” Emily said. “But so much work has already been done that I feel completely confident leaving those details in your hands.”

“In my hands—” Jason stopped and took a deep breath. His sister was a wonderful, warm, and witty person, but unfortunately, she was also a bit ditzy. “Emily, did you happen to notice the paperwork on my desk?”

She blinked at it. “You always have paperwork on your desk.”

“What about the title on the damn door?”

Emily actually twisted in her seat to look. “Jason Morgan, Chief Financial Officer. So? It’s not like you’re totally in charge. You, AJ, Ned are all kind of the boss. They thought it was a fantastic idea.”

His half-brother and cousin would absolutely find this hysterical, but Jason wasn’t in the mood for their jokes. “Emily, this is the busiest time of the year for me. End of the year earnings, projected earnings for the next year—and that’s not even the majority of what I do—”

“I’m not leaving you completely by yourself.” Emily rolled her eyes. “Honestly, Jason. You have no eye for design. I have an assistant, you know. She’ll do quite a bit, but you’re best suited to approve and sign off on contracts.”

“Your assistant.” Jason exhaled slowly. “And that’s still Elizabeth?”

“See, I knew you’d remember meeting her. She’s only been with me since Labor Day, but my God, she is an incredible designer, with such an attention to detail. She’s—”

“Fantastic,” Jason finished dryly. “I remember her.” Particularly at the company Halloween party when she’d been costumed as Helen of Troy.

And afterward, when she’d been costumed in quite a bit less.

“I knew you’d understand.” Emily rose to her feet. “I’m already late meeting Nikolas at the airstrip, and Elizabeth is waiting outside to go over the details—”

“Right now?” Jason demanded. “Emily, you cannot do this.”

“Are you going to tell me I can’t take a vacation?” Emily planted a hand on her hip and arched a brow. “Jason, when was the last time I took time off?”

Jason pressed his lips together. Never. Emily threw not only the lavish events that garnered them such public attention, but smaller events at their subsidiaries all over the world. At any given moment, she’d be zipping off to throw charity events or even plan retirement parties for long-time employees.

His sister, while flighty and occasionally ditzy, worked her ass off.

“If I do this, you have to promise you will never do this again without warning. I’m talking like a thirty days notice.”

“You are fantastic.” When Jason rounded the desk to walk her out into reception, she pressed a kiss to his cheek. “The best of brothers.”

“Don’t let AJ hear you say that.”

Emily waved that away as they emerged from Jason’s office where his executive assistant was behind his desk and Elizabeth Webber was perched in a chair, a slim leather portfolio in her hands.

“It’s all settled, Elizabeth. Have an amazing holiday!”

With another wave, Emily had disappeared into the elevator. Once the doors closed, Jason turned his attention to her assistant. “Ah, Elizabeth, do you want to come in?”

“Sure.” The petite brunette rose. “I suppose she didn’t tell you anything about her grand vacation until five minutes ago?”

“That would be correct.” He gestured for her to head into the office. “Did you want something to drink? Coffee?”

“Oh, no.” Elizabeth stood there, the folder in her arms acting almost as a barrier between them. They stood there, just inside his office, for nearly a full minute before she cleared her throat. “So maybe we should go over the basics or did you…” She shifted. “I mean, I can technically handle the majority of this—”

“No, no.” Jason indicated that she should take a seat. “Listen, I promised my sister I would do this, and the holiday season is pretty important to the company, so…”

“Right.” She waited for him to take his seat before flipping open her folder. “Well, there are five events planned at the moment. There are two Christmas parties, one for the shareholders and their friends and families on the twenty-third. Another for the local Port Charles society, the usual—that’s on the twenty-fourth. There’s also the Christmas party ELQ sponsors on Christmas Eve for General Hospital and Mercy Hospital during the day. And then New Year’s Eve gala, for shareholders and Port Charles society alike.”

“That doesn’t…seem like a lot.” Jason reached for a pen. “What’s been done so far?”

“Well, the venues have all been secured and the hospitals have signed the contracts. I need to develop themes for all the parties, which Emily tells me is usually done that last moment for…” Elizabeth wrinkled her nose. “I suppose that’s for spontaneity.”

“Christ.” Jason shook his head. “I’m no good at any of that—”

“No, I mean, I can deal with all of that. Honestly, I’ll mostly just need you to sign paperwork and contracts with the various vendors.” Elizabeth pursed her lips and looked down. “Emily manages to juggle all of this all the time. I can do it once.”

“Right.” Jason cleared his throat. “So, um, how about we set up a daily meeting to go over the details. To stay on top of things. Emily’s reputation as an event planner is important to her, so I don’t want to damage that.” Even if she did decide to abandon him during their busiest and most high profile season.

Leaving him alone with her assistant.

Whom he had not spoken with in four weeks.

Since the morning after Halloween.

“Daily meetings,” Elizabeth repeated. “That—that sounds fine.” She closed her portfolio. “Um, Emily signed the contracts for the venues before she left, but should I have them sent over?”

“Uh, yeah, just so I’m familiar with the clauses in case it becomes important.”

When she stood, he followed suit. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said as she moved towards the door.

“Right.” He coughed lightly. “Ah, Elizabeth, is there anything else maybe we should talk about?”

She blinked at him, much the way his sister had earlier. “No. Nothing I can think of.”

She closed the door behind him, and he sat back down.

This was going to be a long month.

The Loft: Living Room

Elizabeth collapsed on the sofa with her hand covering her eyes. “Oh, my God.”

“I sense a disturbance in the force,” one of her roommates murmured to the other. Shuffling ensued as Robin Scorpio and Nadine Crowell crowded around her.

“I hate the world.”

“Boys?” Nadine said to Robin, who nodded sagely. “I’ll get the Rocky Road.”

Elizabeth propped herself up on her elbows. “No…this calls for the Godiva.”

“Whoa…” Nadine halted in her steps. “That is quite the disturbance.”

Robin sat on the end of the sofa, raising Elizabeth’s legs to place them in her lap. “Spill it, sister.”

“Not until I have passed out the goodies.” Nadine closed the drawer where they kept the emergency chocolate, handed one bar to each woman before sitting cross-legged on the sturdy wooden coffee table.

“Now that we’ve assumed our positions.” Elizabeth sat up and drew her legs underneath her body as she unwrapped the dark chocolate raspberry bar. “Remember Halloween?”

“Ooh, with Hottie McHotster and the Night of Passion.”

“Oh, hell…” Robin blinked. “You’re pregnant.”

“What?” Elizabeth shuddered. “God, no. This is worse.”

“There’s something worse than children?” Nadine asked Robin. “Like what? Death?”

“You’re a pediatric nurse,” Robin said. “Try and act like it.”

“Other people’s children are fine. I just don’t want any of my own. They stink. They’re smelly—”

“If we could,” Elizabeth said, annoyed. “I’m not pregnant. You know my boss Emily?”

She’s Hottie McHotster?” Nadine gasped.

Robin and Elizabeth both stared at her until the blonde flushed. “What? It’s a reasonable question.”

“She took off for the entire month, putting all the holiday parties in my hands.” Elizabeth sighed. “And her brother’s.”

Nadine hesitated. “Which…one? I don’t want to leap to another conclusion.”

“You slept with Jason Morgan,” Robin said, her eyes wide. “The CFO of ELQ. Holy crap, Elizabeth. Don’t you think this should have been covered with a bottle of wine weeks ago?”

“Yeah. Talk about hot. He practically sizzles.” Nadine sighed, her blue eyes dreamy. “And those eyes. That smile.”

“Because it’s ridiculous.” Elizabeth pressed her hands to her face. “I mean, God. It was just…a moment of insanity.”

“Only a moment?” Nadine’s face fell. “Because I would have pegged him for more than a—”

“Nadine.” Robin rolled her eyes. “This is more than a Godiva.” She pursed her lips. “Liz, this is a Mount Eden moment.”

“Really? I would have thought it rated at least Elsa Bianchi.” Nadine got to her to feet. “Ooh, what about the Iron Horse? We were saving it for Christmas Eve, but—”

“Do you hear this? This is exactly what’s wrong with all of this. Do you think Jason Morgan and his family have to weigh every moment to make sure they’re worthy of expensive wine?” With a huff, Elizabeth fell back on the sofa. “And I want the Mount Eden.”

“Oh, well that’s a pile of phooey.” Nadine tugged the requested bottle from the wine rack in the kitchen and returned to the coffee table, clutching three wine-glasses by the stems.

“Seriously,” Robin agreed as she took her glass from Nadine. “I grew up in Port Charles, and the Q’s are not—” She pursed her lips. “Okay, this generation is nothing like the rest of them. Emily went to public school with me. I was like two years behind Jason. He’s a good guy. Money is incidental to him.”

“Wait, wait, before we dissect Elizabeth’s nonsense, I want all the details she left out of the Halloween story.” Nadine resumed her position on the table. “Let me recap for the audience. Elizabeth takes my fantastic advice and dresses up like Helen of Troy.”

“Didn’t Jason just go as a CFO?” Robin wrinkled her nose. “I can’t remember anymore. He hates to dress up.”

“He was in a Hugo Boss tuxedo, I pretended he was James Bond,” Elizabeth said. “So, after the Irish Trash Can cocktail Nadine dared me to drink—”

“Because you’re five and can’t turn down a dare,” Robin cut in.

“I may have slid up to him and…” Elizabeth moaned and bowed her head. “Listen. You have to understand. Emily’s department is on the same floor as his. I arrive at the same time sometimes. And I just…he’s so gorgeous. And nice. Ugh. I’ve wanted to jump him since day one.”

“And I helped,” Nadine said proudly, raising her glass in the air. “I rock.”

“So you hit on him first?” Robin asked. “Because I love that. Women should take charge of their sexuality.”

“Well, no. I approached him, and he said something about gladly launching a thousand ships if it meant I’d smile at him.”

“Oh, that’s so dorky. I love it. Fantastic opening line.” Nadine sighed. “You’re a lucky bitch.”

“And then you jumped him.” Robin said. “Because I saw you walk across the room and then I didn’t see you again until you did the walk of shame the next morning.”

“Well, I might have told him that I’d smile at him any time, anywhere, any place if he would just say my name again.” She closed her eyes. “He always drops his voice just slightly, like an octave. It makes me tingly.”

“I’m confused.” Nadine leaned forward. “Was the sex, like, bad? Because at the moment, I’d sleep with him.”

“No, the sex was fantastic. Ridiculous. Life-ruining.” Elizabeth took a hasty gulp. “I woke up the next morning and realized I’d nailed my boss—”

“Well, you technically nailed your boss’s brother—”

“Shut it you.” Elizabeth pointed her finger at Nadine. “Don’t help.”

“What did you say the next morning then?” Robin asked. “What did he say?”

“Um, I told him this was insane, completely unprofessional and that I was sorry. Then I booked it.”

Robin reached for the wine glass. “You’re a moron, you don’t deserve the Mount Eden.” To Nadine, she said, “Go get her the Arbor Mist.”

“Whoa, Robin is pissed. That’s a serious downgrade.” Nadine wiggled her eyebrows. “But you’re going to be working with Hottie McHotster, so you know…potential.”

“He has not said one word to me in the last four weeks,” Elizabeth said. “He’s moved on.”

“Because you ran.” Robin leaned forward. “Elizabeth, if he gives you the green light, I’m begging you as a single woman, have sex with that man.”

“Yeah, if we can’t, you should be.” Nadine nodded. “Agree you’ll go for it, and Robin will give back your wine.”

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes. “Do I have to list all the reasons why this is a bad idea?”

“Nope, just remember the one reason it’s a great idea.” Robin held out her wine. “Great sex with gorgeous, nice guys comes along twice, maybe three times in a lifetime, Liz. Throw it away once, you may not get it again.”

“Well, when you put it that way, how can I say no?”

December 1, 2014

I have the new layout ready, but the colors aren’t quite there. I’m still playing with it, getting to know the CSS file that came with my theme. I hope to have it all ironed out by the end of the week.  I know it’s the second theme in a row that deals with old-school Liason from 1999, but that’s the only time they celebrated Christmas.

If you can’t see it, or are seeing a mismash of the new colors, old colors and the old image, please either right click and hit refresh or clean out your temporary files.

I updated the In Progress and Coming Soon pages with some status change. Life For Rent and All We Are have been removed from Coming Soon. Life For Rent is technically in progress as the first part of the story (Choose Your Moment) is completed and the rest of the story is storyboarded, I just haven’t written it yet.

As for All We Are, I’m putting the final touches on the scene breakdowns, but I’ve started to write it in preparation to post it simultaneously with The Best Thing after the New Year, so once I start writing, it gets moved over to keep me honest.

There are several other stories on the In Progress page that I hope to have ready for you after the holidays (Turning Points, Come On Eileen, Inside Your Fear) so they’re not posted there for shits and giggles.

I’ll be back Wednesday morning with the first part of All I Want for Christmas and Chapter 13 of The Best Thing 🙂


 

Update: So I won’t be playing with the colors any more than I already have, mostly because I have discovered how much I don’t like the way this theme is designed. It’s overly complicated, oy. So once I change layouts in January to a non holiday one, I’m going to teach myself to write my own WordPress theme if it kills me. I prefer streamline coding and I actually miss doing this.

This is not important to you, per se. Just an FYI: these colors will be staying, though I might change the background back to white.