So please just fall in love with me this Christmas
There’s nothing else that I will need this Christmas
Won’t be wrapped under a tree
I want something that lasts forever
So kiss me on this cold December night
– Cold December Night, Boyz II Men

---

December 23

The Loft: Living Room

Elizabeth stepped out of her bedroom, her back facing the room. “Someone zip this monstrosity.”

“Oh, it looks so fantastic!” Nadine squealed as she tugged the metal tag from the base of Elizabeth’s spine to just below her shoulder blades. “Even better on you than the hanger.”

“Really?” Elizabeth twirled around, trying to get a sense of the red bow stuck on her ass. “The bow doesn’t look stupid?”

Robin reached over and straightened it. “It looks gorgeous, just like you. I’m just glad we got the opportunity to see you in the dress.” She leaned back and folded her arms. “Since it’s like, the first time you’ve been home in two weeks.”

“Seriously. Robin and I are drinking way too much wine left to our own devices.” Nadine held up her glass as proof.  “So we’re either going to have to move next door to Jason or he’s going to have move next to do us. I cannot deal with this separation, Elizabeth. I find it appalling.”

“It’s just…” Elizabeth shrugged and moved across the room to the full-length mirror. “The honeymoon phase. We’re trying to keep our hands off one another at work…so we have a lot of…” Her lips curved up. “Pent-up energy after hours.”

“I haven’t had pent-up energy in months,” Nadine huffed.

“Calm yourself.” Robin rolled her eyes. “I think it’s great you guys are having so much fun so far.”

“I promised you guys I would enjoy it as long as it lasted.” Elizabeth pursed her lips and patted her hair, gathered at the side in an elegant twist of curls. “Does my hair look okay?  I told Kate’s stylist I wanted it over one ear to hide my earpiece.”

“It looks great. Jason’s going to swallow his tongue.” Robin sighed. “Lucky bitch. Fancy parties, fancy dresses. Hotties in tuxes.”

“Oh, I forgot about the tux!” Nadine clasped her hands to his chest and sighed dreamily. “He’ll look just as scrumptious as he did on Halloween.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t get you guys into this party. I’ve only been there a few months, and I just…” Elizabeth sighed and reached for the small silk purse that accompanied the gown.

“Didn’t want to raise more eyebrows with your own guests when you’re going to be on Jason’s arm for the first time.” Robin shrugged. “I totally get it. Maybe next year.”

“Definitely,” Elizabeth promised as the doorbell rang. Butterflies began to flutter wildly in her stomach as Nadine bounced towards to the door.

God. This was it. She was going to the Christmas Eve gala with Jason Morgan. People were going to stare at her and she’d still have to manage to pull off the same stellar quality people were used to.

How the hell was she going to do this?

“Come in, come in,” Nadine said, opening the door wider. “Oh, Elizabeth!”

Jason stepped into the living room, clad in an elegant black and white tuxedo—minus the bow tie, which he never wore. She stepped forward, hoping her tongue would work. The last time she’d seen him dressed like this, she’d immediately drank all the alcohol in the world and jumped him.

“He’s wearing a Ralph Lauren,” Nadine murmured to Robin. “I hate her so much.”

“Shut it,” the other woman hissed.

“You look…” Jason took his hand out of his pocket, letting it fall to his side, as his eyes moved down, then up again to her eyes. “Incredible.”

“Kate’s stylist has a good eye.” Elizabeth shifted, uncomfortable. “We should go—Kiki can only run interference for so long—”

Jason just arched a brow, then looked at her roommates. “Robin, I remember. You must be Nadine.”

“I must be,” Nadine sighed. Robin elbowed her. “Right. That’s us. And you are clearly a fine-looking man—”

“She’s had a lot of wine.” Robin stomped on Nadine’s shoe. “It’s nice to see you again, Jason.”

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and wrapped her arm through Jason’s. “Sorry. I—Jason, this is Nadine Crowell, and I guess you already know Robin. They both work at GH. And…obviously, this is Jason.”

“Have you thought about moving to our side of town?” Nadine asked. “Because we miss her—ow!” She glared at Robin. “You’re going to break my toe, wench!”

Elizabeth reached for her black coat over the back of the sofa and steered Jason towards the door. “Bye, guys. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Once they were in the hallway, Jason helped her into the coat. “They seem nice.”

“They’re certifiable,” Elizabeth said. She turned and pressed a kiss to his mouth. “But they’re mine.”

Port Charles Hotel: Ballroom

She was probably imagining it, but two hours later as she stepped back in from the reception area and dealing with an intoxicated server, she just knew people were looking at her.

They’d stepped over the threshold, and Jason had immediately taken her to meet his family—his freaking family, for Christ’s sake. From the grandparents Edward and Lila, to his father and frosty stepmother, to his brother, his aunt, two cousins—her head was spinning.

And then the caterer piped into her ear. The quiche had burned, and they’d forgotten two entire trays of caviar. She’d rushed off to put out the various fires that always cropped up and hadn’t been able to track Jason down since.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t the newest office girl.”

The snide words stopped Elizabeth in her tracks and she turned to find a dark-haired woman standing by a Grecian column, with a black look on her face and clad in a plunging gold gown.

“Um, do I know you?” Elizabeth asked.

“Samantha McCall.” The woman strode forward, tossing her silky raven hair over her shoulder. “I used to be Ned Ashton’s administrative assistant.” She smirked. “Until Jason had me transferred to New York.” She stepped even closer. “That’s what they’re calling you, you know.”

Elizabeth blinked, trying to register the not-so-subtle hint that she was being confronted by an ex. “Ah, pardon me?”

“The Quartermaines have a term for this kind of thing.” Sam sighed, feigning sympathy. “Office girlfriend. His grandfather had a string of them until he got too old to chase the girls around the desk. Sure, he’s devoted to his wife now…” She lifted a shoulder. “Men who work a lot don’t have a lot of time to find someone outside the building.”

Elizabeth stepped back. “Well, that makes sense,” she murmured. “If you’ll excuse me—”

“I’m surprised Jason brought you tonight. It’s not his style.” Sam pursed her lips, looking Elizabeth up and down. “I wonder where you’ll be sent when he’s done with you.”

“I’m going to go now.” Elizabeth turned and walked away from the harpy as quickly as she could without appearing to flee. God save her from bitter ex-girlfriends. She was going to forget the entire encounter.

She heard Kiki’s panicked voice in her ear about a possible dessert table disaster and switched directions in order to reach her assistant.

“—where do you think this one will end up?”

Elizabeth froze in her tracks as a woman in a deep violet dress and skin the color of mocha spoke those words, so similar to Sam McCall’s.  She was speaking with a cousin Elizabeth vaguely remembered as Maya.

“Keesha, don’t start—”

“Well, I’m still annoyed he chased Courtney out of the company. I hate having to go see her in New York all the time—”

Elizabeth hurried away from that conversation as well. It wasn’t about Jason. It wasn’t. He didn’t have a reputation of dating women at ELQ like the rest of his family.

Did he?

“There you are.” Jason reached out for her arm and stopped her. “Hey! I’ve been looking for you for hours.”

“I’m sorry.” Elizabeth plastered a smile on her face and turned back. “There was a catering thing, and now there’s some sort of a dessert emergency—” She pressed a hand to ear. “Kiki? I’m on my—okay. Okay. Thanks. Quick thinking.” She smiled. “Crisis averted then. I’m sorry,” she apologized again, wrapping her arm through his.

“Not a problem.” Jason gestured towards the older man standing with them. “You remember my grandfather.”

“Of course, sir.” Elizabeth extended a hand with a bright smile. “Mr. Quartermaine.”

The man of many office girlfriends.

Shut up.

“And you are certainly a credit to the company.” Edward accepted her hand but brushed a kiss across her knuckles. “My family has good taste.”

Her cheeks heated. “I’m sorry?”

“Grandfather,” Jason hissed.

“Oh, no, no, my dear.” Edward laughed. “I was, of course, referring to my granddaughter luring you away from Ava Jerome.” He clapped Jason on the back. “Not that I’m not congratulating my grandson on knowing a good thing when he sees it.”

Her smile felt froze on her face. “Well, I’m certainly pleased for the opportunity to work with Emily at ELQ.” She stepped away from Jason slightly. “And I’m just glad she trusted me enough to take a few weeks off.”

“Well, she knew you’d be in Jason’s capable hands.” Edward elbowed his grandson as if he’d made a grand joke, but Jason just winced.

Christ on a crutch. If she already felt completely out of place, the Quartermaine patriarch wasn’t improving things at all.

“Jason’s been a great help.” Elizabeth took a deep breath. “I just hope I’ve kept up the ELQ standards.”

“Of course, of course.” Edward winked at Jason. “Don’t let this one get transferred.”

“What?” Jason demanded, but Elizabeth just sighed and pulled away again. She pressed her ear piece, as if getting a message.

“I—I have to check on something.” She squeezed his hand. “I’ll catch up with you later.”

“Elizabeth, wait a second—”

But she’d already melted into the sea of Port Charles society.

Jason turned back to his grandfather. “You want me to set you on fire or something?”

“What did I say?” Edward asked, blinking his eyes. “I was just trying to let you know how much I like this one—”

“I haven’t…” Jason huffed. “Exactly mentioned that my last two…relationships were also with women who worked here and that both left the company shortly after.”

“Oh.” Edward nodded. “I see. And now you think she has the wrong idea.”

“You goddamn Quartermaines and your affairs,” he muttered, trying to find Elizabeth’s crimson red gown in the sea of black tuxedos and colorful dresses.

“Hey, little cousin!” Ned grabbed him by the shoulder, his eyes a little bright from the champagne. “You did good tonight.” He turned to his fiancée. “Did I tell you, Olivia, that Jason is taking a turn with a party planner?”

“Ned—” He was going to murder everyone in this room.

“Sorry, sorry. He’s playing party planner tonight,” Ned said.

Olivia Falconeri just rolled her eyes. “Ignore him, Jason. It’s a nice party and your girlfriend is holding her own with these scavengers.” She narrowed her eyes. “Is that Sam McCall and her tits I see?” She whacked Ned’s shoulder. “I thought you had her skanky ass transferred.”

Jason turned and groaned at seeing his last ex-girlfriend in a group of people. “Christ, Ned. Why is she here?”

“I don’t know. Maybe Paulie from the New York brought her.” Ned rubbed his arm. “Hey, I couldn’t fire her, Olivia. She was sleeping with Jason while doing her best to sleep with me. I figured if I fired, I’d be a shoo-in for a sexual harassment lawsuit.”

“Hmph.” Olivia folded her arms. “You’d better find your girl, Jason, and stick to her like glue. You don’t want that one pouring poison into her ear.”

“I’ve always liked you,” he told her with a kiss to her cheek.

He eventually found Elizabeth giving one of the orchestra members a lecture about abusing the champagne. He slid an arm around her waist after she walked away from that.

“I cannot wait for this to be over and to get away from these people.”

Elizabeth sighed and leaned forward, her forehead resting against his chin. “You said it. Jason, I don’t like people very much. This is a bad sign for my future as an event planner.”

“It’s my fault,” he murmured. “But I promise to make it up to you tonight.” He glanced down at her with a half grin. “I intend to peel that delectable dress from you with my teeth.”

She grinned. “As long as you’re careful. I have to give this back to Kate tomorrow.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “But you know, there’s something very interesting underneath.”

“Merry Christmas to me,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to her mouth but keeping it short. This group of rabid society vultures didn’t need any more fuel for the fire.

← Part Four | Part Six →