Everybody needs a little lovin’
Around Christmas time
Somehow you got to know you’re going to be all right
Do you really remember how it used to be
Sitting under the Christmas tree
In your heart you’ll
Find the season
– Christmas Time, Hanson

---

December 9

The Loft: Living Room

Elizabeth set the bottle of Yellow Tail on the kitchen island as Robin stirred a pot of spaghetti sauce. “It’s that kind of night.”

“I’ll get the glasses!” Nadine chirped already at the cabinet. “Yellow Tail is always the start of a sexy story.”

“Except that one time,” Robin said. “I had rug burns on my ass for a week.”

Elizabeth snorted as she twisted off the top of the bottle to begin pouring. “Yeah, but that story started as a sexy story. Your problem was not also setting out the Moscato so we’d expect the twist.” She pursed her lips. “Is that solicitation charge still on your record?”

“Ha.” Robin sipped her win. “So, you’ve been smooching the CFO for almost a week now. I take it that you had liftoff today?”

Elizabeth wiggled her brows. “Chair sex is probably going to rank very high on my list of best locations.” She kicked off her heels and sipped her wine.

“Yummy.” Nadine held her glass out for a quick toast. “Was it as good as last time?”

“Better.” Her smile deepened. “Because you know the good stuff already.” She hesitated. “But something weird happened first.”

“Weird?” Nadine twisted to their wine rack. “I think we’re out of the Moscato.”

“No, I mean, not the sex. That was all normal—fantastic kind of normal, but…his stepmother showed up before.” She shifted. “You guys have both lived here longer than I have. I know the basics of the situation, but I guess I never tried to think about the logistics.”

“Oh, why Jason is the middle child with a different last name?” Robin asked. “I mean, it’s common knowledge, but I think it’s, like, old common knowledge.” She looked at Nadine. “You’ve been here five years, do you know the story?”

“Not really. I just figured he was adopted.” She shrugged. “Or something. Why?” Nadine leaned forward. “Oh, is it a sad story?”

“Depends on your perspective.” Robin tasted a bit of her sauce and then tossed in some cloves of garlic. “So, the gist is that Alan and Monica have been married forever but fidelity was kind of…touch and go. Alan has had some notorious affairs—with Lucy Coe, Bobbie Spencer, umm…” She pursed her lips. “I think there was some gossip about Felicia Jones at some point. Anyway. Monica has put up with it because she’s had her own spectacular affairs.”

“And Jason is the product of one of these affairs?” Elizabeth asked, swirling the wine in her glass. “Then why…”

“So, Susan Morgan,” Robin said, “worked at ELQ. Alan met her at a board meeting or so it goes, and it was a long-term affair. Jason born during that, and no one was really the wiser for almost another year. Until Susan died of cancer. Alan came clean to Monica, and they took him in. Monica’s stipulation was that she had no intention of adopting him and did not want him to change Jason’s name.”

“That is cold,” Nadine murmured. “I mean, seriously icy. Who blames a kid for their beginnings?”

“You’d be surprised.” Robin shrugged. “I mean, it was mostly not an issue. AJ took to him immediately, and Emily grew up not really thinking about it. The Quartermaines at large accepted him. It’s really just Monica who held him out to be different, not really part of her family.” She filled a pot of water and set it to boil on the stove. “What did she want?”

“To remind him of the usual arrangements around the hospital parties.” Elizabeth leaned forward. “I mean, is it like she sees that as her territory and doesn’t want him around?”

“Basically. I mean, I guess for Monica, it’s a matter of constantly being reminded of Alan’s infidelities. They can ignore it, and God knows if he has other kids out there.” Robin shrugged. “But Jason is public proof to the rest of the world. She agreed to raise him but never agreed to like it. I’ve never seen him at the parties—and I grew up going to the GH party. He never even came when we were kids.”

“What a witch.” Nadine gulped down a third of her glass. “I mean, what the frickin’ hell. Holding this crap against him for more than thirty years. People serve less time for murder.”

“I just…I felt bad about it.” Elizabeth refilled her glass. “But I’m not surprised he didn’t want to talk about it.”

“I figure Jason mostly lets it roll off him because he’s got his family. He was probably just embarrassed it happened in front of you.” Robin tore open a package of tortellini. “I mean, you’ve been dating five minutes. No one wants to tell their deep dark family issues that soon.”

Elizabeth snorted. “Or ever.”

“It makes me want to cuddle him,” Nadine said. She sighed. “And then punch his mother.”

Elizabeth eyed their blond roommate. “How much of this has she had? I just opened the bottle.”

“Oh, she and I were finishing off the Elsa Bianchi we opened last night.” Robin also glanced at Nadine who just blinked at them. “Anyway. Things are okay other than that?”

“He asked me to be his date for the ELQ parties.” Elizabeth finished her second glass of wine in a hasty gulp. “Mostly, I’m not freaking out about it.”

“Mostly,” Robin repeated. “And the restly?”

“That’s not even a word.” Elizabeth sighed and decided a third glass was in order. “I don’t know. I’ve been charity events for ELQ before, but Emily was in charge. So I got to borrow a pretty dress from Kate Howard and run interference while she schmoozed. And now I have to do both while on the arm of the CFO.” She scowled. “So I’ll have to pick out a hair style that hides my ear piece.”

“Why don’t you shove Kiki into a dress and give her your job?” Nadine asked. “I mean, why not enjoy yourself?”

“Because it’s temporary. And Kiki’s not ready to handle something like this.” Elizabeth perched on a stool next to the island. “But…it’s just….it feels like a lot of pressure really fast. I mean, I’ve been planning parties for high society for years. Three years in New York with Ava before we moved up here two years ago.”

“A move we are continually grateful for.” Robin said, clinking glasses with Nadine. “Are you feeling like all eyes will be on you?”

“A little. People know I’m the party planner.” Elizabeth shifted. “The women at these parties will be wearing dresses they own—even had designed for them. With real diamonds and rubies and whatnot. I’m wearing borrowed dresses from Kate, and she might spring for some accessories. But how’s it going to look to people if I’m running off to put out a catering fire? Or deal with a snafu—”

“I’m telling you, it’s time for some on the job training for Kiki.” Nadine shrugged. “And so what if you do have to jet off to fix something? Do you think Jason doesn’t get it? He knows you’re planning the parties—”

“You’re thinking of all the people who are going to be looking at you and Jason and thinking…one of these things doesn’t fit,” Robin said.

“And it sounds so freaking stupid, doesn’t it?” Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “I know Jason doesn’t care. Now. But maybe he will. I don’t know. It’s all annoying.”

“I think,” Nadine began, precariously waving her half-filled glass in the air. “That you’re making a lot of stuff and nonsense out of bullpuckey.”

“I actually understood that,” Elizabeth said, biting back her laughter as Robin tugged the glass from Nadine’s hand and tipped the blonde into a chair by the dining table. “I actually agree with her. But knowing that and living it?”

“Two totally different things.” Robin raised her glass and clinked it with hers. “Still, you went out and bought Yellow Tail, so you must have felt okay about it later.”

“Well,” Elizabeth said, “the sex was pretty great.”

Harborview Towers: Jason Morgan’s Penthouse

Jason scowled over the paperwork and contracts that had prevented him from inviting Elizabeth over for an intimate dinner and an encore of that morning’s events.

If he could just get this stuff done tonight, he could keep his nights clear for a few weeks. Just enough time to romance Elizabeth properly—he hated that they’d been forced to spend most of their time in his office or catching a quick drink at the Port Charles Grille across the street.

It was not the way he’d intended to pursue her.

The door pushed open and AJ entered. “Am I interrupting, little brother?”

“No, and don’t call me that.” Jason shoved a contract back. “My eyes are going to cross.”

AJ sat next to him on the sofa, bypassing his usual visit to the mini bar. “I thought I might find the delectable Ms. Webber here.”

“Then why didn’t you knock?” Jason asked, reaching for his beer.

“Eh, you would have locked your door.” AJ shifted on the sofa. “Ah, so, there was some gossip today. About you.”

Jason choked slightly on his beer and looked at him. “Wait, what kind of gossip?” Had someone heard them? Had Elizabeth’s assistant said something? He damn well knew Spinelli would keep his mouth shut.

“That my mother was on the premises.” His brother sighed. “She didn’t come to see me, which means she likely came to harass you.”

Jason shook his head and rose from the sofa. “So? It wasn’t much.”

“I’m….just—I’m sorry—”

“Why?” Jason turned. “Look, she just wanted to make sure I wasn’t going to contaminate her precious hospital party. I haven’t gone since I was six years old, I’m not likely to start now just because I’m helping plan it.”

“She’s just…” AJ shrugged, but Jason figured his brother was out of excuses.

“She doesn’t care for me, AJ. I get it. I just…” Jason glanced down at his bottle. “Elizabeth was there. And I should have made her leave. I just…didn’t think Monica would say anything in front of her.”

“Ha. Never underestimate my mother.” AJ stood. “What did Elizabeth have to say about the whole thing?”

“Nothing. She asked a question, I deflected her.” He shrugged. “She dropped it. I’m not talking about Monica with her.”

“I get it.” AJ did cross to the bar this time. “Not something you want to bring up with the office girlfriend.”

“Don’t call her that,” Jason said. “That’s what you and Ned call your girlfriends. It’s what Dad always…” He glanced away. “I’m tired of that Quartermaine term.”

“Sorry.” AJ hesitated. “But I mean, it’s always meant the same thing. I know Elizabeth is beautiful and charming, but it’s not like you’ve gone out of your way to treat her differently. You’re not exactly wining and dining her.”

“Because of this damned paperwork and the meetings—because we both have jobs to do—” But the excuses felt hollow. Jason had an entire department under him that could have handled some of these things, but he’d always elected to take on the extra work.

To work harder at being a Quartermaine than the rest of them.

He shook his head. “I’m taking her to the ELQ parties. That will make it clear enough, don’t you think?”

AJ nodded, sipping his vodka. “I suppose, if you want to toss her to the wolves, but she was going to be there anyway.”

“But she’ll walk in on my arm and go home with me,” Jason said.

“Fine, fine.” AJ hesitated. “All three parties? Because you know, that’s lot of pressure for a woman who’s…not…” He shifted, slid his hand in his pocket. “Not like us.”

“Don’t start that shit.” Jason scowled. “You don’t even give a damn about that—”

“Not really,” AJ admitted, “but there’s something to it. Look, we’re from different places in society, okay? We just are. We grew up with more money, more opportunities. There’s a reason my marriage to Carly didn’t work out.”

“Other than the fact she was batshit insane?” Jason retorted. “So? She grew up in the trailer park. What about it? I don’t even know Elizabeth’s background, I just know it doesn’t matter—”

“And Ned married outside the circle three times. They were all nice enough, but mostly looking to marry up. Being expected to live the life of a Quartermaine? It’s a fucking lot of pressure even when you’re born into it. I’m just saying that Elizabeth is gonna get blowback from people who have nothing better than to do.”

Jason shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. I want her with me. I’m not going to pretend we’re getting married or that we’re even remotely that serious, but I’m not going to take another woman or go alone to these parties when I want to be with her. It’d be a lie.”

AJ held up his hands. “Look, I’m just saying—”

“Yeah, yeah, you’re always just saying.” Jason chugged the rest of his beer.

“I like Elizabeth, Jason. But in the decade since you started at ELQ? You’ve never brought a woman you’re seeing to ELQ benefits. Even when they worked for the company. There are actually people who sit around and think of nothing else except the gossip that goes on in society. Elizabeth is going to be gossip.” He finished his vodka. “I just hope you’re prepared for that.”

← Part Three | Part Five →