Chapter 16
The day of Chloe's showing was proving to be one of mixed emotions for Elizabeth. On the one hand, she was thrilled to have six of her designs being shown for the first time. On the other, she was nervous, scared, terrified that the critics would hate them and her career would be over before it started. She also didn't want to embarrass Chloe, who was giving her this amazing opportunity.
Finding a phone, she dialled Jason's cell number. "Morgan," he said.
"Hey, it's me," she said softly. "I just wanted to hear your voice."
Concerned, Jason asked, "Are you OK, Elizabeth? Is something wrong?"
Touched by how in tune to her emotions he always was, she responded, "Everything is fine. I'm just feeling a little anxious about so many people seeing my work. It's almost like putting a part of myself out on display and inviting people to critique it."
"No matter what people say, don't forget that the work belongs to you. You came up with the ideas, put them on paper, and brought them to life. No one can take that away from you." He stopped, unsure if he was helping.
"Thank you, Jason. I know that I need to feel good about what I've accomplished, but I feel like the butterflies in my stomach are multiplying very quickly."
Jason could hear the waver in her voice. "I am coming to the hotel right now. I was on my way out the door when you called. Try to relax and I'll see you soon."
Hanging up, Elizabeth was glad that she had called. She did feel somewhat better and, knowing that Jason was on his way gave her a warm feeling inside.
"Elizabeth," Chloe said as she approached. "Everything seems to be under control in the back and the fashion critics are arriving as we speak." Seeing Elizabeth pale slightly, she tried to reassure her. "Don't worry. Your designs are terrific and even if someone gives you a negative review, you'll be joining an elite crowd. Every designer I know has had their share of bad reviews." She smiled kindly.
"Thanks, Chloe. Not just for the reassurance, but also for this opportunity," she said sincerely.
"Hey, you did all the work. I just recognized your talent. Come back stage with me and take a break before all the craziness starts." She led the way, with Elizabeth following. Neither noticed the man who watched and waited for the right time to make his move.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jason was leaving Sonny's building still thinking about the uncertainty he'd heard in Elizabeth's voice. He looked up and saw Justin St. Amant entering the building. He knew that St. Amant was taking Michelle to Chloe's showing and needed to talk to him first. "Justin," he called.
Turning, he said, "Jason. What is it?"
"I wanted to remind you that Michelle could still be in danger from the people who killed her father. Whatever you do, don't lose the bodyguards." Jason's voice was hard.
"I understand," Justin responded. "I would not put Michy's life at risk."
"Good," he stated, believing the other man's sincerity. "I'll see you at the hotel." Jason turned, walked to the waiting car, and got in. No bike today. In honor of the occasion, he was wearing a black suit jacket and pants, with a black t-shirt underneath. He never felt totally comfortable in dress clothes, but for Elizabeth, he'd endure anything.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jason entered the room set up for the showing and scanned it looking for one person. When he found her with his eyes, his pulses raced. Every time he saw her was like the first time. She was wearing a clingy, sleeveless dress in deep blue - the blue of the sea on a stormy day. Her beauty took his breath away.
Elizabeth felt a tingling down her spine and sensed that he was there. She turned and locked eyes with him. The banked fire she saw there made her heart beat faster. She moved toward him, not noticing anyone else. When she stood before him, she smiled and said, "Hi there."
He returned her smile and answered softly, "Hi yourself. Are you OK?" Unable to resist touching her, he took her hand and laced his fingers with hers.
She drew closer and said, "I'm fine, Jason. Really. Whatever happens, I'll be grateful for this chance I've been given."
"You look beautiful." He reached out and lightly caressed her face.
"You don't look so bad yourself," she told him. She lifted her hand and smoothed his lapel, letting her hand linger and prolong the contact.
Carly, who had just entered the room, witnessed this exchange and the obvious connection between the two. Approaching them, she said, "Hey, Jason. Hi Elizabeth. How are things?" She smiled. "This must be really exciting for you, Elizabeth. Gia told me how busy you've been."
"Hi Carly," Elizabeth answered, slightly taken aback by her friendly attitude. "I'm excited, but nervous, too, you know?"
Carly nodded. "I understand. When I first started making appearances for Deception, I was sure that I would screw up. After a few of these, you won't have any problem with it," she reassured.
Genuinely touched by her understanding, Elizabeth said, "Thanks, Carly. That helps a lot."
Jason watched them with a smile. He knew that Carly was making a real effort to put the past behind them and he respected her for it.
"Where's Sonny?" Elizabeth asked.
Carly chuckled. "Are you kidding? Sonny avoids these events like the plague. He'll only come with me to the most important Deception parties. Other than those, I go solo, or I should say, I go with Johnny." They all laughed.
Elizabeth saw Chloe motioning for her to come and said, "I need to go. I'll see you both afterward, OK?" She gave Jason a warm smile, squeezed his hand, and walked to where Chloe was waiting.
Keeping his eyes on Elizabeth, Jason said, "Thank you, Carly."
She turned to him and asked, "For what?"
"For making the effort to get past your problems with Elizabeth and trying to make her feel better. It means a lot to me."
"I told you, Jason. I want you to be happy, and from what I saw when I came in, you are definitely happy." She smiled at him, tears in her eyes.
Jason could tell she was sincere. "I am, Carly - happier than I've been in a long time. Just like Sonny is your match, Elizabeth is mine."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The day of Chloe's showing was proving to be one of mixed emotions for Elizabeth. On the one hand, she was thrilled to have six of her designs being shown for the first time. On the other, she was nervous, scared, terrified that the critics would hate them and her career would be over before it started. She also didn't want to embarrass Chloe, who was giving her this amazing opportunity.
Finding a phone, she dialled Jason's cell number. "Morgan," he said.
"Hey, it's me," she said softly. "I just wanted to hear your voice."
Concerned, Jason asked, "Are you OK, Elizabeth? Is something wrong?"
Touched by how in tune to her emotions he always was, she responded, "Everything is fine. I'm just feeling a little anxious about so many people seeing my work. It's almost like putting a part of myself out on display and inviting people to critique it."
"No matter what people say, don't forget that the work belongs to you. You came up with the ideas, put them on paper, and brought them to life. No one can take that away from you." He stopped, unsure if he was helping.
"Thank you, Jason. I know that I need to feel good about what I've accomplished, but I feel like the butterflies in my stomach are multiplying very quickly."
Jason could hear the waver in her voice. "I am coming to the hotel right now. I was on my way out the door when you called. Try to relax and I'll see you soon."
Hanging up, Elizabeth was glad that she had called. She did feel somewhat better and, knowing that Jason was on his way gave her a warm feeling inside.
"Elizabeth," Chloe said as she approached. "Everything seems to be under control in the back and the fashion critics are arriving as we speak." Seeing Elizabeth pale slightly, she tried to reassure her. "Don't worry. Your designs are terrific and even if someone gives you a negative review, you'll be joining an elite crowd. Every designer I know has had their share of bad reviews." She smiled kindly.
"Thanks, Chloe. Not just for the reassurance, but also for this opportunity," she said sincerely.
"Hey, you did all the work. I just recognized your talent. Come back stage with me and take a break before all the craziness starts." She led the way, with Elizabeth following. Neither noticed the man who watched and waited for the right time to make his move.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jason was leaving Sonny's building still thinking about the uncertainty he'd heard in Elizabeth's voice. He looked up and saw Justin St. Amant entering the building. He knew that St. Amant was taking Michelle to Chloe's showing and needed to talk to him first. "Justin," he called.
Turning, he said, "Jason. What is it?"
"I wanted to remind you that Michelle could still be in danger from the people who killed her father. Whatever you do, don't lose the bodyguards." Jason's voice was hard.
"I understand," Justin responded. "I would not put Michy's life at risk."
"Good," he stated, believing the other man's sincerity. "I'll see you at the hotel." Jason turned, walked to the waiting car, and got in. No bike today. In honor of the occasion, he was wearing a black suit jacket and pants, with a black t-shirt underneath. He never felt totally comfortable in dress clothes, but for Elizabeth, he'd endure anything.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jason entered the room set up for the showing and scanned it looking for one person. When he found her with his eyes, his pulses raced. Every time he saw her was like the first time. She was wearing a clingy, sleeveless dress in deep blue - the blue of the sea on a stormy day. Her beauty took his breath away.
Elizabeth felt a tingling down her spine and sensed that he was there. She turned and locked eyes with him. The banked fire she saw there made her heart beat faster. She moved toward him, not noticing anyone else. When she stood before him, she smiled and said, "Hi there."
He returned her smile and answered softly, "Hi yourself. Are you OK?" Unable to resist touching her, he took her hand and laced his fingers with hers.
She drew closer and said, "I'm fine, Jason. Really. Whatever happens, I'll be grateful for this chance I've been given."
"You look beautiful." He reached out and lightly caressed her face.
"You don't look so bad yourself," she told him. She lifted her hand and smoothed his lapel, letting her hand linger and prolong the contact.
Carly, who had just entered the room, witnessed this exchange and the obvious connection between the two. Approaching them, she said, "Hey, Jason. Hi Elizabeth. How are things?" She smiled. "This must be really exciting for you, Elizabeth. Gia told me how busy you've been."
"Hi Carly," Elizabeth answered, slightly taken aback by her friendly attitude. "I'm excited, but nervous, too, you know?"
Carly nodded. "I understand. When I first started making appearances for Deception, I was sure that I would screw up. After a few of these, you won't have any problem with it," she reassured.
Genuinely touched by her understanding, Elizabeth said, "Thanks, Carly. That helps a lot."
Jason watched them with a smile. He knew that Carly was making a real effort to put the past behind them and he respected her for it.
"Where's Sonny?" Elizabeth asked.
Carly chuckled. "Are you kidding? Sonny avoids these events like the plague. He'll only come with me to the most important Deception parties. Other than those, I go solo, or I should say, I go with Johnny." They all laughed.
Elizabeth saw Chloe motioning for her to come and said, "I need to go. I'll see you both afterward, OK?" She gave Jason a warm smile, squeezed his hand, and walked to where Chloe was waiting.
Keeping his eyes on Elizabeth, Jason said, "Thank you, Carly."
She turned to him and asked, "For what?"
"For making the effort to get past your problems with Elizabeth and trying to make her feel better. It means a lot to me."
"I told you, Jason. I want you to be happy, and from what I saw when I came in, you are definitely happy." She smiled at him, tears in her eyes.
Jason could tell she was sincere. "I am, Carly - happier than I've been in a long time. Just like Sonny is your match, Elizabeth is mine."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*