Leo pressed the illuminated number five as the elevator doors slid closed and the large metal box began its climb to the fifth floor. He hoped to find Melanie King there when the doors opened again. Several of the nurses he had spoke to in the emergency room while he was on his search for Elizabeth's best friend said they were short handed in pediatrics and that nurse King had volunteered to go help out. Anxiously he stuffed his hands in the pockets of his well worn jean as his ideas for Jason and Elizabeth swirled around in his brain. After witnessing the pairs rather passionate kiss the night before he had set out to find Melanie intent on bringing her in on his plan. His intentions were two fold. Leo knew full well that Elizabeth was a stubborn one and it would take the both of them to convince her that she and Jason were a good match and he also wouldn't mind spending time with Melanie even if he wasn't about to admit it out loud.
As the shiny metal doors opened there she was exactly where he had been told he would find her. Instinctively Melanie looked up as the elevator opened and nearly dropped the chart she was just about to file. She was more than a bit shocked to see Leo exiting and heading straight for her. "You got a minute?" Leo asked leaning into the nurse's desk.
"Sure. What's up?" she said trying to hold her voice steady and her hands still as she stared into his deep blue eyes feeling as though she was about to drown in them.
"I have an idea but I need your help."
"Idea?" she questioned more than a little curious. As he stood within inches of her she could see the mischievous glint in his eyes and Melanie was more than a little intrigued by it.
"Yeah. I think it's time we turn the tables on our friend Elizabeth."
"Turn the tables?" Melanie was beginning to feel like she sounded like a parrot.
"Yes. She's always trying to play match maker for us," Leo said nonchalantly quickly dismissing the idea that Elizabeth just might be right about them. "Well I think it's time we do the same for her," Leo said with a large grin overtaking his face.
"What are we talking about here? Or better yet who are we talking about?" Melanie starred at him curiously the wheels in her own head turning. It seemed that maybe she wasn't the only one who had been seeing sparks between Elizabeth and a certain NASCAR driver.
"Who do you think?" Leo was enjoying drawing this conversation out. It gave him more time to admire the view before him.
"Well," Melanie now wore her own mischievous grin. "I have an idea," she giggled.
"And I bet you'd be right on the money," Leo laughed. "Especially after the kiss I witnessed between them last night."
"KISS!" Melanie stood wide eyed at the bombshell Leo just dropped in her lap. "Liz and Jason – kissed?"
"Uh-huh," Leo said shaking his head in agreement.
"Damn and I missed it?"
"Apparently so."
"So, what do you have in mind?" she asked. "Wait." Melanie placed her finger in the air to stop Leo before he began. "Nancy," she said turning to the other woman standing behind the desk. "I'm going to take my break now. Page me if you need me."
"Sure thing sweetie," the older woman said barely looking up.
"Okay now tell me all about this plan of yours," she ordered as she came around to the front side of the nurse's station.
"Want to go grab a cup of coffee in the cafeteria?" Leo asked.
"Sure." Melanie felt a tingle run down her arm when Leo gently placed his hand on her shoulder and guided her toward the elevator he had recently exited.
Melanie wrapped her hands around the steaming mug of coffee as Leo took the seat across from her. "Now tell me everything about this kiss," she instructed more than a little upset that she had missed it.
"It was a kiss," he said unsure of what else he was supposed to say about it.
"Just a kiss?"
"Yeah. They kissed isn't that enough?" he questioned incredulously.
"It's a start but you know Liz. I'm surprised you didn't see her running for the hills scared to death."
"She didn't look like she was going any where," he said assuredly.
Melanie saw the curve of his lips as he made that statement and knew that what Leo saw had to have been more than just some peck on the cheek. Part of her was immediately worried that her friend was headed down an all too familiar road that would dead end with the same consequences and that scared her. Elizabeth was still in what Melanie thought was a fragile place when it came to her heart yet the other part of her had seen Elizabeth's reaction to Jason Morgan and more importantly his reaction to her and deep down she knew this was all together different than Elizabeth and Billy had ever been. "So what's your plan?" she asked.
The pair sat the small round table discussing their ideas for their friends all the while sizing one another up hoping that neither noticed the other doing it. Leo loved the way Melanie's eyes lit up when she smile or how they would dance when she laughed. The way her flaming red hair brushed against her cheeks on occasion had him resisting the urge to push it away. He found his foot tapping nervously against the white tile floor like it used to in high school when he was just about to ask a pretty girl out on a date for the first time. "You think we can make this work?" he asked realizing that while concentrating on his own thoughts Melanie had Melanie had stopped talking.
"Damn right we can," she announced. "Jason and Elizabeth won't know what hit them," she laughed.
"Remember we have to be subtle."
"Oh yeah, like she's ever been subtle with us," Melanie laughed again as Leo joined in as well knowing how right she was when it came to Elizabeth Ryan.
"So we're on with this then?"
"Oh yeah. I'll get right to it. I just have to find Liz."
"Okay then. I'm going to head to the garage and see if I can hunt down Jason. I'll be talking to you soon."
"Yeah. Bye," she said watching him as he vacated his seat. She found herself enjoying the view from behind. Leo's faded to nearly white Levis hugged his form perfectly leaving very little to Melanie's imagination. She heard herself let out a light sigh when he had disappeared from her line of sight. What was it about Leo Jorgenson that had her thinking that maybe one more time on the man merry-go-round was worth a try? He had such an easy going nature about him and it didn't hurt that he was pretty easy on the eyes as well. But even if he hadn't been drop dead gorgeous he still would have been attractive just because of the man he was. 'Stop it' she heard the voice in her head command. 'Stop thinking about him like that' it said again. Melanie shook her head and took another sip from her coffee realizing that spending time with Leo was a mere bonus in the whole scheme of things if in the end both their friends ended up happy.
There hidden behind a stack of patient files Elizabeth sat hoping to disappear into the oblivion of work yet in the last two hours she hadn't been able to do anything but focus on Jason Morgan and it was driving her insane. Once more she picked up a thick manila folder and scanned the contents yet not really comprehending the words instead all she could think about was how Jason's lips felt when they had been pressed against her own. It was a memory that was willingly playing over and over again in her head and with each of its run-throughs Elizabeth's pulse quicken until she could hear its sound ringing in her ears. "Damn it!" she huffed at herself closing the folder tossing it aside into the heap.
She got up from her high back black leather office chair and poured herself another cup of coffee looking for any sort of distraction – anything that would stop her from reliving her time the night before with Jason. Yet all her efforts were in vain since nothing seemed to be able to stop the recollection of the collision of hers and Jason's lips from replaying in her mind. Their kiss had happened without either of them thinking. It was simple and sweet and then deepened to a fiery intensity that admittedly took her breath away and left her wanting more and that scared her to death. Just for the moment she closed her eyes and allowed herself the pleasure of savoring the moment between them knowing full well that it could never – ever – happen again. Elizabeth could feel almost still feel the way Jason's fingers had been tangled in her massive chocolate locks and the how his lips tickled her own when he lightly brushed them against her full red mouth. When she willing responded to his advances he deepened the kiss probing the recesses of her mouth with his tongue. Even now the mere thought of that sent chills down her spine and left a burning sensation growing in her groin. "Damn it!" she cursed herself again.
Determined to push Jason Morgan and the feelings he elicited in her from her mind and body Elizabeth plopped down in her chair once more and began rummaging through her many files again. She had to laugh when the first folder she picked up belonged to Jake Russell. "It's a curse!" she groaned in frustration. She pressed the thick file to her chest wrapping her arms over it. She couldn't help but smile though. Jake just did that to her. She thought about his well meaning meddling that morning and her grin broadened despite her wishing it hadn't. Jake was an old coot and most of the time she had trouble believing that he and her father had ever been friends. They were the anthesis of one another. She was glad though that Jake had come into her life. Jake had given some insights into the woman her mother had been something that Pat Ryan had never done and for that Elizabeth would be forever grateful to him. Now she just had to live through the rest of what he had left her – namely Jason Morgan.
She leaned her head against the back of her chair and let out a labored sigh and thought about how she had left – no ran – away from Jason as fast as her tiny feet would carry her that morning. Her head kept telling her she had done the right thing. That the last thing she needed in her life was another NASCAR driver – hell any man for that matter but her heart needed quite more convincing. So with that thought in mind Elizabeth pulled out a piece of stark white paper and began doing something she hadn't done since she was a teenager. Across the top of the blank page she scribbled Jason's name and made two columns labeled Pros and Cons.
As she sat back surveying her list the pro side was nearly full while the con side had just one entry – NASCAR DRIVER. As Elizabeth was intently starring at the list wishing it was a little more balanced Melanie breezed into the room without even knocking startling her.
"Hey girlfriend," Melanie's voice boomed in the silent room. Immediately she took noticed of the paper in her friend's hands – more importantly took notice of Jason's name in big letters across the top. "Well what do we have here?" she asked snatching it from Elizabeth's fingers before the tiny brunette had a chance to protest much less stop her. "Pros and Cons huh?" Melanie just smiled.
"Give me that!" Elizabeth screeched.
"I think you missed drop dead gorgeous. That most definitely should be on the pro side!" Melanie giggled. "Well I guess you do have handsome. That's something even if it doesn't do him nearly enough justice. Kind hearted – that's good... …"
Elizabeth sank deeper into the folds of her chair as Melanie continued reading her list. Suddenly she felt fifteen years old again and embarrassed the way she had been when her junior high English teacher had read aloud a note she had intended to end up in the hands of the boy she had been dating at the time. "Gimme that!" she ordered trying to snatch it back from her, soon to be dead if she had anything to say about it, friend.
"Oh I don't think so," Melanie laughed waving it just out of Elizabeth's reach. "You missed a couple more things on the pro side," she said thinking about the kiss Leo said he witnessed. "You want me to add them?"
"Melanie," Elizabeth's shrill voice bounced off the walls. "GIVE ME THAT RIGHT NOW!" she demanded.
It took all she had to stifled a full on belly laugh. She hadn't seen Elizabeth Ryan this bent out of shape in years – hell maybe not since high school her freshman year when she had a crush on the star forward on the varsity basketball team. Her friend had it bad for one Jason Morgan there was no denying it. "You're blushing?" Melanie said sheepishly.
"I am not!"
"Yes you are!" Melanie giggled.
"AM NOT!"
"Face it Liz or at least admit it. You have a thing for Jason Morgan."
"I do not!"
"The hell you don't! It's all here in black and white."
Before Elizabeth was able to retaliate the phone on her desk rang. "Hello?" she said in a rather gruff voice. "I see. Yes, I can arrange a bed for him. I will be there shortly." Elizabeth placed the receiver in its cradle and turned to her friend who was still standing there with a broad smirk painted on her face. She let out a muffled growl grabbed something off her desk and exited the room without so much as a further word to Melanie leaving her standing alone in the office.
Once more Melanie looked down at Elizabeth's list and began reading it through one more time. According to her friend, Jason Morgan was damn near perfect. Neatly she folded the piece of paper and put it in her pocket for safe keeping. She had a feeling that it just might come in handy as she and Leo put their plan for Elizabeth and Jason into motion.
Tom had his head buried in the engine compartment of Jason's car yet working on the motor was the last thing on his mind at the moment. All he could think about was his best friend kissing the girl of his dreams the night before. It played out in vivid techno color adnausem until Tom was barely able to see straight.
"Hey man, you seen Jason?" Leo's voice caused the ever continuing video in Tom's head to pause.
Tom growled under his breath at the sight of Leo Jorgenson coming towards him. That was the last thing he needed to deal with right now. If it wasn't bad enough that it certainly looked like Jason and Elizabeth Ryan were now an item but at every turn there was Jorgenson trying to horn in between him and his best friend. And to make matters worse it appeared as though Jason was letting it happen spending more and more time with his fellow team mate leaving Tom out in the cold.
"Is Jason around?" Leo asked again snapping his fingers in the air as Tom stood there starring off into the distance.
Instantly pissed Tom snapped, "What you lose your boyfriend?"
Leo pulled back giving Tom as curious stare. "What?"
"Last time I checked it wasn't my job to keep track of your boyfriend."
Leo suddenly found himself chuckling once the remark Tom had made sunk in. He stood there looking at Tom Boudean not even sure how to respond to such a comment. Leo had always thought the young man before him was more than a little possessive when it came to Jason but he just proven Leo's point in spades. "You are kidding right?" Leo said finally still somewhat laughing.
"Nope," Tom announced with a serious face. "Thought you'd know where he was every minute of every day." With that he picked up a wrench and went back to setting the values on the metallic blue painted engine.
"And here I thought that was your job," Leo stated cocking his brow as he spoke.
"Meaning?"
Tom was far too pissed to even realize that Leo was baiting him all in good fun. Actually Leo wasn't able to resist the urge. There was something about Tom Boudean that just didn't sit well with him. Maybe it was the way he dogged Elizabeth at every turn or the fact that he never stopped using Jake Russell's name in order to guilt Jason into doing something that he wanted him to do. Actually it didn't really matter Leo just didn't much care for the guy. "You're the one always following him around like some love sick puppy. I figured if anyone knew where he was it'd be you."
Tom felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand erect as he squared his shoulders and raised his head to make eye contact with Leo. It was then he saw the laughter in the other man's eyes and the smirk on his lips. Tom clenched his jaw and tossed the wrench to the ground with a loud clatter. "If anyone's doing the following I'd say it'd have to be you, Jorgenson. Seems to me you're always in his face asking one thing or another about how to take the turns of if your suspension is right. You're never going to be as good of a driver as Jason no matter how much time you spend with him. So what don't you just give it a rest and let him get back to his real friends?"
"By real friends I am to assume you mean yourself?" Leo again found himself laughing again. From what he had seen of Tom and Jason's friendship it looked to him more like Tom was the one riding on Jason's coat tails not him.
"Yes. I'm been with Jason through it all. The ups and downs, his father's death, Jake's heart attack…."
"So," Leo cut him off mid sentence, "what you're saying is Jason can only have one friend and that friend's you."
"Yes!" Tom said again.
"What are we in high school or something?" Leo out right laughed again at the audacity of it all thinking back to his own high school days when friendships were based one condition or another. He was glad to be passed all that however it seemed as though Tom hadn't made it out of the tenth grade.
"What?" Tom shouted aggravated by the fact that Leo stood before him laughing at him.
"Forget it. Just tell Jason I was looking for him," he said even though he knew full well that Tom wouldn't pass along his message. Then he turned around and made his way out of the garage laughing all the way out the door.
"Jack ass!" Tom hissed as Leo's laughter ran in his ears.
Jason pulled into the lot at Ryan Racing and killed the engine of his truck. Resting his forearms over the steering wheel he let out a labored breath. His heart ached not only had he allowed Elizabeth to run off but Jake was gone again as well. Suddenly Jason felt so alone and hated it. The image of Elizabeth's retreating form through the airport terminal and Jake's plane taxiing down the runway toggled in his brain. He wasn't sure which pained him more.
Defeated he slumped against the seat the events from the past day and a half weighing heavy on him. Everything from Jake's brief reappearance, his mother's predictable snide remarks, Elizabeth's constant presence, the kiss they shared – all of it swirled around in his brain like an impending tornado. Yet it was the thought of Elizabeth that stood out. Somehow through it all her being there in many ways had made his life easier. As much as he knew that leaning on her was a bad idea he found himself doing it just the same. She offered him a comfort that was undeniable and that scared him a little since over the years he had grown weary of leaning on many people. And leaning on Elizabeth Ryan, daughter of the team owner, he was now driving for spelled ten different kinds of trouble.
He ran his hands over his face trying to collect his thoughts knowing full well he and Elizabeth would have to address the issues between them. He was just unsure of when and how to handle it all. He was afraid she'd continue to run from him even though he wasn't sure why and wanted to maybe leave well enough alone. Yet Jason knew with their kiss they had crossed the line and there was no going back. The only thing he could do was forge ahead and hope that she would finally stop running. With that thought he climbed out of his truck slamming the door behind him.
"Jason, Jason!" Theresa Kennedy called out as she ran in his direction. He rolled his eyes when he finally got a clear picture of who was heading for him. "Have you seen this?" she asked waving what looked like a newspaper in the air.
"Seen what?" he asked in his most monotone voice.
"This!" She pushed the sports section showcasing his victory into Jason's face.
"No I haven't." he said barely giving the article a second glance. Actually he could have cared less. His mind was focused on more important things.
"It's about your win yesterday and how you're the next big thing for Ryan Racing."
"Oh am I?" Jason said with skeptical sarcasm in his voice.
"Yes!" she said breathlessly reaching for his tanned arm stroking it gently as she let her dark bedroom eyes speak for her. "I was hoping to catch you yesterday after the race to congratulate you and maybe help you celebrate your victory," she cooed breathlessly.
"Shouldn't you have been consoling your boyfriend?" Jason said making a reference to Billy Weston as he pulled way from her entangling arms.
"Well it was a Ryan Racing victory," she said without faltering. "And that's always a good thing. Why don't we go grab lunch and… …"
"I really don't have time for this and more importantly I don't have time for you. I thought I made position clear a while back. Why don't you go lick Billy's wounds before I add a few more." Jason said as he walked away leaving Theresa alone to pout.
"Damn it!" she hissed.
Billy stood in the distance watching the show between his girlfriend and his rival. Even from that expanse it was easy to tell that Theresa was laying it on heavy. Her gestures and body language was undeniable and if she had been doing it to any man other than Jason Morgan Billy would have barely noticed yet being it was Morgan all he could see was red. His intention was too keep everything that belong to him and that included Theresa Kennedy, his title as star of Ryan Racing and most importantly Elizabeth Ryan. He didn't give a damn how he did it but he fully intended on bringing Jason Morgan to his knees at any cost.