"What are your intentions towards my son?"
Alison's question from the night before rang in Elizabeth's ears. She turned her head and looked at Jason who was sleeping peacefully in the seat next to her. What were her intentions? That was the million dollar question at the moment.
"Honestly, I think that's between Jason and myself."
That had been her quick response before leaving Jason's mother standing alone in the ladies room. Elizabeth hadn't been about to take the chance that Alison Morgan would ask her anymore questions she hadn't answers for. Back at their table for the remainder of the evening Elizabeth felt Alison's stare trained on her as though the older woman was hoping to get some answer from the younger ones actions. Needless to say Elizabeth was more than a little unnerved. And that feeling had yet to subside as she continued replaying the question over and over in her head.
That morning as she and Jason prepared to leave for home she found herself concentrating on him a great deal – almost watching his every move trying to formulate an answer she could live with. It was several hours later now and she still felt stymied. Looking down at her hand in his she couldn't help but smile though. At the time of take off he had reached for it almost instantly and they both laughed again at how much she hated flying. Even when the plane had reached cruising altitude neither one of them had let go of the others hand. Something about they way they fit together felt right.
Elizabeth let out a heavy sigh focusing her stare on Jason once more. He finally looked so serene sleeping beside her. It was like the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders finally and the dark cloud that had been following him around for the past weeks was gone. She could tell the difference that morning in their hotel room. Back was the easy going manner he had about him. Elizabeth was glad that she had forced him to come to Texas and confront his worst fears. She was pleased that her gut instincts had been right all along. She knew deep down that Jason still had some healing to do but at least now he could do it with a clean conscious.
So what were her intentions when it came to him? Elizabeth could have taken the easy way out and claimed them to be nothing but friends since that was the truth at least at the beginning. Yet now she knew it was far more complicated than that. She thought back to the first time she met Jason. He had been standing in the hospital waiting room on pins and needles awaiting news on Jake's condition. Even then she felt drawn to him and those feelings had only gotten stronger as time went on. Admittedly that scared the hell out of her. She felt completely out of control and the last time she had let herself feel that way it had ended with her having her heart ripped from her chest.
Elizabeth closed her eyes in a desperate attempt to push her memories of Billy and their relationship from her mind. That wasn't an easy task. It amazed her how naive she had been back then. Why hadn't she seen what Billy Weston had been like from the start and how did she know that she wasn't doing the same thing with Jason right now? Getting caught up in his drama and not seeing what he was really like. Again she looked down at their hands clasped together. The way he protectively covered hers with his and had given her fingers a gentle squeeze as the plane began its ascent into the air. Jason Morgan was nothing like Billy Weston with the exception that they both were NASCAR drivers. That's where the similarity ended. Jason was kind, gentle and good natured. He was a true sportsman and knew how to lose gracefully and above most he was loyal to the core. That alone showed how unlike he and Billy were.
So what were her intentions she asked herself again. If Elizabeth was completely honest with herself she would have said that she was falling deeply in love with the man sitting beside her. Yet that total honesty was not something she was ready to give herself. Unbridled honesty scared the hell out of her. Unfortunately so did the idea of losing Jason from her life. Without even realizing when it happened he had become an integral part of her existence. So there she sat toggling between something more than friendship and the possibility of love as though she was in suspended animation not able to move forward and unwilling to go back. Ultimately when all was said and down Elizabeth knew she had to ride this out and see where it would take the both of them. Her only thought was she hoped neither one of them crashed and burned.
The red fasten your seatbelts sign began flashing just as the flight attendant came over the intercom announcing that they were getting ready to land. Elizabeth took one last look at Jason sleeping next to her and smiled amazed how fate had tangled their lives in so many different ways. "Jason," she said gently shaking his arm. "Jase, we're just about to land," she said.
"Huh?" he returned with a groggy voice.
"We're almost home," she said. "You need to buckle up. We are getting ready to land in Charlotte."
"You okay?" he asked squeezing her hand. He looked into her deep sapphire eyes while she nodded her head. He could see behind her weak smile that as much as she tried to hide it from him flying still terrified her and it amazed him tremendously that she was willing to do something she obviously hated so much to help him. In his life he had come across very few people who would do something like that. Really he could only think of two people who were like that, one being his father and the other Jake. "You sure?" he questioned her again.
"I'll be better when we are on the ground," she laughed a little trying to cover her fears but as the plane began to drop altitude she couldn't help but squeeze Jason's hand harder.
"I'll protect you," he said in a gallant voice as he covered their already entangled hands with is remaining free one.
Elizabeth sat silently with a slight smile on her face unsure of what to say to his comment. She wanted to believe it and part of her did. Jason was the kind of guy who would do anything for the people in his life and secretly Elizabeth wanted more than anything to be a real part of Jason's life.
They stood in front of the luggage carrousel as a sea of baggage went around in circles before them. "Do you see mine?" Elizabeth asked.
"Isn't that it?" Jason said pointing to the burgundy tapestry bag across the carrousel.
"I can't see," Elizabeth said standing on her tip toes to see over the large center section that powered the rotating contraption.
Jason turned his head and looked at her. She looked so cute to him standing there on her toes straining her neck to see what he easily saw from his lofty vantage point. He wanted to pick her up like a father would a small child giving them a better view of the world but he stopped himself. "Here it comes again," he said instead as the bag rounded the circle once more and headed toward them.
"Yeah, yeah that's it," she agreed when it finally came into sight. Easily Jason grabbed it lifting it off the conveyor. "Thank you," she said when he placed it at her feet.
"You're welcome," he returned with a bright smile that nearly melted Elizabeth's heart. "Now all we have to do is find mine," he joked as the remaining bags, all black, looped past them.
"Maybe on our next trip you should use this neon green bag I have. It'd be a hell of a lot easier to find," Elizabeth laughed as she moved closer to the carrousel hoping to get a glimpse of the address tag showing Jason's name.
Their next trip – Jason liked the sound of those words as they rolled off Elizabeth's tongue. They gave him hope as to where the two of them might be headed. "Neon green?" he said giving her a weary look. "I don't think so!" he scoffed at the idea.
"Well it would cut down on the time we would have to be standing here searching for your run of the mill black bag," she asserted even though she didn't care how long it took for them to find his luggage. She wasn't at all ready to relinquish her time with him.
"Here it is," Jason announced triumphantly pulling a bag from the belt. "See no need for some ridiculous colored bag."
"Ridiculous? Are you calling me ridiculous?" Elizabeth said trying to sound offended but having a difficult time of it.
"No, I'm calling your neon green bag ridiculous. And honestly, tell me the last time you pulled it out of your closet and really used it." Elizabeth held back a sheepish grin. "Well?" Jason pressed as they made their way through the airport terminal.
"Eighth grade, when Melanie and I went to summer camp," she giggled.
"So what you were like fourteen at the most maybe?"
"That'd be about right," she agreed.
"Need I say more?" Jason questioned.
"I guess not. But I still say it'd be easier to find. At least it would stand out!" she announced trying to sell her point.
"I don't think so," Jason laughed again.
It felt good to be back in familiar surroundings. Jason easily navigated the streets in and around Charlotte. He and Elizabeth had a good natured banter going by the time he pulled up to her house. He looked at the stately residence she shared with her father, his quote unquote boss, and thought how much it looked like Pat Ryan and nothing like his daughter. It was showy in an almost arrogant sort of way – very typical of the owner of Ryan Racing. That was so the opposite of the persona Elizabeth presented. Jason wondered how on earth she managed to live there. "Delivered safe and sound just as promised," he said as he shifted in to park without shutting off the engine.
"Yes, thank you," she agreed.
"No I should be the one doing the thanking. I couldn't have done any of this without you Elizabeth. Thanks so much for forcing me to go to Texas and more importantly for not letting me run away when things got rough."
"You don't have to thank me Jason. I knew in my heart that what you thought couldn't be true. From the day that you showed me that stupid letter I knew it all was a very bad joke."
"Maybe, but still thank you." Jason thought about the letter that had started this all and couldn't help but think about where it had really come from. He had his suspicions but honestly right now that was the last thing he wanted to think about. For him the worst of it was over and there was no reason to think on any of it anymore.
"You're welcome," she said. For a minute the pair sat in an awkward silence as the DJ on the radio drowned on endlessly but each was thankful for the noise to fill the quiet. "I'm just glad it worked out and it was great to see Jake," Elizabeth commented.
"Yeah it was wasn't it?" Jason lamented as he thought about just how much he missed the older man. "I could have done without my mother though," he snorted.
"I can't say as I disagree," Elizabeth concurred trying to put Alison Morgan's voice and question out of her mind once more yet sitting there inches from Jason made it rather difficult.
"Sorry if she gave you a hard time," Jason apologized for his mother's abominable behavior even though Elizabeth had assured him that Alison hadn't done or said anything offensive in his absence.
"No harm no foul," she said.
"Still it's bad enough you put yourself on a plane for me adding my mother to the mix only makes matters worse," he laughed.
"I survived."
"Thanks again," he said suddenly leaning across the gear shift and gently pressing his lips to Elizabeth's. She was taken aback momentarily but quickly recovered returning his affection. Closing her eyes Elizabeth let the static electricity caused by their kiss run down her spine. She felt her breath catch in her throat as Jason pressed his lips firmly into hers once more yet as quickly as their kiss began it ended neither sure who pulled away first.
For a second neither said a word to the other only sat staring into matching blue eyes – both stunned by their brief but none the less intense exchange. "Thanks for the ride," Elizabeth finally said reaching for her purse and quickly exiting the car.
"Don't forget your bags," Jason said opening the driver's door as she turned and made her way up the slate walk toward the front door.
Elizabeth felt her cheeks flush feeling incredibly awkward as she turned back around and headed to where Jason stood opening the trunk on the car. She reached down and took the handle in her hand and in doing so she and Jason's flesh collided once again leaving the both feeling as though their bodies were on fire. "I'm sure I'll see you around the track," she said hurriedly pulling her hand away from his.
"Sure," he returned suddenly feeling as though something between them was different and Jason wasn't sure if that was good or bad. "Bye," he said again as he stood there watching her retreat into her house.
Elizabeth closed the heavy door behind her dropping the bags in her hands to the tiled floor before letting out the breath she had been holding in her lungs. A shiver ran down her spine as she touched her fingers to her lips. She was still able to feel the weight of Jason's lips on hers. She wanted Jason Morgan in a way that she promised herself she would never want another man again – especially a NASCAR driver and that frightened her. Frightened her to the point that she now found herself questioning the idea of seeing where their relationship, if it could even be called that, was headed. She was scared to put herself out there again, scared to take that plunge into the deep end of the water without being sure what lay below the surface. "Damn it," she muttered softly. "Damn it," she whispered again feeling as if she was between a rock and a hard place.
Jason climbed back into the car and sat there for a moment staring at the empty seat beside him. He wanted nothing more than to tell Elizabeth Ryan how he felt about her yet part of him knew that if he did just that there would be no turning back for them. And Jason wasn't sure he could handle the fall out from that action no matter how desperately he wanted it. For all of his snooping into Elizabeth's relationship with Weston he had pretty much come up empty the only thing he did know for sure was that she had been hurt pretty badly in it all. That in and of itself made Jason angry. The idea of anyone hurting Elizabeth had him seeing red. So there he was stuck afraid to go forward and profess his feelings yet unable to go back to a time in his life when the only people that mattered to him really were Jake and Tom. Trying his best to put it all out of his mind for even a short time, Jason pulled out his phone and dialed Tom's number. It was only a few days away from the next race and he knew that there was a lot of work to be done before he would be ready for it.
Elizabeth watched the cloud of dust trailing behind her black chevelle as she pulled into the Ryan Racing parking lot. For all of her telling herself she needed to stay as far away from the practice track there she was just the same all under the guise of seeing Leo – at least that's what she told herself on the drive over. Looking in her rearview mirror as the car came to a stop she saw Jason's vehicle pulling in behind her. Instantly she felt her breath hitch in her throat and pulse quicken as she caught a glimpse of his handsome face.
As if on cue they both exited simultaneously suddenly laughing at one another. "Should I be worried? You following me?" Jason joked.
"Me following you?" she parroted. "Who's parked behind who here?" she chided. "I think I should be the one who's worried," she laughed while Jason drank in that sound. He loved to hear her laughter.
The sound of Jason and Elizabeth's voices mixing together as they walked into the garage caught Leo's attention. He cocked his head to the side and watched as the pair bantered back and forth on their approach to him. He's more than pleased to see the closeness between the two. Leo hadn't seen Elizabeth smiling and laughing with such ease in quite sometime. It was obvious whatever happened in Texas had been good for them. It had brought them an intimacy that was even more palpable than it had been before they left.
"So I see you two are joined at the hip now," he laughed wiping his dirty hands on an already grease filled shop rag.
"Who us?" Elizabeth mocked. "Not us – never!" she laughed looking at Jason giving him a wink. The three of them began to laugh and that laughter permeated the expansive garage.
It was that laughter that caught Tom Boudean's attention as he entered through one of the side entrances of the garage. He had picked up a few parts that Jason had asked him to on his way over to meet him. Quietly he stood in the corner watching the three of them. Thinking back to when Jason first mentioned joining Ryan Racing, Tom now deeply regretted thinking this would be his big break. If anything it had been his biggest downfall. He hated it there and hated even more so how he felt like a virtual outsider in his once best friend's life. What was that old saying – be careful what you wish for you just might get it? Well Tom certainly hadn't thought that by wishing to be part of the prestigious Ryan Racing Team that it would have cost him his best friend.
Tom's eyes were glued to Jason and Elizabeth. He took in every subtle nuisance of how they were with one another. He read something into every slight smile, touch and laugh. The longer he stood there the more furious he became. There was such a difference in the way the two of them acted with one another. Tom couldn't help but wonder what had happened between them while in Texas – then again maybe he didn't want to know.
The conversation that Billy Weston and Pat Ryan had been having when the exited Pat's office stopped abruptly when the sight of Elizabeth and Jason came into their view both men were shocked to see the pair on the other side of the garage.
Billy took notice immediately of the clear change in Jason Morgan's demeanor and that troubled him. He had hoped that in his absence Jason would have grown more despondent however it certainly didn't look to be the case. In fact the angry sullen man that had been stomping around the garage weeks ago was now gone. In his place was a cheerful man who was laughing and smiling as if he didn't have a care in the world. Billy clenched his jaw tightly his own anger filling him rapidly. This wasn't at all what he wanted to see.
Pat Ryan trained his hard stare on his daughter. There she stood between two of his drivers laughing and carrying on as if she was a teenager again. Pat had to wonder if her sudden exit leaving him only a short note saying that she had to take care of hospital business wasn't more than just a rouse. He could help but think that it had far more to do with Jason Morgan seeing as the two of them made a hasty exit at nearly the same time – not to mention their sudden reappearance.
He scrutinized every move he saw between Elizabeth and Jason as he stood there observing them. Pat saw the bright smile his daughter wore and could hear the lightness in her tone and a part of him was thrilled to see some semblance of the girl she had once been but there was a greater part that couldn't help fret over how what he was witnessing happening would effect his up and coming driver not to mention Pat was trying to gauge the best way to use it all to his fullest advantage.
"Hey Leo," Jason began looking for the right words to make up for his horrible behavior before he left for Texas searching for answers from Jake.
"Yeah man?" Leo gave him an odd look at the sudden change in Jason's tone.
"I wanted to say sorry for the horrible way I acted. I was bear and I know it. I didn't mean to take out my problems on you – hell everyone around me," Jason said looking at Elizabeth now. Who in turn touched his arm gently at that remark assuring him that all was fine. "I was just trying to deal with some personal stuff and it had nothing at all to do with you so I shouldn't have been so hard on you but thankfully it's all been resolved finally."
"Not a problem man. Never thought a thing about it. Just thought you were PMSing!" Leo joked.
"Hey!" Elizabeth snapped thinking his comment was none too funny.
"Well, being as I have known you for many years now, don't you think I know mood swings when I see them?" Leo teased her again.
"You take that back!" she shouted. "I'm NOT moody!"
"Jase, help me out here," Leo stressed.
"I ain't touching this one," Jason begged off holding his hands in the air as if he was trying to avert Elizabeth's wrath.
"You take that back Jorgenson! RIGHT NOW!" she said taking a step closer to him. Even though Leo towered over her he found himself taking a step back from the fiery auburn haired girl.
"Okay – okay," Leo relented finally knowing that if he didn't Elizabeth would continue to bagger him besides he just enjoyed getting her goat more than anything else. "Really Jason, it's no big deal. I'm just glad things worked out. How about we hit the bar tonight for some wings and a rematch at the dart board?" Jason and Elizabeth looked at one another and nodded in agreement. "How about we meet at seven?"
"Sounds good to me. I best get to the hospital. I can only imagine how deep my desk is buried in paperwork." Elizabeth's heading to the hospital was two fold. She did indeed need to see what workload awaited her but she was more interested in tracking down Melanie and twisting her arm if need be into joining them all that evening. Her efforts at bringing Leo and Melanie together had stalled a bit given what had been happening in Jason's life as of late and it was time that she got her plan up and running again.
Tom finally couldn't contain his irritation any longer and stormed across the oil and grease speckled floor to where the group stood saying their goodbyes. "I thought we were here to work on your car," Tom said in the most sarcastic tone he could muster waving the parts Jason had wanted him to get in his hands.