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Chapter 19

"Before we head out I need to speak with you." Renaldo was on the phone with his boss. "Johnny and Max will be joining us."

"I'll meet you outside in a few minutes." Jason knew if all three of them were coming it was something important. It briefly crossed his mind that something had happened back home, but Sonny or Francis would have called if that was the case. "The guys want to talk with me." He stood up from the table where Elizabeth was finishing breakfast.

"That's fine." She wiped her mouth. "I need to brush my teeth, and just make sure my bag for the day is packed. I'll wait inside until you come back."

"Okay." He leaned over to kiss her. "Sweet."

"It's the jam." She had a bagel this morning.

"No, it's not." Jason smiled and kissed her again. "All you. I'll be back."

Liz nodded as he went to the front door. She didn't move from where she was standing because she was enjoying his butt in the denim. Today he was wearing a light blue t-shirt and she had enjoyed looking at him across the table. When he was out of sight she grinned and put her plate in the dishwasher before going to the bedroom.


"What's up?" Jason didn't have to wait long for the trio to show up.

Renaldo took the question because he called the meeting. "Rory is going to be with us for the remainder of the trip."

"Is there an issue that is causing you to beef up security?" Jason wasn't expecting another guard.

"I'm not beefing up security." Renaldo cleared up. "Rory is replacing Lee."

Jason looked at his friends. "I had planned for Lee to return with us to back up Max." The blonde mob boss explained why he wanted a fourth guard for the rotation. The three men standing of front of him were more than capable of keeping him and Elizabeth safe.

Renaldo nodded. "When you told me to add someone else I figured that was why." A good part of the job they did was knowing what your boss wanted or needed without them going into detail. Jason and Sonny were good about telling you what they expected, but occasionally they didn't fill in details. Mainly because they knew they didn't have to. "I looked at the guys down here and narrowed the list down to five contenders. Lee was number one when I started the list, and he was still number one when I was done weighing the job requirements. He just beat out Rory."

"Why did Lee beat out Rory?" Jason would get back to what caused Lee to be pulled from this assignment.

"Lee is a little older. I've had a chance to work with him longer. Rory is very good at his job, but a little seasoning is never a bad thing." Renaldo said grinning. The guys constantly trained to stay sharp. That included him and the two friends standing with him. "Lee also was easier to relocate. Rory had a girlfriend who didn't want to move." The organization took that into consideration when transferring guys. They didn't want to break up families or damage serious relationships. "When I spoke to him this morning he said that they were never very serious, and weren't seeing one another any longer."

Jason nodded. "Rory is an outstanding guard. Where is Lee now?"

"The casino, here at the resort." Renaldo explained to his boss. "He needed to be reassigned because he has a fast growing crush on your girlfriend." The guard said with a smirk. "I figured I would keep you from having to kill him while you were on vacation."

"Seriously?" Jason hadn't seen any signs of that being the case. He had been watching Lee off and on to make sure he was a good fit with Elizabeth. However he hadn't been paying super close attention to the guard, because Johnny and Max were.

"Seriously." Johnny said finally speaking up. "He was enjoying the view a little too much. So he had to go." One because if he was distracted he might miss a threat, and two they didn't want Liz to feel uncomfortable.

"He didn't step out of line at all." Max took over. "I know because I was watching." As Liz's primary guard he needed to work well with the person backing him up. He also needed to trust that they would do a good job when on duty. Max had been the one to realize what was going on, and he had requested Lee be transferred. Renaldo and Johnny had been watching the situation ever since.

"He's not in trouble." Renaldo wanted that clear. Max was right, Lee had kept it to looking. That and blushing whenever Liz spoke to him. "I wanted to move him before Liz realized what was going on."

"It happens." Max said with a shrug. "You can't control attraction." He wouldn't have been able to guard Francis's wife a few years ago because he thought Diane was hot. He also wouldn't have ever hit on her because he respected Francis too much. The crush was gone now, but Max understood what Lee was feeling.

"He'll be an asset here on the island." Jason trusted his guys. Lee could go anywhere in the territory to work at the moment, except Port Charles. Renaldo would keep him away from Liz, until the crush was no longer an issue.

"That he will. We will observe Rory and make sure he's a good fit." Renaldo told Jason. "Unless there is someone else you specifically want."

"Rory is fine." Jason knew the guard, and liked him. "He should be a good fit." The blonde mob boss also knew that Max and Johnny had given their approval as well. "Let me see if Liz is ready to go."

"We'll be over with the cars. Rory is here, you can handle the introductions when we get to our destination." Renaldo said before following his friends to the home down the path.


They were headed back to San Juan. Liz had decided that this was the city she wanted to get to know well before leaving. The next time they came down she would pick another city to explore in depth. In Old San Juan seven blocks of living history waited to be walked through, complete with cobble stone streets. They parked and set off on foot to see what they had previously skipped on the smallest of the islands around Puerto Rico. The first thing they did was visit Castillo San Felipe del Morro or El Morro as it was named by the locals. The sixteenth century fortress was named after King Phillip II and was erected to protect the entrance to the San Juan Bay so that the city of the same name remained safe.

From the citadel Elizabeth was able to take a host of pictures of the breathtaking view. Including photos of El Canuelo which sat on the opposite side of the bay. The smaller structure was designed as a compliment to the larger Castillo. Both were now World Heritage Sites that hosted millions of tourists each year.

"I love getting these glimpses into the history of the region. Walking around both citadels was like stepping back in time." Liz said as they walked out passed Fort San Cristobel, which they had already seen. "We stood in the very spot where some of the first shots of the Spanish-American war were fired. The map of the world changed due to events in this location."

Jason liked have a girlfriend who respected, and had a love of history. There were women in his past who would not have enjoyed visiting some of the locations they had seen on this trip. "We should go to Philadelphia at some point this summer." The city was rich with history. "Also DC." Both places were quick flights from Port Charles.

"You will get no argument from me." Liz smiled over at her guy. "I've been to both locations more than once, so if we don't make it right away that is fine. Unless you haven't been."

"I've been to both, DC more than Philly." Jason had traveled a lot when he first started working for Sonny. Since he was away from home Jason took the opportunity to learn about the areas he was visiting. That was how his love of travel guides began. "Where to next."

"La Fortaleza. It's the Governor's mansion, but was originally built to defend the harbor. In fact it was the first defensive fortification built." Liz repeated what she had read this morning over breakfast.

"It is also the oldest executive mansion still in use in the continuous United States." Jason added on a bit of information that was floating around in his memory.

"Looking at you being all historically accurate." Liz bumped his hip lightly with hers. "I'm looking forward to getting more pictures." She turned around. "You guys okay back there?"

"We're good." Max answered for the guys. He was spending the morning going over procedures with Rory.

"Are you going to do any shopping while we are here?" Johnny wanted to know.

"Yes, I want to get some souvenirs. Also some items to decorate the penthouse." Liz told her friend. "You can shop too. It's been days since you've bought anything, you must be going through withdrawal." She said being cheeky.

"I did get the shakes, but Jason let me shop for your dress. So I'm okay for a while." Johnny said laughing. His love of shopping was well known. "It would just be ashamed if you came all this way and didn't get anything. I know you'll be back but you should get something to commemorate your first trip down. At least some art for all the white walls Jason insisted on having."

"You see white walls, I see a blank canvas. And they are off white." Liz gave Johnny a look. "Not that I plan on doing a massive overhaul. I'm the one who decorated the penthouse." She reminded Johnny. "All those neutrals are calming after a long day at work." Which he knew because his wall were the same color.

"I'll be fine as long as you don't touch the pool table." Jason said laughing. If she was happy then so was he.

"I did a great job the first time around." Liz said giving herself a pat on the back. "I just need to do an inventory of the items at both locations. We both will probably have to get rid of things. Some of the items we own are dupes. I don't think we need three couches in the living room." That was just what happened when you combined your life with someone else's. Even though she hadn't ever lived with someone else she knew that much.

"If nothing else maybe you can find Jason another brand of jeans while looking for souvenirs." Renaldo said picking on his friend. "He owns fifty pairs and they are all exactly the same."

"As a woman I can totally get behind that." Liz said laughing at Jason's scowl. She liked that the guys didn't treat him or Sonny any differently than they treated one another. She really liked that her guy, and her friend, didn't mind the guys dogging on them. "Finding jeans that work for your body is hard. I cried when my favorite brand discontinued my style. It was a dark day in my life, much ice cream was consumed. Especially since I only managed to get my hands on ten pairs before they were all sold out."

"Can't you just make a pair of jeans?" Max wanted to know.

"I could, but there is a science behind making good jeans. I'm not interested in learning it at the moment. Denim skirts are about as far as I'm going to go, and I don't do many of those because honestly I don't like working with denim." Liz explained to them. "If you notice any obvious things missing from my collections, like wedding gowns, there is a reason behind it. Picking what I will and won't create each year is done very strategically." She was creating those lines on her own, so she had to make the most of her time. Big name designers had teams of folks working for them, she didn't. Liz had to figure out what would sell and what wouldn't by herself. As an independent brand she didn't have room for stock that just sat around.

Johnny nodded as he listened to Liz. Her business acumen was impressive. She had a lot of very rich friends, him included. Not once had she ever hit anyone up for a loan, or try to get them to invest in her company. Everything she had accomplished and earned, she had done so through hard work and business savvy. "I have to admit to wondering why you don't have wedding gowns on your site. Now I know."

"They are a pain. I made one, swore I'd never do another." She said laughing. Renaldo was getting them passes to the next site, Max and Rory were scanning the area. With this bit of privacy Liz turned to her friend. "The model that you are interested in is named Karen Wexler. I know she is currently single and when we get back home I'll see if she is interested in meeting you."

"Thanks, I appreciated the assist." Johnny knew that Liz would paint him in the best possible light.

"Not a problem." Liz thought they would be a cute couple. "Skye gave me her name because they know one another. My offer to model was good because I could work around her schedule for school. She decided to go back to college and go into medicine." Karen was coming back for the new line that was going up next month.

"The name is familiar." Johnny could put his finger on why though. He was guessing it wasn't business related, because that he wouldn't forget.

"Karen's ex is Jagger Cates." Liz knew that would clear the fog.

"Okay. I won't hold that against her." Johnny promised. Jagger had been a pain in the ass. He worked for the PCPD and was pissed that his brother Stone was close to Sonny. In fact the mob boss had covered all of Stone's medical bills when he was dying from AIDS. That was how they met Robin. Sonny offered to cover her bills as well, even though she didn't remain close to them after her boyfriend died, but she said no. In fact other than her trying to get Jason's attention at one point they no longer had any contact.

"I know, but he was seeing her when he slept with Brenda." Liz wanted Johnny to know Karen had some trust issues. "She's dated since then, but nothing serious."

"So noted. She won't need to worry about that with me." Johnny assured his friend.

"I have no doubt about that." Liz replied smiling. "Otherwise no introduction would be coming." With that the conversation ended because Renaldo was back.


After some shopping and a delicious lunch they headed over to Arecibo. The town was less than an hour's drive away, so it was the perfect addition to their day out. The first stop was the Punta Los Morrillos Lighthouse. It was built in 1898, automated in 1964, and was still in use today.

Next up was the Arecibo Observatory. What made this a must see stop for visitors to the island was that it was the largest single radio telescope ever constructed. It is also one of the world's most powerful radar-radio telescopes. With Jason's love of astronomy there was no way they weren't coming to visit. Especially after he admitted to never having been when she was making her list of stops this morning. She snapped pictures as he got to gaze out into the heavens.

The third stop in the picturesque town was the Museum of Art and History Areicbo. They got a lesson on the history of the town and stopped to enjoy an exhibit featuring local artists. Nothing was for sale, but Liz was directed to a local gallery where she could buy pieces. When the guys said they could stand more shopping, they took a detour to check out the offerings.


"I had so much fun today." Liz said as they entered their vacation home. "I think the ladies will like what I picked up for them." She didn't get anything large. Just something small for everyone so they knew she had thought of them.

"I wonder if they will like what you got, as much as the shopkeeper in that one store liked what you are wearing." Jason said with a smile. "I didn't realize that you had made this top." The bright blue was similar in hue to what she swore their first day out.

Liz just blushed. "I've never had anyone ask me if I want space in their shop based on one piece before." The jersey knit short sleeved tee was something she made a few years back. The crochet trim across the bottom and sleeves was actually an experiment to see how she liked it. The design passed the test and had been incorporated into the spring/summer collection. However not in this color. She was the only one with this vivid shade. "It was a nice ego boost."

"Would you like a boutique down here at the resort?" Jason wanted to know.

"You don't have to offer just because I'm your girlfriend." Liz did give him a kiss though.

Jason wasn't making the offer for that reason. He was making it because it was a sound business decision. The success of Elizabeth's website said that people liked her clothes. Her store was going to increase her exposure, he had no doubt about that. An exclusive boutique down here would be good for business. So he would have Sonny ask when they got back home. Then she would realize he had been serious. "Since we are in for the night what would you like to do?"

"Hot tub, after dinner, but before bed." Liz didn't even have to think hard about that. "I hope the guys have fun."

"I'm sure they will. It was nice what you did." Jason kissed the side of her neck.

"Thank you for letting me." Liz was enjoying this quiet time. She had wanted to know if the guys could have the night off, and when Jason said yes she bought them each a ticket to a local baseball game. She bought an extra ticket so that Lee could go as well. Liz still didn't know why he wasn't with them any longer, but she did want to say thank you to him for helping to keep her safe.

"I'll cook." Jason needed to put some space between them before he backed her up against the nearest wall. Not that she would mind, but it had been a while since lunch and he knew she was hungry.

Liz sat on one of the bar stools and watched her guy. Their discussion about a boutique was still in her head, and it made her want to share something. "Can I tell you a secret?"

"Sure." Jason got out the tools he needed.

"I just want to say that me not telling you before doesn't have anything to do with not trusting you. I haven't told anyone yet, because I was afraid that if I said something too soon then it would jinx it. Which is silly because luck isn't a factor in this. The factor in this is my skill and how my clothes are perceived by others. It's just that saying it out loud to another person makes it real in a way it wasn't before." She had to stop to breathe.

Jason had to clear his throat to keep from laughing. His girl was nervous, which was why she was rambling. "I know you trust me. If you feel that you need to keep this information close for a while longer I'll understand."

"I want to share it with you. It seems right that I share it with you first." Liz said telling the butterflies in her stomach to calm down. "The fashion industry gives out awards every year. Anyone can enter their designs in the various categories. Wait, that's not completely true. You can't enter your collections for Designer of The Year, or Young Designer of The Year. Those you have to be nominated for." She explained to him. "So this year I entered my fall/winter line from last year in the Women's Collection category. Because that's a category I feel confident I have a shot at winning. I felt a little strange doing it because I didn't start Audrey March for awards." She had named her clothing line after her gram. "I created it because it's my passion."

"Did you win?" Jason wanted to know. He had stopped his prep.

"The winners haven't been announced yet. So I don't know that, but something else happened." Liz said smiling. "I entered in January, which was when submissions opened, and in April I got a request to submit my current spring/summer collection sketches. Which I did. The same day that Logan happened I got a message from the awards committee." Liz took a deep breath when thinking about that night.

Jason covered her hand with his to help her relax.

"I made it into the final round for the Women's Collection of the year." Liz prepared to share her big news. "And I was also told that Kate Howard put my name in for Young Designer of the Year." Young meant any designer under the age of thirty. "I never even considered that I would be up for that award, and now I am." She shared with him.

Jason came around the island and gave her big hug. "I'm so proud of you." He couldn't tell her that enough.

"Thanks." Liz had to blink back tears. There it was again, his unconditional support. "I'm probably not going to win. My brand is still small in the grand scheme of things. Still Kate Howard knows who I am. She's huge in the fashion world. She owns Crimson which is the biggest fashion magazine on the planet."

"What do you get when you win?" Jason knew his girl had this in the bag.

Liz just laughed at his optimism. "If I win the Women's Category I get a shiny award and a check for ten grand. The money will go right back into the business, and I'm not going to lie it would be nice to have. I also get my picture in Crimson with one of my creations."

"And the Young Designer of the Year award?" Jason wanted to know.

"The winner of that gets a shiny award, a check for twenty-five grand, a spread in Crimson with an interview, plus the cover." Liz told him. "They also get a show at fashion week. The exposure is worth much more than the money, but the cash is nothing to sneeze at."

When she won he was going to have to take some time off. No way was Elizabeth having her own show and he didn't go to support her. They could spend the entire week in New York if she wanted. "Thank you for sharing your secret with me." He said giving her a soft kiss. "When will you know?"

"Late next month." Liz said leaning into his warmth. "Right around the time that I open my store. Assuming everything goes well." Diane was arranging an inspection. Now that she was in escrow they could go inside the building. The attorney had taken it on herself to call Cody, and asked him to send a crew. Once it was done they would know exactly what needed to be addressed.

"It's going to go great." Jason promised her. He got another kiss before going back to dinner preparations. "So we don't talk about this again?" He was guessing.

"Nope. I'm doing my best not to think about it. Much." Liz let him know.

"I have one request." Jason looked over at her. "Call me first when you get any information."

"I can do that." Liz promised him.

With a nod Jason began putting together the evening meal.


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