Once the hour struck that she could clock off from work, Elizabeth booked it to the department store.
She had to buy a new dress. A different dress.
There was no way she was going to wear the pink one with the chance that she'll be seeing Jason there.
No way in hell.
Lucky be damned because she was going to go all out for this ball.
Rifling through the dresses, Elizabeth found the perfect one.
It was elegant, but understated. Just what she was looking for.
Paying for it, Elizabeth caught a cab to her gram's house and rushed inside to get ready.
She had an hour before Zander would be there to take her to the Quartermaine estate.
She had to look beautiful.
"Oh great." she groans as she strips down. "I'm starting to act like Emily."
Shaking her head, Elizabeth takes a quick shower, being sure to really wash off the day's events.
Just as she walks out of the bathroom, a knock sounds at her door.
"Go away Sarah!" she exclaims, not wanting to deal with her sister.
"Its not Sarah."
"Emily?" Elizabeth's brows furrowed as she rushed over to the door and pulled it open. "What are you doing here? You okay?"
"Nikolas has a girlfriend." Emily blurted out. "Can you believe that? She's from Greece!"
"Well, it is where he's from." Elizabeth pointed out. "How're you doing?"
"I'm okay." Emily sighed, shaking her head. "I just wanted to see if I could steal Zander from you tonight."
"Have at him." Elizabeth smirked, grabbing a napkin for Emily. "He's all yours."
"You sure?" Emily wiped away the tears that fell. "But he's your date."
"He's my friend." Elizabeth corrected. "A royal pain and he's all yours."
"Okay. Thanks." Emily stood up. "Don't worry. I'll send the driver back to pick you up at seven."
"Sounds good." Elizabeth walked her downstairs and waited for her to get in her car before closing the door. "Looks like I'm going stag."
Walking back upstairs, Elizabeth could hear her sister getting ready in her room.
Sainted Sarah must have a date to the thing if she's working so hard to get ready.
Rolling her eyes, Elizabeth walks back to her room to finish getting ready.
"I may be going there alone." Elizabeth picks up her dress. "Doesn't mean I have to leave alone."
Jason made sure to put guards at the estate and doing a perimeter check before getting home to get ready.
He was supposed to ride with the Corinthos family to the event, but the idea of seeing Elizabeth had him opting for his bike instead.
Maybe he'll get the beauty to take a ride with him. Even if she's wearing a fancy dress.
As he took a shower, Jason made sure to shave off the fuzz that was starting to grow on his face.
Clean shaven and basically just clean, he threw on some deodorant and slid into his suit.
Carly had insisted on buying him an Armani suit, like he could tell the difference between the different brands.
To him, a suit's a suit.
Once he was dressed from head to toe in formal wear, sans a tie, Jason grabbed his keys and headed down to his bike.
All the fatigue that had been plaguing him only hours before was now gone.
He couldn't wait to get to the ball and see her.
To get her to blush again.
Jason arrived at 66th ahead of time, wanting to avoid the crowds and wanting to get some alone time with Lila.
Making his way into the estate, he found his grandmother sitting in the family room.
"Jason, you're truly a blessing, my dear." his grandmother exclaimed and knew that something was up. "We have a minor situation that I think you could rectify."
"And that would be?" Jason inquired, kneeling before her.
"Your sister assured a very good friend of the family that she'd send our driver to pick her up, but Lionel had an emergency come up and can't make the trip." Lila explained. "Would you be a dear and play the part for me?"
"I would, but I doubt your guest would want to ride my bike."
"Oh, my dear, there's an easy solution to that." Lila smiled brightly. "You can take Edward's Jag. The keys are in the visor."
"Edward's Jag, huh?" Jason smirked before shaking his head. "Got an address for this friend of yours?"
Elizabeth has finished getting ready, slipping into her flats.
The dress was long enough that no one would know that she wasn't wearing high heels.
In her personal opinion, those things were torture devices created by men to make women more sensual.
Walking downstairs, Elizabeth found Sarah waiting in the living room.
"That's a nice dress." Sarah comments. "Who're you going with?"
"Who're you going with?" Elizabeth counters, glancing up at the clock.
"Lucky Spencer." Sarah says proudly, like that would affect Elizabeth in the least.
"Ah. Good for you." Elizabeth shrugged, turning to the door when the doorbell rang through the house. "Wanna get that?"
"No. You can do it." Sarah shook her head. "I want to fix my makeup."
"Might as well fix your face." Elizabeth muttered, walking over to pull the door open. "What a surprise...Lucky, come on in."
"I hope you don't mind that I'm taking Sarah." Lucky had a weird look on his face, like he really thought this would bother her.
"Not at all." Elizabeth shrugged her indifference. "I'm happy you two kids are going together."
Emphasis on the word kids.
"Well, I'm glad you're okay with this." Lucky smirked, ignoring the tone in her voice. "Sarah and I have been hanging out a lot lately and it seemed natural to ask her."
"You don't have to explain anything Lucky." Sarah stood next to him. "I'm ready to go."
Just as they were about to walk over to the door, a knock sounded at the door.
"Don't bother." Elizabeth stated, walking over to the door. "I'll get it."
Pulling it open, she nearly fell over in shock.
It was him.
How could he possibly be there right then?
This is crazy.
She was torn between strangling Emily and thanking her.
Jason was equally shocked to see her standing there.
His grandmother never gave him the name of the person he was supposed to pick up.
He had expected to find an old woman or something since it was a friend of the family.
Most of the family being old, it only seemed logical.
But standing there, he seriously didn't mind the surprise.
In fact, he welcomed it.
"Hi." he takes the moment to look her over.
Her dress flowed down her body like water.
Elizabeth stands before him in a strapless midnight blue evening gown.
A belt-like jewelled strap rested just beneath her breasts, making her upper body form nicely as she breathed in and out.
Her hair flowed freely, her curls are currently loose and bouncy.
Her eyes, boy her eyes could melt Antarctica.
"Hi." she whispers, captivated by his ice blue eyes.
She was right.
He looked deadly in that suit.
Her mind wandering to more indecent thoughts as she stared at him.
But like always, sainted Sarah ruined the moment.
"Who's this Lizzie?" Sarah inquired, noticing Lucky stiffen and glare at the man.
"Nonya." Elizabeth doesn't even grant her a back glance. "I'm ready when you are."
"After you." Jason stepped aside, giving her room to walk out.
Elizabeth shook her head before grabbing the collage she wrapped for Lila.
"I'll carry it for you." Jason held out his hand for it, taking it once she held it out to him.
Elizabeth couldn't help the blush that touched her cheeks as she walked past Jason to the driveway.
So far the night was even better than she thought it would be.
Sarah couldn't help but gape at Elizabeth as she and Lucky walked out behind them.
They watched as Jason opened Elizabeth's door for her before putting her gift in the trunk.
Elizabeth couldn't help but notice the disbelief etched in both Lucky and Sarah's faces.
But the thought didn't stay too long in her mind because another took precedence.
"Out of curiosity, do you moonlight as a chauffeur for the Quartermaines often?" Elizabeth asked when they hit a red light. "Or is this a one time thing?"
"One time thing." Jason smirked, looking over at her. "And an excuse to piss off the old man by taking his Jag."
"Ah, that makes more sense." Elizabeth shook her head. "I doubt you would have picked me up if not for the Jag."
"I would've if I knew it was you." Jason found himself saying before he could stop himself.
That was something he has yet to get used to.
Saying things without meaning to.
It seems like there was no filter from his brain to his mouth when he's around her.
But once the words left his mouth, he didn't regret it.
The blush atop her cheeks turned another shade darker.
"I hope you don't have a date to this thing." Jason pressed the gas petal, taking the turn to put them on Harborview Road.
"Why do you say that?" Elizabeth questioned, captivated by the man sitting beside her.
"Because I'd have to pound him for not picking you up like any good date would." Jason glanced at her, granting her a wink before looking at the road.
Elizabeth couldn't believe that her blush could get any redder as she sat there.
The way he says things...it just sends permanent butterflies to the pits of her stomach...making her feel like she's floating on cloud nine.
Before they knew it they were pulling into the Quartermaine estate and the place was packed.
So much for slipping in before the crowd, Jason thought, as he parked the car in the garage.
"You okay?" she asks as he helps her out of the car. "You seem a bit tense."
"I don't like crowds." he admits as they walk to the trunk to get Lila's gift. "It makes me uncomfortable."
"Me too." she takes a deep breath before courageously slipping a hand into his. "Maybe we can get through it together."
Jason stared into her eyes for a moment before tightening his grip on her hand a little and walking into the house with her.
They heard scattered gasps as they walked into the ballroom, but neither cared.
It was to be expected.
A mob enforcer and a waitress aspiring to be an artist.
Yeah. So not a likely combination.
It wasn't like they were a real item or even heading that way so Elizabeth just ignored it.
What would a man like Jason see in her anyway? She's was barely legal and he was...wow.
Jason, on the other hand, hoped that this night could lead to something much more.
They walked over to Lila, both taking turns to kiss her cheek.
"Happy birthday, Lila." Elizabeth said softly as Jason handed her the gift he carried in. "I really hope you like it."
"I'm sure I'll love it." Lila smiled brightly. "Why don't we go out on the terrace for a little fresh air?"
"Sure." Elizabeth released Jason's hand to wheel Lila out through the back, Jason following close behind.
Once they were alone outside, Lila set the gift down on the table and proceeded to unwrap it.
A gasp of delight escaped her lips as the gift came into view.
"Oh, my dear, this is beautiful." Lila ran her hand over the collage. A sketch of all her family members, Jason included. "It is absolutely perfect. Thank you!"
Elizabeth bent down and wrapped her arms around the woman.
She has become as much a grandmother to her as Audrey was.
Elizabeth relied on this woman for advice and guidance.
Jason had to admit that he liked seeing the encounter between Elizabeth and his grandmother.
"Since we're doing gifts." Jason chimed in, pulling out his gift from his jacket. "This is for you."
Lila smiled brightly, taking the gift in her hands.
Opening the long slender velvet box, Lila couldn't help the tears that welled up in her eyes.
She always knew that her grandson was the tentative type and would pay attention to the little details, so this didn't surprise her.
That didn't mean it didn't warm her heart.
"I remember you saying your pearls had been damaged." Jason said softly, handing her the hankie from his pocket. "I know it doesn't replace it, but..."
"Its perfect, my dear." Lila assured, wiping her tears away. "You both have given this ball what it desperately needed. Simplicity. Thank you both."
Lila was positively glowing as they took her back into the ballroom.
As Jason walked Elizabeth to get something to eat, Alan Quartermaine walked over to Lila.
"What are you up to mother?" Alan asked, standing beside Lila and watching as his son escorted the lovely Elizabeth Webber to the buffet table.
"Love doesn't always happen on its own, my son." Lila looked up at him, smiling deviously. "Sometimes one must help it along to ensure happiness for those involved."
Author's Note: Thank you all for the encouraging reviews. I'm glad you are enjoying the way the story is progressing.
Please keep up with the reviews and I hope you enjoyed this update!
Till next time...