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Chapter Text

When after the first year of working for Miranda Andy decided to stay to take on the role of the first assistant instead of leaving, her family for a good reason thought she had gone crazy.

A year was what she had always intended to do. 

A year that would open her doors to any job in journalism.

A year that for much of it she had spent complaining about said job and missing many family gatherings because of it.

Miranda had been satisfied with her work, or at least what Andy interpreted as satisfaction, and such she would have probably even given her at least a decent recommendation. Still Andy decided to stay. She felt there was more Runway could give her, more she could learn from Miranda. She also felt like she owed it to Emily, to allow her to move along on her career. If Andy left, Emily would have been forced to stay. For yet another year or however long it would take to find and train the next one. After everything that had happened to Emily Andy just couldn’t do it. 

Soon after Paris Emily found a new job at Teen Runway, at the beauty department. It wasn’t exactly her dream job, but she seemed to be happy that she was at least on the right track to achieve the things she wanted.

It took Andy a month after she left to finally find a good candidate for the position of Miranda’s second assistant. Sierra, a girl a couple years younger than Andy was the person Miranda too agreed was a decent hire. Sierra was from New York which gave her a minimal advantage to the job. As did being much more fashion knowledgeable than Andy had been in the beginning. It also didn't hurt that she, much like Emily had, idolised Miranda. Even if she seemed to be absolutely petrified anytime she was in the same room with her.

A month after Sierra started, Miranda finally deemed her sane enough to be allowed to deliver the mock-up to her townhouse. It finally freed Andy’s evenings, which definitely was one of the major perks about being the first assistant. Free evenings, Fashion weeks, rubbing elbows with some of the biggest names in publishing.

Free evenings also made it possible to see her family more often, which was both a blessing and a curse. 

“I just don’t understand why you didn’t seize the opportunity to get a recommendation for a new job,” her father said very soon after they had sat down for dinner. After months of not seeing each other. “Another year as an assistant? Is that really what you want?” He shook his head, a look of disappointment all too evident on his face.

Andy explained. Opportunities, networking, duty. And her parents countered. Wasting time, wasting talent. And the insane hours, even having to answer the phone when she’s supposedly off work. Preventing her from having a proper social life. Friends. Boyfriends.

“Which reminds me, have you heard from Nate? You were such a good couple,” her mother said. The last part far too wistfully for Andy’s liking.

In the crossfire of all of her decisions being questioned, she made her best and most questionable one yet. 

“I am dating someone,” Andy blurted out. She wasn’t, she really didn’t have time to despite having more free time in the evenings.

“Who?” Her parents said at the same time. Her father looked confused, mother slightly excited.

A stupid lie, but an even stupider one followed. One Andy would tell herself actually was a great idea. “Miranda.”

“You’re dating your boss?” Her father said, and was quite clearly disappointed with Andy’s bad judgement.

“You’re dating a woman?” Her mother was more going through the emotions of the surprise reveal of Andy’s sexuality. Which to be fair was a surprise to Andy too.

Because she wasn’t gay, just tired of the conversations surrounding their dinner. Once she stopped working for Miranda, she could say they broke up, until then no more questioning her choice. It was the perfect lie.

After the dinner she returned to the apartment she shared with Serena. When Nate broke up with Andy, she had no choice but to move out of her apartment. She could no longer afford it with her single income but luckily Serena too was in the market for a roommate. Only a month before she took over as the first assistant they moved in together.

Once Andy had explained what had transpired at the dinner with her parents, Serena stared at her bewildered. 

“You told them what?”

“Come on, it’s brilliant. They’re off my back for both my work and my dating life. They will never want to meet Miranda, because they don’t approve of it for various reasons. Peace and quiet,” Andy said and clinked her glass of wine to Serena’s.

Serena looked at her sceptically. “If you say so.”

***

“Andréa?” Miranda’s voice called for her from the inner office. Andy jumped up and with her notepad in hand rushed in. “I will need you to cancel my dinner tonight. And get me Leslie. That’s all.”

“Yes, Miranda,” Andy said and spun around.

“Where is my coffee?” Miranda asked after Andy was already on the phone with Leslie. That moment Sierra, the second assistant ran in balancing cups of coffee. 

Andy jerked her head towards Miranda’s office indicating that she should take the coffee to the editor as soon as possible.

“I have Leslie,” Andy informed Miranda and waited to hear the sign the call had connected and lowered the receiver.

“I’m sorry,” Sierra said and handed Andy her coffee order. “They messed up Miranda’s order in the first round. I saw them put caramel in it.”

“Good call,” Andy said. She couldn’t imagine what Miranda’s reaction would have been if she had taken a sip of that. “Go have your lunch first, I have a couple calls I still need to make.”

Sierra nodded and rushed out again. 

Andy picked up the phone again to cancel Miranda’s dinner. Miranda had offered no reason for her cancellation, but Andy had worked for her long enough to know it didn't really matter or that if she were to ask she wouldn’t be given an answer. All she had to do was to cancel in a way that made Miranda seem very regretful that the lunch couldn’t happen. Polite and considerate. 

“Coat, bag,” Miranda said an hour or so later and Andy heard her approaching. She went to get both and first helped Miranda in her coat, before handing her the handbag. Miranda looked down at her frame, before returning to look into Andy’s eyes. “You should try the green one,” was everything she said before heading out.

Andy turned and looked at herself from the mirror and tilted her head. Maybe the green Galliano really would be better.

Later in the afternoon Andy was about to gather her things and go home when Sierra came back from the bathroom, eyes red-rimmed like she had been crying.

“What’s wrong?” Andy asked her and got up.

She rubbed the girl’s back who started sobbing again. “My boyf–boyfriend bro-broke up with me!” Sierra managed between sobs.

“Oh, honey. I’m sorry,” Andy said. And then cursed herself in her head, because the next thing that came from her mouth was, “You can go home early today. I’ll wait for the Book tonight.”

Sierra thanked her and left, while the sobbing never stopped. Andy sighed. At least it would only be for one night, before she got to have her free evenings back.

“What are you still doing here?” Serena asked, peeking through the glass door. She too was on her way home.

“Sierra had boyfriend problems,” Andy explained casually.

Serena shook her head. “Querida, you’re too softhearted. The second assistant is going to walk all over you.”

Andy rolled her eyes. “It’s just this one time.”

“Sure it is. I’ll see you later,” Serena said as she left and waved her hand goodbye.

“Andy?” One of the twins said confused when they saw her at the bottom of the stairs with the book instead of Sierra.

“Where is Sierra?” The other one asked.

“Were you planning on pranking her?” Andy asked as she put the dry cleaning in the closet.

“No,” they said in unison, both equally unconvincing as they held back giggles.

“Of course not.” Andy snorted and put the Book on the table.

“Andréa?” Miranda summoned her from the den and Andy picked the Book up again to deliver it directly. She handed it to Miranda who was sitting in the corner of the couch reading a book. She looked at Andy, peering over her glasses, and she extended her hand. 

Andy handed her the book. And asked, “Did you need something else?”

“Where is the girl?” Miranda asked. Andy wasn’t entirely sure if she couldn’t actually remember Sierra’s name or just chose not to use it. It was like an odd kind of power play. Though Andy was sure Miranda had called her by her name by the time she was allowed to bring the Book.

“She had a family situation,” Andy explained.

“And you graciously took over?” Miranda asked, giving Andy a quick almost curious look before returning to flipping the pages of the Book.

“Too soft-hearted," Andy said, shrugging gently.

Miranda hummed in agreement. “That's all,” She dismissed her and Andy left.

***

“Where are they?” Miranda sighed, irritated as she appeared briefly in the doorway. Andy glanced at the clock on the wall and picked up her phone. A run through was supposed to start in 20 minutes, but Miranda seemed to have decided it should have started already.

“You're late,” Andy said to the phone when Nigel Kipling, Runway’s art director answered.

“It's one of those days,” he said knowingly. “We'll be right there.”

“They are on their way,” Andy informed Miranda.

Two minutes later, as Miranda's patience had nearly run out, the group walked in dragging a selection of coats and bags with them. Andy followed them in, and stood by the door waiting if she would be needed.

Miranda dismissed tiredly the first two ideas she previously had been keen on. Nigel looked at Andy looking for an explanation but Andy only gave him a small shrug, because she had no idea why suddenly Miranda was blocking every idea. Nigel turned back to Miranda and tried his best to keep her satisfied.

"At least we don't need to axe the whole thing," Nigel grumbled, good-naturedly. Like he always managed to stay despite what Miranda was throwing at him.

Andy handed him a tray as they stepped in line to get lunch. She picked up the ladle and started scooping soup.

"Corn chowder?" Nigel arched his brow teasingly as he looked on.

"Hey, I've given a lot for this job, but my carbohydrates I will never surrender," Andy said triumphantly as she lowered her plate on the tray. Nigel laughed heartily in response.

They paid for their lunches and found a table.

"Are you excited about Paris?" Nigel asked as he opened the lid of his salad.

"I… I guess I am.” This time going to Paris felt more like she earned it. Instead of stabbing Emily in the back. “You?”

Nigel grinned tiredly. “Always.”

“But Paris means Miranda will only get more demanding as it approaches,” Andy sighed and hoped she had trained Sierra well enough that she could actually be helpful during the upcoming weeks.

The girl had promise but also seemed to easily irritate Miranda. Not that it was particularly hard.

“Still, it's your last time. I mean unless you've decided you'd rather stay with us.”

“I'm hopeful Sierra will be ready in a few months to take over. Not that I've found anything yet,” Andy said. She had not dared yet to bring it up with Miranda. Especially as Miranda still didn't even call Sierra by her name. “But I will miss at least some parts of this,” she added, smiling.

“Of course you will. There is no place like this,” Nigel said and then glanced at his watch.He picked one last cherry tomato. “Speaking of, we need to head back to the office. I have to prepare for the retry of the catastrophic run through.”

Sierra looked at Andy wide-eyed, with a mix of panic and relief reflected in them when she arrived back to their desks. “Thank God, you're here,” Sierra said immediately.

Sierra didn't lower her voice so Andy knew Miranda wasn't in the office. “What happened? Isn't she at lunch?”

“Yes, but before she left she gave me this list of things she needs when she comes back. And she'll be back any moment,” Sierra explained and looked like she was on the verge of tears. 

Andy took the note from her, at least the girl's handwriting even under pressure was neat and readable. Andy read over it, gnawed her lip a second and handed the note back.

“You go get the jackets, and I'll call Renaldo to pack up the twins' gifts and you'll pick them up after. It'll be fine, now go.” Andy looked after Sierra rushing out, only half wearing her coat and then picked up the phone.

Andy could only imagine what Emily had to go through with her when she started. Sierra at least knew how to spell Gabbana from the get go.

A ‘ETA 5 minutes’ text message from Roy, Miranda’s driver arrived, but Sierra was still to return. Andy forwarded the message to her and got up. She went into Miranda’s office and placed a glass and a bottle of Pellegrino on her desk. As she walked back to the outer office Sierra finally arrived.

Andy let out a sigh of relief and took the bags of presents she immediately took in to wait for Miranda. Sierra took the jackets to the rack waiting in the inner office.

“I can’t believe I made it,” Sierra said as she sat behind her desk again.

“Good thing you did,” Andy replied. “Miranda’s been on edge all day.”

Sierra looked at her like she had said something entirely incomprehensible. “Isn’t she always… like this?”

Andy let out a surprised chuckle. Maybe Sierra hadn’t noticed because she wasn’t present for the run through or maybe she hasn’t still worked long enough for Miranda to pick up on it. Sierra looked even more confused. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh. But once you’ve worked for her longer. You’ll know what I mean. Just… trust me when I tell you that today is a day you better succeed at every task,” Andy said.

At that moment Miranda arrived, breezed through the outer office, her coat and bag flying in an unceremonious arch on to Sierra’s desk. 

Less than five minutes later the run through started again when Nigel, followed by fashion and accessories departments key people arrived.

One of them was the fashion director, Danielle Nelson, who usually was one of Miranda’s employees going to Paris with her. This year though she was heavily pregnant, which seemed to inconvenience Miranda tremendously. Danielle could no longer fly and it really seemed like she was only days from giving birth.

“Paris…” Miranda started slowly. “Is five weeks from now, and with Danielle about to…” Miranda looked up and down at Danielle and stopped at her stomach. “I will need someone… else to join us.”

Danielle looked uncomfortable under Miranda’s scrutiny. “Yes, well… I've prepped Serena to take over for my absence so she…”

Miranda turned her gaze to Serena. Serena met her eyes, her posture straight. “Are you prepared?” Miranda asked, doubt obvious in her tone.

“I am, Miranda,” Serena said and corrected the position of her glasses.

“Do not disappoint me,” Miranda simply then said and moved on.

Serena breathed out and gave Andy an excited grin. She had been preparing for the trip with Danielle for weeks now, but Miranda might still have said no. Andy grinned back and then quickly focused on Miranda again.

She never knew when Miranda might suddenly hint at a request she expected her assistants to take care of.

“I’m going to Paris!” Serena said excitedly when Andy arrived back at their apartment late afternoon. “Thank heavens your girlfriend decided I was suitable enough.”

Andy snorted. “She’s not my girlfriend. Unless my family calls. Then we’re incredibly in love.”

“Can you imagine?” Serena said as Andy sat down on the couch where she already was seated, watching an episode of some reality show Andy didn’t immediately recognise. “Do you think she’s as… demanding in her personal life? Or maybe she’s really soft. Cuddles and soft cheek kisses.”

“I’ve not really thought about it,” Andy said nonchalantly. It had not, though sometimes she had wondered what kind of relationship Miranda and her ex-husband Stephen had. Whether they truly had been in love.

“Come on, you must have,” Serena insisted with a smirk on her face.

“I don’t know,” Andy said. Imagining Miranda at home wasn’t hard, in the den, the Book in her lap. Or how she had surprised Miranda and Stephen mid argument. Miranda’s red rimmed eyes when Stephen had filed for divorce. “I think she might be softer than you think.”

Serena laughed. “That might be hopeful thinking.”

“I don’t have a crush on Miranda Priestly. It was just a… convenient lie.” Andy said, rolling her eyes.

“Whatever you say," Serena replied.

Andy shook her head and turned to watch the TV. Even when the lie started she didn’t even consider it a possibility.

It really was just convenient. And when she would be ready she could just tell her parents they broke up and things would be back to normal. No harm, no foul.

Though after now, a couple months into the one sided secret fake relationship Andy had to admit that she had started to wonder what it would be like to kiss a woman. Not Miranda. But someone.

If it was softer than kissing a man.

Chapter Text

It was easy to admit that Miranda was beautiful. Attractive, Andy thought to herself as she observed her boss as she was talking on the phone. Attractive in a way how confident and capable people are. It wasn’t a crush Andy had, at least not the kind Serena meant by it, only understandable appreciation. Miranda’s free hand was playing idly with the pearl necklace around her neck which drew Andy’s eyes to her neck and down to the hint of cleavage revealed.

Andy turned her focus to her notes and groaned internally. Serena really was messing with her head. She was way too convinced Andy was much more than just an LGBTQIA+ ally.

Miranda got up, still the phone on her ear and Andy followed her with her eyes. Vigilant if she suddenly asked for something. As the call seemed to continue, Andy’s thoughts wandered back to Miranda’s outfit which really was perfectly tailored to her frame. Shirt tucked into the pencil skirt, a red belt around her middle to really accentuate her waist. The skirt itself really hugged her thighs, before ending just before her knees. Even Miranda’s calves were… beautiful. Enviable.

“Andréa!” Miranda’s voice was sharp and frustrated as it called out. Andy blinked quickly a few times and realised Miranda likely had been talking to her a while now. All the while Andy had just been ogling her.

“I’m sorry, Miranda,” Andy said and her eyes were on Miranda’s. To her surprise Miranda didn’t look mad. She seemed more curious than anything else. “You were–”

“Paris,” Miranda reminded her far more kindly than Andy was expecting. It wasn’t kind, but none of the sharpness was present.

Andy cleared her throat. “Right, Paris.”

“Should I be concerned? Daydreaming in the middle of a conversation?” Miranda looked at her carefully. Perhaps assessing her mental state, or maybe she really had been ogling too obviously.

“No, Miranda. I’m fully here,” Andy assured her. Undoubtedly her face slightly flushed from embarrassment. Serena would die laughing if Andy told her what had happened. Really it was her fault for making Andy have any of these thoughts.

Miranda seemed to move on, no longer interested in whatever had been happening to her assistant. “Good, as I was saying…”

Andy walked back to her desk once Miranda dismissed her and let out a long sigh as she sat down. Sierra luckily still was out on errands giving Andy a brief respite from her embarrassment.

It didn’t continue long when she heard the door open and Serena appeared. “Emily is coming,” Serena said. “Dinner and drinks later?”

“I don’t know if I want to third-wheel again.” Andy rolled her eyes.

“You could always go hang out with your girlfriend.” Serena’s tone was mischievous. “Or invite her, it’ll be a double date.”

To Andy’s luck the phone started ringing giving Andy the perfect opportunity to ignore Serena. “Miranda Priestly’s office,” Andy said. After an introduction Andy connected the call to Miranda. After lowering the receiver, she turned her attention back to Serena. “One of these days she’s going to hear the nonsense you spout out.”

“Can only hope.” Serena grinned and left with a wave. 

Andy shook her head and tried to focus on her work again. Fashion week was approaching rapidly and she still had to make sure Sierra was ready to handle Miranda’s worsening mood as it grew closer. And it was going to get so, Andy realised as she opened an email asking for an emergency meeting about the dinner Runway was hosting in Paris.

“The social event of the year and you think simple and understated are the keywords? We’re not holding a… hoedown in a barn.” Miranda had mostly seemed unimpressed throughout the meeting, but now looked like she wanted to murder the woman. If Fashion Week wasn’t already around the corner Andy knew the woman would have been fired then and there.

“The venue isn’t quite as large as the original one–” the woman tried, but Miranda stopped her.

“I do not care about the details. You and the company you represent sold the organising of Runway’s dinner as a meticulous event… Years of experience. Professionals. If such a minor inconvenience gets your operation so… derailed I can assure you our magazine will never use your services again,” Miranda said. She rolled her eyes overdramatically.

“But a major pipe bursting above–” Another person from the organiser carried on explaining how the original venue had suffered extensive water damage.

Miranda pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes. Everyone in the room got very quiet. They all seemed to know the first to speak would likely be the one getting fired. 

“Well,” Andy said and only realised it was her who had started talking when Miranda’s eyes were tightly focused on her.

“Yes?” Miranda said irritatedly, like a warning hanging in the air.

“Light art,” Andy continued, trying to sound as confident as she could. Being the center of Miranda’s focus didn’t make it easier. “If the new venue is boring, uh, the light artist Runway used for that Marant shoot? They mentioned they had a show in Paris - it would change the space quickly and make it more modern. If that was a concern…”

Miranda’s brow furrowed gently, and Andy was preparing to be fired, but then a look of relief took over Miranda’s expression. “I’m glad there is still someone here I can rely on.”

“We will need to change most of the decorative elements, but we can look into it,” the organiser said.

“I want a proposal on my desk tomorrow,” Miranda said in a tone signaling the meeting was done. People cleared the room, Andy following out after Sierra.

“I was sure she was going to fire you,” Sierra said, her voice lowered so Miranda wouldn’t hear. “She looked furious for a while.”

“I still could be fired, if it fails.” It had been a risk, but trying to solve Miranda’s problems for so long had put her on an autopilot.

“I don’t think she would actually fire you though. Everyone says you’re her favorite.” Sierra chuckled which made Andy suddenly suspicious, but before she could ask for more information Miranda’s voice carried from the inner office.

“Andrea, my coat and bag.”

“She means you.” Andy pointed at Sierra who was looking at her inquisitively. Even after all these months Sierra still was unsure if the summons was for her or Andy. At Andy’s indication Sierra jumped up to retrieve the items. Meanwhile Miranda came out of her office and stopped in front of Andy's desk. 

“We still need to go over details about Paris, you will bring the Book tonight,” Miranda informed Andy.

“Yes, Miranda,” Andy replied, trying to hide her surprise and disappointment. Sierra helped Miranda into her coat and handed her the bag and Miranda left without saying another word.

“So I can go?” Sierra asked when she heard the elevator and was sure Miranda really had gone.

Andy sighed. “Yeah, apparently.”

“Oh, great!” Sierra said excitedly and started talking about all the things she could now do. Baking for boyfriend, watching a movie with boyfriend. Andy only smiled at her as a response.

“Wait, Sierra, what did you mean when you said ‘ everyone says I’m her favorite’?” Andy asked as Sierra was putting her coat on.

“You know like they joke about things like that, that you wouldn’t be fired even if you tried to be.”

“They say that? Who are they?”

“Like everyone at the office.” Sierra shrugged. “I’ll see you tomorrow!” She added cheerily and left.

“If it’s Serena you should ignore everything she says!” Andy yelled after her but wasn’t sure if Sierra heard it.

Andy pulled out her phone to message Serena and Emily, who she was supposed to have dinner with that evening to tell them she had to work late. Serena replied with a ‘I hope you have a pleasant evening with your girlfriend!’

‘WHAT?!’ Was then Emily’s reply. Andy would bet Emily probably had yelled it out loud as she typed.

Andy told her it’s not that and Serena eagerly promised to fill in all the juicy details. Andy added she would join them for drinks if it didn’t take too long. Serena’s row of winking face emojis were when she decided to put her phone back into her bag.

Miranda came to meet Andy at the door when she arrived at the townhouse. Andy couldn't remember Miranda ever greeting her at the door before.

“My children are having a movie night with their friends in the den, so if you’ll join me in the dining room instead,” Miranda said and led Andy up one floor.

It was the first time Andy had gone further in the house than the first ground floor. Apart from that very first time the twins had tricked her up these same stairs.

Miranda apparently already had been working at the dining room table, her laptop and old issues of Runway were scattered around one end of it. Miranda sat back where she likely had been sitting and waited her hand out for the Book. Andy handed it to her and stood still.

Miranda rolled her eyes. “Relax. And sit down.”

Andy did sit down, but couldn’t really find it in herself to relax. The situation was new, the mood was… unusual. Miranda seemed fully relaxed though, and like she was amused by the whole situation. 

“You wanted to go over the trip?” Andy asked and dug her back for her notepad.

“That was a lie,” Miranda stated simply.

Andy stopped rummaging through her back and straightened herself. She had no idea what she should be preparing herself for. Was she fired? Had she really gone too far earlier at work?

“I heard an interesting rumour at the office a few days ago,” Miranda said as she turned the pages of the Book without looking at Andy. Andy felt alarmed suddenly; she hadn’t heard any rumours and usually all the office gossip she immediately got from Serena. Miranda lifted her eyes and tilted her head ever so gently. “Apparently we are dating.”

“What?” Andy blurted and immediately her cheeks were burning, and her heart was raising. She surely was about to pass out. 

Miranda hummed. “For some months now, I have gathered.”

Serena had definitely joked about it passing by Andy at the office, but Andy didn’t think anyone had heard. “Who?” Unless… What did Sierra say? 'Everyone says you’re her favourite.'

Miranda let go of the Book, and leaned back in her chair. Her eyes firmly fixed on Andy. “It does put me in a questionable position, am I favouring an employee based on my romantic entanglement with her?”

“I’m sure I can kill the rumours if I just know who to talk to,” Andy tried and laughed awkwardly. “You know how things like these go.”

“Personally, I’m more curious how this rumour started.” Miranda's eyes had a glint in them Andy had never seen before. Like Andy had been caught red handed. So, she relented. 

“I’m sorry… Someone must have misunderstood a conversation or a joke between Serena and I.” Andy wondered for a second if she should leave it at that. Just another little lie, but under the intense stare decided to just come clean with it. “A couple months ago I told a lie to my parents, just to get them off my back. They couldn’t understand how I kept working for you and kept hounding me about my boyfriend, so I…” Andy stopped. Her heart was racing.

“Do go on,” Miranda encouraged Andy.

Andy grimaced. “I told them I was dating you,” she managed to finally say and covered her face with her hands.

“And Serena knows?”

Andy lowered her hands, and tried to straighten her posture. “And Emily, probably by now. I truly am sorry, Miranda. I didn’t want… It was the most convenient lie at that moment. I maybe should have told them I was dating Serena. I promise I will sort this out.”

Miranda kept staring at her, and then pursed her lips slightly. “No,” she then said. “This arrangement might be beneficial for me.”

Gobsmacked would be the word Andy would describe the level of her surprise later when telling the story to Serena and Emily. “Excuse me? What? How? And what about… I’m your employee and all.”

“It didn’t seem to worry you in the first place, and human resources knows better than to try to blame me for anything,” Miranda explained casually. “We will need to sign some kind of a document assuring them, and perhaps one between us. I will have my lawyer draw up papers first thing in the morning.”

Andy felt dizzy, and pinched herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. Not that she was sure if pinching yourself would actually do anything even if she was dreaming. “Why?”

Miranda seemed suddenly uncomfortable which she tried to hide with a familiar expression of being inconvenienced. “A convenient lie,” Miranda only said. “The only people who will know the truth are Emily and Serena and my publicist and lawyer.”

Andy stared at Miranda silently. Trying to make a mental list of positives and negatives of the situation. People would definitely think Miranda was favouring her, even if nothing changed at work. A recommendation from Miranda wouldn’t matter all that much if it was public knowledge she had been sleeping with Miranda.

Andy swallowed. Of course, she wouldn’t actually sleep with her, but that is what people would imagine. Some people. Serena, for sure did already even if she knew it was just a lie.

Upside her family would definitely buy the lie if even Miranda was in on it. But why was she? What would it mean that they were dating? Would they go out together?

“Andréa, breathe,” Miranda said.

Andy let out a long sigh. “Sorry. What would it mean if we’re dating? In practice.”

“We haven’t signed the confidentiality agreement yet, but… this belongs under it.” Miranda observed her carefully. Andy nodded. After a while Miranda said, looking tired. “I have some events in my social calendar I would rather not attend alone, if at all, but… as I don't really have a choice you would be my escort.”

Andy remembered the headlines that followed Miranda’s divorce from Stephen. Four husbands. Four divorces. Even if Andy had seen Miranda at her worst, firing people left and right. Demanding perfection to a ridiculous standard… Some of the stories still made Andy feel bad for her.

“One will be my… the twins’ father’s wedding. It will be in two months, we have enough time to establish this by then,” Miranda explained further.

“What about the twins? They won’t know?”

“For now, no,” Miranda said and got up, indicating the conversation was over. “But we will talk about this tomorrow. And we’ll need to meet my lawyer, I will ask the girl to schedule it in.”

Andy slowly got up. “Yes, Miranda.” She needed more answers. But also for almost two years she had taught herself not to ask questions from Miranda.

“You will need to learn to be more casual around me. I don’t want it to seem like I’ve coerced you into this relationship.” Miranda chuckled joyously, and it sent unexpectedly pleasant shivers down Andy’s spine. She walked Andy downstairs and towards the entry.

“Right.” Coerced into a relationship she herself had first lied about. “Casual.”

“Goodnight, Andréa.”

“Goodnight,” Andy mumbled as the front door closed behind her.

Chapter Text

Andy was barely able to sleep because she kept going through the previous evening's events and occasionally writing down questions she still needed to ask Miranda. Eventually she decided to give up on the attempt and headed to work early.

“Late night?” Sierra asked as she arrived with the coffee order a couple hours later and found Andy yawning by her computer. She handed one cup to Andy who happily took a sip immediately.

“Had some trouble sleeping,” Andy replied as Sierra went into Miranda’s office to take her coffee to wait at her desk.

“Hopefully Miranda will be in an easier mood today than she has been,” Sierra said sympathetically. “And hopefully nothing goes wrong today.”

Andy gave her a small smile and said, “Hopefully,” before returning to the emails she had been going through. 

Soon after, Miranda arrived too and as usual threw her coat and bag on Sierra’s desk.

“Sierra,” Miranda’s soft voice called. Andy looked up and at Sierra to see her equally surprised; it was the first time Miranda had called her by her name. 

Sierra jumped up and rushed into Miranda’s inner office, and when she came back she called Miranda’s lawyer. Some time later when Andy glanced at Miranda’s digital calendar they all shared, she saw a slot had been made for the lawyer.

“Did Henry confirm the time?” Miranda asked Andy as she appeared in the doorway around midday.

“They did,” Andy replied. 

Miranda glanced at the watch on her wrist. “Call Roy, I want to make a stop at Martha’s before we go see my lawyer,” she said and returned to her office.

“Martha,” Andy mumbled to herself trying to remember who Miranda could have been talking about. “Martha…”

“What about Martha?” Sierra asked when she came back from lunch.

“Miranda wants to meet her today, but…” Andy groaned, irritated with herself. She was off her game today. The whole day was off. Possibly because she hadn’t really slept and partly because she was sure Miranda had smirked at her earlier when she came to the office. And definitely because she was now dating her boss and, despite trying, it was really hard to forget that fact.

“Oh, it’s that young designer, she sent her portfolio a couple weeks back,” Sierra said, and then seemed perplexed. “Though I didn’t think Miranda was all that impressed. She said it was lackluster, I think.”

“Right!” Andy said, relieved. “Thank you, Sierra.” She started going through a pile of contact information they kept for ‘Miranda-rejects’ just in case they were needed.

Sierra grinned widely. “Glad I could help.”

Andy dialed the number and informed the surprised designer that Miranda wanted to meet her. And in 30 minutes.

“Miranda,” Martha said. “Welcome to my studio, how can I help?” The woman seemed slightly terrified, but seemed to recognise the opportunity as the one-of-a-kind situation it was. Martha had asked why Miranda wanted to meet her suddenly, and on the car ride there Miranda had not provided any additional information.

“I need a dress,” Miranda informed her as she looked around at the sketches hanging on the wall. She stared at one of them for a little longer before turning to face the designer.

Andy saw Martha’s expression light up. “Of course, I would love to make you one!” She pointed towards a group of chairs to sit down, where Miranda and Martha did so as Andy stayed standing behind Miranda. “What is the occasion?”

“A wedding we are attending, and the dress isn’t for me,” Miranda explained, and turned towards Andy. “It’s for her.”

“Oh, so–” Martha said and looked at Andy, clearly unsure now who Andy was for Miranda to be ordering a dress for her.

Andy tried her best to hide her surprise. “Ah, hi.” She moved closer and extended her hand to Martha. “I’m Andy.”

“Nice to meet you, Andy. What style or colour are you looking for?” Martha said, and seemed to relax a little. Even if she seemed slightly disappointed - designing a dress for Miranda Priestly could have made her career.

“Well…” Andy started, unsure.

“Will you sit down?” Miranda said with a slight scoff. Satisfied once Andy did, she turned her attention back to Martha. “I’m wearing a vintage cocktail dress, and her dress needs to work with it. My assistant will send you all the details you will need of that and payment,” Miranda explained. “You have complete creative control, as long as Andréa is comfortable with the end result. I want to see what you can do.”

“Right, okay,” Martha said, collecting her thoughts. “Will you look over some designs with me, help me to figure out your taste?” she then said to Andy and pulled out a folder from a side table. She started flicking through pages and Andy looked over the photos of references Martha had organised neatly in it. Miranda glanced down at each image Andy pointed to as the ones she preferred. Some earned an accepting nod from Miranda, a few an eye roll. After they had been going through the images a while, Martha said, “I think I have a pretty clear vision of what I would like to do. When is the wedding?”

“In two months,” Andy said, turning to Miranda for a confirmation. She never knew if there was another wedding Miranda just had forgotten to mention. It’s not like she had mentioned they were going dress shopping.

“I can have a sketch ready in a week, and I could get your measurements then?” Martha suggested.

“That will be perfect,” Miranda stated and got up. “Thank you for meeting us on such short notice.”

“It was my pleasure,” Martha said, and with that Miranda headed out. “And I will see you in a week,” she then said to Andy who responded with a quick smile as she tried to collect her bag in a hurry to catch up to her boss who was already gone. Martha chuckled nervously. “She’s intense.”

“She just takes a little time to warm up,” Andy said, and then laughed. “Or I guess you more just get used to it. But I look forward to seeing what you’ll come up with.”

Later leaving the lawyer's office, Andy found herself again rushing after her boss. Instead of heading for the car Miranda turned right and kept walking until she stopped in front of a restaurant. She walked in and Andy hesitated, thinking maybe she had forgotten a meeting Miranda had; it wouldn’t have been the first slip-up for the day. She started unlocking her phone to check the calendar, but was interrupted by Miranda.

“Come along. We don't have all day,” she said as she came back outside. “I haven't had lunch yet and if I’m not mistaken you haven’t either.”

“Right,” Andy said and followed in. They were seated immediately, and the waiter came to take their orders. If she had been sitting with anyone else she would have been filling the silence with idle small talk, but because it was Miranda they sat in silence.

Miranda seemed as unused to the situation as Andy felt. At the lawyer's office they had exchanged a few words as they went over the confidentiality agreement. In essence everything they learned because they were now more privy to each other's private life was to stay confidential. But it didn't mean Andy's secret becoming their fake reality made them more natural around each other. They were still a boss and assistant, and they had to figure out what the new balance looked like.

“We should probably do this… at least once a week,” Miranda said and was finally the one to break the silence.

“Lunch? Any particular day? I can schedule it–”

“Andréa,” Miranda stopped her. “You’re not working currently.”

“Oh. I… okay. So lunch weekly,” Andy confirmed. She chuckled awkwardly. “This is going to take some getting used to.”

“Undoubtedly,” Miranda said unfazed.

“How… How will this all work? The confidential part of it is simple enough, but how much of a couple do we need to act like?”

“We just need to learn enough about each other for my ex-husband to believe it. It shouldn't be too difficult,” Miranda stated.

Andy snorted and Miranda looked at her with some irritation. “Sorry, Miranda. I only… I know a lot about you already. But do you even know where I live?”

“I would assume somewhere in Brooklyn based on how long it takes for you to get to work.” Miranda said.

Andy knew she likely meant the few times Miranda had suddenly decided to go to the office hours earlier than normal and had called Andy, expecting her to arrive promptly.

“No, I live in Little Italy with Serena,” Andy explained.

“Well… this is the reason we should have lunch together. To learn these things,” Miranda said almost dismissively, like it would be easy enough. Andy was less sure. For one, it was often Andy’s job as her personal assistant to remember and remind her of where she needed to be and who people she met were. “Come on, out with it.” Miranda said after a while and Andy realised she had been quiet for a long time.

“It’s nothing,” Andy said. Telling Miranda she didn’t think she could learn things she likely deemed insignificant was just looking for trouble.

“Tell me of your family. It is clear you think I’m not serious about this.” Miranda seemed to be reading her mind.

“Oh… yeah, okay. Well, my parents are Ted and Amy. I have one sister, Jill who is married to Kyle. And then there is my nephew, baby Isaac,” Andy listed. Miranda was listening intently. At least it seemed so. “And my mom’s parents are Chuck and Bea. My dad’s parents have already passed away.”

“Simple enough, how old is your nephew?”

“He is almost a year old now,” Andy said. “A rascal.”

A hint of a smile flashed on Miranda’s face. “I remember that age.”

“How about your family?” Andy asked with some trepidation.

“I… have six siblings. My father died a few years ago,” Miranda explained, and looked somewhat uncomfortable. “I think one of my brothers lives in the US. The rest probably still live in England. We are… rarely in touch.”

“Would you like to be?” Andy asked before realising who he she was talking to.

“I have my children, it is enough family for me,” Miranda said matter of factly and Andy knew that line of inquiry was closed.

“How are you going to tell them about me? How are we telling anyone?”

“Most of the office already seems to be willing to believe we are dating from very little evidence, so it shouldn't be too difficult. Besides, whether they believe it or not, matters very little.” Miranda was observing Andy a little too closely for Andy to be able to relax. “As long as my ex-husband believes it. My children will likely be mostly curious.”

“Right, okay.” They were interrupted by the waiter arriving with the bill. Miranda paid for their lunch which brought to Andy’s mind the dress from earlier. “I don’t think you should be buying me things,” she said. Miranda looked confused. “Like the dress. I could just borrow something from the closet like I always do for these events.”

“Perhaps,” Miranda said unfazed. “But I need you at your best.”

“Why?” Andy asked but immediately knew she had gone too far as Miranda shut down in front of her.

“It doesn’t matter, your job is to just keep the lie going.”

***

A few days passed and Andy thought not much change had happened in their dynamic since the lunch. But Nigel seemed to have picked up on something when Andy was delivering proofs to his office.

“Is she seriously changing her mind again?” Nigel sighed and rubbed his forehead. “I thought she wanted to get this done before Paris.”

“I’m sure if you’ll tell her that she’ll change her mind. She’s reasonable like that,” Andy quipped and grinned at him.

Nigel just shook his head while trying not to appear amused. “Take these to her for inspection. Hopefully she won’t want to change them too.”

“With haste, shouldn’t anger the leading lady by making her wait for these. Will we have lunch later? 12?” Andy asked and started heading for the door.

“Sure,” Nigel said, and then hummed like he had remembered something. “Not sure you can anger her. You were late from this morning’s runthrough and all you got was an eye roll - begs the question… Could the rumours be true? Could our little, innocent Six really have charmed her way into the boudoir of the infamous editor?”

“I wasn’t that late. And Miranda knew where I was and exactly how long it was going to take,” Andy protested. She had been in a meeting with HR to determine Miranda wasn’t misusing her position as Andy’s superior after they had informed them of their relationship. The woman conducting the interview had seemed convinced Andy had been blackmailed into the relationship and wanted to know if she needed help escaping. Convincing her it was all consensual took a little longer than expected and she might have run slightly late.

“You could be having dinner with the Queen of England and still get fired for being late,” Nigel pushed.

Andy let out a short laugh. Nigel wasn’t wrong, at least usually there would have been an icy comment about it. “I would love to talk about this, but I do need to go.”

“You’re not off the hook,” Nigel said as Andy left.

Andy wondered how she would explain it to Nigel. Yes, they were dating and had been supposedly for months. She stopped in her tracks and one of the clackers almost ran into her. “Sorry,” Andy said and stepped back. “Who kissed who?” she muttered to herself. “Shoot.”

She started walking a little faster and breezed through their office into Miranda’s and closed the doors behind her. Miranda slowly lifted her eyes from her work and glared at Andy for daring to interrupt. 

“Nigel sent these,” Andy said and handed the photos to Miranda, who took them and stared at Andy expectantly.

“Work related things usually don’t warrant closed doors.”

Andy chewed on her lip, unsure how to start. Deciding it was going to be awkward no matter what she just said, “Are we in love?” Miranda looked bewildered. “Who kissed who first? When did we first sleep together?”

Miranda blinked a few times, before furrowing her brow. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m about to have lunch with Nigel and I realised these are the things people will ask.”

“They certainly do not.”

“None of your friends have never wanted to know how your first date went?” Andy asked.

“When I was in my 20's perhaps,” Miranda said but mid-sentence seemed to remember Andy’s age. “Fine, I get your point. But I suppose Nigel should know the truth. He has been… a confidant for a long time.”

“Okay, that makes it a little easier. But still.”

“Yes, yes. The details of our relationship should likely be discussed. We’ll have dinner tonight at the townhouse, Roy will pick you up at seven,” Miranda said, her focus already back at her work.

“I suppose we could start with a tour of the house, as you must have spent a lot of time here if we are dating. I don’t think we would go to whatever hole in the wall you live with Serena,” Miranda said as they were standing at the entrance of Miranda’s townhouse later that day.

“I think you’re wrong,” Andy said as she followed Miranda down the stairs to the basement level. She surprised herself with her sudden boldness.

“Unusual,” Miranda just said and was clearly unbothered by Andy’s brashness.

So Andy kept going. “If you were in love with me, and I guess, if I didn’t have a roommate, I would want us to spend time at my place too. Where I live is part of me.”

“Maybe I’m not that in love with you,” Miranda suggested which made Andy chuckle. “What is so funny?”

“All of it, but I guess the fact that we need to negotiate details of our relationship’s… attributes or whatever. Like how in love we are.”

“Maybe this will be the healthiest relationship either of us has ever been in,” Miranda said somewhat resigned.

For Andy it was only her second. The relationship with Nate wasn’t unhealthy but they both were still inexperienced, living through all the unrealistic expectations people have when they don’t have experience. Both of them changed during the relationship, and in the end it was Andy who changed too much for Nate. But for the most part, it could hardly be called unhealthy.

Not that Miranda knew that. But for Miranda, maybe the statement held true. Andy knew she had been married four times, but knew very little about the two first husbands. Michael was the third and the twins' father. Stephen was the fourth.

“I’ve only ever dated one person before,” Andy admitted when they were heading back up the stairs. She still was unsure how much Miranda really needed or wanted to learn about her but facts like these seemed like ones you might share.

“Really?” Miranda sounded astonished.

“My first serious relationship at least.”

“I suppose you’re young. Though I was going through my first divorce when I was your age.” Miranda sighed.

Andy wanted to use this opportunity to learn more about Miranda’s unspoken husbands but felt like there likely was a limit to Miranda’s willingness to share. “What’s his name?” she asked then, figuring the name at least would be something she would know.

“Alan. Alan Berg.”

Andy had to suppress all the followup questions she wanted to ask. Miranda still was her boss and extremely private. A name seemed like more than most people had been given. They talked mostly about the house for the rest of the tour and before Andy realised they had gone up all the four floors of the townhouse and eventually found their way back to the den. 

Miranda’s house was pristine and only the twins' rooms appeared more lived in.

“What are you thinking so hard about?” Miranda asked as they sat down on the couch.

“Uh, nothing. Just making a note of everything I’ve learned.”

“And what have you learned?”

“That I thought I already knew a lot about you, but I think there is still a lot to learn. If we want to convince people you’ve known someone for a long time,” Andy replied.

“We are still in the early days of the fake relationship, you don’t learn everything about a person in a couple of weeks.” Miranda said nonchalantly.

“Which brings me back to the original intention of tonight,” Andy said and felt herself blushing as she prepared herself. She cleared her throat again trying to focus. “So… how did the relationship start?”

“I would think it started like this essentially. We were friends, confidants, and it grew to something more,” Miranda suggested.

“Friends to lovers, got it. Uh, then… Who initiated the kiss? I guess I would assume I did,” Andy said and did her utmost to not picture kissing Miranda too vividly.

Miranda's eyebrow curved up. “Why would you assume such?”

Andy shrugged, while hoping she wasn’t beet red. “Because you're my boss, it would be more palatable if I broke that boundary first.”

Miranda's expression relaxed. “I can accept that reasoning. Not sure it would have happened that way if it truly took place.”

Andy did her best trying to keep the conversation casual, even if the topic wasn’t. It wasn’t like she had kissed all that many people and never a woman. It was getting harder to avoid the vivid imagery. If Miranda had initiated a kiss. She tried to shake it off and move to the next question she had. “I suppose, a first date might be something people might ask about.”

“Something mundane likely, a dinner at an overpriced restaurant or such,” Miranda said. “What’s that face?”

Andy realised she had been furrowing her brow. “If we really were dating that wouldn’t be the answer, but I guess it doesn’t really matter.”

“Oh? So you would have chosen something different?”

“Well… I just think that I’d likely want to impress you. Do something memorable. I don’t know. Go rock climbing.”

“God.”

Andy snorted at Miranda’s obvious disapproval. “Fine, maybe not rock climbing. But you’re… you. No one is going to believe you just fell for me for my personality. So I must have had to work for it even if it was through being friends.”

Miranda studied Andy quietly for a moment. “I suppose so. But I wouldn’t underestimate the mundane. I’ve been on one-of-a-kind dates, but it doesn’t really matter if you have peas for a brain.”

“I guess so.”

“Physical attraction.”

“Huh?”

Miranda rolled her eyes, like she couldn’t believe she had to spell it out. “Again something you shouldn’t underestimate.”

“Well, yeah,” Andy said. Logically if they were dating physical attraction would have to play part of it. “So a date at an overpriced restaurant. You paid.”

Miranda smirked. “So that’s the end of ‘impressing me’?”

“Runway doesn’t pay me enough to spend all of it just on you,” Andy said which earned her a chuckle from Miranda. Andy looked at the list of questions she had scribbled down during the afternoon of things people might ask. “Oh, right… Are we in love? And who–”

“I wouldn’t,” Miranda said and shifted in her chair. “Tell you I was in love with you. Definitely wouldn’t be the first to admit it…  If at all.”

“Really?” Andy asked genuinely surprised. “I might. And even a little too soon.”

“I can imagine,” Miranda said and seemed amused.

Andy chuckled. “When you say it like that it almost seems like an insult.”

“It is a talent.”

“It really is,” Andy admitted with a grin. Then she looked at her list, the last item was just ‘sex’. “Well, I guess we’ve gone through most of the most basic things… And if we get questions we didn’t expect we’ll just update each other on the lie so we’ll keep it coherent.”

“You’re not going to ask your last question?” Miranda said and her tone was teasing, like she knew which item Andy had skipped.

Andy tried to shake her embarrassment off, and just said, “I assume our sex life would be satisfying enough.”

“I would assume so,” Miranda agreed casually. “Especially, if you’re at all as eager to please in the bedroom as you are otherwise.”

“My god,” Andy mumbled, and Miranda let out a gleeful laugh.

“I think we should perhaps eat now,” Miranda said and got up. “You look like you could use a break.”

Andy could only nod.

Chapter Text

After dinner was winding down Andy excused herself to the bathroom. She needed a moment alone from the surreal situation she had found herself in. Andy stared at herself in the mirror and let out a long sigh.

Discussing physical attraction and kissing in heavy detail was a lot. At least for Andy. Miranda seemed to be taking it far more casually. 

Andy’s eyes fell on her lips and she again found herself wondering… She shook her head. Maybe if she were actually gay it wouldn’t be so distracting to imagine what it would be like to kiss her. She decided she had to leave the bathroom; any longer and Miranda might think there was something wrong with her.

She left and found Miranda in the den with the Book next to her on the couch.

“Sierra already delivered it?” Andy asked. She hesitated before Miranda indicated with her hand for Andy to sit down.

“It was on the table, but I don’t know when it was delivered. I didn’t hear her come in,” Miranda explained casually. “One point in favor of that girl. She is quiet.”

Andy only hummed in response even if she disagreed. From Andy’s experience Sierra was extremely chatty—though only when Miranda was away. “I guess I should head home. We’ve probably gone through enough… details to be able to convince people for now.”

Miranda picked up the book and started opening it. “Your parents—you never told me—how did they take it when you told them you were dating me?”

Andy grimaced just thinking about it again. “Neither all that great. My dad thought it was inappropriate professionally, and my mom… She had more trouble with the same-sex part of it.”

Miranda closed the book and turned to look at Andy. “They didn’t know you’re gay?”

Andy blinked in surprise and then realised that of course Miranda would assume that. “Oh, I’m not. Gay, I mean.”

It was Miranda’s turn to be surprised. “Yet, you chose a woman as your fake partner?”

Andy laughed uncomfortably and scratched her neck. “I just thought it would be easier. Anyone but you they’d likely want to meet. And it’s not like I actually know all that many men in New York. And the ones I do I’m pretty sure are gay.”

“I see,” Miranda said and studied Andy carefully. Andy felt heat rising up her neck. “I usually can tell, but perhaps I was wrong,” she continued.

“Can tell?” Andy asked, eyebrows furrowed.

Miranda ignored her question and just said, “I suppose it does make things a little easier, if we don’t need to make them believe it.”

Andy realised she had assumed Miranda too was straight, but perhaps she wasn’t. She had seemed to have no hesitation about pretending to date a woman in front of her children or ex-husband. Andy wanted to ask if she had dated women before, but suddenly felt very shy. Or maybe it was self-consciousness.

“Yeah,” she then said. “For sure.”

In the towncar on her way home Andy’s thoughts lingered on Miranda and the women she might have dated. What would be Miranda’s type? What kind of women would she be interested in? She surely was around a lot of influential and beautiful women all the time.

If Miranda was gay, could she imagine Andy and her together? Was that why she seemed to have no issue deciding Andy would be the best cover?

Andy let out a snort and mumbled to herself in disbelief, “No way.”

***

Rumours at the office kept spreading and eventually they seemed to have reached Sierra’s ears too. At first Andy couldn’t figure out why Sierra was acting so oddly. Until one day, when she apologised immediately after she complained Miranda was being difficult. Even if neither complaining nor Miranda being difficult was anything unusual, the apologising was.

“I thought they were making it up,” Sierra admitted. “When I heard you were dating her. But I guess it explains how you are able to handle her so well. My boyfriend complains all the time about how bad a cook I am, but still thinks it’s my job to cook. So I get it.”

Andy looked at Sierra, feeling the familiar sense of confusion the woman caused. One day she would need to ask more about the boyfriend, but today wasn’t that day. “Okay,” she just said. “Yes, we’re dating, but you don’t need to censor yourself around me. I know what she can be like.”

“How did you end up even dating? She’s so… frightening.” Sierra’s voice was full of awe.

Andy snorted, because she knew what Sierra meant. Miranda truly was frightening when she wanted to be. “What can I say? The heart wants what it wants?”

A familiar clicking of heels approached them. Miranda’s meeting with senior staff was over. She breezed through the office and called Sierra in. Once Sierra had been given her instructions, Miranda called Andy in.

“Unfortunately I need to cancel our lunch today. Roy slipped a disc or something and is at home for the foreseeable future. The company is sending another driver but I do not trust them yet. So you’ll need to go with them to pick up the twins from Dalton,” Miranda said and gave Andy a quick once-over. “Unfortunately…” Miranda continued and looked away. “I told them about our relationship this morning, so they might have some questions. But you’re clever enough to handle two eight-year-olds.”

“So you told them. How did they…?” 

“They were… curious, but we didn’t have much time to discuss the finer details of our relationship. If anything they seemed excited.” Miranda shrugged. “They seem to like you, at least as my assistant.”

“And Cara?” Andy asked. Often even if Roy picked up the twins from school, Cara had gone with them.

“Will arrive at the house to receive them, but can’t get to the school in time.” Miranda glanced at her wrist for the time. “You should go.”

“Yes, Miranda,” Andy said like she always did and started leaving.

“Darling,” Miranda said, practically purring, and Andy halted. She turned around and found Miranda staring at her with a smirk on her face.

“D-darling?” Andy stared at Miranda bewildered.

“You have to learn to be a little less stiff with me.”

“But you’re still my boss,” Andy objected. Sure, they would need to appear comfortable around each other, but it still seemed more likely Miranda would just be irritated if Andy was too casual with her.

“Yes, and we should act professionally at work, but… If you treat me like a drill sergeant people are going to have a very… particular image of our private dynamic.” Miranda cleared her throat.

An image of Andy on her knees in front of Miranda flashed somewhere deep in the back of Andy’s mind. “Right. I will… adjust,” she finally managed to say while trying to purify her mind.

“We’re home,” Andy said as the car pulled up to the townhouse, relieved the interrogation would soon be over. So far the twins had asked more questions than Serena and Emily.

“Are you gonna come help us with our homework?” Cassidy asked.

“No, Cara should be here, and I have to get back to work.” Andy got out of the car and held the door open. The twins got out, dragging their backpacks after them. “Is that any way to carry your bags?”

“But they’re so heavy. Roy often carries them for us.”

Andy laughed. “I really doubt that. Come on, now. Let’s get inside.”

They stepped in and the twins kicked their shoes off and rushed to the kitchen. Andy picked up their shoes and put them in the closet. “Cara?” she called out, expecting the nanny would have appeared by now from inside the house. But there was no reply. Andy pulled out her phone to find the woman’s number.

“I’m so sorry!”  Cara said as the call connected. “The vet was a little late, so we’re only on our way. Thirty minutes and I’ll be there.”

After the call ended Andy too headed into the kitchen to find the twins.

“I thought you were going back to work?” Caroline said. 

“Cara isn’t here yet, so you’ll get to enjoy my company a little longer,” Andy explained.

“Can you cook?” Cassidy asked, looking sceptical.

“Yes, but I’m sure Cara has prepared you something already. Let's see.” Andy walked to the fridge and scanned it, her eyes eventually landing on two glass containers. “Here you go, uh…” She snapped one open and observed what was in front of her. “Kale chips…? Bon appetit.”

“Usually there is also a snack dessert. She probably forgot to order it, you should order. Chocolate cake from Pastis!” Cassidy said, and Caroline tried to keep a straight face as she nodded enthusiastically.

“Is that so? I should probably call your mom to make sure I’ll get a chocolate cake she too would enjoy,” Andy said, slowly taking out her phone.

“No, it should… be a surprise for mom.” Cassidy insisted. “And you should get one for just us anyway.”

“Oh? How so?” Andy grinned at the girl.

“If you want to cuddle mom in peace without interruptions…”

Andy let out a huff of laughter. “Blackmail, Lady Priestly? Sneaky. But no deal.”

”Come oooon!”

“Do you think your mom would let me cuddle her if she found out I got you a whole cake?” Andy arched her brow and shook her head gently. Trying to ignore the fact that the conversation was about cuddling her boss.

“She’d like us to be happy,” Caroline insisted.

Andy smiled at the girls. “Without a doubt. I actually know how to bake an amazing chocolate cake. I could make it with you someday. But. Only if your mom agrees to it and you don’t try to trick me into it.”

“You can make cakes at home?” Cassidy looked surprised.

“Uh, yeah. Some people do it a lot.” Andy guessed Miranda likely had not done much baking with the twins.

“Huh,” Cassidy said like she had an epiphany. “Do you?”

“Bake? I haven’t for a long while. My ex-boyfriend was a chef and he enjoyed baking too, so I did it less. But I baked a lot with my mom and grandma when I was younger.”

Andy’s phone started ringing; Miranda was calling her. 

“Where are you?” Miranda asked immediately, impatient as ever.

“At the townhouse still. Cara was held up at the vet, but she—”

“Fine,” Miranda said with a sigh. “Stay there. I’ll leave the office now and will be home soon. We still need to go over some details.”

“Yes, Mi… We’ll be waiting.” With a click the call was over.

“Is Mom coming home already?” Cassidy asked.

Andy turned to look at the girl and gave a slight nod. “She is. We still have some work to do when she gets here.”

“So you’ll stay for dinner?”

“I promised to have dinner with my roommate tonight, so I might not be able to,” Andy said. She had no plans with Serena, but decided it was better to already offer an excuse if Miranda expected her to leave after they were done with work.

Cara arrived with Patricia before Miranda. Andy was waiting in the den with the dog when Miranda finally arrived.

Patricia slowly got up to greet Miranda, who gave Andy a quick once-over and then looked to the kitchen.

“The twins are upstairs doing their homework with Cara,” Andy said.

“Did they give you the third degree?” Miranda asked and got behind her desk.

“It wasn’t… too bad. They tried to trick me into buying a cake, though.” Andy chuckled, and then realised something. “I guess they sort of succeeded because I told them I could show them how to bake one. One day. If it’s okay with you.”

Miranda hummed noncommittally and then her focus was back at work. They were only a week from Paris Fashion Week and too many things were still in the air.

An hour or so later a loud, “Moooom!” was yelled as the twins came running downstairs.

“Volume,” Miranda said sternly as the twins appeared. “What do you need, Bobbsey?”

“Did you tell Andy to stay for dinner yet?” they said in unison.

“No, I haven’t inquired about her plans yet,” Miranda said.

“So?” Cassidy just said and turned to look at Andy.

“I did tell you I had promised Serena—” Andy tried.

“But…”

“Dear, Andréa already has plans. I’m sure she will join us for dinner another time.”

Cassidy crossed her arms over her chest and pursed her lips. Andy couldn’t help but think how much the girl looked like Miranda at that moment.

“A tantrum rarely helps the cause,” Miranda said. She gestured with her hand and Cassidy snuggled up next to her. Miranda pushed Cassidy’s hair behind her ears. “Now, I hear Andréa has promised to bake together with you. Maybe you should ask her when she has time to come over to do so. Perhaps we can all have dinner together then.”

Miranda turned to look at Andy and flashed a genuine smile that she wasn’t ready for. This soft, tender Miranda was someone Andy had never met before.

“Tomorrow?” Cassidy said, looking up at Miranda. And when Miranda just shrugged, she turned to Andy. “Can you come tomorrow?”

Tomorrow was Saturday, her last free weekend before Paris, but… she could hardly say no when Cassidy and Caroline stared at her with such hopeful expressions. “Tomorrow works fine for me.”

***

”Did you have plans for today?” Miranda asked her when she arrived that Saturday afternoon.

Andy shook her head. “No, I was just going to relax. Maybe watch a movie with Emily and Serena.”

“Does Emily live with you too?” Cassidy intervened. 

Andy laughed. “Sometimes it feels like she does. But no. She’s…” Andy hesitated, because she realised Miranda likely wasn’t aware Serena and Emily were together. Not that it really mattered when Emily didn’t work for Runway anymore. And it definitely wouldn’t be the most scandalous Runway office romance. “She’s dating Serena. So she’s around often.”

If Miranda was surprised she didn’t indicate it in any way. 

“Really? They are girlfriends too like you and mom?”

Andy imagined her friends cuddled on the couch, Serena sickeningly sweet and Emily mostly grumpy. “Kind of,” Andy said and snorted, which earned her a curious look from Miranda. “Are we ready to make the most chocolate chocolate cake ever to exist?”

The twins cheered excitedly. “Yes!”

“Good grief,” Miranda said with regret written all over her face.

Andy pulled out two bags, one full of ingredients and the other full of baking supplies like tins. She had fully assumed Miranda didn’t own any.

“I will leave you to work in peace,” Miranda said as they started unpacking the bags. “I’ll be in the den if needed.”

Andy grinned at her. “I will make sure your kitchen will be just as pristine once we’re done.”

Miranda rolled her eyes. “I will hold you to that.”

“I got you two aprons to match mine,” Andy said and handed them to the twins who looked at them curiously. “I don’t want you to make a mess of your clothes. Wash your hands and we'll get started with the eggs.”

After far less mess than Andy had anticipated, they actually managed to get a cake into the oven. “Now the boring part of waiting.”

“How long does it take?” Caroline said, staring at the oven.

“An hour almost, and then it needs to cool down. So after we’ve cleaned up you have time to do other things before decorating,” Andy explained.

“What do you want to do?” Cassidy asked Caroline.

Soon after, the twins rushed upstairs leaving Andy alone in the kitchen. She texted Serena a photo of the cake baking,  which Serena replied to with a ‘so you actually went there to bake, I’m disappointed’.

“I see my kitchen is still intact,” Miranda stated.

Andy turned around to face Miranda. “Told you. Pristine.”

“The kitchen might be. You… you have cocoa powder on your nose.”

“Only adds to my charm,” Andy said without much thought and brushed her nose. “Gone?”

Miranda looked at her carefully, too long, and Andy brushed her nose again thinking maybe it still was there. “Yes,” Miranda just said, before leaving the kitchen as abruptly as she had appeared.

After a while they ate a meal prepared by Miranda’s trusted chef. Miranda stayed mostly quiet, but the twins filled any awkward silence with stories from school and about their friends. The dinner was followed by decorating the cake and then the long anticipated tasting that had the twins almost hyper.

They tried to get Miranda to taste it and she did take at least a small bite, complimenting the twins for a job well done.

“I guess Andy did most of it.” Cassidy grinned. “But we did help. A lot.”

Andy nodded. “You did a lot. Shouldn’t sell yourselves short.”

“Indeed, I’m quite impressed,” Miranda said, smiling at her children. Her eyes met Andy’s and her expression seemed to become more neutral.

Andy realised she must have overstayed her welcome. “It has been fun, but I should head home.”

“When will you come over again?” Cassidy asked.

“I’m sure she’ll come visit you two soon enough,” Miranda said. “I will see you out. You two, do not eat all of the cake while I’m gone.”

“We won’t,” the girls said, grinning, chocolate all over their faces.

Miranda followed Andy to the hallway and waited as she put her coat on.

“Thank you,” Miranda said. “You could have declined to let them have your free day.”

Andy smiled. “I had fun,” she said. And she did have, even if she hadn’t been entirely sure how it would go. “Maybe next time you’ll bake with us.”

Miranda huffed out a laugh. “You’re not that charming.”

Andy felt her skin heat up; if she didn’t know better, it was almost like Miranda had implied she was at least somewhat charming.

Chapter Text

Monday came around and everything got as busy as expected, which meant Miranda was even more easily annoyed. Still as everyone was feeling the pressure of the upcoming fashion week, she wasn’t the only one on edge.

A couple days later Andy was heading out with Miranda to see the designs Martha had for Andy’s dress. They stood side by side in the elevator in silence until Andy blurted out, “You're in a mood.”

Miranda had ended the last staff meeting by throwing more than a few of the layouts into the trash, both literally and metaphorically. Even Nigel had looked horrified, despite barely anything ever shaking him.

The Andy from only a few weeks before would have thought she had gone insane pointing it out to Miranda. This week's Andy though was supposedly in a relationship with Miranda and reasoned if she really was, she would say something before Miranda fired someone out of spite.

“Excuse me?” Miranda's voice was bloodcurdling.

This week's Andy at least realised that she could have phrased it better. “I mean, has something happened? You just tore Nigel apart for suggesting a simple change I know you think is a good idea.”

Miranda glared at Andy, and if a look could kill…

Andy turned her eyes away from Miranda and stared at the elevator buttons hoping she could will the elevator to go faster. She had definitely overstepped.

“No one is ready,” Miranda said, gritting her teeth after a long freezing silence. “Nothing is ready. We’re leaving in three days, and the senior editors keep delivering… I don’t know…” She waved her hands in apparent frustration. “Page Six level articles. The art department doesn’t know blue from green. Useless,” Miranda finished just as the elevator reached the ground floor.

Andy followed Miranda out of the elevator and the building and into the car that was waiting.

“And if Jocelyn presents another ‘brass and jade’ inspired spread I don’t know what I will do to not just… erupt in flames,” Miranda continued as the car took off. “Runway supposedly hires the best of the best and still…” She let out a resigned sigh. “Not a single original idea.”

Andy looked at Miranda who sat straight with her eyes closed. Miranda rubbed the bridge of her nose with her fingers before opening her eyes.

“So yes, I am in a mood. But I won’t fire anyone. Today,” Miranda said, rolling her eyes. “Before Paris at least. The chaos following would just be another headache.”

“I’m sorry, it really is none of my business.”

“You’ve never excelled at not voicing your opinions,” Miranda said with barely hidden snark in her tone. “Why suddenly start?”

Andy’s first instinct was to say she didn’t do that, but remembered snorting during run-throughs when she couldn’t yet understand the value of everything Miranda did at Runway, or telling her she betrayed Nigel… Even how she was hired in the first place.

Miranda might have had a point. So maybe purely-employee-Andy would have also said something. At least muttered it under her breath.

“I guess it might really be too late for that.”

“I’m glad we can agree,” Miranda said and turned her head away and Andy knew the conversation was over.

Once the car pulled over at Martha’s studio, Miranda barely waited for the car to come to a full stop before she was out of it.

“Jesus,” Andy muttered under her breath as she got out after the woman. The driver cracked his window open and Andy told him as she rushed after Miranda, “Should be over in 30 minutes.”

With a nod he closed the window and took off.

Andy found Miranda inside in a much improved mood looking over sketches Martha was eagerly explaining every detail of. “There you finally are,” Miranda said to Andy and beckoned her closer.

“I prefer not to jump out of moving cars,” Andy said and rolled her eyes.

Miranda huffed out a laugh. “Always so dramatic.” Andy narrowed her eyes eyeing Miranda, mostly out of a need to figure out if she had suddenly stepped into an alternate reality. Miranda shook her head at Andy’s expression and handed the sketch she was holding to her. “What do you think?”

Andy looked at the sketch carefully. The front of the design was almost modest; the back of it on the other hand was rather exposed. “It’s gorgeous. Though that is… a lot of skin for a wedding.”

“If it makes you uncomfortable–” Martha started to say but was interrupted by Miranda.

“Nonsense. It will flatter your…” Miranda looked Andy up and down unnecessarily long. “...assets perfectly.”

Andy cleared her throat focusing on the third person in the room and turned to look at Martha. First and foremost to answer her and secondly and more importantly to avoid Miranda’s appraising gaze. “I think it will be perfect. And if Miranda is happy with it, I’m happy.”

“Good,” Martha said, relief relaxing her face. “Now I just need to take your measurements.”

Miranda moved to sit by a desk and pulled out her phone as Martha started measuring. From the conversations she overheard she figured out Miranda had within a short time called Sierra twice, Nigel and Jacqueline. When Andy glanced in her direction she saw Miranda rubbing her temple with force.

“I could have called the driver,” Andy said to Miranda. “To get back to work, I can get another car.” Waiting for Andy to be ready was perhaps a fifteen minute delay to Miranda’s schedule, which seemed uncharacteristic for her even under less stressful times.

Miranda let out a sigh and stilled her hand on her temple. She lowered her arms in front of herself and crossed them. “If only that would improve their competence.”

“Well, it would increase the competence of the building if you were there, wouldn’t it,” Andy said almost flatly despite meaning it to come out with a joking tone.

Miranda’s eyebrow drew upward and she gave Andy a disapproving look, though a hint of a smile flashed on her lips. “Almost sounded like flattery, darling? Wouldn’t have thought you capable of it.”

Andy was about to object, but Miranda’s phone rang again and she was back in work mode. She had never voiced it, but she had never thought Miranda wasn’t one of the most competent people she had ever met. Even with all of her obvious flaws - she was.

Martha let out a quiet chuckle and Andy turned her focus to the designer. “Sorry, did I…?” Andy asked, trying to stay still with renewed effort as Martha moved around her.

“No, I was just… The first time you two came in I thought you were her assistant,” Martha explained.

“I get that a lot,” Andy stated. Sure she could have explained that she was that too, but it didn’t really seem to be all that relevant of information. During this fitting, for the wedding, she was first and foremost Miranda’s girlfriend.

“But hearing how she is on the phone,” Martha said quietly enough that Miranda, who was again talking on the phone, wouldn't overhear. “She’s much softer with you.”

“Yeah, she’s a regular old teddy bear,” Andy said and let out a chortle that made Miranda’s head snap towards them. She eyed Andy, clearly uncertain if she should be annoyed with her too.

“I will call you back,” Miranda said and ended the latest call. “Are we ready to leave?” she asked Andy as she approached the platform Andy was standing on.

“We are done,” Martha stated and offered her hand to help Andy down. “I will see you in a few weeks,” Martha said and smiled.

“Not that it really matters, I guess…” Andy said when they were back in the car on their way to the office. “But I think you’re incredible at what you do.”

“Pardon?” Miranda said, astonished.

“You said you didn’t think I was capable of flattery. And I don’t think it’s that, flattery I mean. And it’s also not that I want to be sucking up to you. But I wanted to let you know anyway.”

“For an aspiring journalist you have a remarkable ability to ramble so nonsensically.” Miranda sounded amused.

Andy let out a short laugh, and then tried to reconstruct her thoughts. “Maybe so… But I have chosen to stay and learn from you for a reason.”

Miranda studied her carefully.

“I did almost leave once,” Andy said and turned her head. She looked at the people rushing past the car as the street light turned green for them. Unsure why she would admit it now. Likely because it was almost exactly a year since.

“I know,” Miranda said softly. Andy had expected at least some bite in her tone or something.

“You knew?”

“After Paris it took you a few weeks to stop… sulking.”

”I wasn’t sulking.” Perhaps she had considered her choice to stay a few times more often than usual. Regretted even. But it was surprising to hear Miranda had noticed anything. “And even if I was, I don’t think it affected my work performance.”

Miranda shrugged noncommittally.

“For a moment I imagined exactly how it would have gone if I had walked away in Paris. Not followed you in,” Andy explained as the car took off again. “How everything would have played out.”

“Enlighten me.”

“In some versions we became best friends. In some I had to change my name and leave the country.”

“Rather dramatic,” Miranda disapproved.

“Maybe a bit. But I don’t think I ever imagined a version we ended up dating in and going back to Paris as a couple,” Andy joked and grinned widely at her.

“Oh? It was definitely in my top two,” Miranda deadpanned.

Andy laughed. “Sure it was.”

Paris, France

“What do you mean there is no room for me?” Andy asked the hotel receptionist. The receptionist looked over the screen in front of her again, but then shook her head turning to Andy.

“I’m sorry, Ms. Sachs, but there was a change made a week ago. You and Ms. Priestly were moved into the same room.”

Andy cursed in her mind. Sierra was responsible for travel arrangements and must have assumed Andy and Miranda would want a room together.

“There are no free rooms? Of any kind?” Andy asked the woman who looked apologetic when she told her there were none. “A broom closet somewhere? My boss is soon going to be here, and I’m screwed if I can’t fix this.”

“All the rooms for this week are unfortunately booked,” the woman replied looking sincerely apologetic as she handed over the keycards. Andy offered her a small smile before taking them and heading back to the entry to wait for Miranda.

A silver Mercedes-Benz arrived soon after in front of the hotel and Miranda got out of the backseat. She marched in and through the hotel lobby, with Andy only a step behind.

An elevator was already waiting and Miranda walked straight in. When Andy still hesitated on instinct, Miranda rolled her eyes like she did every time it happened. Getting into an elevator with the woman still felt unnatural even if it was more common for them to do so.

“It’s a Pavlovian reaction, very hard to change my ways,” Andy said as she stepped in and pressed the button for their floor.

“I guess you’re a bit like a golden retriever,” Miranda stated nonchalantly and far too quickly for Andy’s liking.

When they arrived in Miranda’s suite, Andy found both of their luggage had been delivered there. She walked towards hers and moved it closer to the door. Miranda observed her curiously before walking further into the room and settling down on a couch.

Andy pulled out a laptop and brought it to Miranda and headed to the fridge. She opened it to see that it had at least been filled up like it was supposed to. She took out a bottle of Pellegrino and brought it to Miranda.

Meanwhile Miranda had opened the laptop, scrolling through her emails. Andy sat in a chair opposite her, waiting like usual until Miranda was ready to list whatever she needed from Andy.

“So, tomorrow?” Miranda finally asked and met Andy’s eyes.

“Uh, right,” Andy said and scrambled with her notes for a moment, expecting the scathing remark that usually would follow if she took too long, but it never happened. “Tomorrow is a relatively simple day,” Andy said hastily, finally looking over the planner. “Only the Hermès show is scheduled, starting at 14:30. And the first banquet.” Miranda simply nodded. “Before that you do have that interview with the Plot Hole.”

“Why did I ever agree to that, remind me.” Miranda sighed tiredly.

“Because Leslie thought it was a good idea, for you personally and for Runway.”

Miranda lifted one leg over the other and relaxed into the couch. “I despise interviews.”

“I know.” Andy laughed. “I’ve been there a couple times with you. Even if you always charm the pants off the interviewer.”

“People are simple creatures when faced with a little flattery,” Miranda explained as she took her glasses off and folded them neatly.

“I can’t argue with that,” Andy said. “Now, is there more you need?”

“No.”

“Then I will go find Serena’s room and take my stuff there before…”

“Why would you take your luggage to Serena?” Miranda said, perplexed.

Andy got up. “There was a… mixup with the bookings, and I don’t have a room.” Undoubtedly Miranda knew Sierra had handled the bookings, but Andy definitely wasn’t going to separately point that out. To Miranda if one of the assistants made a mistake, it counted as a strike against both of them.

“Ah, I wondered why everything was here. But you won’t stay with Serena,” Miranda informed her. “There are an unfortunate amount of unwanted eyes and ears everywhere and I won’t have another one of my relationships end with rumours of infidelity on Page Six and the like. You’ll stay here.”

“Are you sure?” Andy asked. Sure there wasn’t much alone time expected during the week, but Andy was worried having her around constantly would put Miranda more on edge.

“If you’re worried I’ll be inappropriate, you can always sleep on the couch. But yes.”

“I wasn’t… That’s not what I meant but just that I know you need your alone time too,” Andy explained.

“I barely notice your presence,” Miranda said and put her glasses back on. “You should unpack. There is room in the closets for both of us.”

It was almost eleven in the evening in Paris, but only five in the afternoon in New York. Andy knew she was unable to sleep that early, so she decided to head to the hotel gym for a light workout while Miranda was calling her children.

When she came back, Miranda was already in bed, reading something. Once Andy was out of the shower, she went to the couch and started preparing a bed for herself.

“Andréa, don’t be ridiculous,” Miranda said and sat up more in the bed. “You can’t possibly imagine sleeping on that couch for a week. You’re young but there is only so much anyone’s body can take. You can sleep in the bed.”

“It’ll be fine, Miranda,” Andy protested.

“Heaven’s sake, I was merely joking about being inappropriate. We’re both adults.”

“I know you were, I just… Sure, I can sleep there, I guess.” Andy said, slightly apprehensive as she stood up and slowly moved towards the bed.

Miranda wasn’t looking at her, at least it seemed her focus was on her papers, which still did nothing to help Andy’s confidence. Casually, like it was nothing, sleeping next to Miranda.

People do it all the time.

She got under the blanket and laid down. Trying to breathe and move as quietly as she could, she turned to her side away from Miranda. The mattress shifted as Miranda changed her position and after a few minutes the bedside lamp was turned off.

“If you steal my blanket, I am not afraid of pushing you off the bed,” Miranda informed her.

Andy chuckled, some of her nervousness dissipating. “Don’t worry, I’m a very peaceful sleeper.”

“Relieved to hear that. Goodnight.”

“Night, Miranda.”

Miranda drifted off to sleep quite quickly. Somehow Miranda had taken it all in stride, the room mixup and sharing a bed. Once she determined Miranda really was asleep, Andy slowly turned onto her back and looked over to where her boss was sleeping on her side, facing Andy.

The room was just dim enough Andy couldn’t see her expression and in that moment was thankful for that, because if Miranda had woken up Andy would have felt like even more of a creep being so captivated by the unexpected softness of the moment.

‘Physical attraction.’

Andy’s brain suddenly and unhelpfully reminded her of a comment Miranda had made during one of their conversations. And even more unhelpfully her brain continued to wonder what it would be like to be wanted by Miranda.

An entirely unnecessary warm sensation ran through her body and she told her brain to shut up and in a snap she turned back on her side away from Miranda. Eventually Andy managed to distract herself enough to fall into a fitful sleep making sure she stayed on the edge and stayed away from inappropriate images for the remainder of the night.

***

“Morning, querida,” Serena said cheerily as Andy saw her with Nigel waiting for her for breakfast at one of the hotel restaurants.

“Morning, Serena. Nigel.”

“Miranda didn’t want to join?” Serena asked, with a mischievous smirk on her face Andy found little appreciation for as they guided her to their table.

“No, she ordered hers through room service,” Andy said and eyed Serena. “What did you do?”

“You will have to be more specific,” Serena said as she looked over the breakfast menus. “An omelette with mushrooms sounds like just what I need.”

“You told Sierra to cancel my room, didn’t you?”

“You didn’t have your own room?” Nigel said, surprised, which at least ruled him out.

Serena shrugged like the image of innocence. “I just kindly pointed out to your junior colleague that she shouldn’t forget you two are dating. If she took action, then it's really not on my conscience.”

“Serena…”

“Did she make you sleep on the floor?” Nigel asked.

“No,” Andy said, but wasn't going to reveal more than that. Not how she had a hard time falling asleep and had woken up at the very edge of her side of the bed, after being afraid she would somehow end up fondling Miranda during the night. “Payback,” she just mumbled and narrowed her eyes at Serena warningly.

Serena just laughed undeterred.

The first day went fast quickly, and after Miranda headed to the first event where Andy’s attendance wasn’t required, she headed back to the hotel.

Andy had just showered and walked out wearing only a towel assuming Miranda shouldn’t be back for another hour or so. But as Andy heard someone clear their throat she learned otherwise.

“Miranda, you’re… back,” Andy stated the obvious. Hoping it would distract herself from feeling too self aware in just a towel. But it was hard to do when she realised Miranda wasn’t turning her eyes away.

“Yes, I have to go through the Book tonight, so I decided to leave as soon as I could.”

“I… Uh… I’m going to grab some clothes and get dressed.” Andy said, her face burning hot.

“By all means,” Miranda said and sat on the edge of the bed. Andy walked to the closet to grab her clothes and headed back into the bathroom to change. Sighing relieved that at least she hadn’t been in the middle of changing in the room when Miranda arrived. Or stepped out naked in the first place.

”Sorry, I thought you were coming back later,” Andy apologised as she got to the room again.

“You really don’t need to apologise. It is your room too,” Miranda said as she took off her earrings. “And I arrived earlier than you expected.”

“Right,” Andy said and sat down on the bed on her side. “So, really you should apologise for walking in on me.”

Miranda huffed.

“I don’t usually show that much skin without at least wining and dining first.”

“Haven’t we dined plenty of times together now?”

Andy laughed. “Fair enough. And you did say you barely notice my presence, couldn’t have been too bad.”

“Have I said that?” Miranda said surprised, alarmed almost. And Andy realised maybe she had sounded a little hurt.

“Yeah? When we arrived in Paris. But I mean, I am just your assistant. To be there when you need me and disappear when you don’t.”

“I think you misunderstood me. Or maybe I phrased myself badly,” Miranda said and reached out to place her hand over Andy’s. “I only meant that I feel… comfortable around you.”

“Oh.”

Miranda pulled her hand away and turned her back to Andy again. “Not to parade around as nude as you but…”

Andy groaned. “You’re never going to let it go.”

“I will relive it many times, I assure you.”

Chapter Text

The following day was again scheduled to the minute, for which Andy was more than grateful. Less time to think about her faux pas as Miranda too seemed more focused on work than anything else.

“Come on,” Serena said as they waited for Miranda and Nigel to finish with the press. “It’s not that serious, you share a room. It happens. And she sees half-undressed people all the time.”

Andy looked over at Miranda smilingly answering the questions that had undoubtedly been repeated a dozen times by now. How did you like x, y, z, what are you looking forward to the most, etc.

“I know,” Andy said without much conviction. She knew it to be true, yet there was something difficult to pinpoint about it. About Miranda’s reaction to it.

Softness.

“And it sounded to me like she enjoyed the show,” Serena teased as she nudged Andy to move.

Andy rolled her eyes. “I think it was less a show, and more a deer frozen in headlights.”

Later in the evening Andy was returning to the hotel room where she found Miranda talking on the phone. She seemed to be in low spirits despite her voice staying cheery. “Yes, Mom is trying,” Miranda said, and Andy decided it was perhaps best to give her some privacy and leave the room.

“We still need to go over my speech,” Miranda said to stop Andy in her tracks. She then followed with goodbyes to her children with more assurances.

“Is everything okay?” Andy asked.

Miranda was standing with her back towards Andy quietly. Slowly her shoulders relaxed and she turned around. “Is it ever?”

“Is there anything I can do?”

Miranda tilted her head gently and studied Andy. “Do you mean as my employee or as my lover?”

Andy cleared her throat at the unexpected wording. “Uh… Whichever you need.”

Miranda’s lip quirked with amusement. “Employee will do for now.”

“Of course.” Andy nodded and started digging in her bag to find the notes for Miranda’s speech. She turned around to hand them to Miranda but she had already sat down.

Miranda’s eyes followed Andy as she circled around the table, and Andy was waiting for some kind of a snarky remark about her taking her sweet time, but instead Miranda said, “I’ve been meaning to ask, how well do you know Christian Thompson?”

“What?” Andy asked, bewildered. “Why? I mean… Not that well. I’ve read things he’s written,” she continued trying to compose herself. Describing him as the stupidest mistake she had ever made might have been slightly exaggerated but also not information Miranda really needed to know.

Miranda kept staring at Andy, and slowly her eyebrow drew up. “I was curious for professional reasons, but your reaction tells me your relationship might not be.”

Andy sat down, turning her head away from Miranda. “The speech, was there a change you wanted to make?” she said trying to avoid the subject.

“Ravitz is so transparent,” Miranda said mirthfully.

Andy looked at Miranda. “What do you mean?”

“He is pushing for me to choose Thompson as the new managing editor and I couldn’t figure out why he was so certain he’d succeed. And now I understand why. If I don’t choose him he can claim it’s because of jealousy, which would make me seem unprofessional.”

A year ago Christian had mentioned Jacqueline Follet would have brought him in to manage the editorial content. Before Andy had stormed out after the regrettable night they had spent together. “That seemed to be the idea if Jacqueline had taken over Runway,” Andy said finally. “But I don’t think he had much experience in running editorial.”

“You don’t think he would be capable?”

“Can’t really say. But does it matter if you think he’d be a puppet?”

“I suppose not, as I’m not going to hire him. As long as I find a better candidate I can easily refuse him, and then whether or not it would be because of jealous pettiness won’t even be an issue.”

Imagining Christian working for Miranda willingly seemed extremely unlikely. Considering the first thing he did when he found out Andy worked for Miranda was tell her that it was a shame.

“Was it a simple dalliance or something more… serious?"Miranda asked after a while.

“It was just a mistake,” Andy stated, hoping Miranda would leave it at that.

Miranda seemed to be considering her answer for an unnecessarily long moment before she moved back to discussing work.

An hour later Miranda had left for another late dinner, leaving Andy with another free evening, which she decided to spend having a quick dinner with Serena before heading back to the room to relax and enjoy a quiet moment to herself.

Much later Miranda arrived back and immediately took her heels off and let out a long sigh. “I might have to accept that I am getting too old for long nights and too little sleep.”

“I don’t think it’s an age thing. I’ve been that way since I was 16,” Andy said, lifting her eyes from the book and grinning at Miranda.

“I will shower first and then we can go over tomorrow,” Miranda said and headed into the bathroom.

Andy yawned and got just a little more cosy on the couch telling herself she’d just rest her eyes a little. A gentle squeeze on her shoulder woke her up.

“Sorry, Andy said, startled. “I must have dozed off.”

“It is rather late,” Miranda said softly. “We should sleep, we can go over the schedule in the morning.”

“No, I’m fine. I’ll just—”

“Darling, sleep.”

“Yeah. It does sound good,” Andy agreed tiredly.

Andy woke up in the middle of the night to something itching her nose and slowly came to realise to her horror she had failed to cling to her side of the bed and was spooning her boss. Her hand was on something she really hoped wasn’t Miranda’s breast, even if it felt as soft as one.

Andy was frozen in place afraid to move a muscle, listening to Miranda breathe calmly. After a while she determined Miranda was in fact asleep and Andy finally braved trying to untangle herself from her.

Slowly she lifted her arm off Miranda and inched herself further from her, until she was confident the distance was appropriate. Turning around she tried to reason with herself that Miranda couldn’t have known because she would have absolutely woken Andy up to stop it.

It was still a couple of hours until the alarm would be going off, and Andy didn’t want to get up if she would end up waking Miranda too. She would just need to make sure her sleeping self would behave until then.

Which was immediately complicated as Andy felt Miranda shift, and soon an arm was wrapping around her midriff. Miranda let out a sigh Andy didn’t dare to describe as satisfied even if it entirely sounded that way.

Again Andy had to reason. If Miranda now were to wake up she could hardly blame Andy for this.

Though blaming Andy for things that she had no control over wasn’t unlike Miranda either. If only Miranda’s peaceful breathing and soft form pressed against her wasn’t so cosy that it was easy to relax into…

“Shit,” Andy said in a slight panic as she woke up to the alarm going off.

“Good morning,” Miranda said at the end of the bed, already fully dressed and ready for the day. She looked at Andy curiously.

Andy blinked a few times, before turning to look at the alarm clock which was still showing 6:00. “I thought I had overslept,” Andy explained and got up. It definitely wasn’t because she could still vividly feel Miranda’s warmth.

“No, but I would rather head out a little earlier today,” Miranda informed her. “I want to visit the venue before the team gets here.”

“Okay, I will get ready,” Andy said and rushed to the bathroom.

“I thought it was a couple blocks away,” Andy said looking at the map on her phone again when Miranda suddenly asked the driver to pull over.

Miranda got out of the car and turned around as she waited for Andy to get out. “I should allow you to have breakfast first at least.”

“Coffee does sound amazing.”

“You didn’t sleep well?” Miranda asked.

“I slept fine,” Andy lied after ordering her coffee and a delicious looking croissant.

“Good. I could take it as an insult if you found sleeping next to me insufferable.”

Andy let out a short chuckle. “Wouldn’t dream of it. At least wouldn’t dream of admitting it.”

“Do you find it difficult? Sleeping next to me?” Miranda asked as she peered over the coffee cup she was holding with both hands.

An honest answer would have undoubtedly been yes. The first two nights she had barely slept, afraid she’d fondle Miranda in her sleep. And last night she had spooned Miranda immediately when she had let her guard down. But she wasn’t going to say that.

“You’re first and foremost my boss,” Andy started carefully. “So it has taken some getting used to. And I don’t want to make you uncomfortable in your space.”

“I’m quite certain you would be incapable of doing anything I would find untoward,” Miranda said.

Andy almost choked on her croissant. If Miranda only knew Andy’s hand had been substituting as her bra during the night. “Reassuring,” Andy mumbled and tried to ignore the feeling nagging in the back of her head that Miranda knew.

A smirk flashed on Miranda’s face before she glanced at her watch.

“Should I summon the driver?” Andy asked immediately hoping to find an escape in focusing on work.

“No, I feel like walking.”

Strolling down the street in Paris with Miranda wasn’t really what Andy had expected to happen either. Though she supposed it paled in comparison to sharing a room and a bed with her.

Still there was something about it that felt different, or maybe the spooning was altering Andy’s brain chemistry somehow. Miranda didn’t seem to be in any rush which made Andy wonder if maybe she needed a reprieve from all of the chaos of Fashion Week.

“Andréa,” Miranda said and stopped walking after they had walked silently for some time.

“Yes, Miranda?” Andy replied immediately and Miranda looked disappointed. “I mean… Yes… Babe?”

Miranda’s eye twitched and she stared at Andy in disbelief, which made Andy chuckle.

“Sorry,” she said holding back the laughter. “I will never say that again.”

“I would… prefer that,” Miranda stated. “But I was going to ask if there is something wrong? You’ve been… quieter than usual today. Usually in any prolonged moment of silence you make at least a comment or two.”

“I do?” She would have strongly claimed she had learned to keep the chitchat to minimum.

“I’ve learned to mostly ignore it, but it happens almost without exception. Most of the time it’s somewhat relevant. Sometimes it’s a non sequitur about your uncle who farms chickens in Wisconsin.”

Andy felt her face heat up from embarrassment. “Wyoming.”

“Nevertheless. It is starting to irritate me.”

Andy’s brow furrowed as she tried to figure out how to get out of the situation without upsetting Miranda in anyway. She could insist nothing was wrong but Miranda seemed determined something was off. “I swear I did not mean to do it, but last night I woke up and I was kind of… unintentionally groping you.”

“Is that all?”

“Isn’t that bad enough?”

Miranda’s expression relaxed. “Explains why my right breast is a little sore.”

“God, I’m so sorry. I think I was so worried I’d do it that when I finally relaxed fully I ended up doing that.”

“I’m joking,” Miranda said with a mischievous smile on her face. “We do need to get more comfortable with touching each other. I would have perhaps started more casually. Holding hands, dancing.”

“Paris has been a mortifying experience so far,” Andy grumbled. “Maybe I should stay in Serena’s room for the rest of the trip.”

“I don’t think you should be groping anyone else but your girlfriend.”

“I don’t… go around groping people usually.” Also if she were to accidentally do that to Serena, Emily’s reaction scared her much more than Miranda ever could. A shiver ran down her spine. “So… You’re not going to fire me?”

“Even if your wandering hands bothered me, it would be most inconvenient for me to fire you now. For a myriad of reasons.”

“Right,”Andy said. It might be a little confusing for HR if Miranda told them she fired her girlfriend for touching her inappropriately.

“We have another long day ahead and I need you at your best. Understood?”

“Of course, babe.”

“I take it all back. You’re fired.”

On the evening of the third day, Andy, Nigel and Serena were having a drink at the hotel bar. Miranda was still having a long distance call with Irv Ravitz, which Nigel had decided could only spell trouble.

“I heard a rumour Kelly was leaving,” Nigel said. “That she was offered a once-in-a-lifetime position in London.”

“She’s been at Runway forever,” Serena said.

“Almost as long as I have,” Nigel reminded them.

Andy shrugged. Sure, she knew it was true, and even knew who Irv wanted to hire, but if Miranda hadn’t even told Nigel yet it was hardly her place.

“Irv will want someone who’ll help rein her in,” Nigel pondered.

Christian had the ego of someone who would be convinced he could do just that. Something about imagining Christian working so closely with Miranda made Andy’s stomach twist. Andy had been swayed by his charm. What if Miranda would be too?

“Are you alright?” Nigel asked.

“Yeah, just tired I think,” Andy tried dismissing his concern. And her sudden nausea.

Andy returned to their hotel room and entered carefully trying to determine if she might be interrupting the call between Miranda and Irv Ravitz. She couldn’t see or hear anyone in the room. “Miranda?” she tried.

“Balcony,” came a reply and then Andy noticed the double doors to the balcony were slightly ajar.

“Have you been out here long? It’s kinda cold.”

“Five minutes or so,” Miranda said with a sigh. “Maybe longer.”

“Mr. Ravitz?”

Miranda turned to look at Andy and offered her a gentle smile. “No, I was just enjoying the night.” She pushed herself off the banister and walked inside. “We need to make another change to the seating.”

“Okay.”

“Christian Thompson will join our table.” Miranda seemed to be entertained by the idea.

“You’re going to hire him?” Andy blurted out and sounded definitely more alarmed than she would’ve liked.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Miranda huffed. “We just compromised that I would at least meet with him. Irv insisted it would be now.”

“Right,” Andy said, trying to push aside the mild nausea resurfacing and sat down holding the seating chart. “Who will be moved around?”

“What did he do?”

Andy lifted her eyes to meet Miranda’s. “What do you mean?”

“It seems like he meant something to you. You called him a mistake earlier and in my experience mistakes usually come with a story.”

Andy shifted in her chair. “It's not… Mistake is not quite right. I’m mostly just disappointed with myself than anything else. I was impressed by him, because he has achieved most of the things I want to achieve too.”

“I see.”

“Not a very interesting story in the end,” Andy said with a faint smile.

“On the contrary,” Miranda insisted and squeezed Andy’s shoulder as she passed by. “It’s rather reassuring.”

“It is?” Andy asked, but Miranda disappeared into the bedroom and gave no reply. “What of the chart?”

Miranda appeared in the doorway. “I’m tired. We’ll figure it out in the morning.”

Chapter Text

People rushed in back into the large ballroom that in only one day was going to hold Runway’s Fashion Week dinner. They were carrying in different options for Miranda, who had decided that the tablecloths were entirely the wrong hue of white.

Andy bit back a grin at the mild surprise that flashed on Miranda’s face as more and more options appeared in front of her. The organisers were clearly prepared for something like this. Perhaps worried Miranda might have questioned their professionalism one time too many and they were not going to let that happen.

Miranda touched each of the pieces carefully, and tilted her head like she was observing fine art. Eventually she pointed one of them out and gave the head organiser an approving nod.

Andy was looking at some of the light arches being hung on the walls that were a key part of the new theme. When she took a step back someone crashed straight into her. “Sorry,” Andy apologized to the young woman she was now holding up by the elbows. “I wasn’t looking.”

“No, it was my fault,” the woman said with a weary sigh and a heavy French accent.

Andy let go of her once she was sure she was stable. “I’m Andy,” she said and held out her hand.

“Morgane. You’re…” she started and picked up the things she had dropped when she collided with Andy. “You’re with Runway?”

“Yes, I’m Miranda’s assistant.”

“Ah, my boss is the one talking with her,” Morgane said and straightened herself. “She’s been going crazy over this event.”

Andy chuckled sympathetically. “Miranda can have that effect sometimes.”

“Have you worked for her long? Fashion must be such an interesting field to work in.”

“Two years almost. It is, yeah,” Andy said with a new sense of finality. This would be her last time in Paris for Fashion Week.

She hadn’t even discussed it with Miranda but both of them had to know Sierra was almost ready to take over as the first assistant. It was time to move on. And Andy was excited about it even if it was currently feeling rather bittersweet.

Working for Miranda had been an unimaginable experience, in both good and bad ways, and it had taught her a lot. It was an odd notion that one day she would likely just never see Miranda again. Not too long ago it might have been mostly a relief.

Morgane was summoned by her boss, leaving Andy with her thoughts. Only when Miranda’s brow furrowed did Andy realise she had unintentionally kept eye contact with Miranda for several moments.

She quickly averted her gaze, pretending to look at her phone. Spending the week in such close quarters was messing with her head.

Soon after, Miranda informed her they were leaving.

“What were you discussing?” Miranda asked as they headed out.

“Oh, just… commiserating about the hard life of assistants with demanding bosses,” Andy said as lightheartedly as she could, ignoring the sudden doubt she was having about moving on from Runway.

Miranda replied with an amused huff. “I’ve heard people say that a million girls would kill to have your job.”

“I have been told.” Andy chuckled softly before she added, “It’s certainly been an experience I will remember for the rest of my life.”

Andy got in the backseat of the car and scooted to the other side and waited for Miranda to get in. It took Miranda a moment before she actually did. Andy confirmed the destination with the driver and the car took off.

Miranda didn’t say anything for a while until she just stated, “I don’t think the girl is ready.”

Andy was taken aback by Miranda’s surprisingly sharp tone, and it took her a moment to figure out which ‘girl’ she was talking about. “I think Sierra will be in a couple months. She can do much of the job better than I did when I became the first assistant.” Which was true. Even if she wasn’t able to read Miranda’s moods as well as Andy, but it had hardly been Emily’s strong suit either.

“The girl can barely tie her laces without supervision.”

Andy turned to look at Miranda who was casually checking her nails. “You know that’s not true. And you know her name too; I don’t get why you’re refusing to use it.”

“I’ve had enough assistants to know who can do it and who can’t. Sierra certainly cannot.”

“Then why haven’t you fired her in the last ten months?” Andy said getting more and more frustrated. “Hardly has been an issue for you in the past.”

“I trusted you would be able to train her properly. My sincerest apologies for having such faith in you,” Miranda said, her words dripping sarcasm.

“Bullshit. And you know it.”

“Mind your tone.”

Andy clenched her jaw and turned to look away from Miranda. They were barely minutes away from arriving at the location of Valentino’s show. And even if she knew she was right, it wasn’t like Miranda was going to admit she was wrong, and definitely not in the minutes allotted.

Miranda had either come to the same conclusion or simply didn’t want to talk anymore, so neither of them said anything for the rest of the ride. Only just before the driver opened the car door, Miranda said, “We will discuss this later.”

“What did you do now?” Serena asked a few hours later at last show of the day, when they had found their seats. Miranda was still having a conversation with a designer from Valentino.

“What do you mean?” Andy asked avoiding Serena’s and Nigel’s eyes.

“You are tense like a bowstring,” Nigel said leaning forward conspiratorially so he could see Andy.

“Exactly,” Serena agreed.

Andy sighed. “We had a slight disagreement.”

“You had a fight with Miranda?”

Andy shook her head trying to play it down. Yes, she was worried she might have gone too far, but if Miranda was going to fire her, she would have done that on the spot. “It wasn’t really a fight, just a little heated exchange of words.”

“It doesn’t seem to have affected Miranda’s mood too badly,” Serena said, turning to look at Miranda. As did Nigel.

“I don’t know,” he said thoughtfully. “She can mask her fury surprisingly well.”

Miranda seemed to sense three pairs of eyes were on her, and in a matter of seconds she was in front of them even if all of them had tried to look at anything else. “What?” Miranda demanded.

“Just admiring the cut of that Posen dress. It really is exquisite,” Nigel said. Miranda looked at them sceptically, but apparently decided it wasn’t worth the effort.

“Serena, take my seat,” Miranda said and took the seat next to Andy. “I need your phone.” She just extended her hand towards Andy and waited.

Andy opened her clutch and glanced at the screen, Sierra had called her a couple times despite it being barely 6 AM in New York. “What did you do?” Andy asked as she placed the work phone in Miranda’s hand.

“You said she’s ready,” Miranda simply said and dropped Andy’s phone into her bag. “I wanted to see it for myself.”

“So you’re sending her…” Andy started, a little agitated, before lowering her voice and leaning closer to Miranda. “…on a wild goose chase?”

“It is neither wild nor a goose chase. I asked her to find something I need for that celebrity auction. A task I would assume any of my first assistants capable of completing.”

“Fine,” Andy said, trying to think of what Miranda could have possibly decided to demand Sierra to acquire. “Do your little experiment, but when she succeeds I want you to admit it. Actually admit that I was right,” Andy said as confidently as she could manage even if she was anything but. She believed Sierra could do it, but she also knew Miranda. Miranda could turn the most mundane task impossible if she wanted to.

“Fine,” Miranda agreed nonchalantly.

A few moments after the show started, Andy felt Miranda’s fingers squeezing her thigh.

“Stop that,” Miranda murmured before removing her hand.

Andy realised she had been bouncing her leg as she had mostly been thinking about Sierra. She was certain she had heard her phone vibrating in Miranda’s bag at least a couple of times.

“That nervous?” Miranda sounded like she was enjoying Andy’s fretting.

“Just… excited,” Andy said, to which Miranda responded with an amused huff.

It had been six hours since Miranda had confiscated her phone when she without much ceremony handed it back. Andy looked over the calls and messages she had received, but after the initial few unanswered calls, Sierra hadn’t tried to reach her again.

Miranda's unresponsive behaviour made Andy suspect that Sierra might have pulled it off, but she could easily just be distracted by something else.

“Fine,” Miranda eventually said begrudgingly. “You were right.”

A smile spread on Andy’s face that she didn’t even attempt to hide. “She did it?”

Miranda rolled her eyes. “Smugness doesn’t really suit you.”

Andy’s grin just grew wider.

“And technically she failed. But she was so unrelenting I now have options.”

Andy’s grin melted off and confusion took over. “So wait… she failed, yet you admitted I was right?”

“I never expected her to succeed. I didn't even expect her to try. But she did far better than I assumed.”

“And that is enough?”

Miranda looked mildly annoyed as she got up. “It will have to be, won’t it?”

Andy had hardly been Miranda’s best assistant, but maybe she had done much better than she thought she had. “You don’t want me to leave,” Andy said and a grin found its way on her face again. “You think you’ll never have anyone as amazing as I am,” she continued to tease. Miranda rolled her eyes indignantly. Andy took a step closer. “All you need to say is… please and I’ll consider staying.”

Miranda swallowed and a hint of red peppered her neck. Something in the air shifted and it wasn’t only because the tenseness Andy had felt earlier had dissipated.

Miranda gently pushed Andy’s shoulder to give herself more room to move away and only then Andy realised she had Miranda backed against a wall.

“Sorry,” Andy said, thinking she had likely made Miranda uncomfortable. “I didn’t mean to…”

Miranda cleared her throat before she just said, “I need to freshen up, and you should go enjoy your last free evening in the city.”

Instead of spending the night with Serena or Nigel, Andy opted to spend a quiet evening enjoying the city on her own.

After an hour of walking around the city, Andy found her way to a restaurant only a couple blocks from their hotel.

The waiter came over and poured her a glass of wine. She took a tentative sip and almost choked on it when a familiar voice asked, “Is this seat taken?”

Andy cleared her throat and looked up at the man standing by her table. “Christian.”

“Didn’t mean to scare you,” he said with a soft chuckle.

“I wasn’t exactly expecting to run into anyone I know.”

“I don’t want to disturb but I for one wouldn’t mind the company.”

Andy eyed him for a moment and then relented, “There are probably worse people to spend an evening with.” When he sat down she added, “None come to mind but…”

He laughed and placed a hand on his heart. “Ouch. I didn’t think we parted in such ill manner.”

Andy just gave him a little shrug before picking up her wine again. “I would say that it was more eye opening than anything else. Shouldn’t trust men who are too charming.”

“It was nothing against you, I saw an opportunity and took it.”

“Chose to get ahead,” Andy mumbled, a conversation she had with Miranda a year before suddenly fresh in her mind.

“Exactly,” he said pointedly. “And for what it’s worth, I would have helped you land a new job.”

“Right,” Andy said indifferent. “I would’ve rather had a warning.”

“I don't think what we did, what I did, was any worse than what Miranda would’ve done. And I have to hand it to her, that it was… well played.”

In that moment Andy felt proud of Miranda. She still couldn’t find it in herself to agree with Miranda that it was right, especially not warning Nigel beforehand, but she really had outplayed them.

“I was surprised when I heard you stayed. You had such big plans,” Christian said and furrowed his brow.

“Don’t worry, my plans haven’t gotten any smaller.”

“Glad to hear it, your stuff was really good. And I’m not saying it just to get in your good graces.”

“You’re being awfully… nice,” Andy said and leaned against the table. “I don’t like it.”

“I’ve always been nice, or do you mean you just don’t like nice people? Explains the other… rumour I heard.”

Andy let out a short laugh and leaned back in her chair. “And what rumour was that?” She had no question it wasn’t about her and Miranda, but she was curious why it was of interest to Christian.

“That you didn’t stay at Runway for purely professional reasons.”

“If you want to ask me something you should just come out with it.”

“You and Miranda. It’s true, isn’t it?”

“You’re doubting your source?”

A grin spread on his face. “A good journalist always fact-checks.”

“Interesting, I on the other hand have heard that journalism is starting to bore you,” Andy said. Christian’s grin didn’t relent.

“Keeping my options open. Are you asking out of personal interest? Worried you need to protect your woman?”

“Ha,” Andy huffed. “She really doesn’t need my protection, but I’m curious. You’ve hardly been her biggest fan, so, working for Runway, for her?”

Christian picked up the bottle of wine he had ordered and filled both of their glasses. “Opportunities like these don’t exactly grow on trees. It would be foolish of me to turn it down.”

“Miranda hasn’t actually hired you yet,” Andy said arching her eyebrow.

Christian shrugged. “I just need to convince her that it would be in her best interest.”

“Would it really be?”

“If she wants Irv off her back, yes,” he stated. Andy’s scepticism must have been clear on her face, because he added, “You don’t believe me, but I wouldn’t lie to you.”

Four glasses had definitely been three too many, Andy decided as she was trying remove her heels. “Wouldn’t lie to you,” she mumbled to herself. “Sure you wouldn’t.”

“Andréa?” Miranda stepped out of the bedroom. She was in a bathrobe, clearly getting ready to sleep.

“Oh, hi,” Andy said and beamed widely at her.

Miranda looked at her curiously and a smile quirked on her lips. “Hi?”

“I didn’t mean to disturb you. I didn’t think you’d be back yet.”

Miranda sighed and turned back into the bedroom. “Donatella’s gatherings are getting too wild for me.” Andy chuckled at Miranda’s dramatically weary tone. “Who wouldn’t lie to you?” she then asked.

“Ah… Christian,” Andy said, and Miranda turned around, her eyes narrow. “I ran into him and we ended up having dinner together.”

“Oh?” Miranda said casually, still eyeing Andy.

“I didn’t mean to intervene or anything,” Andy tried to reassure Miranda, hoping she hadn’t overstepped. “I was just curious why he suddenly wanted to work for you. And he said you should hire him to ‘get Irv off your back’. Something just doesn't seem right about it, though.”

“Of course it doesn’t when Irv is involved,” Miranda said sardonically. “So… work was all you discussed?”

“Mostly,” Andy said and Miranda got back to what she had been doing. Andy sat down in the chair in the living area to give Miranda privacy. “He did ask me if I was asking just to protect ‘my woman.’” Andy chuckled.

She heard something hit the floor, and got up quickly to see what had happened.

“Are you okay?” Andy asked as she found Miranda picking up the items she had dropped and putting them back in the closet.

“I’m fine,” Miranda said but seemed distracted. She let out a long sigh. “Tomorrow it might be best if… you interacted with him as little as possible.”

“Okay,” Andy said. It’s not like she really had much interest in continuing a conversation with him.

“Thank you. And one more thing I’ve been thinking about…”

“Yes?”

“Remember when we were talking about our first kiss?” Miranda said, and Andy nodded slowly, uncertain where the conversation could be leading. “And you pointed out it would be more palatable if you broke the boundary first?”

“Yes…?”

“I think it somewhat applies to more situations too. Even to casual touches that would be considered normal between people in a romantic relationship.” Miranda said and sat down on the edge of the bed. “Tomorrow evening is the first time you’re in public as my… partner instead of my employee. Still both of us are very aware that is not real. Because when it is just the two of us our dynamic is that of an employer and employee, and as such I hold too much power over you.”

“I guess I see what you mean,” Andy said, hoping the wine hadn't made her misunderstand something critical.

“Do you?”

“You’re worried you’ll pressure me into something that I might be uncomfortable with. But you haven’t.”

“Are you certain? Would you be comfortable sharing a bed with me if you thought I was attracted to you?”

Andy let out a surprised chuckle and Miranda furrowed her brow. “Sorry, right. You’re serious.” Andy sat on the bed next to Miranda and fell on her back. “Uh… I don’t really see why I would be uncomfortable? I don't think you could do anything to cause that. Honestly, I would probably be more flattered than anything else. I mean, come on. Totally out of my league,” Andy said and started laughing again.

“You smell like cheap Merlot.”

“I had a few glasses, and it was a lovely Shiraz actually.”

“How much did you drink?”

“I’m not drunk. Maybe slightly tipsy. Definitely tired though.” Andy slowly peeled herself up to sit. She patted Miranda’s thigh. “Don’t worry, this conversation is still safe, sane and consensual.”

Miranda looked at her clearly doubtful, and Andy noticed the lock of hair that had fallen over Miranda’s eye. Andy pushed it back in place and for a brief moment Miranda’s eyes fell to her lips.

“Better,” Andy said and got up to go wash her face and get ready for bed.

As Andy was done drying her face she kept staring at her face in the mirror. Her eyes fell to her lips just like Miranda's had moments ago.

Slowly something was becoming clear to Andy. Miranda would have been more than fine if she had kissed her.

What Andy would do with this information was much less clear.

Chapter Text

The following morning Miranda was her usual self but Andy struggled. She found it hard to be relaxed around Miranda so she did her best to avoid her, which wasn’t all that easy in a suite. Luckily the hair and makeup team arrived to get them ready for the day, which offered a welcome distraction for Andy.

Before long they were on their way for the first show of the day. Andy just hoped everything would go by smoothly. It would be only one more day until she was back home in New York and life would go back to a more normal routine. No bed sharing, or accidental shower scenes, or breakfasts together at cosy Parisian cafes.

The car was quiet and the drive was going to be a while, and when Miranda had no task lists to give, Andy’s mind wandered dangerously. Yesterday evening played on repeat in her mind as Andy kept wondering if she could imagine kissing her and what the hell would that mean if she did?

How would Miranda respond if she decided to go for it? Just to test it out.

The more she had thought about the previous night, the more she started to doubt what she had been so certain of. Maybe Miranda thought Andy had gone too far and had tried to avoid eye contact and she had just read the situation wrong. It could have been that Andy just made her uncomfortable again.

After all Miranda really hadn't seemed any different in the morning.

Miranda moved in her seat as she flicked through her speech for the evening. She mumbled to herself and tried different words before moving to the next card.

Eventually Miranda let out a frustrated sigh before glancing at the watch on her wrist.

“Did you confirm the girls’ arrival from their father’s?”

“Yes, Cara texted me late last night to confirm.”

“Good,” Miranda replied and sounded like she was lost in thought. “I think we should be engaged.”

“W-what?” Andy turned her head so fast that she was sure she pulled a muscle.

Miranda lifted her head to meet Andy’s eyes. “Are you hard of hearing?”

“I don’t… No, but I thought you said we should be engaged?” Andy said feeling absolutely ridiculous, because why would Miranda suddenly think…

“I’ve never really dated for the sake of dating. I’ve married the people I found worth my time. And anyone who really knows me would find it unusual,” Miranda said matter-of-factly.

“Hold on,” Andy said and held her hand up. “What?”

“I don’t think it changes anything that significantly.”

“I think it does. Majorly.” Mild panic mixing in with Andy’s confusion.

“And Paris is really the perfect place for it.”

“Miranda, it is a big deal. And I always imagined it more… Romantic. Significant.”

“Paris,” Miranda said and gestured vaguely out the window where Eiffel Tower was again in view.

Andy kept staring at Miranda quietly, partly expecting she would tell her it was a joke, but fully knew Miranda didn’t really do that. And that nothing of her tone had signalled she was kidding.

“You have some time to think about it and I’ll send someone to stop at Cartier. We’re here,” Miranda said and put her sunglasses on before leaving the car.

“Cartier?” Andy repeated before following Miranda into the chaos of the paparazzi. “You can’t be serious,” she said as soon as they were inside. Some of the other attendees looked at Andy curiously or scandalized that she would use such a tone with Miranda Priestly of all people.

“Andréa,” Miranda said, smiling through her teeth, before she was swept away by people wanting a moment of her attention, leaving Andy standing alone feeling much more confused than she had been the previous evening.

“Can we have a moment to talk about… what you said in the car?” Andy said as she followed Miranda into a bathroom a few hours later. She hadn’t been able to get Miranda’s attention for more than a few seconds since the morning.

“Evidently,” Miranda said and spun around. “You’re holding me hostage.”

“What changed? Why do we suddenly need to be engaged?”

“Donatella.”

“I know you hate me asking questions so please just elaborate without this whole game you always play.”

“I am not playing a game,” Miranda said irritated as she pretended to fix her makeup.

“Fine, sure,” Andy relented with a sigh. This wasn’t necessarily the right time to question Miranda’s worst behaviour patterns. “What did Donatella do that means we need to pretend to be engaged?”

“She thought this is just sexual,” Miranda said and gestured between them. “That you are the human equivalent of a sex toy and nothing more.”

“A sex toy.”

“And if Donatella, one of my oldest friends, thinks that, we certainly aren’t convincing my ex-husband,” Miranda said and crossed her arms in front of her. “Amazing sex isn’t enough.”

“You told her we have amazing sex.”

“She assumed. I only did nothing to deny it,” Miranda said casually.

Andy had to take a moment to maneuver her brain past all of the talk about their hypothetical sex life and how proud she felt of her imaginary sex skills all of a sudden to get to the part that actually caused her concern; the engagement. “Breaking up an engagement is messier.”

“Only when people make it messy.”

“And does it have to be now? Can we talk about this back home in New York?”

“I don’t know what there is to discuss. It’s a simple transaction.”

“I don’t know if promising to spend the rest of your life with someone is a simple transaction.”

Miranda looked at Andy like she had suddenly grown two heads.

“I mean I know it’s not like I’ll wake up Mrs. Priestly tomorrow, but engagement, even if it’s fake, it’s a big deal for me, Miranda. Big deal for my family,” Andy said as her eyes widened with horror. “They might actually want to meet you if they learned about it.”

“Andréa,” Miranda said softly, likely to convince Andy to calm down. “This conversation should continue later. This really isn’t the place for it.”

“Right,” Andy said as there was a knock on the door. They had been occupying the bathroom for quite a while now. “I’ll go wait in the car.”

Clearly Andy’s worry about Miranda meeting her parents had affected Miranda too because not long after the car took off she asked, or more like demanded, to know what Andy had meant. “Are you worried I would embarrass you in front of your parents? Or is dating me the embarrassing part?” she asked.

Andy snorted in surprise and earned a disapproving look from Miranda. “You’re serious? Okay, um… No, I’m not embarrassed and it's definitely not embarrassing. But it’s… they have some reservations about… you.” Reservations was maybe putting it mildly, but at least not inaccurate.

“Is it the age difference or me being your boss?” Miranda asked.

Andy rubbed her neck, feeling uncomfortable. She could hardly tell Miranda that her parents thought she was just a full-on tyrant. Although Andy wasn’t entirely sure if Miranda would even care. “It has… more to do with you being my boss.”

“I see,” Miranda stated, a little tense.

“But I guess I could just not tell them we’re engaged. It’s not likely they would find out anyway.” And it wasn’t like she hadn’t already told them a lie about Miranda, the lie-verse was just expanding a little. It seemed important to Miranda, so maybe there was no harm in doing it. “If you really feel it’s important, I could be okay with it. Just give me some time to think about it.”

“Good,” Miranda said, before turning away from Andy. Her tone was definitely saying it was far less than ‘good’, but Andy was sure she would find out why later.

Later happened to be exactly 23 minutes later in the hotel elevator when Miranda suddenly pressed the emergency stop button, and it started to become clear to Andy how much this bothered Miranda. “Why does your family not want to meet the woman you’re dating?”

“We're holding up the elevator.”

“I’ve found giving you a sense of urgency usually makes you not lie to me,” Miranda said and narrowed her eyes as she stared at Andy.

“I don’t tend to lie to you,” Andy stated.

“I asked you a question.”

“I would imagine you already know the reason.”

“I want to hear it.”

Andy let out a long sigh. “Well I told you already, Mom isn’t quite on board with the same-sex thing, and Dad…”

“But those aren’t the real reason are they?”

Andy tensed her jaw because she had no idea how this could possibly end well. It wasn’t like she had always given the best possible version of events when complaining about Miranda to her friends and family. “Do you want to meet my family suddenly?”

Miranda laughed derisively. “No.”

Andy stepped closer and slid her hand past Miranda to start the elevator again. “So it doesn’t really matter, does it?”

Miranda swallowed visibly and licked her lips before Andy moved back to stand further apart. Miranda’s hand played idly with the lapel of her shirt until the elevator stopped and she walked determinedly out and into their room without saying another word.

Andy had learned two things which created many more questions. It was clear Miranda seemed to respond strongly to Andy being more assertive with her and that it really bothered her that Andy’s family didn’t like her. Both led to a complicated conclusion, and one Andy was not sure Miranda herself had even realised or would ever admit.

Miranda didn’t really seem like a person who was very in touch with her feelings, but she must have realised. Hadn’t she even sort of asked if Andy would be uncomfortable sleeping next to her?

“Miranda,” Andy called out and closed their room’s door a little too forcefully.

Miranda turned around slowly, her expression tense.

“Do you want to sleep with me?” Andy asked. “Or is it something… else?”

Miranda rolled her eyes and disappeared into the bedroom.

“Wait, I’m serious.”

“Do you need another ego boost?”

“Another?” Andy asked, confused. “And no, I don’t. I just think it’s important that we’re honest about this.”

“Now honesty is suddenly so important for you.” Miranda’s tone was freezing.

“It always is. But it’s also important for me that I don’t intentionally hurt you,” Andy said and Miranda seemed uncertain with her anger. “Whatever my family thinks is coloured by my worst moments and not what they necessarily would think if they knew you. But before we continue with this whole fake relationship, I need to know what you’re thinking.”

“It doesn't matter. We have an agreement and I expect you to hold to it.”

“I’m not trying to get out of it, but before we take the lie further, I need to know where you are.”

“I told you it’s a simple transaction, it won’t change ‘where I am’ in one direction or another.”

“I can’t get engaged if I can’t be sure I’m not doing something wrong to you.”

Miranda closed her eyes and Andy saw her jaw tensing. Finally she sighed and opened her eyes. “I find you attractive and have entertained the idea of what it could be like to make you lose your composure under my touch, were you so inclined. But I assure that’s all.”

Andy nodded slowly. It was a lot to process though she had already been pretty sure that was going to be Miranda’s answer. Maybe a little less description was expected but still. A simple yes would have really gone far. She nodded again. “Right, right.”

“Are we now on the same page?” Miranda said and crossed her arms tightly.

“Yup, definitely,” Andy said, her entire focus on the people she knew would any moment walk into their hotel room. Puppies and cleaning drains, puppies and Serena’s hair tangled in the shower drain. “Good talk.” Afterwards Andy had a haunting feeling she had also made finger guns at Miranda.

For a second time today the hair and makeup crew came to her rescue and offered her an escape.

A little more than an hour later she was ready for the Runway dinner and had some time still as she waited for Miranda to be ready too. She looked at the Cartier bag that the concierge had delivered while they were still getting ready. So far it had been left untouched on the bedside table, but she knew exactly what was in it and the thought wouldn’t leave her alone.

She gingerly picked up the square black box from inside it and sat down on the bed. She ran her finger over the Cartier logo before she snapped the box open to find two matching emerald cut diamond engagement rings and muttered ‘holy shit’ to herself.

She stared at the rings quietly for a moment and eventually slid one of them on. It felt heavier than any ring she had ever worn before. Miranda had definitely gone overboard for a purely ‘fake’ ring, but had Andy even expected anything less?

The commotion in the living area quieted down and the door was pushed open. “How many times do I need to call for you?” Miranda asked, and she was clearly agitated, which seemed to be a pattern of hers before major events. Especially ones where she was expected to speak.

“Sorry,” Andy said and got up immediately. “What did you need?”

“You. We should be on our way.” Miranda’s eyes travelled down Andy’s form, and eventually she gave an approving nod and then seemed to notice the ring on Andy’s finger. Her eyebrow arched and she gave Andy a curious look.

“I’m ready,” Andy said and hastily put the ring down.

After arriving at the venue Miranda had people from French Runway helping her with welcoming the guests, leaving Andy some time to explore the space with Serena. Andy considered asking Serena for her thoughts about the whole situation with Miranda but hesitated. Telling Serena that Miranda was attracted to her felt like she was breaking Miranda’s trust, and likely Serena would only be excited and tell her to get it on, which hardly seemed like useful advice in this case.

It might be better to ask Nigel, who undoubtedly was one of Miranda’s closest friends, even if friendship with Miranda likely meant she was only a little nicer to him than to others at work. When it came to Miranda’s self-preservation everyone was disposable, as had been evident only a year prior when it was a question of her or Nigel losing their dream job. It could hardly be held against her, though the way she executed it still gave Andy pause.

But in the end Andy found it best to keep to herself. At least for now.

“I still can’t believe I’m here,” Serena said wistfully. “Paris, everything I’ve seen this week. How can anything ever beat this?”

Andy chuckled. “It is pretty amazing.”

Serena wrapped her arm around Andy’s. “I can’t believe you won’t be here next year. We’ll stay roommates though, right?”

“You’re not thinking of moving in together with Emily?”

“It keeps the mystery alive when we don’t live together.”

“Does she agree?”

“No,” Serena said with joyous laughter. “And I’m so weak for her that I’ll fold the second she asks seriously.”

Andy shook her head. “Good thing you know yourself so well.”

“Unlike some of us, I choose not to live in denial.”

Speaking of denial, at that moment Andy’s eyes found Miranda in the crowd. She had moved on from the greeting and was having a conversation with Nigel and Irv Ravitz who had finally arrived.

Just as she sighed in relief when she didn’t spot Christian in the crowd, she heard him.

“Miranda-girl!” he said, elated, and then turned to Serena. “And friend I haven’t had the chance to meet yet.”

Serena and Christian exchanged greetings and then he refocused his efforts on Andy, but before he could get the conversation going Andy felt a hand on her back.

“Darling,” Miranda’s soft voice whispered dangerously close to Andy’s ear. “I need your help.”

“Of course,” Andy said immediately and Miranda guided her by her hand towards the podium. “What do you need?” she asked once they were far enough and Miranda had let go of her hand.

“I thought I asked for you to avoid him tonight,” Miranda said wearily.

“He surprised me. And we barely exchanged three words.”

“I’m sorry,” Miranda said and Andy had to fight the impulse to ask Miranda if she was running a fever. Until that moment Andy wouldn’t have known Miranda could utter those words. “It’s not you I’m frustrated with.“

“I’m here for you, you know that.”

“And as always, I wouldn’t be able to do any of this without our amazing Runway family and my own family; my darling daughters and my Andréa.” Miranda ended her speech and Andy fought hard to keep a smile on her face and hide the surprise in front of the table. As she turned to face the table she found Irv staring at her and Christian with his usual sly smirk.

The addition to the speech was undoubtedly done to sell the situation to Irv but it was still an unusual feeling to be included in Miranda’s family.

Miranda joined their table and sat down in her seat next to Andy. Irv and Christian were seated on the other side of Miranda. The other people on their table were a few editors in chief at Elias Clarke, among them the new French Runway editor.

Usually Miranda had chosen to fill her table with celebrities or other people who had significant merits in other fields but this year it seemed she had gathered people that worked exclusively in publishing.

Andy felt she was cheating by networking with people she would have never met or who would have never likely noticed her, were she not Miranda’s partner. But she tried to reason networking was part of the reason she had stayed at Runway. Even if this wasn’t exactly what she had in mind.

Much later in the evening Andy realised she hadn’t seen Miranda for a while and went to search for her. Eventually she found her outside in the small courtyard by a fountain.

“Andréa,” she said with pleasant surprise in her voice.

“I was wondering where you disappeared to,” Andy explained.

“The twins called, and it was so… nice and quiet here I decided to take a moment.” Miranda let out a sigh. “You're welcome to join me, if you too need a break.” Andy sat down next to her. “Did any of them offer you a job yet?” Miranda asked a while later.

“No.” Andy laughed and only then put two and two together. “Is that why you changed the seating? That was… nice of you.”

Miranda huffed, amused. “I've been known to show gratitude on rare occasions.”

Andy wasn’t entirely sure she would have believed that prior to Paris. She had seen Miranda thanking people, usually in a thinly veiled diss to the other people. ‘Thank god, at least one of you…’

She had also given Emily a good start once she had decided to move on from being an assistant, and she had intended to help Nigel land the job he wanted before everything else took place.

But on the other hand Miranda had also proposed to her and said she’s sorry and all that within the last 12 hours. It was hard to say anything with absolute certainty anymore.

“Thank you,” Andy replied. “I’m not sure if it will lead to anything, but…”

“You got me to hire you and I really had no reason to,” Miranda stated. A flash of a smile curved on her lips. “Your lack of interest in fashion and your academic background, neither really typical.”

“I was cocky.”

“And you’re no longer?”

Andy chuckled. “It wasn’t that long ago… But I’ve learned a lot. Through trial and error, mostly.”

“Sometimes that is what it takes, failing.” Miranda said absently, like she was thinking of something in particular. “To learn the most valuable lessons.”

“I suppose so,” Andy said, studying Miranda carefully.

Miranda took a deep breath. “As long as you’re not too stubborn to learn.”

“Are you?” Andy asked knowing that most likely it would only lead to Miranda shutting down. But again, the whole day had been full of surprises she couldn’t have imagined in her wildest dreams.

Miranda let out a derisive laughter. “You’ve worked for me for two years, is that a serious question?”

It was difficult to disagree, but it didn’t take Andy long to find Miranda’s exception. “You’re lenient with your children and I would guess you’ve made a lot of exceptions for them. Did you imagine you would be before you had them?”

A tender smile spread on Miranda’s face and she placed her hand on Andy’s. “Thank you, Andréa.”

“Anytime.” Andy realised she hoped they could stay friends after she leaves Runway. A fake engagement might not be that bad, even if it meant meeting her family, if it meant they could stay in each others’ lives for a little longer.

When they returned to the hotel Andy noticed she had left the rings haphazardly on the bedside table and they had fallen down. She got down to pick the box up only to find the other one had rolled under the bed.

“What are you doing?” Miranda asked as Andy just managed to reach it.

“Got it,” Andy said triumphantly and then lifted the ring up to show Miranda, who was standing in front of her. When Miranda furrowed her brow, Andy finally realised she was on her knees holding up an engagement ring in front of Miranda and let out a chuckle. “I guess this would be the best kneeling I could do in this tight dress anyway. So what do you say?”

“Are you certain?”

“It would be a waste of perfectly good rings if we don’t use them, and I guess this time is as good as any,” Andy said. “So, Miranda Priestly, will you make me the happiest assistant and take this ring to symbolise our commitment for better or worse until the end of my employment do us part? Parentheses; terms and conditions apply.”

“Definitely the worst proposal I’ve ever heard,” Miranda said, as Andy placed the ring on her finger.

Andy grinned. “But one you will never forget.”

“Undoubtedly,” Miranda said quietly as she studied Andy.

“Now, please help me up.”

“I’m rather enjoying seeing you on your knees in front of me.”

Andy arched an eyebrow. “I suspected you would.” But Andy refused to be so easily distracted by Miranda’s teasing. Though she did have the worrisome realisation that Miranda might continue teasing after witnessing Andy’s reaction to her confession earlier in the day.

“How did you get down so easily if you can’t get up on your own,” Miranda complained as she helped Andy up.

Andy laughed. “I don’t really know if I could recreate it. It just kind of happened.”

“Your ring.”

“Oh, right.” Andy held out the box and to her surprise Miranda picked up the ring.

“A simple transaction,” Miranda said thoughtfully as she took Andy’s hand and slowly slid the ring on, and held on to it for a while. “We should… get some sleep. The flight is early.”

Getting back to New York was going to be like a cold shower.

Chapter Text

All the way home from the airport Andy had thought how nice it would be to get home and to bed, alone, and starfish in the middle of her queen-size bed, but it turned out to be an oddly… lonely feeling. She had spent almost a week sharing a bed with her boss. Her… fiancée, she reminded herself and looked at her hand again.

For the car ride home she had hidden the ring so she wouldn’t have to explain it to Serena. It would be unlikely to discourage Serena’s hypothesis that Andy in fact had some kind of feelings for Miranda.

Her phone buzzed somewhere, and when she found it there was a message from Miranda: ‘Don’t forget to pick up the scarfs’. Andy furrowed her brow as she reread the message, because Miranda certainly knew that was the second assistant’s job, not Andy’s anymore. She chuckled to herself thinking perhaps Miranda was finding her bed lonely too and found an excuse to text Andy.

‘I will take care of it. Goodnight.’

Andy replied, and before she could put the phone away Miranda texted again.

‘Goodnight,’ was all it said.

“Miranda Priestly, you’re an odd one,” Andy muttered to herself with a smile on her face before drifting off to sleep.

Saturday meant Hermés stores didn’t open until 11 AM, but luckily Andy had gotten to know one of the salespersons very well during her Runway tenure and had texted her earlier in the morning. The salesperson had already delivered the order to the front desk at Elias Clarke which made Andy’s morning much easier.

Not that the front desk appreciated being Runway’s mail service but a few of Miranda’s discarded Marc Jacobs bags or Prada sunglasses here and there had made them able to be flexible with the rules.

With the delivered package in hand she found her way to their office and started setting everything up. Fifteen minutes later Sierra arrived with the coffee order. She looked at Andy curiously like she was trying to spot something and finally Andy figured out she was looking for the ring.

“You chose well,” Andy said and showed the ring to Sierra.

Sierra looked confused at first, and then said, “Oh, I didn’t choose them. She just told me to find out your ring size and get her information on all the options.”

“Huh,” Andy said a little surprised now. In all her time working for Miranda it had been rare for Miranda to have an actual input in gifts beyond broad descriptions of the likes of ‘the thing that everyone is into now’. “She picked it out herself?”

Sierra nodded. “But anyway, I wanted to tell you congratulations on the engagement.”

“Yeah, thanks,” Andy said and gave her a faint smile in response, focused on trying to figure out the significance of the act. Perhaps there was none, and maybe Miranda just wanted to make sure the aesthetic of it was correct? She had a very particular taste. Although Andy remembered picking out at least two pairs of cufflinks for Stephen’s gifts, because it was the assistants’ job to learn the intricacies of Miranda’s taste.

Before she could ruminate on it longer Miranda arrived 10 minutes early. Andy barely made it to the elevator on time to meet up with her which gave her no time to prepare for the usual list of tasks ahead that would be thrown at her.

Luckily for her none came. Instead Miranda greeted her casually and asked her how her morning had been and within a few days it became their new morning routine. They discussed their morning and then agreed whether or not they would have lunch together that day, and only once they were inside Miranda’s actual office would they start discussing work.

“What is Fashion Week in Paris like?” Sierra asked Andy one afternoon almost a week after Paris.

“It is… something you kind of have to see for yourself.”

“I really hope I will, if I ever make it to first assistant. Seeing Balenciaga. On a runway. In Paris.”

“I’m sure you will,” Andy said.

“Although, will it be… awkward?”

Andy turned to Sierra, confused by the question. “What exactly will be awkward?”

“She’s your fiancée, I don’t know. I wouldn’t like it if my boyfriend went on a trip with another woman, in the most romantic city in the world,” Sierra said.

“Uh, right,” Andy said. “First of all, you don’t really see much of actual Paris. You’re working a minimum of 12 hours every day there. And secondly… I trust Miranda. I… uh, trust our relationship.” At least she wasn’t technically lying, even if she meant it very differently from how Sierra would take it.

“You two do seem more solid, I guess. Very comfortable and business-like,” Sierra said and clearly meant it as a compliment. Business-like sounded the way Andy might have described Miranda’s marriage to Stephen and she found herself frowning at the comparison.

“Thank you,” she replied, the ‘I guess’ left unsaid. “Now, you need to go get Miranda’s coffee. She’ll be here in 30,” Andy said, thankful for the text from Roy interrupting the conversation.

“I’m on it!”

Once she was gone Andy was able to focus better and she read through the emails before the door opened again. This time it was Miranda.

“Welcome back.”

“Is my coffee not here yet?” Miranda said, more irritated than she had been for a while. She marched into her office without really acknowledging Andy.

“Should be right here,” Andy said and was about to pick up the phone when Sierra came rushing in. “Give me that,” Andy said to Sierra. “I’ll go, you just take care of the phones.”

She walked into the inner office and found Miranda already immersed in the Book. Andy placed the coffee next to Miranda.

Miranda took her glasses off and her head snapped up, but her expression that started off cold seemed to warm up. At least a little.

“Do you need something else?” Andy asked.

“Well, if you can orchestrate sole custody, otherwise I have no need for you,” Miranda informed her.

Andy knew from experience this would be the moment she should just turn and walk away. Which is what she did after a brief hesitation, but only managed three steps into the outer office when Miranda called her back.

“Close the doors,” Miranda said as Andy stepped back in. “I… I’m sorry. It is not your fault that my ex-husband is driving me insane.”

Andy took a few steps forward and sat down in the armchair in front of Miranda’s desk.

“He announced he is taking the twins on a skiing trip in Switzerland. And he told the twins before he told me,” Miranda explained as she leaned back in her chair looking tired all of a sudden.

“So… Leaving you no choice but to be fine with it.”

“And I’m far from being… fine with it. But, either I’m yet again the mean parent and he is the fun one or they go and he still gets to be the fun one.”

“He’s put you in an unfair position.”

“He excels at that.” Miranda sighed, frustrated. “Ever since my girls could talk, he’s been the fun and exciting one and I’ve just been a parent, organising, managing, planning. I just wish…”

“You do a lot for your children, I’m sure they appreciate it,” Andy tried.

“One day, perhaps. Or perhaps I will need to learn to be whimsical,” Miranda said sarcastically.

“Do you want to be whimsical?” Andy asked.

“Not in the least.”

“So what do you actually want?”

Miranda closed her eyes for a brief moment and then with an uncertain voice continued, “I… want my children to love me. That’s all.”

Andy almost gasped before she jumped to try and assure Miranda. “Miranda, your children absolutely love you!”

“Yes, of course they do. Now. But I have no such feelings for my own mother. And I haven’t even seen the woman for some… fifteen years. And you know how history loves to repeat itself.” Miranda seemed almost resigned to her fate, despite being simultaneously angry and sad about it.

“Miranda, don’t be absurd.”

Miranda narrowed her eyes. “Pardon? Do I need to remind you—”

“Sure, fine, fire me if you need to or whatever. But first you’ll need to listen to me. When have you ever gone down quietly without fighting? You would do anything for them, wouldn’t you?”

“Of course I would.”

“So how on earth would you ever give up on that relationship?”

“Because it is what I do,” Miranda said. “People leave, because I… I am not the easiest person. And I’ve never given a second thought to the notion of making any of them stay. Or tried to change myself for anyone before.”

“That’s a lie. You’re talking about it and, let me remind you, you already suggested becoming more ‘whimsical’.”

“I…” Miranda started and then stayed quiet, like she was getting ready to admit something. Something she really didn’t want to. “I truly loved him, the twins’ father. The years I spent with him were the happiest years of my life, especially the years after the twins were born. I was happy. Turns out he wasn’t and I had no idea. Now he’s found someone better for him. Better than me.”

“Do you wish you had known? So you could have fought for your relationship?” Andy asked and wondered if Miranda would call security if she were to hug her.

“I don’t know. I do spite better, so likely wouldn’t have fought. After all… Stephen was Michael’s best friend. I married him purely out of spite. I wanted him to hurt because I was hurting.”

“Do you still love him?” Andy asked, but as the words came out felt a brief regret. As if she didn’t really want to find out the answer.

“I… don’t know. Some moments I’m certain I do.” Miranda sighed. “But then again I’ve started to suspect I don’t know what it is to love someone. Unconditionally. I love what we used to be.”

“Why go to the wedding? I’m sure you could have declined and no one would have thought it was unusual.”

“I don’t want to give him the upper hand. I don’t want him to think he’s won,” Miranda said and a mischievous smirk flashed on her face.

“So you’re going out of spite?”

“Mostly,” Miranda said with a shrug. “To show him I’ve moved on. But also for my children, I don’t want what is going on between Michael and me to affect them.”

“And I’m part of you moving on?”

“A hot, intelligent younger woman is just what one needs when trying to prove they’ve moved on, isn’t it?” Miranda said and tilted her head slightly.

“Right, sure. Um… Can a hot, intelligent woman offer you a distraction tonight?” Andy said and Miranda’s eyebrow drew slowly up. “I mean… Let me take you out. It’s not like a date, but… it would be spontaneous if not whimsical exactly.”

Miranda studied Andy carefully for what felt like an eternity and just as Andy was about to tell her she was just kidding Miranda said, “Fine.”

A couple hours later on their not-date-date the town car pulled over at a climbing gym Andy had sporadically visited since moving to New York. “You can’t be serious,” Miranda said immediately as the car stopped. “I thought you were kidding when you suggested our first date was rock climbing.”

“I’ll let you know when to pick us up,” Andy said to the driver and held out her hand to Miranda to help her out.

“Andréa,” Miranda said, but did take the offered hand.

Andy laughed. “Nobody knows you here, I’m certain.”

“Not what I was protesting.”

“I know,” Andy said and a wide grin spread on her face. “Come on, I’ve got everything ready,” she added and patted the duffel bag she was carrying.

“I knew the bag was a warning sign and yet like an optimistic fool I ignored it.”

“You could still veto and we could go home,” Andy said, turning to give Miranda a quick once-over partly to make sure she was still there.

“I am aware, but… you’ve aroused my curiosity.”

“Andy! Haven’t seen you in a while,” one of the trainers greeted Andy. “Climbing today?”

“That’s the plan,” Andy said cheerily.

“You do this often?” Miranda asked once they moved towards the dressing rooms.

“Not that often. Once in a while when I need the adrenaline rush,” Andy explained. “I have a change of clothes for you here and all of the necessary equipment.”

“You haven’t even asked me if I’m afraid of heights.”

“I’ve seen the heels you wear, so I just assumed,” Andy said and chuckled before she handed Miranda her outfit. “And we’ll take it nice and easy. We’ll move to using ropes only when you feel comfortable enough.”

“I didn’t expect you to be such a tease.”

“We still have so much to learn about each other.”

“Belaying is team work, so we need to work together to make sure we both stay safe,” Andy explained as she picked up the harness from her bag. Miranda stared at it with less than mild horror on her face, which made Andy laugh. “It might not be the most stylish accessory, but… Have you ever worn a harness?”

Miranda licked her lips before she said, “Not anything like that one.”

“The basic principle probably is the same no matter the type of harness. Slide it on and I’ll help tighten it if you need me to,” Andy said. Miranda slowly stepped into it and pulled it up to her hips and looked at Andy expectantly. Andy moved closer and started tightening the strap around Miranda’s hip. “Is that good?” she asked and looked up at Miranda, who seemed a little distracted and only gave Andy a slight nod.

Andy knelt down to work on the leg straps, and as her fingers moved around Miranda’s thigh to secure the leg strap Miranda let out an almost inaudible sigh. “Is it too tight?” Andy asked, her hands still on the straps.

“No, it’s fine,” Miranda said and cleared her throat.

“Okay, good,” Andy said, getting up to stand straight again.

“Are you always this… handsy with people you climb with?”

Andy chuckled. “No, I’ve never had a first-timer before. I just want to make sure I’m keeping you safe.” Miranda seemed happy with her answer and once Andy got her own harness on she started explaining the basics of climbing.

“I really question what made me think,” Miranda said as she was only about six feet up the wall, “that letting you…” She paused as she moved her hand hold. “…take me out was a sane choice.”

Andy chuckled as she manoeuvred the rope to her side. “It’s just hard to say no to me.”

“Evidently.”

“Come on, you can’t say you’re not having fun.”

“Admittedly one could imagine… ropes and harnesses would mean a good time.”

Andy erupted in laughter. “Fine, fine. I promise next time you can choose the activity.”

“You seem so sure there will be another time.”

“Of course,” Andy said and tightened the rope again as Miranda moved her leg up. “You just admitted you can’t say no to me.”

“I’m sure I can learn.”

“Okay, do you remember what I said about edging? That your big toe should be towards the wall?”

“Yes, I remember my disappointment vividly,” Miranda said and corrected her foot position.

“Looking good. You’ve almost cleared this,” Andy said excitedly. “Let me know when you’re ready to fall down.”

“Lower me.”

“Lowering,” Andy responded and slowly eased Miranda down. Once Miranda was standing next to her, Andy asked, “How are you feeling?”

“I didn’t imagine giving you that much control would feel… as relaxing.”

Andy smiled widely. “I’m glad I could help you relax. Now let me get you off.”

“Andréa,” Miranda said gently as Andy worked to undo the rope from Miranda’s harness.

“Mmm?”

“Thank you.”

Andy lifted her eyes to meet Miranda’s to ask what she meant, but lowered her gaze quickly. She realised a moment longer of eye contact and she would have kissed Miranda.

After taking Miranda home Andy arrived at her apartment and found Emily and Serena cooking dinner in the kitchen.

“Where were you? You didn’t answer my text if you want ramen too,” Serena asked as she served two plates.

“Ah, I…” Andy said and knew what the reaction was going to be when she continued. “I took Miranda rock climbing.”

“What!?” Emily asked and looked like she just had a stroke.

“I’m not even surprised anymore. Did I tell you they slept in the same bed in Paris for a whole week?” Serena said with an eye roll.

“What?”

“Sierra made a mistake in the booking,” Andy said and waved her hand dismissively.

“A mistake? Miranda would have fired a whole department for that with a snap— What is that?” Emily said and pointed at the ring on Andy’s finger.

“Holy shit,” Serena joined in and walked over to Andy to take a closer look. “Look at the size of that. Rock climbing indeed.”

Andy shook her head. “It happened in Paris already.”

“Why haven’t you told me anything about this?” Serena said and gently pushed Andy’s shoulder.

“We’ve been busy and it’s not that big of a deal,” Andy explained but really the reason was that she hadn’t been entirely sure how she would make sense of it to Serena and Emily. So she had just hidden the ring at home.

“I thought it was just a fake relationship?” Emily said still visibly shocked.

“It is, but people had the wrong idea about our relationship and we reasoned…”

“You’re going end up marrying that woman and having her babies before this relationship is over,” Serena said and clearly found it funny.

“Nothing has changed,” Andy said.

“Uh huh,” Serena said not believing a word.

“Really, nothing has changed,” she repeated, but didn’t quite manage to convince even herself. Because things had changed. An hour before, she had stared Miranda in the eyes and wanted to kiss her. “I think I’m just gonna head to bed. It’s been a long day.”

Why did she want to kiss Miranda? She asked herself multiple times as she got ready for bed and eventually pulled out an old journal and settled sitting on her bed.

- I’m reading too much into what M wants and projecting.

- We’ve been together too much and I’ve been single too long.

- I’m sexually frustrated.

- I’m an emotional vampire and M being vulnerable with me put me on overdrive.

- My period is about to start.

- I’m in love?

She laughed and shook her head at the last point on the list, but remembered the uneasy feeling she had felt when Miranda said she was still in love with her ex-husband.

The idea of eventually watching Miranda fall in love with someone was causing Andy’s queasy feeling to come back.

She could kiss Miranda but for Miranda it would be only physical as she had already said. Andy with her newfound uncertain feelings wasn’t sure she could do that.

Chapter Text

Miranda had a busy morning at a shoot with Nigel, which Andy was thankful for. It meant Miranda was going to only arrive at the office after 11AM getting Andy plenty of time to get into work mode and ignore the thoughts keeping her awake for the night.

“Where is your ring?” Sierra asked at one point and only then Andy realised she wasn’t wearing the engagement ring.

“Oh,” she said looking at her hand. “I took it off last night and just forgot to put it on.” Truthfully she wasn’t entirely sure where it was, likely she had taken it off to shower that morning but wasn’t completely confident about it. A mild panic rose inside her.

“I thought maybe you two had decided to hide it,” Sierra said casually. “Page Six had pictures of Miranda and there is speculation of who she’s engaged to.”

Andy lifted her eyes to look at Sierra. “There is?” Panic disappearing with the new distraction.

“Yeah, you haven’t seen? It’s wild,” she said and started typing to bring it up on her screen. “Look,” she said and Andy walked to her computer to look at Miranda stepping out of a restaurant, a close up of the ring next to her picture and a lineup of eligible bachelors they were scoring by likelihood based on witnessed interactions with Miranda.

The last image was just a generic male body with a huge question mark over it. The wildcard option.

If they only knew how wild it was.

“Ridiculous,” Andy said and moved back to her desk.

“I’m sorry,” Sierra said after a while.

“Why?”

“It must be difficult to see. I thought it was funny, but I didn’t think it might be upsetting for you. To see all of this.”

“It’s okay. It’s easier when they don’t have a clue,” Andy said reassuringly. For the most part she was relieved that the media had no idea. Miranda though had to go through all of it again and a major part of the kind of media Page Six represented wasn’t exactly her fan. It was… revolting.

She had managed to mostly push it out of her mind when Miranda arrived. She seemed to be in such a good mood Andy doubted she had seen any of the news. “The shoot went well?” Andy asked and Miranda rolled her eyes, a smile on her face.

“No. We will change locations,” Miranda said as she got in her chair. “A reshoot will happen in a week.”

“You seem oddly cheerful for things not going so well.”

“I had a relaxing evening,” Miranda said and smiled. Andy chuckled and then arched an eyebrow sceptically.

“I seem to remember there was some complaining that took place.”

“Be that as it may, it was a distraction I needed. And to thank you I would like it if you joined the twins and me for dinner tonight. They’ve been asking for you to come over.”

“Sure, I would like that. Oh, that reminds me… did you want your lunch?” Andy asked.

“I would rather go out to lunch with you, but I suppose under the current media attention it wouldn’t be that wise,” Miranda said.

“So you’ve seen…”

“Yes, Leslie informed me. It will last a few days, or a week and they’ll find some scandal elsewhere,” Miranda said dismissively and picked up her glasses.

“I will have your lunch delivered,” Andy said and Miranda started to nod but her eyes trailed down to Andy’s left hand and Andy covered it with the other one on instinct.

“Are you worried they will connect the dots?” Miranda asked, her tone a little sharp.

“No, I just forgot to put it back on this morning,” Andy explained and Miranda studied her as if trying to spot a lie. “Don’t look at me like that,” she huffed, amused.

“I’m willing to believe you, but you should go get it,” Miranda said.

“Now?” Andy asked, surprised. “It's just for one day…” Miranda looked at her, pursing her lips, annoyed. “I will go find it.”

“I need you back by 12,” Miranda said, sounding more relaxed again.

At her apartment she had just put her ring back on when her phone started ringing. Without even checking the caller ID, she replied, “I have it, don’t fret so much.”

“Andy?” her mother’s voice said.

“Mom? Hi?”

“Is it true? You and Miranda…”

Andy grimaced realising she had neglected to think about the fact that of course her parents would figure it out. Part of her had perhaps hoped they wouldn’t read gossip columns. “It’s… complicated,” Andy said and palmed her face.

“When are you getting married to that de—woman?”

“Um… we haven’t set any date yet. Mom, I have to get back to work now,” Andy tried.

“We’re coming to New York next weekend. And…” her mom said sighing deeply, and a little shakily. “… we would like to meet her.”

Andy froze in place, because surely she had heard wrong. “What?”

After she had confirmed with her mother three times that she really meant they were going to come, she returned to the office. Miranda was standing in front of Sierra’s desk listing whatever she wanted to get done and turned to Andy when she stepped in. “Andréa, good you’re here.”

“Can we talk?” Andy asked and without waiting for a response walked into Miranda’s office and walked to the window. She stared outside when Miranda finally joined her.

“What do you need? We are expected… in five minutes,” Miranda said glancing at the watch on her wrist.

“You know how said I chose you because my parents wouldn’t want to meet you? And how they wouldn’t find out even if we were engaged?” Andy asked and then chuckled only mildly unhinged. At least she hoped it was mildly.

“I do.”

“Turns out I was so very wrong. They’re coming next weekend,” Andy said and turned to face Miranda. “To meet you. Because we're getting married.”

“My children will be with their father in Switzerland. I have no problem meeting your family,” Miranda said calmly, placing her hand on Andy’s arm, stroking it with her thumb.

“But I don’t know if I can lie to them that blatantly. Telling them I was dating you was a simple white lie, this is a whole different thing,” Andy said.

Miranda looked at Andy carefully. “What do you want to do?”

“I have no idea. I might have to marry you for real.”

“I’m not sure I could go through another basically platonic marriage,” Miranda said with a chuckle and removed her hand. Andy wondered which of her husbands she meant, Stephen perhaps? “I do have… needs, darling.”

“You did say I’m eager to please,” Andy quipped and Miranda shook her head.

“Careful now.”

Andy bit back a grin. Maybe flirting with Miranda wasn’t the wisest thing to do, but it was hard to resist. And had distracted her from her problem. “I guess I need to think what I want to do.”

“Whatever you decide I will try to accommodate.”

Andy arrived at the townhouse in the evening and entered with her own keys, which she reconsidered only once she was already in. As an employee she was so used to entering and leaving without disturbing Miranda that she didn’t even think about it.

As she was about to announce her presence, she heard one of the twins asking, “Why don’t you and Andy kiss?”

“What do you mean, dear?” Miranda asked calmly.

“Well, Dad and Vanessa kiss whenever Dad comes home or goes to work. And Stephen kissed you sometimes. But Andy never does.”

“You've only seen Andréa a handful of times since we started dating. Rather big conclusion to draw,” Miranda said sounding amused.

Andy decided it best to announce herself before the interrogation continued and she heard any more. “Hi, anyone home?”

“Andy!” the twins yelled and rushed to her from the den. Miranda appeared soon after.

“Hi, guys,” Andy said smiling at the girls, then looked at Miranda. “Sorry, I let myself in with my key out of a habit.”

“Your rings match!” one of the girls said taking Andy’s hand before Miranda could respond.

“No, they don’t,” the other one insisted and walked Miranda closer. “Look.”

She pulled Miranda’s hand over Andy’s to compare. Miranda huffed amused as the twins continued to examine the potential differences.

“They’re the same.”

“I guess they are.”

“You could have just asked,” Miranda said laughing as the twins let go of their hands. “Now, you two still have homework to do before dinner.”

“Yes, Mom,” they said and started heading upstairs with heavy steps.

Miranda shook her head as she watched them and then turned to Andy. “How much of the conversation did you hear?”

“Just that apparently I’m not kissing you enough,” Andy said with soft chuckle. “But I really didn't intend to eavesdrop.”

“Saves me the trouble of explaining, and maybe they’re right,” Miranda said.

“Huh?”

“They do have a point. Perhaps I should be worried you aren’t.” Miranda’s lips quirked into a smile. She was clearly joking but Andy could remember the urge she had felt the previous night.

“I wouldn’t want to worry you,” Andy said and moved closer, briefly considering she could actually kiss Miranda as her lips parted slightly when Andy leaned in. But playing it… safer, she kissed Miranda's cheek. “Happy?”

Miranda stared at her a while until she recovered from the surprise. “It… will suffice,” she said and then turned away. “I should go see if they’re actually doing their homework.”

Andy followed her up to the dining room where the girls where hunched over their books. “They showed it today, weren’t you paying attention?” one of the twins said.

“Cassidy, be nice and help your sister,” Miranda said.

“Fine,” Cassidy said and leaned to point at a section of the book and started explaining the formula to her sister.

“I don’t like math,” Caroline complained as she started rewriting something in her workbook.

“Andy?” Cassidy asked and looked at her, tilting her head. “How did you propose to Mom?”

“You haven’t asked her?” Andy said and looked at Miranda who seemed a little distracted.

“Oh,” Miranda said touching her clavicle. “I told them you tell it so much better,” she added with a hint of a smile on her face again.

“Uh huh. Well, it was… a shared effort,” Andy replied and both of the girls were now staring at her inquisitively. “Your mom told me how much she wanted to marry me. And I realised she was too shy to propose, so I did.”

Miranda huffed, rolling her eyes.

“Really?” Cassidy asked and both of the twins looked suspicious. Andy nodded keeping a straight face.

“She is very cute when she’s shy like that and I can never say no to her,” Andy said beaming and looked at Miranda who was looking mildly annoyed. “So I organised a horse-drawn carriage to come pick us up and we rode all around Paris and then in front of the Eiffel tower I asked her to marry me.”

“Like in the movies,” Caroline said.

“Very much so,” Andy agreed.

“Darling, there is… something I need to ask you. Privately,” Miranda said and guided Andy to the formal living room.

“Did I go too far?” Andy asked as Miranda turned to face her.

“Depends whether you considered the implications fully. You might need to repeat this absurdly romantic, practically impossible story to your parents too,” Miranda said as she crossed her arms across her chest. Hand gesturing as she continued to talk. “I would of course be moved to tears by the memory and unable to explain it. Especially considering my rather unexpected shyness.”

“I could just tone it down a little for them,” Andy said realising Miranda was right. “Though I don't know if they would think it was that out of character for me.”

“Is that so?”

“I’ve always liked grand gestures,” Andy said thoughtfully. “Going overboard for my friends’ birthdays when I was younger and such. I think if I was proposing to someone I would probably do something… absurdly romantic.”

“Now you’re just trying to make me jealous. All I got was terms and conditions.”

Andy laughed. “I will do better in the future. And considering the news going around today, shouldn’t I be the jealous one when there is a whole list of possible candidates?”

“Trust me, you’re all I can handle,” Miranda said sounding briefly sincere, and a little weary, before she hid behind a smile again.

“Did you hear that our dad is taking us skiing?” Caroline asked excitedly when they were finished with dinner.

Andy glanced at Miranda who seemed to have no reaction to the mention of the trip and then said, “Yes, your mom mentioned it.”

“I’m gonna try snowboarding this time,” Cassidy announced.

“Please, just be careful,” Miranda said with a sigh like a mother who had tried to talk her daughter out of something.

“Have you ever snowboarded?” Cassidy asked looking to Andy.

“Once or twice, but I’m not very good at it. The last time I went I actually broke my leg,” Andy said with a chuckle. “So from experience, really be careful and listen to your dad and instructors.”

“You did?” Caroline said with wide eyes and Miranda looked at Andy, her brow furrowed.

“I did, I was a bit too… careless but it was already a few years ago and it’s healed fine,” Andy explained. “Maybe I’ll try one day again.”

“Or maybe you won’t,” Miranda said and turned to Cassidy. “You do remember you have a recital the following week when you come back. Have you practised?”

“I have, Mom,” Cassidy said. Andy looked at Miranda talking with her children and wondered again about their conversation about how her ex-husband was always the whimsical one.

The twins excused themselves and disappeared upstairs leaving Andy and Miranda alone. Miranda sighed and said, “I really can’t help it.”

“What do you mean?”

“They’ve been so excited about the trip all day. And I’m more focused on whether their homework is done. That they’re ready for exams and recitals.”

“Hmm. How are you feeling about the whole thing?”

Miranda shrugged. “I’m… more bitter than I would like to be. And I don’t want them to know I’m upset with their father.”

“I think I would say that I know you pretty well.”

“Do you now?”

“Yes,” Andy said, confident, and Miranda looked at her curiously. “And I haven’t felt any bitterness from you. I wouldn’t be able to say for sure, but I don’t think they notice it either. So even if you feel that, you’re hiding it well enough. If that’s what you’re worried about.”

“I have always been good at hiding my emotions,” Miranda said and when Andy in turn stared at her obviously sceptical, she added, “When I decide it prudent. Some of the time it’s not worth the effort.”

“I see,” Andy said. Perhaps irritation and disappointment were feelings Miranda just didn’t prioritise hiding.

“I am happy that they’re happy and excited about it, but it’s all making me annoyingly aware of my shortcomings as a mother.”

“As your employee and fake fiancée I would of course think you have none. As your… friend,” Andy started to say and wondered if Miranda would disagree to her calling her that. “I would say that we all have some shortcomings. But I don't think I’ve heard you list any yet that would make me think you’re not a good mom. I think most people would be annoyed if they were in a similar situation with their ex.”

Miranda eyed Andy like she was trying to read her mind.

“What?” Andy asked.

“Nothing,” Miranda said and got up and Andy followed suit. “I don’t want to steal all of your evening to myself. Again.”

“I don't really mind, but you should go spend the rest of it with your kids. I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”

On her way home she suddenly remembered she had kissed Miranda’s cheek so brazenly and buried her face in her hands. After the moment's embarrassment passed she decided perhaps it would be best to try to slow down a little with whatever was happening.

***

Page Six on the other hand showed no sign of slowing down in the following days. Instead there was new ‘insider information’ that Miranda was engaged to a woman, which led to another photo display of women Miranda could've been engaged to. At least the supposed insider wasn’t giving them a tell-all.

Andy sat in Miranda’s office looking at the article feeling a mix of emotions. Oddly enough the strongest of them seemed to be annoyance.

“Are you feeling jealous again?” Miranda asked.

Andy rolled her eyes. “No,” she said adamant but an uneasy feeling she had felt all morning didn’t believe her and subside. “Have you even met half of these women?”

Miranda walked over to her, leaning over Andy’s shoulder. “I think I have, her I don't recognise though,” Miranda said, her finger pointing at one of the women.

“They seem to have decided you have a thing for redheads,” Andy said, her brow furrowing as she counted them.

“Hmm… I’ve never really thought about it, but there are many I've found attractive,” Miranda said and Andy felt her run her hand through Andy’s ponytail. “But I could see myself with a brunette too.”

Playfully flirting with Miranda was one thing, but sometimes she really said or did things that made Andy wonder if there could be more to it. Her own confused feelings meant she was likely putting too much weight on it. It was probably best to change direction.

“Do you… have an idea who the insider could be?”

“Who knows,” Miranda said moving back to her chair. “I doubt it’s anyone at Runway, but maybe someone needed the handful of dollars these publications sometimes offer.”

“It doesn’t bother you?”

“Should it? I am engaged to a woman. It’s not like they’re spreading misinformation,” Miranda said looking at Andy. “The rest is just speculation by a useless paper.”

“I guess this is pretty normal for you.”

“Most of it becomes background noise. Sometimes… it is more difficult to handle,” Miranda said like she was thinking back to something. “But this I merely find amusing.”

“I guess that’s good,” Andy said her eyes falling to the pictures of Miranda on the pages next to all of the beautiful women of different ages. None of them more beautiful than Miranda though.

“Did we receive the layouts from art yet?” Miranda asked flipping through the Book.

Andy tried to reorient her focus and gather her wandering thoughts. “No, but I’ll go ask for them,” she said and got up.

“Thank you, darling,” Miranda said and Andy wondered when exactly ‘That’s all’ became ‘thank you'. Or how would she feel if they ever went back to that.