A/N: Thank you for the reviews! This story is probably not the plot you expect precisely, as there are some twists and turns I have planned later that I only discuss with my CDM (Consulted Decision Maker) and that person is sworn to secrecy and even this person's identity cannot be revealed. Happy Easter!!!

I do not own Lizzie McGuire. Don't ask me again. I will get violent.

Chapter One

Old Friends

A month after Miranda got engaged, Miranda was at the restaurant she managed working in her office when she heard a knock on the door, "Come in," she said.

The door opened and one of the waitresses appeared, "Excuse me, I hate to bother you but there is a party out there with this guy who asked for a specific drink and claims that it was wrong twice. He now wants to speak to you."

Miranda rolled her eyes, "Well, send him in. There is nothing I love more than a picky person who has nothing else better to do but complain when there is a tiny mistake."

The waitress nodded and exited the office, only a few minutes later to return. Miranda could hear the voices outside of her office, one being the waitress and the other she assumed was the complainer, but when she heard his voice, there was something familiar about it, like she should recognize the person or something.

The door finally opened and the waitress appeared with a man and Miranda looked up and had to do a double take. The man did the same. "G-Gordo?" she asked, questioningly, "Is that you?" Miranda stood up.

"Miranda?" Gordo said, not believing his eyes.

Standing in front of Miranda was an older, more mature version of one of her best friends from her childhood. She looked at the waitress, "Thanks, Diane. I'll take it from here."

The waitress nodded and left and Gordo looked back, "Are all the waitresses this scared of you."

Miranda laughed, "Oh, this is only her second week on the job. She'll be fine," she said and she sat down, trying to get over what was happening, "Sit down," she pointed to the chair across her desk.

Gordo did as he was told and looked around the room, "I didn't know you managed a restaurant."

"Well, I guess we haven't talked recently."

"No, no, I guess not," he said, "I think it's been about two years now, right?"

Miranda nodded her head, "Yeah, at Lizzie's wedding."

"Oh yeah," Gordo said, tensing up, "That was quite a production, huh?"

"Oh, you're telling me," Miranda said, laughing at the memory, "anyway, how have you been?"

Gordo took a deep breath, "Well, I just got a doctorate in biochemistry last May and I was working in labs near San Diego over the summer, but I got offered a job here in LA a few weeks ago, and, well, here I am."

Miranda smiled, nodding her head, "Really? Where are you working?"

"University of Southern California, actually," he said, "I start work in a few days."

"Really?" Miranda asked, "Well, we should celebrate."

Gordo rolled his eyes, "Well," he wanted to change the subject, "Are you still with that Michael guy?"

"Actually," Miranda said, holding up her left hand to show her engagement ring, "We are now engaged."

Gordo looked at the ring, "Nice!"

"Yeah," Miranda said, nodding her head, "Actually, he is a chef here."

"Cool, well I have heard wonderful things about this restaurant."

"The roasted duck is great."

Gordo nodded his head, but he looked like he wasn't really paying attention, almost like he had something on his mind.

"Roasted duck? I'll remember that."

"Hey, Gordo?" Miranda said, "how about we go out to lunch or dinner sometime. You can catch up with Lizzie and see Michael again."

"Lizzie?" Gordo said, hearing that name, "She still lives here?"

Miranda laughed, "Yeah, actually she still lives with me."

Gordo grinned, "I would have thought she would have gone far and away after what happened."

"Most people would, but you know Lizzie," she said, "She still coordinates weddings, you know."

"I actually knew that. My ex-girlfriend always told me that if we ever got married, she wanted Lizzie to be in charge."

"Oh yeah? Well, why did you break up with her?"

"Because she wanted to make all these commitments that I wasn't ready for, like marriage or moving in together."

Miranda laughed, she was enjoying talking to Gordo, "Are you seeing anyone now?"

Gordo took in a deep breath, "Well, casually, yeah, but nothing too serious. I didn't have time when I was in school and now that I'm out, I find it hard to find a woman who knows what I want and doesn't want to change it."

Miranda laughed yet again, "You and Lizzie, both! You know, for people that seem to have such potential and direction with their future careers, you both seem to lack direction in other areas."

Gordo rolled his eyes but smiled, "Yeah, I didn't come here to be tormented by you."

"Oh yeah," she said, "What is this I hear about a wrong drink?"

"Oh," Gordo said, ready to present his case, "I ordered an Arnold Palmer, you know? Iced tea and lemonade?"

"I know what it is," Miranda said, getting amused, "Although I did see you as a hard liquor type myself."

"Yeah, apparently so did the waitress, but I was with some people I am working for, and well, I don't want to drink in front of people I hardly know" he said, "anyway, the first time around, she brought me bourbon and scotch and when I tried to explain what an Arnold Palmer is, she came back with lemonade and vodka. That's when it dawned on me that maybe it would just be easier to talk to the manager."

"Gordo," Miranda said, "No offense, but you don't seem like the type of person who would be so picky. Are you hormonal or something?" Miranda raised her eyebrow, giving her friend a hard time.

Gordo grinned and sat back, "Either that or dinner was so damn boring that I needed a break from them."

"Ahh," Miranda said, understandingly, "Well, get whatever you want to drink and its on the house and as for food, get whatever you want—that is also on me."

Gordo smiled and got up, "Why, thank you, Miranda," he said, shaking her hand.

Miranda and Gordo hugged and exchanged phone numbers before Gordo went back to his dinner. Miranda went back to work, but she was getting a kick out of the whole idea of seeing Gordo again. What tickled her the most about all of it was that he and Lizzie would hit it off so well when they saw each other.

Another thing Miranda decided after seeing Gordo was that she wanted him to be a part of her wedding, as he was as good a friend as Lizzie was to her and while he might not be the best man or a groomsman, she wanted him to have some involvement.

When Michael drove Miranda back to her apartment, she told him what happened and he also seemed amused, "If Lizzie wasn't so set on refusing to fall in love, she and Gordo would be perfect for each other," Miranda said, mainly joking.

"Didn't they have a fling in high school?"

"Oh, it was more than a fling. They were each other's first love, and Lizzie's last good long term relationship."

"Why did they break up?"

"Oh, I don't know," Miranda said, "College, I guess. They were awfully cute together, though."

"Are you going to tell Lizzie?"

Miranda squinted over at Michael, "I'm telling her, but you aren't saying a word about any of this, okay?"

"Okay, I won't say anything!" he said.

"Good," she said, "Because as you know, she hates talking about her own past relationships."

Shortly after that, Michael pulled into Miranda's apartment, "Would you like to come up?" she offered, "You know, have some coffee and try to work out the date for the wedding?"

"I would, but to be honest with you, I am kind of tired. How about tomorrow morning?"

"Over breakfast? Sounds fine with me."

"Great, I'll pick you up at nine."

Miranda got out of the car after kissing Michael goodnight and went to her apartment. It was early in the morning, as the restaurant stayed open until one on weekends. To her surprise, Lizzie was asleep, though, and all the lights were turned off. This sort of disappointed Miranda, as she really wanted to tell Lizzie about seeing Gordo, but figured it could wait. She had a day off the next day and Lizzie didn't have work either, so she was sure they would find time.

She retired to her bedroom and fell almost immediately asleep, dreaming of fantastic and sensational things such as her wedding and her future to follow.

**

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