Many thanks to brie who pointed out something I had not thought about---Miranda's love affair with the telephone! I've tried to work that into this chapter, I hope you like it!

One more chapter after this one. On we go...

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Matt and Miranda stared at each other, closing the years between them in a matter of moments. Soon, Matt found himself self-consciously reaching up to the top of his head to smooth down his spiky porcupine hair, forgetting that his hair no longer spiked, forgetting that he was in fact a six foot tall muscular hunk with a well trimmed beard, not a beady-eyed kid forever getting in trouble.

Then, all at once, Miranda was beaming, laughing, falling into his arms for a huge hug, crying, "I can't believe it! I can't believe you're actually here, Matt McGuire! What the hell are you doing here, Matt McGuire?"

Matt laughed, hugging her back, but for the moment he was still speechless.

All around them were exclamations in Spanish and a few in English. Matt heard "Randi!" with a dramatically rolled "R." Then he heard, "Who is this? Who is your boyfriend? Randi! Randi! Diganos! "

Miranda pulled back and took Matt's arm, looking at a small group of friends that had gathered around them. "This is Matt!" she exclaimed. "Matt McGuire! The one I told you about. My best friend's little brother, the little troublemaker. The one who…who came to our high school one day when he was still un muchachito and fooled everyone into thinking he was some big shot named Matt Bond."

There were some knowing "Ahh's!" from the group. "Matt Bond…Matt Bond…" they repeated in awe of his exploits.

"The one who opened up a club in his backyard," Miranda went on. "What was it called, Matt? Oh, that's right! Club Flamingo!"

Now there were laughs all around. "Club Flamingo!" they all said in unison, smiling at Matt.

Matt knew he was blushing. "Miranda…" he scolded. "Have you told everybody everything?"

"If you mean did I tell them that you had a terrible crush on me when you were eleven and gave me that big button and the shirt that said 'Matt and Miranda,' then yes---I did tell them! "

Now the laughter was louder than before and Rico the bartender actually slapped Matt on the back, giving a hearty approval in Spanish which left Matt more confused and embarrassed than before.

Miranda smiled at Matt, yet seeing how embarrassed he was, she finally sent her friends away with a flurry of Spanish words and a wave of her hands. Then she sat down next to Matt, took his hand, gazed in his eyes and said, "Oh my God, Matt! Look at you! You've turned out quite nicely, haven't you?"

"And you too," Matt said. "Miranda, you're beautiful."

"So are you! Look at the beard!" She reached up and stroked his beard, giving him a silly smile. "So grown up. Whodda thunk it? Little Matt McGuire all growed up and looking fine. So really. What the hell are you doing here anyway?"

Matt gazed at her, hesitating. This was the moment he was hired for, his job was now officially over. He had found Miranda. All he was required to do at this point was mention Larry Tudgeman's name and note her response. But he couldn't bring himself to do it. If there was any chance that Miranda felt for Tudge even a fraction of what Tudge so obviously felt for her, then he, Matt McGuire, was 100 per cent out of luck. He couldn't so completely cut himself out of the picture just yet. Maybe later. Maybe tomorrow. For the moment he said, "Oh, you know….vacation…"

They sat at the bar, talking, laughing, reminiscing, catching up on everything that had happened over the last twelve years. Rico brought Miranda another club soda with a twist of lime to replace the one that had unceremoniously ended up all over Matt's shirt, and he also brought Matt another Tequila Sunrise, even though he had not ordered one.

Miranda's friends stopped by now and then, anxious to get to know the famous Matt McGuire a little better. Miranda indulged their attention to some degree, but it was apparent that her greatest desire was to have Matt all to herself for the moment. Matt could sense this, and the undivided attention of her bright brown eyes and warm smile made him feel all the more tingly inside. His fourth Tequila Sunrise only served to increase the sensation.

They had been sitting at the bar for at least an hour, when their conversation was suddenly interrupted by the Mission Impossible Theme.

Miranda almost jumped out of her seat, grabbing his arm. "What was that?" she demanded.

"My phone," Matt said.

"You have a cell phone?"

"Sure."

"You do? You do? Well, aren't you going to answer it?"

Matt didn't want to answer it. He didn't want to talk to anyone but Miranda at the moment. Besides, he had a pretty good idea who it was. Since he had begun this assignment, every four hours on the dot Larry called him to check up on his progress. He was worse than an expectant father in the waiting room!

Matt did not want to talk to Larry right now, but Miranda, so easily falling back into her teenage ways, was clearly disturbed by the sound of an unanswered phone.

"Answer it! Answer it!" she demanded. "How can you have a phone and not answer it? Oh man, what I wouldn't give to have a phone! "

Matt laughed, unable to resist her. He pulled the phone out of his pocket, looked at the display and sighed. "Hello?" he answered.

"Matt! Larry here. Any progress?" His client's voice was the epitome of anxious anticipation.

Matt looked at Miranda. His head was spinning, his heart clearly beating to the rhythm of the Mariachi music that still played in the background.

"Oh…hey!" Matt said brightly. "Yeah…well…you know how it is. These things take time."

"Nothing yet then? Where are you?"

"Oh, everything's cool. Listen, I'll call you later, okay?

"Where are you, Matt? What's going on?"

"I'm at a bar, having a drink. The music is so loud I can barely hear you! I'll call you later, okay? Okay then? Right! Talk to you later. Bye!"

Miranda looked at Matt in absolute amazement. "Who was that?"

"Oh, a client," Matt answered breezily. He had told her he was a private investigator, conveniently leaving out the fact that he was currently on assignment.

"Very demanding!" Miranda quipped. "They don't let you have a moment's rest, do they?"

Matt shook his head sadly. "No, they don't," he lamented. "It's tough. I'm so much in demand."

He was trying to evoke Miranda's sympathy, to get her to coo "Poor baby!" and stroke his hand again, but already she had moved on to the next important issue.

"You have a cell phone!" she said excitedly.

"Yes, I do."

"And I'm sure your sister's phone number is in that cell phone."

"Yes, it is."

"Give me that cell phone."

"No, I won't."

"You won't?" Miranda demanded. "Why not? Give me your cell phone, Matt! I want to talk to Lizzie! I haven't talked to Lizzie in like…years! I have to talk to Lizzie! I have to talk to Gordo! Oh my God, Matt! I'm one phone call away from talking with Lizzie and Gordo!"

Miranda collected herself and continued, "I lost their number and address when I moved two years ago. I can't find it! I've looked everywhere! I've been kicking myself in the ass ever since! But now you're here, and you have a cell phone, so I can call and talk to them! I want to talk to them! I want to three-way them, like we used to do in Hillridge! Oh man, wouldn't they get a kick out of that, me calling them from out of the blue! I need your cell phone, Matt! Give it to me! Give it to me!"

Miranda had worked herself into a frenzy, standing up, jumping up, reaching for Matt's cell phone, trying to grab it as he held it away from her. She was all over him, pushing him back against the bar, and he was enjoying this so much.

"Calm down, senorita!" Matt laughed

"Give me that phone!" Miranda demanded, leaning into him. "Can't you see I'm in withdrawals? Why are you being so mean?"

"I'm not being mean," Matt defended himself. "I'll give you the phone. Eventually. But right now…for just now….I want to have you all to myself. Is there anything wrong with that? Can you blame me?"

"Oh…Oh…" Miranda pouted, well understanding his point. If she got on the phone right now with Lizzie and Gordo, she knew even better than Matt did that it would be dawn before her ear came free again.

What she didn't know was that Matt was afraid that if she started talking to Lizzie and Gordo, Tudgeman's name would surely come up, and then Matt's chances with the beautiful Miranda could be instantly obliterated. He was trying to hold off that moment as long as possible.

Miranda sat back dejectedly, frowning at her companion.

"Now, now," Matt comforted. "Don't look that way. I promise I'll let you talk to Lizzie and Gordo. But maybe….tomorrow. Okay?"

"Tomorrow?"

Matt nodded. "Because tonight," he said. "I want you all to myself. And besides, you can't dance with me if you're talking on the phone."

"Are you asking me to dance?" Miranda grinned, her expression suddenly changing to one of amusment and delight.

"Sure," Matt said. "I think that's what I just said." Actually, he was more than a little bit drunk by this time and not entirely sure what he was saying.

"Okay," Miranda said, holding out her hand and leading him to the dance floor. "Let's dance, Mr. McGuire."

The music was softer now, almost mournful, meaning that a slow dance was in order. Matt easily fell against Miranda, and she put her arms around him, more to hold him up that anything else.

Miranda laughed lightly. "Are you, perhaps, a bit drunk, boy?"

"Don't blame me," Matt said, pressing his face against her, distinctly smelling the sweetness of the rose in her hair. "It's your friend Rico the bartender," he said, rolling his "R" like a native. "That guy doesn't know when to quit."

"Rico's a good guy," Miranda agreed. "Very accommodating. He'll do anything for a friend. Or a friend of a friend."

"And Rico is your friend?" Matt questioned.

"I have a lot of friends," Miranda said. "This is a very friendly place, in case you haven't noticed."

"I noticed," Matt said, as they swayed lightly to the music. "What I haven't noticed is whether or not there is anyone here…who is more than a friend."

"A special someone?" Miranda grinned at him.

He grinned back. "If you will…"

"Why do you want to know?" she wondered, still grinning.

Matt put his head back down against hers, enjoying the feel of her body against his. He took a deep breath, then said, "You know, Miranda…you were my first crush. My first love."

She rubbed her hand against his back, saying softly, "I know."

"It was silly…but I never forgot you. You don't so easily forget your first love."

Miranda closed her eyes and sighed. After a long moment she said, very quietly, "No, you don't, do you? At least…not so easily."

They danced for a little while, their words hanging meaningfully in the air. Matt's mind wasn't working at full capacity, but after a short time it caught up, and finally he said, "And who was that?"

"Who was what?" Miranda asked, coming out of her own thoughts.

"Your first love. Obviously you're thinking about him. Who was he?"

Miranda smiled sadly.

"Come on," Matt encouraged.

"No, it's silly," she dismissed.

"Sillier than me as an eleven year old boy crushing on my teenage sister's best friend?" Matt wondered.

Miranda looked away.

"Randa…" Matt said slowly. "You don't mean…it couldn't be…?"

She looked up at him suddenly, realizing what he must be thinking, and laughed a little. "No, Matt," she said softly, kindly. "It wasn't you."

Matt sighed. "Oh well…" He was disappointed, but not too badly. It had been a longshot at best. He would get over it.

"Then who?" he asked. "Come on, tell me. At least tell me this. Have you ever been married? Have you ever come close?"

"You remember the artist guy I was just telling you about? Gus?"

"The one that makes sculptures out of discarded kitchen appliances? The one with the long scraggly beard?"

"I almost married him," Miranda revealed. "We were together close to two years. It was getting serious, but then we had an argument, a stupid argument. I said I agreed with Pablo Picasso who said 'Art is a lie that makes us realize the truth.' Gus strongly disagreed and took it as a personal insult that I thought what he was doing was a lie. No matter how hard I tried to explain my position, he took offense. It all went downhill from there."

"Miranda," Matt said dryly, "people do not break up over art."

"Gus does," Miranda smirked.

"Were you heartbroken?"

Miranda shrugged. "For a while. I couldn't live with him anymore. That's why I moved here, to La Familia Madre Tierra. That was a couple of years ago. But I'm over him now."

"So…you lost your soulmate…"

Miranda rolled her eyes. "Gus was not my soulmate."

"Then who?" Matt wondered. "If not me…if not Gus…then who?"

Miranda danced, a faraway look in her eyes. Matt tried to focus. This was an important question, he needed to know the answer. He was drunk and he was tired, but he had to remain alert and on his feet at least long enough to hear her answer.

"Miranda…" he encouraged quietly.

She sighed and looked at him. "Oh, all right," she said at last. "You're so drunk you probably won't remember in the morning anyway, and it might do me good to talk about this. Because it's been bothering me these last few days. I've been thinking about him these last few days. I don't know why. Cosmic disturbance in the Force? "

"Who?" Matt asked. "Who have you been thinking about?"

"Larry," Miranda sighed. "Larry Tudgeman. Do you remember him?"

Matt hesitated. "Geeky kid who always wore the same shirt? Super smart at school and video games, but totally clueless when it came to chicks?"

Miranda laughed a little. "You remember him all right."

"Lizzie went out with him once, I think."

"That was a long, long time ago," Miranda remembered. "Larry told me about it, years later. He was ecstatic. He thought he was her boyfriend, but she broke up with him right away. She said they lacked…chemistry. It devastated him. He said after that his confidence with the opposite sex reached an all time low. And I guess he never got it back."

"Did you ever go out with him?" Matt asked.

"No," Miranda said sadly. "He never asked me. Due to that all-time low self confidence, I suppose."

"Would you…would you have liked him…to ask you…out?"

Miranda's expression seemed suddenly pained. "I don't know," she said with difficulty. "On the one hand, yes. I liked him so much. On the other hand, no. I was still so young, and so foolish, and all I could think about was…was…"

"Being popular?" Matt supplied.

Now Miranda looked more pained than before. "I was so stupid," she said. "Larry was the one, he had the stuff, the stuff that really counts, and I couldn't see it…or I wouldn't see it. My priorities were all out of whack."

"And now they're not?"

"Let's just say I've grown up. I don't give a crap anymore about being popular. I just want to be happy. And it's so hard for me to be truly happy when I think about how badly I treated Larry all those years ago. He was always there for me, and I was never there for him. I wish…I wish…"

"You wish you could apologize to him?" Matt tried, though he knew he had only a few more minutes before he slipped into unconsciousness.

"Well, that, of course," Miranda said. "But so much more. I wish I could see him again. I would apologize. But so much more. I would look him right in those deep blue eyes, and I would put my hand on the back of his neck and pull him close, and give him that kiss I always wanted to give him but never did. That kiss I think he always wanted to give to me, too…"

Matt was laughing, quietly, his shoulders shaking as he dropped his head to Miranda's shoulder, closing his eyes.

"Matt!" she exclaimed. "Matt McGuire! What is wrong with you?"

"Randa," he mumbled. "I'm so drunk…"

"I know," she said, holding him up. "Do you have a car? Where is it? Where are you staying? Oh, never mind. Come on. I'm taking you home with me."