December 21, 1996 —

I was finally beginning to understand what dating was all about. James was a good man. Funny, smart, comfortable to be around. He asked me to join him in the Hamptons over Christmas, and I couldn't help but imagine us shagging all day and all night. But first, we were having dinner in the city, and for that, I wanted to take his breath away.

I asked Nigel to help me with an outfit, and he found a vintage Dior sheath dress with an intricate reverse scallop neckline. It perfectly accentuated my figure, and I couldn't wait to see James' reaction. I hoped he would find me irresistible and finally want to take the next step. 7pm could not come fast enough for me…

Miranda's bags were packed for the weekend, waiting at home, just inside her door. She was watching the minutes on the clock tick by all day. At lunch, James called to confirm dinner, so at 6:30 Miranda left the office and took a cab to the restaurant where they would meet. The hostess led her to a booth nestled in the back of the dining room, from where she could keep an eye on the door for James to arrive.

At half past seven, he still hadn't arrived, so Miranda ordered a bottle of wine and poured herself a glass.

At eight, she asked the hostess if she could use the phone to make a call. She tried his office and his house, and even called home to her own answering machine to see if he had left a message, but there was nothing.

Slightly irritated and maddeningly hungry, Miranda asked the waiter for a menu and ordered herself a steak and asparagus. Eating alone was nothing new to her, and at that point, all of the diners around her had been recently seated, so no one knew she had been waiting at that same table for nearly two hours.

No one, except possibly the hostess, knew that Miranda Princhek had been stood up.

She finished the bottle of wine and paid the bill, and by that time she was irate. James didn't even call the restaurant to let her know he wasn't coming, and that was inexcusable.

Miranda took a taxi home and left word with the doorman that she was not home, should James show up. She unpacked her bags, then curled up on the couch to watch television. Just before midnight, the phone rang. She answered, cautiously, but didn't say a word.

"Miranda? Are you there? Listen, I'm so sorry ab—"

The woman hung up the phone before he could finish. He called back right away, but she let the answering machine pick up.

"Miranda, look, I know you're probably angry with me. I should have called. Whatever I say now is only going to seem like an excuse, so I'm not going to go into detail, except that it involved my sister and a hospital. Miranda, please forgive me. Call me back."

"What are you doing here? I thought you were off?" Nigel said the next morning when Miranda showed up at the office.

"Change of plans. Sitting at home only makes me realize what a fool I was."

"Your knight in shining armor fall off his high horse?" Nigel said.

"Something like that," she said. "Tell me something to get my mind off him."

Nigel smiled. "I heard Elizabeth is stepping down at the end of the year."

Miranda's ears perked up. Elizabeth was the Fashion Director at Runway for the past three years, and both Miranda and Nigel have been working really closely with her.

"Really? Does she have something else or is she retiring? She's too young for that," Miranda said.

"Yeah, definitely not retiring. But I also don't think it's really her choice at all," Nigel said. "You should make an appointment with Richard Bannister and make your case. Word is, they don't have a replacement in mind," he said.

She sat back in her chair as a smile crept across her face. "I'll set a meeting for Tuesday. You'll find me something to wear?"

"Of course, sweetie, but you should know Richard usually takes the week between Christmas and New Years off," he said.

"Fuck."

Just then, a delivery man came and with two dozen white roses in a lovely Christmas arrangement and set them on Miranda's desk. Undoubtedly, they were from James Priestly. Ignoring them completely, Miranda smoothed her hands over her suit. "Nigel, does this look okay?"

He approached and scrutinized the particularly flattering Bill Blass suit Miranda was wearing with a tight-fitting skirt. He reached up and adjusted the collar on her blouse, then, took a step back. "Wait, come with me," he said. He tugged her down the hall into one of the semi-private conference rooms. "Take that blouse off. I'm bringing you a camisole."

Minutes later, Miranda was wearing a lace-trimmed silk camisole underneath her suit jacket. It was certainly exposing more skin than she was used to in the office, and Nigel added a pendant necklace that sat just at the top of her cleavage.

She took a deep breath and returned to her desk, grabbing the flowers and tossing the card in her purse without reading it. She walked up to the receptionist and placed the flowers on her desk. "Susan, Merry Christmas," she said.

"Oh my gosh, Ms. Princhek, thank you!" she said. "This was so unexpected."

"Well, you are quite deserving. I'm wondering if you can do me a favor. I need to see Richard Bannister—it's very important. Can you let his assistant know I'm coming up?"

Susan looked a bit flustered, but then nodded and advised the woman to make it quick.

Miranda headed up to the 39th floor and took a deep breath. She had only been up here once before and it was on a weekend when no one was around. Richard's assistant wasn't at her desk, so she walked past and entered his office, shutting the door behind her.

"Excuse me?" he said, looking up. "Ms. Princhek, I don't recall having a meeting." He pushed his chair back from his desk.

Miranda walked right past the chairs opposite his desk and placed her hands on the rich walnut surface. The opulence of his office did not go unnoticed. She leaned forward and waited for his eyes to meet hers.

"Mr. Bannister, you need a new Fashion Director, and that is going to be me. I've watched this magazine struggle over the past few years and what Runway needs is a strong woman at the helm. I will make Runway the most profitable publication at Elias-Clarke, just for you," she said.

Miranda held her breath as she waited for his reaction, watching the words settle watched my words sink in. When she saw his eyes focused on her chest, she knew she had him hooked.

"Well, that is certainly an, uh, attractive, offer," Richard stammered. "Come here."

Miranda walked over to his chair, her eyes never breaking contact with his. He leaned back in his chair, and as if she had done this before, Miranda slid into his lap and wrapped her arm around his neck. One of his hands wrapped around her shoulders, while the other landed on her waist, slowly traveling upwards.

"It's an irresistible offer," she whispered. She felt him pressing against her thigh, so she reached down and cupped him. Miranda knew she was taking a huge chance, but the rewards would be worth it.

He groaned and bucked his hips, and his hand traveled up and down Miranda's stocking-clad legs.

She leaned over and whispered into his ear, "I know what really turns you on, Richard. Money—loads and loads of it. Promote me now, get me to Editor in Chief, and you'll have more money than you'll know what to do with."

He tried to kiss her, but she turned her head and he ended up pressing his lips to her hair. "Miranda, I have to get approval from the Board of Directors," he said.

"I'm sure you'll think of something," she whispered, raking her nails along the bulge in his pants. "You're very intelligent." Miranda pulled away and stood, smoothing out her skirt and fixing her hair. "So?"

"Um, yes. I mean, you've got it. Move into Elizabeth's office on January 1st."

"And the Board?" she asked.

"I—I'll handle them."

Miranda turned to leave, but he grabbed her wrist, securing her to the spot.

"Oh Miranda, do not disappoint me," he said.

She smiled and nodded and left his office, heading for the elevators. As the doors closed, she let out a shriek of excitement. When she arrived on Runway's floor, she ran into Nigel and James Priestly at the reception desk.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him.

"Miranda, let me make it up to you. Please."

Miranda sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I am very busy right now. I've been promoted here, and you see, I have a lot to do in the coming weeks."

"You go girl!" Nigel cheered. She turned to him and smiled.

"Miranda, that's great. I just—"

"Excuse us," she said to Nigel, grabbing James by the wrist and walking him the short distance to the elevator. She pressed the down button and tugged him inside. "James, I can't screw this up. I need to focus right now."

He reached up and brushed her cheek, tilting her chin upwards to meet his eyes. "Miranda, again, I'm sorry about last night. But this promotion? I am so happy for you, really. You deserve this. I would never ask you to put me before your career, okay?"

He was so sickeningly sweet, and she was lapping the sugar right up. "Okay," she said, kissing him quickly. "I'm not sure that I will have time to see you right now, but—wait, is everything okay with your sister?"

He leaned over and kissed her again, this time leaving me breathless. The elevator stopped at the first floor, and Miranda walked with him out into the lobby. He stopped just before exiting the building. "My sister and brother-in-law were in a car accident last night. They're both okay, but she was pregnant, and she lost the baby," he said. "I had to go stay with the kids while my parents were with Sarah and Will—"

"Oh my god, I feel awful," Miranda said. "I'm glad they're okay, but losing a baby can't be easy on them. I feel like such a selfish bitch right now."

"No, no. Look, these things happen. What's important is that we can get past it. Right?"

She nodded. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her close. It felt good, being in his arms—so good that Miranda didn't mind the public display of affection in the least.

He leaned down and whispered into her ear, "I meant what I said—I don't want to come between you and your career. However, you need to eat, and if that means meeting you for a quick lunch or bringing you a late dinner after a long day, it will be worth it." He pulled away and squeezed her hand, then reached out for his sunglasses. "Call me tonight, if you can?"

"I will try," Miranda said, smiling.

When she returned upstairs, Nigel was waiting at the elevators. They walked back to their desks and before they could sit down, Susan came by with a brown grocery bag.

"Miranda? Excuse me, this just came for you," she said.

She looked inside and saw a handwritten note: I know you're busy—thought I'd send lunch. Talk soon. xo JP (PS - There's enough to share with Nigel.)

Handing the note to Nigel, she pulled a large salad and chicken kebabs out of the bag. There was a bottle of Pellegrino, too. "Wow."

"Honey, this man is too good to be true," Nigel said. "But first, tell me about this promotion!"

Over lunch Miranda told him about her meeting with Richard. She wasn't particularly proud of it, but she knew she'd be able to prove herself once in place, and Nigel agreed.

"So, do you think he's going to expect you to put out to keep the job?"

"No," she said, though not with full confidence. "But I suppose I'll have to address that if and when it happens."

"Okay, so tell me more about why you're not in the Hamptons right now," Nigel said. "Oh, and for what it's worth, I think fate probably had something to do with it—otherwise you wouldn't have gotten that promotion."

Miranda laughed. That was definitely not something she had thought about, but he made a good point. "James didn't show up at the restaurant, and it turns out his sister and her husband were in an accident and he had to go sit with his nieces and nephews. I overreacted, but I don't think that whole 'fate' thing will work here."

Nigel agreed. "You know, it's going to be a learning process for you—balancing work and a personal life," he reminded me.

Miranda knew that, and she didn't want to think about it on the heels of her meeting with Richard Bannister. Miranda and Nigel finished their lunches before getting back to work.

Later that evening, she called James, even though it was after midnight when she got home. He was waiting up for her call, as it turned out. He invited her out for dinner on Christmas Eve, and she happily agreed.