Part 2

Miranda looked up at them blankly, and then blinked in total surprise. It took every ounce of self-control for her not to actually ask, 'are you fucking kidding me?' But the look of total fear on their faces told her that indeed, they were serious.

Finally, after a long moment, Miranda spoke. "I…" she uttered. She dragged a shaky hand across her forehead, pushing her hair away, refusing to rub the ache at it in front of her employees. "That's all," she fired, and then carefully took a sip of water. She swallowed hard, and then took a huge breath through flared nostrils. "Now what?" she whispered to an empty room, her fists clenched. "I don't do interviews….damn girl knows that. I get her that dumb job at The Mirror with an outstanding recommendation, and this is the thanks I get? She had the nerve to walk out on me in Paris, without so much as an apology and this is how she's going to repay me?"

Her mind was racing as her hands shook with antipathy at her only option. She had no choice, she was going to have to get on a plane and fly over 4 hours to the god-forsaken desert to see her ex-assistant for the first time in 3 years. "Shit," she cursed under her breath. She knew what she had to do; she was still faced with the crap Irv was still trying to pull in his quest to dethrone her from Runway, so she knew she needed to sell copies. Deep down she knew that right now, if her biggest competitor wanted Andrea and was dying to get an interview, than damn it, she wanted it too, and even more.

"Emily!" she voiced.

Her first assistant ran back into the room. "Yes?"

"Where is that magazine?"

Emily raised an eyebrow. "Mag…" she about asked, and then understood what Miranda wanted. Quickly turning back around, she and quickly went to retrieve the issue of Vogue that her boss had thrown across the room.

Miranda took a few minutes to compose herself before Emily came back with the issue. She carefully laid it in front of her and slowly backed away. "Anything else?"

"Make arrangements with Andrea. Tell her that I shall come and interview her, and that we will be there in 48 hours," she said icily, not looking at her assistant as her eyes were fixed on the face of the cover of Vogue. "If she has a problem with that, then I won't be able to accommodate her wishes with the interview."

"Okay," Emily replied timidly.

"Then make all the travel arrangements. I hope to god there is a five star hotel there."

"I'm on it."

"That's all."

…

"48 hours?" Andy's jaw dropped, yet she really shouldn't have been that shocked it was just like Miranda to try to up the ante. "Well," she quietly exhaled. "If she wants to come that soon, then she will have to wait until I'm done shooting my scenes before we do it. Right now, I really can't tell you when that will be," she informed.

"Seriously Andrea?" Emily all but hissed. "You have to give Miranda something better than that."

"Honestly no, I don't….if she wants this interview, then she can take what I give her. Or no interview at all." Andy hung up.

The Brit winced as she stared at the phone for a moment before hanging it up. "I'm dead."

…..

As it happened Emily did not die, and now they were about to land at Albuquerque International Sunport. The group that flew out with her included Miranda, Nigel and Serena. Later the rest of Runway's team would be there to set up for the photo shoot. After landing, they gathered their luggage and found the car and driver hired to get them to the small town of Galisteo. Still, 72 miles before they got there, Miranda was already complaining about the heat, maybe because their car actually arrived ten minutes late.

"Does the air conditioning even work in this hell trap of what you call a car?" Miranda snarled in a huff at the driver of the black Denali SUV.

"Yes, Ma'am, it's on high. It's just really warm today," the driver commented politely. "How was your flight?"

"Did I ask you to talk?" Miranda snipped at the man in irritation as she rested her head back on the seat.

Just then Emily's phone began to ring, which brought a loud annoyed moan from the editor. "Yes," she answered.

"Hi, yes I am calling for Andrea Sachs, and she told me to inform you that she will be ready for her interview with Ms. Priestley around 8 tonight."

Emily looked at her watch and saw that it was almost 6, so that meant that they would arrive at their hotel around 7:30, if they were lucky. That gave Miranda very little time to prepare. "Um, that's very short notice…I don't think that will work out."

Miranda eyed her assistant wearily through her dark sunglasses. "I am sorry, Ma'am, but that's the only time Ms. Sachs has available until Friday evening."

Emily grimaced, knowing that Miranda would rather die that have to spend another two days here. "One moment please." She pulled the phone from her ear and covered the mouthpiece. "Um, Andrea said she will give you the interview at 8 tonight."

Miranda quickly did the math in her head, and now knew her ex-assistant wanted to play her for a fool, and there was no way she was going to concede. "Tell her absolutely not."

Emily closed her eyes and quietly inhaled a calming breath. "Then she informed me that she won't be available until Friday." She was waiting to feel the hot fiery air from the dragon burn her to smithereens.

Miranda was on a mini verge of actually having a meltdown right there in the car, either that or an aneurism. That girl will be the death of me. "Of course, right," she said, pursing her lips. "Confirm, and make sure she isn't late." Emily nodded and repeated what Miranda said.

….

Miranda darted out of the SUV before the driver could open the door. She couldn't stand another minute in that car with her employees, but as soon as her Prada heels hit the payment outside of her hotel she was blasted by the scorching New Mexico heat. "Good God," she fused, a sweaty pant of exasperation clearly nipping her voice. "I can't believe I am here," she fretted, and started inside, leaving Emily to run hurriedly past her so she could check them in.

Once inside the lobby, Emily snapped her fingers to hurry the clerk to get them quickly to their room, and then checked her watch. "Shoot it took longer than I thought; you have only twenty minutes to tidy up before the interview."

"Like I'm not aware," Miranda bit, and then marched toward the elevator.

"Keys, now!" Emily barked, and the young girl at the counter quickly gave it to her. She watched the doors close to the elevator with Miranda tucked in it on her way to the penthouse suite.

"Shit," Emily cursed and scurried off to grab the next one.

Nigel and Serena watched her and couldn't help but feel sorry for her. "We'll get her things up there for her."

Emily didn't even turn back. "Hurry," she yelled, right before she slipped around the corner.

The hotel clerk stared at the two of them in confusion. "Is she like royalty or something?" she asked, because in all her short years working at this hotel she had never seen anyone act that way.

The corner of Nigel's lip curved in amusement. "Yes dear, she is most definitely a queen."

"Oh," the girl's eyes went wide. "I…" she went to say something that neither Nigel nor Serena even cared to hear about.

"Just get us our room keys. Actually, hand them to her….and I'll escort your bell hop to make sure Miranda's things get there swiftly." In fact he didn't even wait and began to push the young man to hurry up to Miranda's room.

Serena adjusted her glasses and sighed as she leaned back against the counter and looked the lobby over. "Is it always this hot here?" she asked, fanning her shirt, but before the girl could answer her she spoke again. "Hey, where is the pool?"

…..

Soon Miranda stepped from the bathroom of her suite without showering. She did a quick PTA bath and groaned in frustration at the rate she had to hurry. She never did this for anyone, so why in hell was she doing it now?

The mantra she repeated over and over in her head was she needed to sell magazines, and she knew that Andrea's exclusive interview would sell a boatload.

…

As it happened Miranda made it to the hotel lounge on time. Runway had rented the outside patio so it would only be them. She walked in with her head held high and hoped she would find her former assistant waiting on her, but as she looked around noticed that she was very much alone. Well, except for the server that escorted her. "Why didn't you inform me that the other party had not arrived yet?"

"Oh," the young waitress just shrugged. "Sorry, um would you like something to drink as you wait, Ma'am?"

Miranda gritted her teeth and took a moment to compose herself. "Bottle of Fine, or Perrier."

"Water?" the girl questioned since it was a bar, but the threatening look she received made her quickly swallow and just smile. "Right away."

Miranda took her seat and rubbed at her forehead, grateful for how much the evening had cooled off since the sun went down. The lights that glittered around the lounge, along with the few stars that made their appearance, made the area actually look romantic. She exhaled out an annoyed breath, now wishing they would have done the interview someplace else. The waitress was soon back and carefully set an empty glass full of ice down in front of her, along with a bottle of Perrier. "Anything else?"

"No, that's all," she snipped, and cast an annoying hand at her like she was swatting a fly. She placed her glasses on her nose and stared down at the questions she had prepared. It had been years since she had ever conducted an interview, and she wanted to make sure she didn't mess this up. She searched her brain for the last interview she had done, and she was sure it was with Madonna in 1985, when she was soon to marry Sean Penn. Over two decades… no wonder she had a headache.

But there was another reason why, and she tried to ignore that wearisome pang in her heart as to why that was. She's just another girl, she silently said to herself over and over. Yet deep down she knew that wasn't at all true. After finishing going through her questions, Miranda glanced down at her watch and seeing the time made her groan loudly in a frustrated breath.

"Seriously? She's making me wait?" She felt the gnawing ache start between her brows and quickly searched her purse for some kind of pain medication to relieve it. Soon she downed two aspirin, and glanced at her watch for the third time in less than five minutes. It was now 22 minutes after the time in which they were supposed to meet, and Miranda decided this was total bullshit. Deciding she had waited long enough, she stood up and was retrieving her belongings when she heard. "She's right over there, she's been waiting."

"Thanks."

That voice floated in and rendered the fashionista motionless, and for a few seconds she even forgot how to breathe. That voice had invaded her dreams, and if she was honest with herself, even her fantasies for over three years, and Miranda wasn't at all prepared for how it affected her now. Using everything she had learned over the years, she somehow managed to settle her rapidly beating heart. She wanted to look over at Andrea, but she just shifted straighter in the chair and waited, with a scowl on her face for being made to wait as long as she did.

Andy kept her silence, but had to hold off a smile as she noticed her former employer sitting there. Miranda's white hair stood out among the amber lights and suddenly Andy felt her heart flicker with an uneasiness that used to bother her the more time she spent around this woman. Blowing out a shaky breath, she rounded the bar and took the chair at the table opposite of the other woman. "Miranda?" the younger woman breathed evenly. "Hey sorry I'm late, but it couldn't be avoided. The director kept changing his mind."

Miranda glared at her former assistant as her heart amped up at actually seeing her for the first time in three years. She was even more beautiful than she remembered. Her hair was shorter, and her full lips curved into a warm smile that didn't go unnoticed by the editor since she felt it slice all the way through her. "Andreeaa," her voice clipped in aggravation. "Nice of you to show up….even though a simple message to let me know that you would be late would have been the proper thing to do. So very unprofessional of you. I guess you learned absolutely nothing during your time with me," she sneered coldly, and then added. "I suppose after three years, one forgets that I just love to wait….in fact you know how much that thrills me."

If Andy hadn't prepared herself for this very moment for the past three years she would have made a fool out of herself and jumped across the table to pull Miranda into a very awkward hug, but since she was prepared, she just managed a shrug as she turned toward the waitress. "Hey, could you bring me a martini with extra olives, and maybe a menu? I am starved," she relayed to the young girl with an exuberant smile. That's when the girl realized who she was.

"Oh my god, are you her?"

Andy just softly giggled, not by the way the girl's eyes lit up, but by the way Miranda rolled her eyes and groaned. "I suppose I am," she teased. "But I don't have time right now; I am supposed to be giving this lovely woman right here an interview, and you already know I was way late." She watched the girl's face fall as she slowly nodded. "But maybe afterwards."

The young waitress waved her off. "No, I understand….I just can't believe you are here."

Miranda was getting more annoyed by the minute and had finally heard enough. "Run along and do your job," she snapped.

"Be right back," she said politely to Andy and rushed off.

Now that they were alone, Miranda felt her nerves flutter and she swallowed from the look Andrea was giving her, which was something that never happened to her. Flipping open the folder, she settled her glasses back on her nose. "Shall we finally begin?"

"Sure," Andy said, with a wider smile that split her lips. It had been so long since she had seen this woman, and it still brought everything she had ever felt for her springing right smack back to her heart tenfold.

Miranda cleared her throat to begin, but Andrea interrupted her. "First off, I need to tell you something," she said surely, but she felt the anxiety begin to shake in her fingers as she gazed into those beautiful blue eyes. Moving her hands down under the table, she clenched them together and folded them in her lap.

"Excuse me?"

Andy could see the bitter annoyance in her expression and knew she was getting to her former boss. "I know," she began, as she held up her hand. "I just need to get this out."

"Do I have a choice?" Miranda sharply voiced, trying not to let the beauty of this woman affect her or show how much she had missed the brunette.

Andy ignored her and just continued. "I want to say I am sorry."

"You already said that, and by all means, why don't you take more of my precious… ."

Andy's chest heaved as she cut her off. "I'm not apologizing for being late Miranda; I'm saying I'm sorry for what I did to you in Paris. I shouldn't have left you like that. It was so unprofessional, and I deserved to be blacklisted for what I did to you." She could see the surprise in Miranda's eyes, and before the older woman could say a word, Andrea continued on. "And I want to tell you thank you; I believe that is way overdue. In fact, if it wasn't for your recommendation at the Mirror, I wouldn't be where I am today."

Miranda sighed and relaxed a little back in the chair, attempting to not let what Andy said affect as she kept the stern expression on her face. "Well, have you got that out of your system? Can we please get this over with?" she emphasized on the please part and Andy could have sworn that was the only time she ever heard this woman ever say that word.

"Yes, Miranda," Andrea responded in that voice just like she used to, when she worked for her.

"So Andrea, I want to start with the question that's on everyone's minds, especially our readers. Why is it that you do not give interviews?" Miranda asked evenly after she clicked on her tiny recorder. She was clearly in her element, even though she was the editor in chief and not a bloody writer for the magazine.

"Well that's easy. For one, I don't think I'm at all interesting, so I just try to avoid them. But the real reason is….I guess I've been saving myself and waiting for the right person to interview me," she stated smoothly, her gaze never faltering as her eyes delved into Miranda's and gave a deep, sincere smile.

Miranda thought Andy's smile was sexy as hell and she had to suck in a deep, quiet breath through a tight lip. "So I take it I am the right one? I mean, Runway?" This was not on her list of questions, but this wasn't her first rodeo; she knew how to wing it.

"I am here, aren't I?"

"That you are. So, how is it that you got into acting? Last thing we heard you were a journalist." That was the burning question, not as much on everyone's mind, but it was at the top of Miranda's list, and she was the one asking the questions, after all.

"Actually, it happened quite by accident, and me running from something that I just couldn't get out of my system," Andy confessed, her brown eyes still burning with such intensity that Miranda had to blink and re-examine her notes in order to get herself together. What the hell was she running from?

"Are you going to elaborate?" she finally asked, ignoring the next question on the list.

"Sure. My friend Lily had an amazing offer in California. She put my name out there, along with my resume, all over the state at newspapers, and even other outlets. I actually couldn't believe it. I got a call from KTTV Fox in L.A, and soon I was out doing interviews with celebrities. After a while I was asked to appear on a sitcom, and then it just snowballed from there. I guess I just lucked into it."

"Luck?" Miranda quipped. "Don't sell yourself short." Shit, she cursed herself for saying that out loud. Trying to stay casual, she pretended she didn't just say that and continued on with the next question. "Is this the first time that you are working with director Gavin O'Connor? And I hear that this movie is a thriller/western…can you give us any spoilers of what to expect in this film?"

"It is, and he's a great director. All I am allowed to say is that you're right; it is a thriller western. I had to take a great deal of riding lessons to do this movie, also had to go to a gun range and learn to shoot, both a rifle and a pistol."

Impressed and a little amused about what Andrea had to do to prepare for this film almost made Miranda crack a smile. Almost. "What was that like?"

"Oh, I have to admit it, I still get sore after my rides, and the gun range was not at all what I thought it would be like. I mean, I saw a couple there on a date."

That actually made Miranda slightly smile, and she quickly cleared her throat. "So, do you have any idea when release date will be?"

"Not sure, but from what I've told it will be sometime early this fall."

Just then the waitress brought Andy's drink and set it down in front of her, along the dinner menu. "Can I get you anything else?"

Andy politely smiled up at her. "No, thank you; I'm good."

"I'll give you a few to look over the menu and I'll be right back."

"Thanks," Andy said, and began to look over her options.

"Do you want me to continue?" Miranda threw an annoyed eyebrow toward her. "I mean, since you're this big movie star now, maybe I should just sit quietly by and watch you eat and just forget for one moment that this is a business interview, not some stupid date."

Andy sighed and dropped the menu in front of her. "Yes, right, I forgot it's always business with you isn't it? Geez Miranda, do you ever lighten up?"

"Yeah, after work is finished. You made me fly to this god-forsaken desert to do this rather than send an actual writer from the staff. Now I'm forced to be here with you, asking you these stupid questions, when the fact of that matter is, all of this could have been done over the phone."

Andy knew Miranda was upset; hell, she was upset the moment she showed up late. It didn't matter that it wasn't her fault, and she knew that, but it was seriously something she just couldn't avoid. Andy crossed her arms over her chest and just stared at Miranda for a moment. She's still a bitch, but god she still was beautiful and sexy when she went off like that. "So, is this still on the record or what?" Andrea asked. Her tone was light and she even dared to wink at her former boss.

Miranda's eyes hardened as she clicked the recorder off. "Just because you are this now up and coming star, it is something that you'll consistently have to work for, strive for. It will not always be this easy. So just because you're a hit now, it doesn't mean you should let it go to your little head, Andrea," she practically growled. "You saw that when you worked for me, but like I said earlier, it's apparent to me that you didn't learn a god damn thing," she voiced, her tone raw. Miranda wanted to mentally smack herself for being such an asshole. It was like all that pent up frustration she felt towards her former assistant for leaving her like that just boiled out.

Andy shook her head. "Well, I certainly don't deserve to be treated this way, especially by you, Miranda. I decided to give you this interview because I felt as though I owed you, but I don't need this….least of all by you. I just wanted something to eat. I really hadn't had much at all…well, except some cheese from the craft table," she sighed, and paused a moment as she stared at this woman who hid behind her acidy wall. "And I can bet my year's salary that you haven't had anything to eat either," Andy glowered, with another shake of her head as she went to stand up. "We're done here; this interview is over."

Miranda's eyes went wide upon hearing Andy tell her this, and it made her shiver with panic. She clenched her fits together and blew out a quiet breath through her flared nostrils. "You can't leave; you promised."

"I know I did, but I'm not doing this with you. I'm no longer your assistant Miranda, so stop degrading me. I made a nice career for myself; in fact a million girls would kill for my job." She just had to throw in that jab. "Yet you still see me as that fat, smart girl who didn't know fashion." As Andy stood up she took a long swallow of her martini, but before she could put the glass down, she felt her former employer at her side.

"I shouldn't have said that, and yes you're right; I am hungry. So let's order something and we can start over," Miranda tried. Her tone was cool and collected as always, but inside she was a mess. A disarray of feelings stirred through her as she stood this close to this woman. Andrea made her feel all jittery and she hated it. She wished she could get a handle on her emotions; after all, she was in her 50's for Christ's sake. She should be more than capable of getting a grip on the way she was feeling for a woman half her age…feelings Andy would never reciprocate. Plus, she was about to lose the biggest story of the year if she didn't get it together.

The icy calmness was familiar and Andy regarded her for a long moment. She was about to relent, and the biggest reason was because standing this close to Miranda Priestly was actually making her body tremble. She carefully set her glass back down when her phone began to ring. Her brows caved together in bewilderment. "Shoot," she groaned before she answered.

Miranda wanted to toss her hands up in defeat, but instead she opted for sitting back down in her chair. Andy was grateful that Miranda had moved away from her, because her unique smell was making her dizzy. "Tonight? I thought we were done for the evening?"

Overhearing the conversation, Miranda knew that this interview was indeed over. She began to gather her things when Andy ended the call.

"I have to get back; he loves the way the night sky looks tonight, the director saying it's perfect," she rambled, watching Miranda's infuriating posture. "Hey, let's meet up tomorrow to finish? Besides, tomorrow is the on set photo shoot, so I will gladly finish this after that without any interruptions, okay?"

What could Miranda do? She had to get this done, so she blew out a large breath in defeat. "I suppose I could arrange something," she said obscurely.

Andy nodded and gathered her purse in a rush and pointed out the door. "I'm …I gotta..."

Miranda just shooed her away. "I know." Brown eyes sparkled at her for a mere second before she watched Andrea Sachs walk away from her yet again.