Thank You Irv Ravitz 4/?
vTitle: Thank You Irv Ravitz 4/?
RatingM for a tiny amount of language
Pairing: Andy/Miranda eventually
Summary: Andy overhears something very interesting. Now she needs to put it to good use.
Disclaimer: I claim no ownership over the characters contained herein. Niether do i own the line i used from Mighty Mouse. Thanks to kali_blue for pointing out where i knew it from!
A/N: Thanks to calliopedawn for being a great Beta!
Chapter 1
Chapter 4
The music and dim lights were soothing to Andy after the day from hell. Since interviewing Preston James, she sat on the information. She had a month there was no rush. As each day went by it became harder and harder to concentrate knowing that the short stumpy man and Irv Ravitz were out there planning on exiling the Queen of Fashion. The more she thought about it the more she couldn’t bear it.
There was no other way for Andy to contemplate Miranda except as the captain at the helm of Runway. Over the months since she left the magazine there was no way to avoid Miranda. Her own paper ran stories on the woman from time to time. Andy was abreast of all of the current public events in Miranda’s life. She knew that Runway was to Miranda was what air was to the rest of the world. There was no way that Miranda could survive without Runway and she was sure the contrary was true.
As Andy watched the faces of the people around her, she became more determined to get to the bottom of what was going on.
When Doug finally arrived, Andy was wriggling in her seat as she tried listening to him vent about his day.
“Seriously Andy, would you just go pee so I can vent about this homophobic guy I work with!”
Busted! Andy didn’t want to seem like she didn’t care but fucking Irv Ravitz was going to mess with Miranda!
“Dougie I am so sorry! I just had this weird interview this morning, and now a plot has emerged and I am so worried about Miranda!”
“Woah, wait. Miranda? Plot? Have you been reading mystery novels again?”
This was what made Doug her best friend. Although he clearly had a crappy day, he could put that aside for Andy. Nate would have been moody all night if she didn’t listen to him rant about his work. It was times like these she was almost glad she and Nate fizzled out.
“No this is true!” Andy laid out the events of her day, including Preston’s sleazy behaviour.
“You know you look hot in that outfit. I would be all over you if I was into that!”
Andy blushed; it was nice to be complimented sometimes.
“I am going to stop Irv! I have come up with a plan. I need you to tell me I am not crazy Doug.”
“Obsessing over a boss who you haven’t seen or spoken to in months is crazy? Never!”
“You fiend! I am not ‘obsessed’. What! Just listen. Preston is part of this world. I could use him to get to the short stumpy guy. Find out who the board candidate is. Maybe get to Irv before he manages to hurt Miranda.”
“Here she comes to save the day!” Doug actually sang the line while pumping his fist into the air. Andy just rolled her eyes and shook her head.
“Ok, serious time. Miranda needs saving? Ok ok don’t make that face at me! Wait did you say use Preston? Like how?”
Andy didn’t like this part of the plan at all. How else was she going to do it? She braced herself for the reveal.
“I still have his card. I was thinking I could, you know, take him up on his offer. Wait no don’t freak out. I won’t sleep with him or anything. But I can go out with him and try to get some details out of him.”
“You’re really serious about this. Is it really worth all this to save Miranda?”
“I can’t believe you just asked me that! Of course it is Doug. Runway is her life! I saw her reaction to her divorce, and she didn’t really seem to care about Stephen. She loves Runway. It would kill her!”
There was no way Doug would talk her out of this plan. She had Preston’s card in her hand under the table, twisting it nervously.
“Ok, as long as you only go to places where there are lots of people! I mean it. I will go too or something, drag you away before he can try anything.”
Andy was beaming. She loved Doug he really was the best. She whipped out her phone and began to dial.
“You really mean business! I am gonna need a drink for this!”
Doug’s smile matched Andy’s. He missed this side of her. He hadn’t seen her so alive in ages.
Doug made faces throughout the entire call to Preston. Andy had to bite her lip to stop laughing. At one point, after making the international sign for vomit, Doug laughed so hard he snorted and Andy couldn’t help herself.
Before she knew it, Andy had a date with Preston James. She had to finesse her way out of an invitation to his apartment. Now she just had to avoid his advances long enough to help Miranda.
~*~*~*~*~*~
It had been a week since Andy had first learned of Irv’s new plan to try to get back at Miranda. She found herself nervously waiting for Preston yet again. It was a cold New York night and Andy’s Vera Wang dress did little to avert the cold. She hated being cold and it was starting to weaken her resolve. There was no way her conscience would allow her to do nothing, but she was seriously reconsidering confronting Miranda.
Oh, Thank God. Andy would never again be so glad to see smarmy Preston swagger his way toward her. He was obviously dressed to impress, his pants were so tight Andy could see that the cold was affecting him. She giggled to herself at this observation.
“Hi there, I was so glad you called me.” Andy had to wriggle slightly to prevent Preston’s hand from stroking her arse as he hugged her. She wished she could use the hip twist that she and Lily had spent the night perfecting when they were in college. It was a simple move really. They learned that when leaning into an embrace if you plant your right foot close to the other person and turn your hip perpendicular to their body you can limit the contact to the upper arms. She knew that the move would send the ‘friend’ vibe and that wouldn’t help her.
Preston was waved through the velvet rope at the club he wanted to take her to. Andy would have been impressed if she wasn’t scanning the crowd at the bar for Doug. She really appreciated his resolve; he had been here for hours to ensure that he wouldn’t be stuck in the line.
She started to panic when the owner ushered them into them into the VIP room. Andy knew that if she needed to escape, Doug wasn’t far off, she just wished there was no barriers between them.
“I thought you might call me back.” Preston pressed in close to her ear; she had to hide her shudder in case he mistook it for desire rather than repulsion.
Andy knew what she had to do. She had to play this up. She smiled that big beaming smile that made all the boys weak in the knees. Leaning into him slightly she slowly ran her finger up his arm.
“What can I say; I was so impressed by you.” Andy leaned in closer so their lips were inches apart. “I couldn’t resist you.”
Doug couldn’t believe what he was seeing. From his vantage point, it looked like Andy was blatantly coming on to Preston. He admired her determination but wondered at the motive behind it.
The line between keeping Preston’s attention and having him drag her out of the bar was a thin one. Andy made sure to make it seem like she was interested in him without taking it too far.
“I didn’t expect someone like you to come from The Mirror.” Preston had placed his hand on Andy’s knee and she pretended to straighten her dress in order to get him to remove it.
“Oh really? What were you expecting exactly?” Andy batted her doe eyes at him.
“I was expecting a frumpy girl in an oversized sweater.” There was no way that Preston could know how close he came to describing Andy in her pre-Runway days. “You are so beautiful; your talent is wasted at that rag.”
Andy had been waiting for the opening. “Well I didn’t want to be work at The Mirror you know. I had managed to get a job as Miranda Priestly’s assistant at Runway. I had to work so hard to get it.”
“Now that seems more like you, I know a lot of girls who would kill for that job.” Andy did a mental eye roll at that phrase.
“I did have to kill for that job.”
“You went from your dream job to The Mirror. Sounds like you were bitten by the Dragon.” Andy grabbed the hand that was running along her clavicle and drew circles over it.
“Yes, it would seem that the Ice Queen banished me from the Castle. Now I can’t get a job in any fashion magazine anywhere! I even tried Europe.” Andy unleashed her coup de grace, a full on doe eyed pout.
“What if I told you that I could get you a job at Runway?”
“I knew you were connected Preston, but this is the Dragon Lady!”
“Well I am connected enough to be a part of a plan to slay said Dragon Lady. La Priestly won’t know what hit her! You could be a part of it you know.”
This was an unexpected turn of events. Andy hoped that Preston gave her enough information that she could work things from the outside. She would never have guessed that he would bring her into the inner circle.
“She made my life hell” It wasn’t a lie, just not the whole truth. “Just let me know what I have to do. What is this plan of yours anyway?”
“I knew that this would interest you! You remember at our interview I was talking with that man? That was Verne Hecker. He has some dirt on the new Board member that they are going to elect. Miranda thinks that she is firmly in her camp. She is going to be so surprised when the first vote is to get a new Editor-in-chief!”
Andy had to smile. She was right; she had managed to work it out. Now she just needed to know what the dirt was and find out a way to neutralize it.
“You want me to be a part of it? It sounds great.” Andy smiled brightly. If she were braver, she would have moved her thigh seductively over Preston’s. That was a move that always got her into trouble, and she didn’t want trouble with Preston.
“There is an event next week. Irv Ravitz and Verne are going to be there. Irv has been looking for someone to help him. I think he would be tickled to use an ex-assistant of Miranda’s!”
“You want me to go? I can’t wait to find out what the dirt is!” She really couldn’t. It had been plaguing her all week. She only had three weeks before the board election. Now it would seem that Preston was going to put that evidence into her lap.
If Andy thought that being attentive to Preston was hard, then she had no idea of the meaning of the word. All she could think about was the plan and the evidence. She was steeling herself already for her first meeting with Irv since she left Runway. However, she had to keep her focus on Preston. It was harder than she could have imagined. She just wanted to leave, but she needed him to stay in her corner.
What felt like ages later, Preston suggested they leave. Andy saw the lecherous gleam in his eyes and began working out her exit strategy. She wanted to make some lame excuse. That wouldn’t work, why would he want to take her to see Irv if she brushed him off. She needed to dangle the promise of more or else he would lose interest. That thought process lead to Andy and Preston standing at her apartment door.
“I had a great night.” Andy placed her hand in the centre of Preston’s chest. The move could have been read as an attempt at contact. In reality, it was a physical barrier between them.
“Am I not coming in?”
“I may be a Runway girl at heart, but I do not invite men in on the first date, as much as I want to.” The last part was spoken in a whisper. Andy internally winced at it.
“I can live with that, I guess. I will pick you up on Friday and we can meet Irv. I am sure you will be pleased with the plan.”
“You really know how to charm a girl.” Andy was sure that her bright smile faltered a little.
Before she could turn around and flee into the safety of her apartment, Preston had his weight against her. He leaned in and placed a rough kiss against her lips. He tasted like Whiskey and he hadn’t shaved today. Andy could never understand what men felt was so appealing about stubble. She never thought it was manly. Think of Miranda, she thought, I am doing this for her. Andy spent the kiss thinking of creamy skin and soft hands.
Preston offered his lecherous grin, his hand trailing to grasp at the brunette’s hip. Before Andy had to worry about his next move, he stepped away.
“Ciao Bella.” And with that, he turned and left.
Andy must have stood there for at least a minute collecting her thoughts. To someone passing by it might have seemed like she was stunned from the kiss, revelling in the moment. She was actually trying to contemplate what she had gotten herself into. Preston wasn’t a bad kisser, he wasn’t good either. It reminded her of something Lily used to say. Kissing is like chocolate. Sometimes it is bad, but it’s still chocolate.
How on earth was she going to avoid him next week?
Chapter 5