Thank You Irv Ravitz 5/?
Title: Thank You Irv Ravitz
Rating: PG for now
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.
A/N: Thanks to calliopedawn for being a great Beta!
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
This always seemed to happen to her. Despite her newfound fashion confidence since her Runway days, she was staring at her image in the mirror yet again. Andy tugged at the hem of her Michael Kors dress; it was reaching the end of its use-by. She missed the days when a short trip from her office would land her in the closet, with Nigel treating her like his very own Barbie doll.
Andy stomped her foot and picked up her phone blowing her bangs off her face as she dialled.
“Hey Chicken! What’s wrong?” Doug was in a good mood, again. Andy couldn’t place a time in recent history when he wasn’t.
“What makes you think something is wrong?” Andy was always amazed at how well Doug knew her.
“You video called me. It’s a fashion crisis, I can feel it. Let me see.”
“Oh man, I am so predictable. It’s the Michael Kors.” Andy turned the phone to face her reflection in the mirror. “I have the Gallery Opening with Preston tonight and Irv is going to be there.”
“Ugh, it will be a parade of short stumpy men! That dress is slowly going out of season, but it’s still good.”
“You don’t think I should buy something new?” Andy knew Miranda wouldn’t be at the opening, why else would Preston allow her and Irv to meet and discuss their machinations. She still wanted to look good though.
“Nah. Now tell me what is really bothering you. It’s Mr Octopus hands isn’t it!” Doug was still upset for not being able to prevent Preston getting too close to Andy. There would have been no way for him to prevent it. It would have looked slightly strange if he accompanied them to Andy’s door. That didn’t stop Doug wishing he could have.
“Yes! I was constantly trying to divert his hands. Then that kiss! Oh man, yuck, yuck, yuck! I am mostly afraid of convincing Irv. I don’t know if I can convince him I am against Miranda. What if he knows I told her about Paris?” It had been worrying Andy for days. She couldn’t imagine coming this far, having to deal with Preston, only to have Irv see right through her.
“You should have seen yourself at the club with Preston. Mrs Smith eat your heart out! I have complete faith in your spy-ly abilities. I am still mad that I can’t be at the opening to protect you.”
“He won’t be able to be too bad. I hope. It is more public than the club is.” Andy didn’t sound too convinced. “Ok I have to go. He is sending his driver to get me. He will be here soon.” She rolled her eyes at that.
“Ok, but don’t be afraid to deck him if he gets to handsy.”
“Bye Doug!”
The brunette laughed out loud when she disconnected the call. Imagining the look on Preston’s face after she clocked him was enough to lift her spirits.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Andy took a deep breath; Preston’s driver was waiting with the door open. She had spent the entire car ride wringing her hands trying to stay calm. This was going to be harder than going on the date with Preston. She was going to have to convince Irv Ravitz that she was in with their plan. That would probably involve being nice to him. She wanted to gag; being nice to Irv was not something she wanted to do. Ever since Paris and this new plan, she had wanted to cause him physical harm. No one messes with Miranda.
A surge of adrenaline immediately hit Andy as she stepped into the Gallery. She was going to do this.
“There you are!” Preston’s voice rose above the crowd. Andy turned to see him standing with a group of minions. As she walked closer, Preston eyes stalking her movements, she became aware of a woman by his side.
Lily! She thought. Even though she was going to a gallery opening, it never crossed her mind that Lily would be there. This was going to be difficult. Andy hadn’t really spoken to Lily since her break-up with Nate. As far as her friend was concerned, she was irreparably changed. Seeing her here with Preston would do little to change that opinion.
“Preston! It’s a pleasure to see you again.” She tried to avoid Preston’s lips; an embrace was her only option.
“Andy, hi.” Lily’s voice carried a note of incredulity. She was visibly examining Andy.
And found to be lacking. Andy thought. She could tell by the look on Lily’s face that she did not approve of her being with Preston or with her ‘Runway façade.’
“Hi Lily, I didn’t know you would be here!”
“You know each other? Of course you do. You are a surprise Andy. Let me introduce you to my friends.” Preston had his hand on the small of her back, a sign of possession. She wanted to shrink away.
There was no way she could focus on the names and faces before her. Lily was looking at her as if she was one of the pod people. All of the people introduced to her were being as nice as they could manage. They still looked like vultures waiting to take a bite. Andy remembered why she never liked socialising with people like Preston, because they usually had friends who were just like them.
“Well if it isn’t Miranda’s pride and joy!” Irv almost leered at Andy. If she didn’t know about the plot, she would think that the leer he gave her was due to some attraction. No, he was licking his lips in anticipation of exacting his coup de grace against Miranda through her beloved assistant.
“Irv, what a pleasure to see you again.” Andy had to suppress the urge to pound him into the ground. This was going to be a difficult evening.
Preston turned to Lily, who had been quiet during the introductions. “I am afraid that a little business is in order. Andy and Irv have things to discuss. If you wouldn’t mind?” Lily looked back between Irv, Andy and Preston. She knew Andy despised Irv’s actions in Paris. Andy could see the wheels turning in the woman’s head.
“Sure. I will speak to some of the other guests.”
Lily didn’t even glance at Andy as she walked off. Andy sighed to herself. The final vestige of their friendship was well and truly demolished. Lily never liked Andy as a Runway girl, but a Runway girl in the inner circle? Andy knew her friend thought she sold her soul. They could never go back.
“I must admit that I never expected you to be the key to my success. I was so glad when Preston mentioned you. It always seemed like you were firmly planted in Miranda’s camp.” Irv had leaned in and almost whispered.
Andy had been considering her possible answer to this question since her date with Preston. She knew she could not deny her loyalty. The only option was to find a plausible way to account for its sudden demise.
“I am always loyal to my employers. In return, I expect them to be loyal to me. Miranda made it clear in Paris that she is not loyal. When I voiced my concerns, she demonstrated her distaste at my assessment. I resigned. There was no point waiting for her to fire me or treat me like she did Nigel.” Andy was watching Irv’s reaction intently. She hoped that this answer would suffice.
“Preston said that she blacklisted you?”
“It is the only explanation I can think of. Every job interview I set up was promptly cancelled.” Andy did her best to look dejected.
“I see. Well it’s not a surprise that she would act that way. She is the Devil!” The group snickered at this. Andy wondered if they looked like a jovial group to those who may be watching or a group of ravenous conspirators out for blood.
“So I am integral to your plan? I am glad to be of assistance. Preston tells me that once Miranda is out of the way, I might be able to get a position at Runway?” Andy knew that self-interestedness in this situation was a sign of complicity. If Irv thought she was doing this for a job, and to make a final jibe at Miranda, he was more likely to believe it.
“I will ensure that you are taken care of my girl.” Irv’s smirk was almost repulsive. “I have acquired a tape that is to be used to blackmail the new board member. Preston filled you in on this I believe. Your part will be to lay the foundations for its release. I have a tape of a compromising situation. At first the threat of it was enough, but Christiana is loyal to Miranda and recently has seemed less inclined to follow instructions.”
Andy knew that Christiana must be the new board member and wondered what possible dirt they had on the woman. “You want me to do something to remind her that she is to do as she is told?”
Irv beamed. “I knew you were intelligent. No wonder Miranda was so enthralled with you. Yes, you work at the Mirror correct?” He didn’t wait for a response. “I want you to write an article on Christiana and her appointment to the Elias-Clark board. I think if we word it correctly we can send her a message.”
This might be a problem. If she wrote an article, she might get Miranda’s attention. Then again, she needed to speak to Miranda soon, there was only two weeks to the board election and Andy had to warn her.
Andy spent the rest of the evening making mind numbing small talk and trying to avoid Preston’s hands. She was not looking forward to the trip back to her apartment.
The walk up to Andy’s apartment was spent thinking about how Preston was watching her arse the whole walk up. How am I going to get out of this? She should have come up with something during the week, but she never wanted to contemplate it at all.
As they walked down the corridor, Preston’s hand placed in the small of Andy’s back grazing the top of her arse, relief flooded the woman. Sitting on the floor up against her door was Doug. A grin broke out across the woman’s face. This was her out. She would never be able to repay him for this.
“Doug?” She tried to sound confused and disappointed rather than excited and relieved.
“Heey, Annndyy. Your ‘ere finally!” Doug was doing his best impression of a drunken college student. “Who is thish? He’sh cuuutte.”
Andy caught her friend has he fell into her trying to touch Preston.
“Preston, I’m sorry, I have to deal with this.” She unleashed her best pout. “I was really looking forward to this!” She added the last part in a whisper in Preston’s ear.
“I can see you have your hands full. I will call you later.”
Just as Preston was about to lean in to kiss her, Doug erupted into song, thrashing his arms around, Andy barely held onto him. Both Doug and Andy watched, smiling widely, as Preston stalked back down the corridor and out of the building.
“You are a life saver!” Andy wrapped her friend in a tight embrace.
“What are friends for?”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The light was streaming through the windows of 17th floor office in the Elias-Clark building. Emily had just managed to prepare Miranda’s office before the woman stalked in barking her instructions in her low breathy tone.
Miranda sat delicately on her chair and began to peruse the papers that had been neatly stacked. Upon turning to Page Six in The Post her attention was immediately turned to a familiar face, the flash of a brilliant smile and deep chocolate eyes. This had been the first time she had seen anything of Andréa Sachs since their gazes met outside the Elias-Clark building.
She should have been elated, she should be devouring the image, eyes roving over the ample cleavage on show in the Michael Kors dress. Instead, her eye was drawn to the shorter man beside her smiling into the camera clearly happy to be seen with this exquisite woman. There was no way to describe the rage, the fear, the disgust Miranda felt seeing Andréa standing closely next to Irv Ravitz. They looked like friends and Miranda was immediately suspicious.
“Emily!” The tone of the older woman’s voice was clear. It was a siren call, beware all those who hear it.
Chapter 6