Summary: An extended version of the final scene we all wanted. (No spoilers)
Warmth filled my chest watching the older woman work. I canāt believe our plan worked. Thankfully Miranda can still read me well enough to know I was up to something with Emily and confronted me before the sale went through. If she hadnāt seen the red flags, none of us would be here.
āSomething else?ā Miranda asked, studying me.
āNot right now,ā I said with a smile.
I turned, but paused at the door, heart racing. āActually,ā I swallowed. Closing the glass door for an illusion of privacy, I met the womanās curious gaze. āMiranda, I-,ā How do I tell her that Iām in love with her?
āWill I have to pull this out of you too?ā
āNo,ā I smirked. Thank goodness the old Miranda is back. Well, a version that could last in a 2026 workplace.
āBy all means, move at a glacial pace with whatever you want to tell me. You know how that thrills me.ā
Leave it to Miranda Priestly to make me laugh while sheās being icy. āOnly you,ā I chuckled. āI love you. Iām in love with you,ā I corrected. āI know youāre married to Stuart, and he seems like an amazing man, but we both know, when it comes to you, I canāt hide a feeling.ā
āItās one of the things I like most about you. We have our own language.ā
āWhy are you telling me now?ā
āWeāve been kind of busy lately. One fire at a time.ā Why is she so calm?
āYou know I can handle more than one fire at a time.ā Pushing around a few papers, Miranda chose her words. āI wondered when this would come up.ā Her voice was unreadable. Looking at me, she continued, āDid you really think I didnāt know? Come on, An-,ā
āPlease, anything but āAndy,āā I cringed. āIt sounds wrong coming from you.ā
āAndrea,ā she finished. āI knew it was a matter of time before youād tell me.ā
She knew? Of course she knew. āA-And?ā
āItās a good thing Stuart and I arenāt actually married.ā
āWeāre friends and the media latched onto the idea after they saw us eating dinner together. Being āmarriedā to Nigel would have been my first choice, but the media would never believe that. After the tabloids spread the rumor, Stuart and I had a discussion to go along with it. We never had a ceremony or filed paperwork. The rings are for show.ā
āWhich is helpful in this situation.ā My brow creased. āI wonāt be tied up in a divorce and we can explore an us sooner than later.ā
āāAn us?āā my voice squeaked.
Crossing the room, Miranda cupped my cheek. āYes, Andrea. I love you as well.ā Closing the distance between us, soft lips brushed mine, testing a boundary. When I didnāt pull away, the older woman pressed a gentle kiss to my lips. The world around us faded, and my cup fell, as trembling hands found their way to Mirandaās hips. Feeling her hand slide to the nape of my neck, my lips parted.
A throat being cleared reminded us that we werenāt alone. Turning, I saw Nigel leaned against the door frame, arms folded. āIt was only a matter of time. I knew once the two of you were in the same space again, old flames would reignite. You make each other betterāAndy can keep you on a more polite pathway and Miranda reminds you of your hidden strength.ā
Sharing a glance with the older woman, I asked, āYou planned this?ā
āNot all of it. I knew youād do great things if you ever came home.ā
āYouāre the one who told Irv about Andrea?ā Miranda asked.
āYes,ā he nodded. āI never wanted Andy to lose her job, obviously, but I wanted to make sure my girl was okay no matter what happened,ā Nigel smiled. āNow that the Dynamic Duo are back together, Runway will be safe no matter what the future holds.ā
āMore like The Three Musketeers,ā I said. āRunway needs you too.ā
āJust as much as, if not more than, us,ā Miranda added.
āNow that things are settled, can the two of you seriously consider a relationship? I cannot watch another 20 years of yearning and pining over each other.ā
āWe were working on that before you interrupted,ā Miranda smirked.
āNooo,ā Nigel shook his head. āYou were working on going to bed together.ā My cheeks flamed at the thought. āThen you were going to talk. This way, because Iāve reminded you that youāre in the office, youāll talk first and then go to bed.ā
āAt least you know sheās coming home with me tonight,ā Miranda purred.
āHR is going to love this,ā Nigel groaned. āLord, help us all.ā