off the counter； and just walked away while I was stuttering
mid…sentence。 I could feel heat ing off my face； a flush of
confusion and pain and humiliation all wrapped into one； and it
didn’t help that I could feel Emily glaring at me。 I pulled my hot
face upward and confirmed that Emily was indeed glaring at me。
“Is the Bulletin updated？” Miranda asked to no one in particular as
she walked into her office and； I noticed happily； directly to the
light table where I’d arranged her papers。
“Yes； Miranda。 Here it is；” Emily said obsequiously； racing in
behind her and handing her the clipboard where we kept all of
Miranda’s messages typed as they e in。
I sat quietly； watching Miranda move deliberately around her office
in the picture frames that hung on her wall： if I looked at the
glass instead of at the photos themselves； I could see her
reflection。 Emily immediately busied herself at her desk； and
silence prevailed。Do we never get to talk to each other or anyone
else if she’s in the office？ I wondered。 I wrote a quick e…mail to
Emily； asking her as much； which I saw her receive and read。 Her
answer came back right away：You got it； she wrote。If you and I have
to talk； we whisper。 Otherwise； no talking。 And don’t EVER speak to
her unless she speaks to you。 And do not EVER call her Ms。
Priestly—it’s Miranda。 Got it？ I felt again as if I had been
slapped； but I looked up and nodded。 And it was then I noticed the
coat。 It was right there； a great big pile of fabulous…looking fur；
all bunched up on the end of my desk； with one arm dangling off the
edge。 I looked at Emily。 She rolled her eyes； waved her hand toward
the closet； and mouthed； “Hang it up！” It was as heavy as a wet down
forter ing out of the washing machine； and I needed both hands
to keep it from dragging on the floor； but I gingerly hung it on one
of the silk hangers and gently； quietly； closed the doors。
I hadn’t even sat back down when Miranda appeared next to me； and
this time her eyes were free to roam over my entire body。 Impossible
as it seemed； I could feel each body part ignite as she eyed it； but
I was frozen； unable to dive back to my chair。 Just as my hair was
about to catch fire； those relentless blue eyes finally stopped on
mine。
“I’d like my coat；” she said quietly； looking directly at me； and I
wondered if she wondered who I was； or if she didn’t notice or care
that there was a relative stranger posing as her assistant。 There
wasn’t so much as a glimmer of recognition； even though my interview
with her had taken place a few weeks earlier。
“Surely；” I managed； and moved toward the closet again； which was an
awkward maneuver because she was currently standing between it and
me。 I turned my body sideways to keep from bumping into her and
tried to slide myself past her； reaching to pull open the door I had
just shut。 She didn’t move a single inch to let me pass； and I could
feel that the eyes had continued their roving。 Finally； blessedly；
my hands closed around the fur； and I pulled it carefully to
freedom。 I wanted to throw it at her and see if she’d catch it； but
I restrained myself at the last second and held it open as a
gentleman would for a lady。 She shrugged into it with one graceful
motion and picked up her Cell Phone； the only item she had brought
with her to the office。
“I’d like the Book tonight； Emily；” she said as she walked
confidently out of the office； probably not even noticing that a
cluster of three women standing in the hall outside the suite
scattered immediately upon seeing her； chins to their chests。
“Yes； Miranda。 I’ll have Andrea bring it up。”
That was that。 She left。 And the visit that had inspired office…wide
panic； frenzied preparations； even makeup and wardrobe adjustments；
had lasted just under four minutes； and had taken place—as far as my
inexperienced eyes could see—for absolutely no reason whatsoever。
8
“Don’t look now；” James said； his mouth as immobile as a
ventriloquist’s； “but I spy Reese Witherspoon at three o’clock。”
I swiveled immediately as he cringed in embarrassment； and； sure
enough； there she was； sipping a glass of champagne and throwing her
head back in laughter。 I didn’t want to be impressed； but I couldn’t
help it： she was one of my favorite actresses。
“James； darling； I’m so glad you could make it to my little party；”
quipped a thin； beautiful man who came up behind us。 “And who do we
have here？” They kissed。
“Marshall Madden； color guru； this is Andrea Sachs。 Andrea is
actually—”
“Miranda’s new assistant；” Marshall finished； smiling at me。 “I’ve
heard all about you； little one。 Wele to the family。 I do hope
you’ll e visit me。 I promise that together we can； um； smooth
over your look。” He ran his hand lovingly over my scalp and picked
up the ends of my hair； which he immediately held up against the
roots。 “Yes； just a touch of something honey…colored and you’ll be
the next supermodel。 Get my number from James； OK； sweetie； and e
see me anytime you get a minute。 Probably easier said than done！” he
sang as he floated toward Reese。
James sighed and looked on wistfully。 “He’s a master；” he breathed；
“simply the best。 The ultimate。 A man among boys； to say the least。
And gorgeous。” A man among boys？ Funny。 Whenever anyone had used
that phrase before； I’d always pictured Shaquille O’Neal making a
move toward the hoop against a small power forward—not a colorist。
“He’s definitely gorgeous； I’ll agree with you there。 Have you ever
dated him？” It seemed like the perfect match： the associate beauty
editor ofRunway dating the most sought…after colorist in the free
world。
“I wish。 He’s been with the same guy for four years now。 Do you
believe it？ Four years。 Since when are hot gay men allowed to be
monogamous？ It’s just not fair！”
“Hey； I hear you。 Since when are hot straight men allowed to be
monogamous？ Well； unless they’re being monogamous with me； that is。”
I took a long drag from my cigarette and blew out a near…perfect
smoke ring。
“So admit it； Andy。 Tell me you’re glad you came tonight。 Tell me
this isn’t the greatest party ever；” he said； smiling。
I’d grudgingly decided to go with James after Alex had canceled；
mostly because he wouldn’t leave me alone。 It seemed utterly
impossible that a single interesting thing would transpire at a
party for a book about highlights； but I had to admit that I’d been
surprised。 When Johnny Depp had e over to say hi to James； I was
shocked that he not only seemed to have a full mand of the
English language； but had even managed a few funny jokes。 And it was
intensely gratifying to see that Gisele； the Ittest It girl of all
current It girls； was downright short。 Of course it would’ve been
even nicer to discover that she was secretly squat； too； or had a
major acne problem that had all been airbrushed out in her gorgeous
cover shoots； but I’d settle for short。 All in all； it hadn’t been a
bad hour and a half so far。
“I’m not sure I’d go that far；” I said； leaning toward him to catch
a glimpse of a great looking guy who appeared to be sulking in the
corner near the book table。 “But it hasn’t been quite as disgusting
as I’d imagined。 And besides； I’m up for anything after the day I’ve
had。”
After Miranda had made her rather abrupt departure after her rather
abrupt arrival； Emily informed me that that night would be the first
time I would have to bring “the Book” to Miranda’s apartment。 The
Book was a large wire…bound collection of pages as big as a
phonebook； in which each current issue ofRunway was mocked up and
laid out。 She explained that no substantial work could get done each
day until after Miranda left； because all of the art people and
editorial people spent all day long consulting with her； and she
changed her mind every hour。 Therefore； when Miranda left around
five each day to spend some time with the twins； the real day’s work
would begin。 The art department would craft their new layout and
input any new photos that had e in； and editorial would tweak and
print any copy that had finally； finally； gotten Miranda’s
approval—a giant； looping “MP” scrawled across the entire first
page。 Every editor would send all the day’s new changes to the art
assistant； who； hours after nearly everyone else had left； would run
the images and layouts and words through a small machine that waxed
the backs of the pages and pressed them onto their appropriate page
in the Book。 It was then my job to take the Book up to Miranda’s
apartment whenever it was finished—anywhere in the eight to elevenP
。M。 range； depending on where in the production process we were—at
which point she’d mark it all up。 She’d bring it back the next day；
and the entire staff would go through the whole thing again。
When Emily overheard me tell James that I’d go to the party with him
after all； she jumped right in。 “Um； you know you can’t go anywhere
until the Book’s finished； right？”
I stared。 James looked as though he might tackle her。
“Yeah； I have to say； this is the part of your job I’m most happy to
be done with。 It can get really； really late sometimes； but Miranda
needs to see it every single night； you know。 She works from Home。
Anyway； I’ll wait with you tonight and show you how to do it； but
then you’re on your own。”
“OK； thanks。 Any idea when it’ll be finished tonight？”
“Nope。 Changes every night。 You’d really have to ask the art
department。”
The Book was finally ready on the earlier side； at eight…thirty； and
after I’d retrieved it from an exhausted…looking art assistant；
Emily and I walked down to 59th Street together。 Emily was holding
an armful of freshly dry…cleaned clothes on hangers； encased in
plastic； and she explained to me that dry cleaning always
acpanied the Book。 Miranda would bring her dirty clothes to the
office； where； as my luck would have it； it was my job to call the
cleaners and let them know we had a pickup。 They would send someone
to the Elias…Clark building immediately； pick up the clothes； and
return them in perfect condition a day later。 We stored them in our
office closet until we could either hand them off to Uri or take
them to her apartment ourselves。 My job was getting more
intellectually stimulating by the minute！
“Hey； Rich！” Emily called brightly； fakely