Deleted Scene

Miranda Hewlett-Packard in Trouble

Author's Note: Miranda gets a personal assistant, Jared, but can't resist taking advantage of him. This scene comes after Holly T.A. (whom Miranda is living with) walks in on the two of them having sex.

Not terribly much happens here, but I'm posting it because Holly comes up with a neat summary of what Miranda's character is like throughout the book. (Or was. Sob.)

So she showered, washing herself carefully, and thought: What the hell? She had the feeling that when she got out of the bathroom, Holly would have a gun, or her employment contract, or something else to signal that her life was over. She felt deeply frightened. There was no way Holly would forgive her for this, because Holly didn’t have to.

She wrapped herself in a towel, arranging it carefully, and took a deep breath. Holly was in the bedroom, unpacking her suitcase.

“Sit down,” Holly said. Miranda sat on the bed. “You’re in trouble.”

“Yes,” Miranda said.

“This must never happen again. Ever. Tomorrow, you get a new P.A.”

“Okay.” She felt bad for Jared, about to be fired.

“Honestly, Miranda, screwing someone who works for you? What were you thinking?”

Miranda looked away.

“Don’t do that,” Holly said. “It’s different for me.”

“Yes, Holly.”

She sighed. She put down a pair of shoes and sat next to her. “I’m not going to fire you. You know why?”

Miranda shook her head.

Holly stroked her hair. “Because I know you, Miranda. You turn any situation to your advantage. People like you are corks: you push them down and they bob up somewhere else. You think you destroy them and they end up destroying you.”

“Holly, I would never—”

“Of course you wouldn’t,” Holly said.

“No, really,” Miranda said.