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15: Opening Day 2
“Mr. James! Miss Moore!”
A beaming Grover Whalen with his meticulously groomed mustache and signature carnation boutonniere tucked into his tuxedo lapel advanced towards them.
“Ah, wonderful,” Mr. James mumbled sarcastically under his breath. “Ever the official greeter,” and Evelyn couldn’t help her smile. “Grover.”
“So glad the two of you could join us—such a handsome couple.” Mr. Whalen extended his and shook Mr. James’ hand, then with a dramatic flourish of his top hat, bent and kissed Evelyn’s hand. “I’m certain I have you to thank for getting Andrew here. With all his undertakings it’s a wonder he sleeps.”
“I question whether he does that sometimes, Mr. Whalen,” Evelyn replied politely but cautiously. Between his Tammany Hall connections, and h
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World of Tomorrow 16: Opening Day 3
Upon their return to the Administration building to retrieve their jackets, they were fortunate enough to discover Evelyn had also left an umbrella too, though shortly after Einstein’s speech, the sky had cleared in time for a brief, cool transition from dwindling sunset to twilight. Andrew had kept a watchful eye on Officer Aldrich during the remainder of the ceremony and while the man had been entirely inappropriate with Evelyn and she continued to attract his attention, he was relieved to see the unwelcome fascination apparently stopped with her. Of course, that was by no means assured. Yet. “Miss Moore, if you would be so kind as to wait in my office. I’ll need to take care of former Officer Aldrich.” “Yes sir.” With so many VIPs on the premises, it took a half hour or so for the Chief of the Fair Security to arrive at the Administra
World of Tomorrow 17: Sensitized
Inside, the British Pavilion was spectacularly beautiful, outfitted with rich carpets and tapestries, damask drapings and graceful floral wallpapering over the high walls, with polished crystal lamps and chandeliers glittering throughout. Heavy Victorian chairs and settees provided visitors with a resting place to watch newsreel films and study humongous, framed paintings of the castles and royal history of the United Kingdom with the fragrance of flowers drifting around from decorative vases that stood as high as Evelyn and were filled with stunning floral arrangements.Had she been any less conflicted, her mind’s confusion warring with her body’s fierce attraction, the lavish British Pavilion was enough it might have overwhelmed her. As it was, however, Evelyn could only stare about her numbly, scarcely taking in any of it at all.She’d never been kis
World of Tomorrow 18: Roller Coasters
Bleary-eyed and exhausted, Andrew stumbled into the bathroom of his Park Avenue apartment in the morning. The rising sounds of morning traffic could be heard faintly through his bedroom windows, accompaniment to the rosy peal of dawn, and the familiarity was both relaxing and annoying simultaneously.Flipping the lightswitch, he groaned at the stark brightness, and by muscle memory, turned on the cold water. Stooping over the sink, he cupped his hands, splashing the water over his face a few times to help him wake up.With his dripping hands and face dangling over the sink, he slumped there, eyes closed for several long breaths.He’d slept poorly. Not because anything significant required his immediate attention, aside from contacting the Trust’s security company and ordering a nightwatchman stationed at Evelyn’s apartment on Waverly, which he’d already done, but because he’d been unable to get her out of his head. Not the florally-clean fragrance that permeated the space near her. Not
World of Tomorrow 19: Puzzle Pieces
Catching at Mr. James’ arm, Evelyn smiled and shook her head. “I don’t mind walking, Mr. James. It’s only a few blocks to Murphy’s.”“We don’t have to go there, you know.” He looked down his narrow nose at her, glanced about them at the foot traffic moving along the sidewalk in front of the Trust. “I’ll take you anywhere you like.”Evelyn blushed. She knew he would—he’d made that entirely clear the evening before at the Fair. In those thrilling moments, it had been a marvelous fantasy to succumb to his charms and let him. As much as it filled her night and her dreams, in the stark light of day, Mr. James was still a man with a family—a married man with a family—and regardless of the terms of that marriage, continuing blindly invited only heartbreak for them both.Potentially worse for her.“I don’t mind. It makes Mr. Murphy happy to see regular customers. It’s really all he lives for.”“What do you mean?”Though Evelyn had started walking towards the popular bagel shop ahead of him, w
World of Tomorrow 20: Affective
Only Evelyn wasn’t the only one with a stake in the relationship, and Mr. James was a brilliant financer with his eye on a lucrative investment.“Miss Moore.”Evelyn’s fingers froze on the keys of her typewriter. Did his sophisticated voice have to intoxicate her recalcitrant ears and drag her whole unrepentant body willingly along with them? As if to add to its impact, he hadn’t shouted for her from inside his office—he was standing close behind her, directly off one shoulder, probably in the doorway. She spun her chair to face him. “Yes, sir?”Naturally, she’d been correct.Andrew James leaned casually in the doorframe, ankles crossed and one hand tucked in his trouser pocket. In his other, he held his essentially empty coffee mug—still the clear pink Federal glass one she’d brought from home for him. Despite that the thirty-eighth floor kitchenette was stocked with a complete set of fine porcelain glazed mugs provided for guests, he’d refused to relinquish the one Evelyn had provide
World of Tomorrow 21: Unforeseen
“Lily, you look terrible. What’s happened?” Evelyn could barely believe the change in her friend’s face in the intervening time since lunch and when she stepped off the lift to go home for the evening.Looping her arm with Evelyn's Lily pulled her along, across the Trust's busy lobby and out the revolving door, glancing about as if to avoid someone. “I can’t wait for this week to end," she snapped as they flowed into the rush hour sidewalk traffic towards the subway. They were more than a block away when she finally explained, “Mickey came by my desk this afternoon.”“Oh no.”“Oh yes.”Lily rubbed her temples with her fingertips, and gasping, Evelyn supported her down the stairs into the subway lest she fall.“When I told him I was busy, he absolutely insisted and dragged me aside. So I told him I didn’t want to see him anymore.”“Oh dear.” She studied Lily as they stood on platform. “I’m so sorry.” Evelyn paused until the noise of the train pulling in stopped and they could get on. “Y
World of Tomorrow 22: Bombshells
Striding out of his office, Mr. James straightened his cufflinks and tugged his sleeves. “Our appointment this morning, Miss Moore. Are you ready?” Setting aside her work, Evelyn rose and removed her purse and hat from her personal armoire. Fishing out her office key, she replied, “Yes sir,” following him across the outer office to the thirty-eighth floor lobby where she locked the door behind her and turned, only to bump face first directly into Mr. James’ chest, so close was he behind her. All morning she’d been distracted, her ambivalent mind cycling through her own admonishments and Lily’s suggestions, vacillating over choices she didn’t even know if she had. Relieved of responsibility for everything save walking, she turned each thought over and over, examining and re-examining, trying to make sense of her situation. Trying to decide what to do. What she wanted. Evelyn stood still be
World of Tomorrow 23: En Route
“Good evening, Miss Moore. Shall we?”Dressed in one of her new suits and a matching hat, Evelyn smiled at Mr. James standing outside her apartment door, watching for the slightest reaction. If he was pleased to see what his investment had wrought, disappointingly, he gave no indication of it. “Yes, just one moment, please.”Hurrying across the hallway, Evelyn rapped lightly on Lily’s door and immediately it flew open as her best friend, still dressed for work but now barefoot, tumbled into her arms in a fierce hug. “Write me every day, Evie! Promise!”Hugging Lily back, Evelyn laughed, but she felt the separation keenly already and blinked back tears before someone could see them. “Promise. You’ll have perfectly boring bedtime reading material by the time I’m done. I love you, Lily.”“And I love you. Do have fun.” Craning to look over Evelyn’s shoulder, Lily waved. “Take good care of her, please, Mr. James.”“You have my word, Miss Henderson.” Glancing at his watch, Mr. James straight
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