Leaning back in her desk chair, Evelyn rubbed her tired eyes, drew a deep yawning breath and stretched her aching shoulders and lower back. She could barely see the typed letters on the page anymore. I'm putting roots into this stupid chair, she thought moodily. With a heavy sigh, she stood, giving a soft groan as the muscles of her legs engaged for the first time in what felt like days and aching joints she didn't know she had cracked and popped. Twisting at the waist, first left then right, she stretched some more for the sake of a small respite before sitting down again to resume her typing.  There were only a few days until the World's Fair's opening and two weeks until Mr. James' massive rail terminal project on the west coast opened. As a financially contributing member of the NY World's Fair Corporation— the company of wealthy businessmen who'd conceived of the idea for the international exposition tha

“Miss Moore—.”“Yes sir! I’m coming!” Rushing to finish cleaning up the kitchenette after their early morning last minute preparations at the Trust, Evelyn dashed down the connecting hallway to find Mr. James waiting for her beside her desk. “I’m so sorry.”“No need for apologies.” Adjusting his cufflinks, Mr. James tugged at his suit jacket sleeves and heaved a sigh as he straightened his already straight tie. “We’re departing well in advance of the festivities,” he rolled his eyes on the last word, and Evelyn peered at him. “I’m certain we’ll be there in plenty of time.”“After all your hard work, you don’t seem particularly excited.” Grabbing her purse and a light cardigan, Evelyn followed him towards the thirty-eighth floor elevators, locking the office door behind her and dropping her keyring in her purse. "It's one less time-consuming project for you."“It's hardly over, Miss Moore. In fact, I would willingly wager it's likely to get worse. The labor unions who were so quick to t

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

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

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