professional interest in you,” Liam teased.
“ Or maybe he has a more than professional interest in the new cupcake guy. After all, I don’t remember him being so anxious about any of us,” Trevor suggested.
“ He’s probably just worried that after one week with you, Johnny’ll leave the firm and never want to come back. And who would blame him?” They all laughed and Ella glared at them, then giggled.
“ Yes, Miss Boss Lover. We’d better watch what we say in front of you,” Jimmy shouted.
Ella had time to read the Financial Times quickly before Jeff came for her. She pulled on her jacket and followed him. She glanced back to see her desk all standing up making faces at her. She stuck two fingers up behind her back and quickened her pace to catch up with Jeff.
The restaurant was a fifteen-minute walk away and Jeff spent the time asking her how she felt things were going on the desk. Ella told him how happy she was; Jeff nodded and smiled.
They reached the restaurant, which was a typical City lunch spot: white tablecloths, wooden floors and anxious waiters. They sat down and Jeff ordered a bottle of red wine. Ella respected Jeff, but his management method included doing as he liked without asking anyone. With Johnny, Ella had been told she would be his mentor, not asked . The funny thing was that, where it mattered, Ella trusted Jeff’s judgement, so she didn’t mind. But she also felt she should give her opinion, even if it was ignored.
Ella took a sip of the wine and studied the menu – a salad to start, she thought, and chicken for her main course. She hoped that Jeff wouldn ’t want dessert – she wouldn’t be able to work that afternoon if she ate too much.
“ We’ve had a great week,” Jeff said.
“ Certainly have, in fact one of my best.”
“ Yes, actually, Ella, it is one of your best, and one of our best. Well done.”
Ella glowed. She was like a little girl when it came to praise; she basked in it. The waiter approached and they ordered the food.
“What did you think of Johnny?” Jeff asked, when the waiter had left.
Ella thought for a few seconds about how to respond. Then she said, “I’m going to be honest with you. I was disappointed at the way he dismissed me. It was a typical sexist reaction. He looked at all the men before looking at me. He obviously thought I was a secretary. And when you told him I would be his mentor, he was horrified.”
“ I agree. Listen, Ella, Johnny is a very clever boy. First from Oxford, MBA from Harvard – he’s definitely SFH material. We want the best and Johnny fits the bill. Now, I know none of you interviewed him, but I did and there’s no question he’s bright. He knows about the markets, he understands how the City works. The only thing I don’t know about him is whether he can trade. And if he can’t we’ll deal with it, but at the moment he’s our junior trader and I want you to try your best. The sexism is something we can overcome easily.”
Ella smiled. “Fine, but I don’t think you’re as taken with this guy as you make out.” She knew this was a bold statement, but she made it anyway.
“Maybe you’re right, Ella. But I’m supporting him, and I suggest that, if you see yourself in my position one day, you do too.”
Ella smiled again. She understood everything now, and she liked the feeling it gave her. Jeff was still behind the scenes directing her career – he cared about her as a mentor should – and she resolved then and there to do her best with Johnny, to try to make it work. “Jeff, if I can be half the mentor to Johnny that you’ve been to me, he’s one hell of a lucky man.” She raised her glass in a toast and Jeff smiled at her affectionately.
“ I may be a bully, but I do have your best interests at heart.”
“ Isn’t that the sort of statement Hitler made?” Ella teased, and they both laughed.
After lunch, they walked back to the office in companionable silence, and Ella enjoyed the
“ Or maybe he has a more than professional interest in the new cupcake guy. After all, I don’t remember him being so anxious about any of us,” Trevor suggested.
“ He’s probably just worried that after one week with you, Johnny’ll leave the firm and never want to come back. And who would blame him?” They all laughed and Ella glared at them, then giggled.
“ Yes, Miss Boss Lover. We’d better watch what we say in front of you,” Jimmy shouted.
Ella had time to read the Financial Times quickly before Jeff came for her. She pulled on her jacket and followed him. She glanced back to see her desk all standing up making faces at her. She stuck two fingers up behind her back and quickened her pace to catch up with Jeff.
The restaurant was a fifteen-minute walk away and Jeff spent the time asking her how she felt things were going on the desk. Ella told him how happy she was; Jeff nodded and smiled.
They reached the restaurant, which was a typical City lunch spot: white tablecloths, wooden floors and anxious waiters. They sat down and Jeff ordered a bottle of red wine. Ella respected Jeff, but his management method included doing as he liked without asking anyone. With Johnny, Ella had been told she would be his mentor, not asked . The funny thing was that, where it mattered, Ella trusted Jeff’s judgement, so she didn’t mind. But she also felt she should give her opinion, even if it was ignored.
Ella took a sip of the wine and studied the menu – a salad to start, she thought, and chicken for her main course. She hoped that Jeff wouldn ’t want dessert – she wouldn’t be able to work that afternoon if she ate too much.
“ We’ve had a great week,” Jeff said.
“ Certainly have, in fact one of my best.”
“ Yes, actually, Ella, it is one of your best, and one of our best. Well done.”
Ella glowed. She was like a little girl when it came to praise; she basked in it. The waiter approached and they ordered the food.
“What did you think of Johnny?” Jeff asked, when the waiter had left.
Ella thought for a few seconds about how to respond. Then she said, “I’m going to be honest with you. I was disappointed at the way he dismissed me. It was a typical sexist reaction. He looked at all the men before looking at me. He obviously thought I was a secretary. And when you told him I would be his mentor, he was horrified.”
“ I agree. Listen, Ella, Johnny is a very clever boy. First from Oxford, MBA from Harvard – he’s definitely SFH material. We want the best and Johnny fits the bill. Now, I know none of you interviewed him, but I did and there’s no question he’s bright. He knows about the markets, he understands how the City works. The only thing I don’t know about him is whether he can trade. And if he can’t we’ll deal with it, but at the moment he’s our junior trader and I want you to try your best. The sexism is something we can overcome easily.”
Ella smiled. “Fine, but I don’t think you’re as taken with this guy as you make out.” She knew this was a bold statement, but she made it anyway.
“Maybe you’re right, Ella. But I’m supporting him, and I suggest that, if you see yourself in my position one day, you do too.”
Ella smiled again. She understood everything now, and she liked the feeling it gave her. Jeff was still behind the scenes directing her career – he cared about her as a mentor should – and she resolved then and there to do her best with Johnny, to try to make it work. “Jeff, if I can be half the mentor to Johnny that you’ve been to me, he’s one hell of a lucky man.” She raised her glass in a toast and Jeff smiled at her affectionately.
“ I may be a bully, but I do have your best interests at heart.”
“ Isn’t that the sort of statement Hitler made?” Ella teased, and they both laughed.
After lunch, they walked back to the office in companionable silence, and Ella enjoyed the
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