Page 15 of Analysing Her Assets

It was gratifying when Tamar jolted in her chair, her back straightening.

“Oh?” Keynan turned to N.

“Yes, Gideon discussed this with me. He wants to work on our shareholders’ meetings system. To facilitate the voting process,” N said, smiling encouragingly.

“Good, good,” Keynan said. Gideon got the impression that the big boss knew very little about the workings of the research department. “Are you working on something?” the CEO asked Tamar. Gideon didn’t hide his triumphant smile.

“Yes, Yehuda. I plan to be working with our brokerage, on the research department sell-side valuation system. The brokerage is a major profit center for Peaks. We should do our best to accommodate them. I’m going to start with the Israeli bonds desk’s systems.”

She could really think fast on her feet.

“Right! Excellent idea!” Keynan said, and Tamar nodded and smiled demurely, her hands clasped in her lap. Gideon nearly rolled his eyes.

“You should talk to Danny Golan,” Keynan continued with gusto, “the head of the Israeli shares desk. Start with him, not with the bonds. He’s very talented. His father is a dear friend. Good, good, Nathanela, I like your candidates.”

“Brilliant!” Nathanela said. “No need for external candidates, then. We’ll keep this in-house.”

“We’ll see,” Keynan said. He stood up, shook hands with Tamar and him, and left. N’s phone rang, and she left right after Keynan, answering it.

He slumped in his chair, feeling exhausted.

“Phew.” Tamar reclined back as well and her long, thick black eyelashes dropped down. “Nearly lost before I even started.”

She looked vulnerable, reclining back with her wrinkled jacket, her black hair tangled. He couldn’t even be properly angry with her.

“And you used me as a ladder.”

She straightened and winked at him.

“I only teased you a little.”

“I’m going to win this.” He would tease her right back. She had often talked about how feelings should be left aside. “I have a good feeling about it.”

Her lips thinned, and she raised her chin. He was in for a reprimand, and he was finally enjoying himself.

“Feelings aren’t part of a financial analyst’s tool case,” Tamar answered.

“I disagree. Yes, we do our research and analyze, but in the end, it’s not merely cold calculations. I choose to invest in companies based on more than just numbers. I admire and trust the CEO and the management.”

Her light shirt stuck a little to her chest. It was damp and transparent where wet. He could just make the inner line of her bra, where her breasts swelled. Eyes up, Gideon. He obeyed his own order and met her accusing stare.

“Exactly! You like the CEO, so you invest. A man that looks like you, talks like you. That’s why start-ups led by female entrepreneurs don’t get funded. Because everyone who decides about who gets the money is a man.”

Her scent was all around him. Honeysuckle? Jasmine?

“I hope I’m not like that. When I invest in a company, I want to believe I’m gender neutral.”

“You tell yourself you are. Men are extremely good at believing their own lies.”

Or living their lies, Gideon thought bitterly, and covering for each other’s lies. He had shown himself to his father after he left his mistress’s home. Eighteen months ago, Yehoshua had stared at him for a long time, said “Whatever you do, don’t tell your mother,” mumbled something about a meeting, entered his car and drove away.

Gideon had been left there, angry and in shock. The very next day, he’d quit everything. He broke up for good with his girlfriend. Resigned from the family’s firm. He bought an open-ended ticket and flew for a six-month rampage around the world. When he came back, he took the job at Peaks because investments had always fascinated him. He discovered he was good. Winning the competition, being a candidate for a managerial job. He had a future in Peaks.

“Gideon...” Tamar’s tone was gentle, but it shook him out of his funk. “Thank you for running with Giddy this morning.”

“I can do it tomorrow too,” he answered. The atmosphere between them changed. “You really should buy a new leash for him.”

“I did—that’s why I was late to this meeting, buying stuff for Giddy. I adopted him on a whim. I’m usually a more calculated person.”

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