Page 38 of An American in London

“Interesting. It’s my first time abroad, so everything is so different.”

Gail nods, but I can tell it’s half-hearted. I just don’t know why. “Can I give you some advice?” she asks.

“Of course,” I say.

“If you were a male in your position, over from the New York office, trying to prove himself worthy of a place on this newly consolidated fast track ...” She pauses, as if she’s trying to figure out how to word the end of the sentence. “Well, he wouldn’t be making James’s coffee.”

Was she mad? “I’m sorry, I never meant to overstep—”

She holds up a hand. “That’s not what I meant. I don’t mind if you make the coffee. Saves me a job. I’m saying, as a woman, you have to be careful how you’re perceived. And as someone trying to get ahead, don’t present yourself as someone who makes the coffee. It’s okay for me. I’m not looking to get ahead. I have the job I want.”

“I suppose I just want to be helpful.”

“I know,” she says. “But protect yourself. Like most banks, senior management here is dominated by men. I want that to change. You want that to change. Leave the coffee to me, focus on Brazil, and get your place on the fast track. That’s what you’re here for.” She sends me a smile that says,I know it’s tough love, but you need to listen to me. And she’s right.

“Thank you,” I say.

“You’re welcome.”

I type into my browser bar, “South America, Ben Kelley.” I scroll through the results. Nothing much comes up. Then I decide to do a search on Ben more widely. What are his businesses and how exactly has he made his fortune from nothing? I remember I have that file listing all the companies he’s associated with, and I dig it out from my bag.

Over the next couple of hours, I piece together Ben’s extraordinary rise to billionaire business mogul. What almost every article mentions is how private he is. Some call it unassuming. Others secretive. Some publications clearly feel he should be courting them more than he does. No one mentions Ben’s desire to own the Castles and Palaces Hotel Group he so desperately wants.

I then start a deep dive on his businesses, which is when I finally make the connection between one of Ben’s subsidiary companies and South America. It’s the operating company that manages the development of the new city in Paraguay Mr. Jenkins wants to pitch to Ben.

Mr. Jenkins wants to try to sell Ben his own investment.

Luckily, Mr. Jenkins didn’t tell Ben exactlywhichSouth American investment he wanted to pitch. I’ll just have to find something else we can mention in the meeting so Mr. Jenkins will be spared any embarrassment.

Mr. Jenkins emerges from his office and rumbles over to my desk.

“Have you finished the Paraguay presentation for Kelley? I want to make sure it’s properly tailored to his portfolio of assets, to the extent we know what they are.”

“Actually, I’ve uncovered some pertinent information about that.” I slide the article I printed off earlier.

“What’s this?” Mr. Jenkins asks, picking up the paper.

I don’t say anything and just let him read.

He looks up from the paper. “You’re sure about this?”

“Completely sure.” I didn’t just rely on that article. “There’s corroboration on the website, if you look closely.”

“Show me,” he says.

I pull up the website devoted to the development and investment into Paraguay. There, buried in fine print at the bottom of the site map, is the name of the company that owns the city. “The shareholder in that company is Ben’s main holding company.”

Mr. Jenkins nods. “Good work, Tuesday.”

A warm glow fills my chest, and I smile at his back as he returns to his office.

I glance over at Gail, who’s grinning at me.

“That’s what he’ll remember when he makes his decision about you. That you saved him from having egg all over his face. That you’re detail oriented and see things others don’t. We all want our boss to think we’re doing a good job. But that’s how you do it. Not with coffee.”

Gail’s right. I just want people around me to be happy; I’ll do everything it takes. Too much, sometimes. Ben’s noticed my tendency to put the feelings of others first too. In his particular, subtle,Benway, he tries to help—ordering the starters when I didn’t like the cod. Saying no to the dress in Ralph Lauren. When it comes to my work in the bank, I need to be more strategic with where I put my energy. When it comes to everyday life ... that’s another story.

Chapter Fourteen

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