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“It’s not a problem?” Was there a question mark at the end? She wasn’t sure. This was for the best. Being alone was fine. Safe. She liked it safe. One drunk night of passion didn’t mean anything.
“No. No problem, stranger. I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said, her cheery tone as fake as her smile, “bright and early. Eight-thirty sharp.”
He didn’t say anything.
“Will you come?” The pub was dark. Shadows played as he turned to stare at her, no expression on his face.
He didn’t answer.
“Erez! Please!”
“I will,” he said at last. “See you tomorrow, stranger.”
Chapter 12
Liaison-ing
Erez was more than an hour late.
Eight thirty had come and gone, and he was a no show at Kisharti’s offices. She smothered her nerves, and her brand-new navy-blue Maya Negri dress she wore this morning, telling herself and almost believing that it wasn’t because he was coming.
“I heard from Nurit that Erez changed his mind, and he’s going to review us. Is it true that you went and got him for us?”
Menni stood in her office, his hands in the pockets of his designer jeans, his mouth stretched in a wide smile, while his blue eyes probed her. Out of Kisharti’s three founders, Dafna thought Menni was the least fitted for his role. He wasn’t a leader, or a visionary. And she didn’t like him as a person. He’d made friends–if they were useful to him. If he were kind, it was because there was something in it for him. But she didn’t have to like him. She just had to trust that he’d act in the best interest of Kisharti. Since he owned 15% of the company, it was a given.
She hid her Erez-no-show worries by stretching her mouth upwards and showing her teeth, hoping it would pass for a smile.
“Yes. I, well, my sister-in-law knows his brother.” Orna knew of Erez’s brother, so it was hardly a lie. “I asked him to reconsider, and he said he would.”
“Great, then I’m appointing you his liaison. Show him around, give him everything he needs, be super nice, and have him out of here as soon as possible.” He winked.
She kept her smile in place, her cheeks were hurting, and hoped Erez would show up.
A knock sounded on her open door. Zoey’s purple hair showed as they leaned with just their head into Dafna’s office. Zoey had a bubbling personality and a burning ambition to succeed. They cared about their work and their co-workers. No way would Dafna let Gil get rid of Nina and them without putting up a fight.
“Hey, you asked for me to be in the office today?”
“Yes, come in.”
They sat heavily on the visitor’s chair, their mouth uncharacteristically turned downwards in a slight pout.
“Did you see that there’s a beer tasting in the lobby today?” Dafna wanted Zoey to cheer up. “Israeli craft beers. There will be a voting and the three topmost brews will be included in the regular selection.”
Dafna received complaints from Kisharti’s employees that the beer selection at Happy Hour was shabby. She relayed the complaint to the building’s management, repressing the uncharitable thought that she remembered times when employees were happy with two kinds of instant coffee. Being a good HR meant you tried not to let your ‘boomer’ views rule your welfare decisions. Besides, and this was true at all times, free alcohol made for happy employees.
“Yes!” Zoey brightened a little.
“I asked you to come today because I’ve arranged for you and Nina to have your own space, and I need you to check it out. It’s the small meeting room that used to belong to the startup next to us. They downsized last week, and Nurit got it for a great price.”
Zoey stared at her, their plum-colored eyelids blinking rapidly.
“For real?”
“Yes.”
Zoey jumped up ran around Dafna’s desk and moved to hug her, squashing her nose inside their large, grape scented bosom.
“Hey,” a deep familiar voice said, and she turned her head.
