“You finally got round to reading the small print then?” He stared at her with a half-smile but was glad she had now signed her contract.
“No,” she admitted. “But I figured I could trust you not to shaft me, at least not on the contract.” She offered him a broad grin.
“Absolutely, darling.” He grinned back before passing her a bottle of water that she took back to the conference room that she thought of as round two with Dave.
As the afternoon wore on,Jon directed the discussion towards Steph’s findings and after several attempts by Dave to ridicule and undermine Steph, Jon addressed his attitude. “Is there a problem, Dave? If you are unwell or you need some space I am sure Miss Pryor and I can manage without you.”
Steph allowed herself a small smile in the direction of Andrea as Dave began to mutter apologies and explanations before finally shutting up and allowing Jon to return to Steph to voice her concerns.
“So, Miss Pryor, you were saying that you had some reservations about the figures provided by our newly acquired hotel chain,” prompted Jon.
“Yes, I have reviewed the figures several times, most recently at four a.m. on Monday,” she told Jon and whilst he arched a brow at her Dave interrupted.
“But they have the largest profit margin of all, so what is to be concerned by?” His scoffing earned him a frown from Jon.
“What do you mean, Dave, the largest profit margin? I have them down as in the red to the tune of over a million pounds still,” said a slightly confused Steph.
“I also have them at a loss, not as great as Miss Pryor, but still a loss for year to date, so maybe you could explain your figures, Miss Pryor.” Jon offered her an encouraging smile.
“When the company was acquired they were two million pounds in debt and over the first quarter they made £400,000 and then this quarter they have added a further £700,000, however they have had £300,000 invested in P.R. and advertising, which gives them a deficit balance of one point two million pounds,” explained Steph.
“I had actually forgotten to take into account the £300,000 of investment, which is why our loss figures differ slightly,” admitted Jon. “Dave, maybe you’d like to explain where your profit comes from,” said Jon, making it sound like Dave had a choice in the matter, but they all knew that he didn’t.
“I have them down as £800,000 in profit as they made 1.1 million, minus the £300,000 investment,” he said, smirking smugly at Steph before looking back at Jon and smiling more genuinely.
“Do you see why we have the company showing as making a loss?” asked Jon calmly.
“Yes I can see your error, Mr Brooker, but Miss Pryor,” he sighed and then added a tut-tut making her want to punch him really, really hard.
“I didn’t make an error, you did, and a novice one at that! They came to Brookers with debts of two million, not a loss for their previous owners, but debts that I believe Brookers took on as part of the purchase so you can’t just write it off, it has to form part of their figures to give the full picture. I don’t think they are a cause for concern as their projected end of year figure should show a profit, albeit a small one,” Steph said firmly.
“You really do have an answer for everything, don’t you?” started Dave before Jon intervened.
“Dave, stop there. We need to talk. Miss Pryor, I think we can let you go and check if things in legal are running smoothly, Steve has been asking whether you would have some availability and now you do.”
“But we haven’t finished,” she retorted and received a cold steely stare that left her in no doubt that she was dealing with corporate Jon, her boss, not her lover.
“You have,” he told her more firmly. “Andrea, escort Miss Pryor to legal please, now,” he said with a rise in his voice.
Steph petulantly grabbed her bag and jacket and as she reached towards her laptop he said, “You can leave your laptop, Andrea will lock it away for you overnight, I am sure you should have better things to do at four in the morning than look over accounts.”
Thirty
“Are you okay?” Steve looked across at Steph sulking opposite him in his office.
“No, I’m bloody not. That fucking idiot Dave Madeley has made another cock up, a novice one at that and yet I am the one that’s booted out and he is still up there. I worked my arse off to get my figures ready and they’re accurate.” She openly seethed.
“Coffee, that’s what you need, and then I can occupy your time with a couple of queries that have come up, by which time you will hopefully have come back down to Earth.” He offered her a smile.
“I’m going to need more than bloody coffee. Sorry,” she said and laughed at her own fury.
“Eh, what are friends for if not to scream at in their own offices? But seriously, for a large building with so many companies and departments, this place is buzzing that you are the future of accounts, whether you realise it or not.” A wry smile curled his lips. “I told you before that Dave viewed you as his new boss, so you’re a threat, but Brooker likes you so he won’t boot you out permanently. He recognises quality when he sees it. I actually think in your position I would feel relieved that I hadbeen booted out because I would stake money on the fact that the only reason your friend Dave wasn’t, is because he is getting the biggest bollocking of his life for how he has treated you if nothing else.” Steve shook his head at a confused looking Steph.
“What does that mean?”
“Steph, I told you, for a big building . . . it has been noticed by several people that he is unpleasant, rude and downright unprofessional in his dealings and treatment of you, and several people have complained to Grant about what they’ve witnessed, the bullying.”
“And will he have told Brooker?” asked Steph nervously.
