Controlling Vulnerable

Chapter 26

The weekend was one of the Florida February days when the weather was perfect. No humidity to contend with, just bright, clear sunshine, and as warm as a beautiful English summer's day. Lara and Joe dropped the girls at softball practice and headed into the office until it was time to collect them. Joe had frowned when Lara said she'd come along with him because he wanted her to rest, but he had to admit to himself he was glad of her help. The coffee shop on the corner was closed at weekends, so they'd called at the drive-thru on the way. Joe fired up his laptop and opened the E-mail from Abe Rosen his Finance Director and clicked the attachment. He groaned slightly at the sea of numbers making Lara laugh. She pulled her chair close and they navigated from the front sheet to the supporting calculations, trying to follow the revised revenue numbers for the current year and the five-year forecast.

Joe sat back and looked glum. Lara continued flicking through and said, "Okay, the current year is pretty solid, but who knows what the impact will be going forward? We might find some of the clients we've lost come back because their new providers don't match up. And there's a whole new UK and even European market out there. These numbers assume you only get the two US prospects already identified as still likely to sign. Joe sighed, "So you think I should tell Abe to flex these up?" Lara nudged him, "I think we can do better than that. Let me grab the laptop." He pushed it completely towards her and Lara's fingers flew over the keyboard, "I'll take a copy, and then if I add a cell here, I'll colour it in a fetching shade of yellow, this can be our sensitivity." Joe watched in interest as she added a formula to each of the cells and then pushed the laptop back so he could see the screen. Right, I've copied and pasted the original numbers here, and then if I put ten per cent in our yellow cell it'll increase the revenue from year one of the forecast by flexing the prospects up by ten per cent. See how much difference that makes? And we can put five per cent in to take it down slightly if you want. I just think we should ask Abe to do this properly and send out a high, medium, and low view of the forecast with supporting commentary, then link it to the marketing strategy."

Joe had broken out into a wide smile and he leaned forward to kiss her, saying before their lips touched, "You never stop impressing me, and you are the only person I have ever known who can make a fucking spreadsheet turn me on." Lara laughed in shock at his reaction and he lifted her onto his lap kissing her neck. She gasped and said, "Are you sure there's no-one in here?" Joe groaned, "I'm sure." His hand trailed up her cotton dress and Lara undid his jeans. Joe gave a strangled moan and said, "Will it be safe?" Lara pulled back slightly and wrinkled her nose, "I think you've already got me in about as much trouble as a girl can be in." Joe looked confused and said, "Is it safe for the baby I mean?" Lara buried her head in the space between his neck and his shoulder and shook with laughter, "Joe, you and I making love won't hurt the baby." Joe held her face with both hands to kiss her before saying, "Thank goodness for that, because I don't think I've ever needed to more than I do right now."

Once they'd collected the girls they headed home to grab a sandwich before walking over to Linda and Mark's late afternoon where everyone else was meeting to have takeout. Joe went to collect Pat, and Lara refused Mark's offer of wine explaining, "I'm going to drop Pat back at the condo, let Joe have beers." She gave Mark a small smile, "I think he deserves it after the week he's had." Mark kissed her and grabbed her a soft drink from the fridge. When Will arrived, Lara was getting Grace a drink from the kitchen. April hugged her warmly and went to talk to Pat. Will waited for Grace to run off into the garden with Brandon and then opened his arms to Lara. She sank into him and he said, "You okay?" Lara nodded, "I am. Thanks Will, for everything you did this week." He looked her directly in the eye and said, "I had to be Callex's attorney rather than Lara's friend, and that hurt. When Joe told me you'd collapsed I wanted to drop everything and get to that hospital, but I had to stay and do my job. Are you really okay?" Lara stood up on her toes and reached up to kiss his cheek, "I am, I promise and I'm sorry I worried you." Will sighed and held her close one more time, "You have nothing to be sorry for. Much as I love being at home with April, the one thing I miss is us catching up over coffee before the rest of the world is awake." Lara smiled into his shoulder and said, "Me too."