Finding The One

Extract Chapter 1

a/n: Hi guys! I wanted to share with you a glimpse into the story so that you have something to look forward to before I start publishing the definitive chapters. Hope you all enjoy! I'm so anxious to start with Lucas's story!

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I got the job.

My mind could hardly catch up with what was happening when the woman at the other end of the line told me to show up on Monday at 6 a.m. for my first day of work.

'And please, be punctual.' She had said. 'Punctuality is something we value in our employees. You'll learn that soon enough.'

All I had been able to reply as she went on about who would meet me there to show me around the shop and give me some pointers was a simple 'Ok.'

I was seventy per cent sure the woman was rethinking her offer of employment as she heard my too shocked self repeat the most common english word again and again.

To my surprise she didn't go back on her word. And when the call had finally disconnected I had to sit down as the events of the last ten minutes downed on me.

I got the job.

Come Monday I would be the new waitress at The Grind café.

Ok. Maybe it wasn't the dream job a Twenty-five year old would dream of before going to sleep at night, but that was the last thing on my mind when I applied for it.

I needed the money.

Like, really needed it.

Money meant independence. Money meant you could stand on your own two feet without needing a loan in order to pay the rent at the end of the month. Money meant the girl at the grocery store wouldn't look at you with pity in her eyes when she saw you pick beans, oats and frozen veggies every time you went to shop because you are confined to a strict budget.

And the most important thing, money meant I would be able to buy Sophie new clothes and healthier meals and all those pretty thingies six year old girls loved and I hadn't been able to afford.

She had never complained about it though. Still, I wanted for her to have the best. And if that meant giving up forty hours a week I would gladly do it. Even when I needed what little time I had to study for finals. Nothing was too much to ask if it meant keeping a smile on that beautiful face.

We had survived on my scholarship and the mensual sum of money my mother dropped into my bank account. It wasn't enough though. Rising a six year old was expensive, I never stopped to consider how much. Having a little person depend on you wasn't something you could take lightly. It was a lot of responsibility. And I had never imagined myself facing it. At least not until I had my Architecture degree.

Luckily Sophie would be at school while I worked my shift or else I would need to add daycare to the list of growing expenses. And that was a luxury I couldn't afford.

I let out a sigh of relief as the weight of being a jobless single mother dropped from my shoulders.

After taking part of the crazy job hunt for the last month I could finally say I was an employed woman.

That thought alone made me want to cheer. Unfortunately I knew what would await for me if I opened the fridge: a bottle of water and a half empty cartoon of milk.

I couldn't wait till Monday came around.