CHAPTER ONE:
"I need a new job." Bella groaned, flicking to the job section of the newspaper.
Alice set down her coffee cup, raising an eyebrow at her best friend, "You have a job Bella."
Bella shook her head, "No. A different job. I can't stand that place anymore."
"But you love kids!" Alice's voice was outraged at her declaration.
Bella sighed, picking up her coffee and taking a drink as she scanned for advertisements, "I love kids. And I love the nursery. But I can't stand Tanya. If I had a different boss, I'd be perfectly content staying there forever."
"You wouldn't want to anyway." Alice sounded confident, "You always wanted to be a teacher."
"Yes but there's no jobs in teaching. You know that."
"I know. I'm just stating a point."
Bella sighed, and glanced up as the door to Starbucks opened with a gentle clang. It was Jasper. Bella smiled at him as he looked over at the pair sitting by the window.
"There's Jasper." Bella looked back at Alice, "I'll leave you guys alone."
"You don't have to." Alice's lips formed a little pout.
Bella shook her head as she drank the rest of her coffee quickly. She set the cup down and wiped her mouth as she held up the paper, "I'm job hunting anyway."
She stood up, waving bye to Alice before stepping away from the table. She called a goodbye to Jasper, who gave her an approving wink for leaving him alone with her best friend and the object of his affections.
As she stepped out in the mid-June air, she took a deep breath. Heading away from Starbucks, and towards her favourite book store to grab something new to read, she glanced through the adverts one more time. It was only when she reached the shop, and put her hand on the doorknob, did something interesting catch her eye.
She stepped away from the shop, standing by the window to get a better look at the job offer.
URGENT: Childcare/Teacher needed, with relevant childcare qualifications and teaching certificates for homeschooling. Needed as a permanent fixture in family environment. Child aged six years old. Paid $1000 per week, plus separate living quarters within the home. To apply please contact Dr Edward Cullen, number given below. Please contact between 9am and 2pm Monday and Tuesday only.
Bella stared with wide eyes. She had all those qualifications, and the pay was amazing, plus her own "living quarters"?
She dug her phone out of her pocket, glancing quickly at the time to make sure it was safe enough to make the call.
Dialling the number on nervous and shaking fingers, she sucked in a deep breath and prepared herself for the Spanish Inquisition.
"Hello? Edward Cullen speaking."
Bella frowned a little, expecting to hear a gruffer, older voice come down the line, rather than a younger, masculine one.
"Um. Hello. This is Isabella Swan, I saw the advert in the paper about –"
"Yes." He cut her off, "You'd like to apply?"
"Well... Yes." She stalled, her face flushing red in an instant.
She was thankful he couldn't see her.
Edward listened down the phone, wondering if this was some girl just out of high school, looking for a job he had no intention of giving her.
"What qualifications do you have Ms Swan?"
"Well... I qualified as a Kindergarten teacher last year, but because there are no jobs I've been working in a nursery for three to eight year olds."
Edward paused, and Bella waited with the last shred of hope she had in her. This could be the best job she'd ever get, and she desperately wanted to start begging him to hire her.
He paused because he was so shocked. He had been quietly confident she was too young to be so experienced, so her declaration had him seriously considering hiring her. Plus, he liked the sound of her voice.
"How old are you Ms Swan? If you don't mind me asking."
Bella was a little taken aback, but she had no qualms about answering him, "I'm twenty four Mr Cullen."
Edward smiled and nodded to himself, she was only two years younger than him, "And you want this job?"
Bella frowned, "Yes, very much so. And if you don't mind me asking, what's the child's name? After all it's all about the child."
Edward smiled, she'd said the right thing.
He straightened up in his seat, "Peter." He smiled, "His name is Peter." Edward stood up, leaving his office and heading down the staircase towards Peter's playroom, "Isabella, I'd like to see you for a more formal interview, though I'm confident that you have the necessary experience to be hired."
Bella laid her head back against the window on the book store, "Are you serious?" She stopped, "I mean, thank you, sir. Oh and please call me Bella."
"In that case call me Edward." He smiled into the receiver as he headed into the playroom.
Peter's head snapped up automatically¸ and he grinned wide as he held up his firetruck, "Edward!" He shouted.
Edward smiled back, before focusing his attention to the phone once more, "Bella, I'll text you my address. Can you make it here tomorrow?"
"Yes that's fine." Bella was desperately trying not to scream down the entire city of Seattle, she had to keep her cool, and hearing Peter shouting in the background was not helping her train of thought, "What time suits you?"
"How about one? I have the day off tomorrow, and so if I'm satisfied I can show you around. Also, would you be able to bring your certificates from College and all your other qualifications?"
"Yes that's no problem. Thank you Dr Cullen."
"Edward." He corrected quietly.
Bella nodded, shutting her eyes as tears formed in hot pursuit, "Edward. Thank you Edward."
"See you tomorrow Bella."
He hung up the phone, and she stood there for a moment longer, wondering when she got so lucky. A smile broke out across her face, and she stuffed the phone back in her pocket quickly. Her shaking fingers ripped Edward Cullen's advertisement out of the paper before she threw the rest in the bin beside her. She put it in her back pocket, revelling in how her life had potentially changed so quickly.
Edward Cullen seemed like a nice man, much nicer than Tanya. And Peter seemed like a cute child, from what she'd heard of him.
She paused, frowning slightly as her hazed memory played over again.
Why had the child called Edward by his first name? Shouldn't he be "daddy"?
I hope you guys enjoyed! I know that chapter was quite short, but the next one is Bella's first meeting with Edward, and a few questions answered about Edward's life and Peter involvement with him.
I'm quite eager to get the next chapter up, so how about i say i'll update it once i reach 10 reviews? 10 really isn't that much! So drop me a review and let me know your thoughts!
Thank you! :)
