I Can Do This

Dani

I hate job hunting. Next to folding laundry and washing dishes, looking for work is something I loathe. However, my temp job finished over a month ago, and funds are stretched so tight; you could floss your teeth with them. And if my son would stop eating everything in sight, I wouldn’t have to go grocery shopping twice a week either.

I’m sitting in front of my laptop, scrolling through page after page of job listings and going crossed eyed from it that the ringing of my cell causes me to jump. I reach around the laptop and grab it.

"Hey Erin."

"Hey girl," my best friend sings. “What are you doing right now?”

Why the fuck is she so cheerful at—I look at the clock—one in the afternoon. I’ve been up since ten and I’m not cheerful at all.

"Job hunting. Why? Do you need an alibi?" I ask jokingly.

Erin laughs. "Not at the moment, but you’ll be the first I call when I do."

"Over Jakey? I’m flattered. So, what’s up?" I ask.

"I have a job for you." Erin states.

I look at my phone and put it back up to my ear. "I’m sorry, did you just say you have a job for me?" I ask her.

She laughs again. "Sure did. I just got a call from a woman named Carrie; she is the receptionist for Luke Archer."

The name seems so familiar. Did I date him in high school? I’m pretty sure I dated someone with an L name. Although, that was almost twenty years ago, and my memory hasn’t been the same since I had Mason.

"Um, okay. Do I know him?" I ask cautiously.

Erin sighs. "Seriously?"

You would think after being best friends for twenty-eight years, she would know that I never fully pay attention.

"Luke Archer. The owner of Archer law firm," she says.

It clicks then; he’s always in the papers for the number of personal assistants he goes through in a month. I think his record is eight.

"Oh. Yeah, I know who he is. What about him?" I question as I keep scrolling through the online job postings, not seeing any that snag my attention and the ones that do, are not paying what they should for the position.

"Carrie is desperate and heard that I have the toughest personal assistants around. Unfortunately, none of my staff want the job." Erin grumbles. "Apparently, he’s a hard ass, likes things done his way and anyone who’s fired by him can never find another job."

I roll my eyes at that last comment.

That’s not possible.

Right?

"And you thought of me." I remark, rubbing my forehead.

I do need a job, but working for a law firm, I don’t know. I know nothing about being a personal assistant.

"Yep, sure did. I don’t know anyone stronger than you. You raised Mason by yourself, worked two jobs and finished high school. Plus, he pays thirty an hour." Erin sings.

I drop the phone, wiggling a finger in my ear. Now I know I did not hear that right. "I think we have a bad connection. What did you say?"

Erin giggles. "Thirty an hour, full benefits after three months, life insurance policy and a college fund for up to three children."

I whistle. "Damn."