Page 11 of The Pucking Single Dad

Meanwhile, at his apartment, Luna was working with Adam. Today was math day, focusing on basic counting skills and simple addition and subtraction. Adam clearly demonstrated intelligence beyond his years and was likely to outperform most, if not all, of his peers when he started kindergarten. Luna felt a swell of pride in his progress, thrilled that she could contribute to his future success in school. Glancing at the clock, she realized it was almost time to leave for the rink that was on the outskirts of the city. Excitement bubbled within her at the thought of seeing Hunter in action.

She got Adam ready to leave, gathered her belongings, and headed downstairs. Initially, she had expected to take the subway with Adam to the ice rink, but as she stepped outside the apartment building, she was surprised to see a black-tinted car waiting for them. Standing beside the car was Peter, the driver—a tall man who appeared to be waiting specifically for her and Adam.

“This is for us?” Luna asked the driver, as soon as he got out of the car.

“Yes, the driver said with a polite smile. “Mr. Hunter wanted to make sure you and Adam got to the ice rink safely. There is a car seat for him in the back.”

Luna was surprised by this gracious gesture. She could get used to traveling in style. Not taking the subway was always a good thing in her book. She gently picked up Adam and placed him in the car seat. After she made sure he was safely buckled in, she got into the car, and they were on their way to see Hunter in action. Even though she was still on the clock, going to see a professional hockey player train while riding in a private car made her feel special, like a princess.

By the time they arrived at the training area, Adam was excited to see his dad play. She thanked the driver for the ride and ensured he would be there to pick her and Adam up when it was time to go. She took Adam by the hand and walked inside. This was all new territory for her. She did not know much about the sport of hockey, but she was excited to learn. All she knew about it was that the sport consisted of large men who skated and tried to score. She also knew that often, the game became violent. Something about its ruggedness excited her, and she was looking forward to seeing Hunter in a jersey. She knew he would look good, and she wanted something else to fantasize about.

She walked to the stands with Adam. She could see the team spread out over the ice. They were doing agility drills. She looked for Hunter, but it was hard to see from so far away.

“Daddy!” Adam exclaimed.

She looked towards the direction Adam pointed. Luna looked out into the crowd. There he was. Hunter was leading the agility drill. He was in charge of the situation. Seeing him incontrol made her think about the last time they made love. She scanned the ice rink and noticed several players, including an attractive older woman standing on the sidelines. Recognizing her immediately, Luna realized that the woman must be Stella.

Forget being older; she was a beautiful woman. She wondered if Hunter thought Stella was more attractive than her. Did Hunter want to be sexually involved with Stella like he had been with her? She shook her head back and forth. She reminded herself that there was no reason to be so jealous or possessive of Hunter. They were not a couple, and even though she had feelings for him, none of that mattered. It was her idea to remain professional, after all, and technically, Hunter could do whatever he wanted to. He could be with anyone he liked. Although, she hoped if Hunter wasn’t going to be with her, then he wouldn’t be with anyone else. It was all wishful thinking, she thought.

Stella observed her players on the ice, pleased with how well the training was progressing. She felt confident that they would have a successful season together. However, her gaze kept drifting back to Hunter—her temptation. She had successfully kept her reputation for dating team members under wraps, yet there lingered a silent acknowledgment among hockey executives that she had a reputation as a loose woman. Each season, she would typically choose a “pet,” a kind and exceptionally talented player, and secretly take credit for their success. In return, they believed it was her guidance—both sexual and otherwise—that propelled them to excel during the hockey season.

Her latest “pet” was Jackson Hodges, the current golden boy of the sport, who had garnered attention from every team thanks to her influence — or at least, that’s how she saw it. Lately, she had been feeling increasingly sexually hungry. Being with someone younger made her feel vibrant and attractive, reinforcing her belief that she wasn’t washed up. The last thing she wanted was to be perceived that way. Once again, she glanced at Hunter, convinced he could help restore her sense of self-worth.

From afar, Luna watched the team train. She had noticed Stella, too, and Stella’s demeanor threw her off guard. It wasn’t that she was jealous of her; it was that she noticed Stella staring at Hunter. Being a woman, she knew how women thought, and she could tell one thing for sure. Stella wanted Hunter. She was practically drooling over him. Luna could feel her body stiffen.

When the team took a break, Hunter skated over to the side of the rink. He sat down and took his ice skates off. He looked around to find Luna and Adam. When he finally found them, his whole face lit up. Luna made her way towards him with his son.

“You look great,” Luna exclaimed with a smile. “Didn’t your daddy do good, Adam?”

Adam ran towards Hunter and wrapped his arms around his legs. It felt good to make his son proud.

“Daddy did good!” Adam cheered happily.

Hunter reached down and picked up his son.

“Thank you so much for bringing him,” Hunter said genuinely. “I want him to see why I am often gone away from home. Maybe it will help him understand why I work so much. Plus, I want him to also like the sport and think his dad has a cool job.”

Hunter and Luna laughed in unison, and he felt a warm sense of happiness having her there with him. Just then, he heard the sound of skates gliding up behind him. Turning around, he saw three of his teammates approaching with mischievous grins. Curiosity flickered in his mind about what they were up to.

“Hey, man,” one of his teammates called out. “Who is this? Is this your new girl?”

Hunter’s teammate, Henry, reached out his hand to shake Luna’s.

“This is Luna,” Hunter said seriously. “Luna, this is my teammate, Henry.”

Luna reached out her hand to shake Henry’s. Hunter then introduced her to the others who had skated over to assess the situation. Hunter thought they were all so nosy.

“Hunter,” Henry started to say. “Hunter, you didn’t tell us how beautiful Luna is.”

Hunter quickly turned his head and stared at Henry. His stare was a death stare. Luna had never seen Hunter look so serious. Henry, on the other hand, seemed to have no idea what was going on, and he seemed to have crossed a line by complimenting Luna.

“Hopefully,” Henry started to say to Luna. “Hopefully, Hunter, here, isn’t working you too hard. Still have to have a personal life, right?”

Henry seductively smiled at Luna. He obviously found her attractive, and who could blame him? Hunter certainly couldn’t, but he did want Henry to respect his rule for the team: no hitting on the nanny!

“Why don’t we show her around?” Henry said with a smile. “Hunter, don’t you ever let Luna have a break?” Henry added.

“I will show her around,” Hunter said with a harsh tone. “Adam and Luna will stay with me. Plus, you have to redo those drills. You were looking pretty weak on the ice.”