Page 27 of The Pucking Single Dad

“I’ll stay,” she said to him. “Go do your thing, hun. I will be okay.”

She watched as Hunter walked away. Luna took another drink of her wine. However, just as her nerves were starting to settle, she felt someone sit beside her. She turned to her left and noticed the long, red hair immediately. It was Stella. Luna’sbody tightened. She had tried to forget the situation with her and Hunter, and even though everything had been professional between the two of them since he declined her proposition, the memory of the situation haunted Luna.

“Luna,” Stella said in a controlled manner. “Luna, it is good to see you. I am surprised that you are here, actually.”

“Oh,” Luna began to question. “Why is that?”

She pursed her lips and immediately felt defensive. Stella had an air about her that immediately put men at ease and women in a state of distress. Stella slowly took a sip of her wine and looked at Luna. She leaned in close to her.

“Well,” Stella began to state. “It is just that this is a fancy event. I have to admit that you do clean up nicely for someone who comes from humbler beginnings.”

Luna did not know what to say. Was Stella making fun of her for not having money? She looked around at the wealth in the room. Yes, that was exactly what she was doing. She swallowed loudly and shifted in her seat.

“Well,” Luna began to say in response to Stella. “Well, Hunter certainly does not mind where I come from. In fact, he loves me for it.”

The word “love” threw Stella off guard. She knew the couple was serious, but she had no idea that Hunter and Luna were in love with one another. She immediately felt jealous, and she wanted to say something that would sting Luna.

“Well, I suppose that’s why you chose to date a single dad with money,” Stella coldly stated. “I am sure you are used to doing that in your profession. Tell me, have you made a career out of being a nanny or a whore?”

Stella stood up and gloated at the shocked look on Luna’s face. She quickly chugged the rest of her wine and set the empty glass in front of Luna.

“Have a great time at the event, darling,” Stella snobbishly said to Luna. “Enjoy the paparazzi on your way out.”

Stella walked away effortlessly, and Luna sat in her seat, stunned by Stella’s words. She was afraid this would happen. She feared others would judge her for how she met Hunter, even though it was not planned and all a matter of mere coincidence. As soon as Stella was out of her sight, she felt Hunter come back over to her. He sat down and grabbed her hand.

“Are you doing okay?” he gently asked her. “I am sorry I was gone for so long. Unfortunately, mingling is a part of the job tonight.”

Tears had swelled in her eyes, and she tried to swallow the pit in her throat. She did not want to break down, not here, in front of all these people. She was sure that would be the next headline. “Nanny lover beaks down at red-carpet event.” She did not need any more publicity. Hunter said hello to others as they walked by. Luna tried to keep herself calm and divert her thoughts, but nothing worked.

“Did I see Stella come over to you?” Hunter finally asked her. “I sure do hope that she behaved herself. What did she say to you?”

Luna could still barely speak. Her feelings were deeply hurt, and she knew that the moment she started talking about what had just transpired between her and Stella, she would break down crying at the dinner table.

“She just said hello to me,” Luna lied to Hunter. “She just said hello. That was it.”

Luna looked around the room. She needed an excuse to leave the table without causing too much attention.

“I’m going to go to the bathroom,” Luna stated without looking at Hunter. “I will be right back.”

Luna quietly slipped away from the table. In the midst of the crowd, her eyes locked onto the sign pointing to the bathroom. Once she was in her stall, she let the tears flow, unable to hold them back any longer. It had been a long time since she felt this low and insecure about herself.

While she cried in the bathroom, Hunter mingled with the others, but as time went on, he began to wonder where she was. He sensed that something was wrong with Luna, though he couldn’t pinpoint what it was. Still, he suspected it had something to do with Stella. Determined to find out, he scanned the crowded room until his eyes landed on her vibrant red hair. Without hesitation, he left his table to approach her.

“What happened?” Hunter asked seriously. “What did you say to Luna, Stella?”

Stella decided to play coy and dumb.

“What do you mean, Hunter?” she asked him. “What did I say to who?”

“Luna,” Hunter stated coldly. “You obviously said something to upset her. What was it?”

“I did not say anything to her,” Stella lied to Hunter. “Perhaps she is just an overly emotional girl. Perhaps she is just not woman enough to handle this type of lifestyle.

Stella gestured around the room, referencing the glitz and glam of famous athletes.

“Well,” Hunter started to say. “I love her. So, stay away from her, Stella.”

Hunter walked back to the table just as Luna was walking out of the bathroom. She had finally composed herself, and she had re-applied her make-up to cover up the fact that she had been crying and upset. She sat down beside Hunter. He grabbed her hand into his and lifted it up to gently kiss it.