Page 6 of The Pucking Single Dad

“The gentleman you will be working for is here today, in the office,” Emily stated. “Would you like to meet him?”

Luna took a deep breath and nodded her head.

“Perfect,” Emily said. “Let me go get Mr. Hunter Pave.”

Hunter? Hunter, hmmm? That was a weird coincidence, Luna thought. It had to be a coincidence, right? She stood up and straightened her attire to meet her new boss. As she straightened her outfit, she looked up to see Hunter walk in. It wasn’t a coincidence. It was her Hunter. What were the odds?

Hunter was just as surprised to see her. His mouth dropped to the floor.

“Luna?” he said, shocked. “You are going to be my new nanny?”

Luna stayed silent for a second. This could definitely complicate things. A flood of questions entered her mind, but she stayed silent for a moment before finally replying.

“Yes,” she replied bluntly. “I am.”, “Oh,” Emily said, surprised. “You two know each other?”, “Kind of,” Luna answered. “We’ve met once before.”

Mr. Pave swallowed. He didn’t know what to say. How could he pursue a relationship with a woman who was going to be working for him? That would not be professional at all. Also, why hadn’t she called him back? Did she not find him attractive anymore? Would she find him attractive once they started working together? He stopped himself in thought.

“Well,” Emily stated. “That makes things easier for all of us. I will let you two get reacquainted with one another.”

Emily walked out of the room, leaving Hunter and Luna alone. The air between them grew thick with an awkward silence, neither sure how to begin. Hunter glanced at Luna, his eyes quickly taking in her appearance. She was dressed far more conservatively than the night they had first met, but she still exuded a quiet allure. She looked good — NO, she looked stunning.

Hunter felt a familiar tension rise in him, making it difficult to stay composed. His mind flashed back to their first encounter, to the chemistry that had sparked between them so effortlessly. Now, in this professional setting, things were different. He fought to keep those memories at bay, reminding himself tostay focused. She was here for business, not for rekindling a connection that had once felt so electric.

But it wasn’t easy. The pull he felt toward her was undeniable, a gravitational force he had to resist consciously. He swallowed hard, his hands gripping the chair as if grounding himself, silently reminding himself of the need to keep things professional. This wasn’t the time or place to let his emotions take over.

Luna, for her part, seemed just as unsure. She shifted slightly in her seat, her eyes momentarily meeting his before darting away. The tension between them was palpable, but neither dared acknowledge it.

“I meant to call,” Luna started to say. “I meant to call, but I needed to find work. So, that was my main focus.”

Hunter slowly nodded his head.

“I don’t want this to complicate things,” Hunter replied. “My son, Adam, has had it rough since my wife died. The other two nannies quit suddenly.

They couldn’t handle all the travel. Will that be a problem for you?”

The tone of voice took Luna off guard. She had expected a warmer welcome from him. Perhaps he was angry that she never called him back. Possibly, he just wanted to keep things professional between them, or maybe he just didn’t want her anymore. Maybe it was all just a wonderful one-time thing between them?

“The travel won’t be an issue,” she stated coldly. “I am a professional.”

Hunter gently smiled.

“Perfect,” he responded. “I will get Emily to send you all of the information. She should have it emailed to you by next week.”

Hunter nodded in Luna’s direction again and then walked out of the room. That was it. That was the end of the conversation. She was stunned.

Just like that, he was gone. She shook her head from side to side. All she needed to do was focus on her new job. She would be working with him and his son, Adam. She had to leave her emotions and take her new job seriously. Luna grabbed her belongings and went to her new apartment. With everything happening with her new job, one thing was sure, she would be traveling soon. She decided it was best to get a head start on her packing.

The next week, Luna had her bags and was back at the apartment where she had spent the night with Hunter. She sat awkwardly at the kitchen table, waiting. Within a few moments, she heard the pitter patter of a child walking. She looked up to see a young child, about five years old, walking into the kitchen. It was Adam, Hunter’s son.

Luna introduced herself to him. Kids were easy for her—she had spent her whole life raising children, so winning over Adam would be no problem. But Hunter was a different story. He remained cold and distant, with most of the communication about her new job going through Emily, his assistant. Hunter seemed absorbed in his work and training for the upcoming hockey season.

Hunter followed behind Adam, standing in the doorway as he watched the interaction between his son and Luna. She wasso natural with him, effortlessly stepping into a motherly role, and Adam immediately warmed to her. Her maternal instincts made Hunter more drawn to her, though he tried to push those thoughts aside.“I’m off to training,” Hunter said. “I’ll be back later this evening.”

Luna nodded and watched Hunter walk out the door. There he was, just gone again. It seemed that he had a big habit of running away. She focused on Adam. He was not yet in kindergarten, and it was time to start the preschool lessons. Luna started working with Adam right away, and she was pleased to discover that he was a bright, well-behaved boy.

That evening, after Adam had gone to bed, Luna heard the sound of Hunter entering the apartment. She had just finished cleaning up the day’s mess when he walked through the door. As soon as he stepped inside, their eyes met. The tension between them lingered, and the moment felt unmistakably awkward.

“Adam is already asleep,” Luna said, trying to break the awkward silence between them.

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