a breath, his jaw hardening. “Let’s go find somewhere private.”
They turned to go as Hudson placed his hand on the small of Luna’s back to navigate her.
“There you are,” a lively voice said.
“Mom,” Hudson said as they turned back around.
Juliette’s face lit with a wide smile that showcased her beautiful, white teeth. “I’m so happy,” she breathed as she rushed forward and embraced Luna in a tight hug. She pulled back, tears glittering in her eyes. She touched Luna’s hair. “Sorry, I don’t want to mess up your hair.” She sighed. “This is a wonderful day.” She turned to Hudson. “I’m so proud of you,” she uttered in a throaty voice.
“Thanks, Mom.”
Luna’s heart was being carved out with a spoon. She could add Juliette Davenport to the list of people who were going to hate her when they learned the truth.
“Uh, Ava and I need to have a quick word before the announcement.”
Juliette’s features compressed with surprise. “Is everything okay?” Her probing eyes moved from one to the other.
“We’re fine,” Hudson asserted with a smile, but Luna could tell that Juliette wasn’t convinced.
“Whatever’s going on. You can work it out,” Juliette said, giving Luna an encouraging smile.
Tears pressed against Luna’s eyes as she swallowed. She didn’t know how much longer she could hold herself together.
“We just need a minute,” Hudson said firmly.
Juliette nodded, her lips set in worried lines.
“Thank you so much for coming out tonight,” Beverly said exuberantly into the microphone. “Let me begin by saying that I’m so grateful for my wonderful husband.” She threw Todd an affectionate smile. “Happy birthday, darling.” She winked. “Sixty-six looks pretty darn good on you.”
This brought gentle laughter from the audience.
Luna jerked as she looked wide-eyed at Hudson. “She’s starting everything earlier than I thought.”
Juliette smiled in relief. “I’m sure whatever you need to discuss can be done after the announcement.” She turned her full focus to Beverly.
Luna looked at Hudson. “We really need to talk,” she whispered. “You can’t get engaged to me until you know everything.”
He looked her in the eye. “Do you love me?”
Her answer was immediate. “Of course.” Tears sprang to her eyes. “I love you so much that the thought of losing you cuts me to shreds.”
His handsome face creased into a large, radiant smile. “That’s all I needed to know.”
“But you don’t understand,” she argued.
He gave her a fierce look. “I understand that I love you, and you love me. Anything else can be worked out.”
“Ava! Come on up here,” Beverly boomed.
Luna stood frozen. “Go on,” Hudson urged. “We’ll talk afterwards.”
With a defeated sigh, Luna straightened her shoulders and pressed on a smile. She felt like she was going to the guillotine as she walked up to take her place beside Beverly. Luna met eyes with Hudson. He gave her an encouraging smile. He’d said that if they loved each other, anything else could be worked out. It was a long shot, but she would keep her focus on that sliver of hope.
“I’ve asked Ava to sing something for Todd’s birthday,” Beverly said.
As if on cue, one of the male servers came forward and handed Luna the guitar. Another placed a stool in front of the microphone stand. “Thanks,” Luna said automatically as she slid the strap over her shoulder. A wave of dizziness assaulted her as her knees buckled slightly. Luna was grateful for the support of the stool as she sat down. She’d thought she could do this, but now … Her throat felt impossibly small as she swallowed. She looked at the expectant faces in the audience. Luna’s eyes rounded as her gaze caught on Rosalyn and Isabela. She’d been so determined to get to Hudson and tell him the truth that she’d not even realized that Rosalyn and Isabela were here. Isabela gave her an encouraging smile. It was amazing how much courage that one small gesture infused into Luna. She’d given Isabela such a great pep talk. She just needed to remember everything that she’d said. She offered a silent prayer for help. For some reason, she heard a whisper of her mother’s words, instructions Luna had heard her mother give countless times to students. Sit up straight. Open your mouth to project your voice. Feel the music and the words. In a way she couldn’t explain, she could almost feel her mother’s arms cradling her. This was Luna’s song. It had come out of her experiences and her heart. No one could sing it more genuinely than her.
Her fingers felt