by India Lee
Despite flying below the radar after her high profile breakup with actor, Tyler Chase, Hunter has flown relatively under the radar. But with the new romance, cameras have been quick to once again shine their lights on the former teen queen – and the timing could not be more perfect! Word has it that Hunter is gearing up to launch her new fashion line, The Court, after years of working within the ranks of designer Armand Jadot’s fashion house.
Also in attendance was Hunter’s friend and reported ex-boyfriend, NBA point guard, Damian Evans.
“Thank you for coming all the way out here,” Zoe said, stretching her bare legs out on the grass. She propped herself up on her elbows, staring out at the boats passing under the Brooklyn Bridge.
“Whatever it takes to actually see you these days,” Gemma smiled.
“Hey, I’m not the only busy one here. We can blame both our schedules for keeping us apart.”
“I can also blame Gavin,” Gemma said. “But I don’t really want to think about that.”
“Oh yeah,” Zoe smiled, closing her eyes behind her shades. “That’s the downside about dating your brother. I can’t tell you all the gory details.”
“I’d really appreciate it if you refrained from making even comments like that,” Gemma scrunched up her nose.
Zoe was on an extended break from shooting at Steiner Studios. She had made the quick drive over to Brooklyn Bridge Park, where the two girls were enjoying a late lunch of cappuccinos and almond croissants from a nearby patisserie. The scene was idyllic with the young parents and their baby strollers and the happy couples taking wedding photos in the romantic river setting. It was nice to laze around among it, just observing.
“Guess who I ran into yesterday?” Gemma asked.
“Damian,” Zoe replied, quickly. “I saw it on Azura’s Instagram.”
“What? Are you two friends?”
“Never met her,” Zoe shrugged. “I just like looking at her booty.”
“Right,” Gemma laughed.
“What’s she like?”
“We didn’t talk for long, but she seemed really nice. A little… brash maybe, but in a totally fun and most likely intentional way. And she seems like she’s really good to Damian, so…”
“Good to Damian?” Zoe sat up, pushing her shades into her hair. “Are those two together for real?”
“I mean, I think so,” Gemma said, leaning her head into her shrugged shoulder. “They sure acted like it.”
“Really?” Zoe exclaimed. “She just doesn’t seem like his type.”
“Well, she’s gorgeous. I’m pretty sure that’s everyone’s type. You yourself said you follow her Instagram for her booty.”
“I know, but that’s me. And Damian’s Damian. I could maybe see him together with an Aubrey type, but I just don’t see him with Azura.”
“I don’t know…”
“Well, either way, enough about them. How are you and your boy? When am I meeting the man?”
“You were supposed to meet him yesterday, but you were too tired,” Gemma teased. “And we’re okay. I guess.”
“You’re okay? You guess?” Zoe snorted. “Wow, that sounds like we totally have to catch up on the super exciting stories you must have about being with him.” Gemma smiled, happy to hear her react exactly as she had expected her to. “Alright, so spill. What’s the deal with you two?”
Taking a deep breath, Gemma explained, going into full detail exactly how she had been feeling about Corey and how everyone had been reacting to it since. She expressed the guilt she felt for wanting to break up with him when the reason was almost intangible, and that perhaps she had let it all go for too long to say that she just felt like they didn’t click. Zoe nodded in silence, unraveling her croissant as she listened.
“You need to end it,” Zoe said, when she was done.
“How?”
“Just… do it?” she replied, her eyebrows raised and her shoulders shrugged. “I can’t really help you there because I don’t actually know the guy. And you know how I would handle it.”
“I do,” Gemma laughed. She slumped forward a bit, sad that Zoe didn’t have a magical set of words ready for her to present to Corey.
“I don’t even think breakups really need reasons. You really only give a reason so it provides some sort of closure to the other party. I mean, if you don’t have a reason, you don’t have a reason, right?”
“I have a reason, and it’s that I have zero chemistry with this guy. I just don’t get why he can’t see it as well. Chemistry can’t be one way, can it?”
“I don’t know. Maybe. Back in Italy with Nicolo, I kind of knew he was into me a little more than I was into him,” Zoe said, referring to the boy she had dated while filming her second Bond role in Porto Cuervo. “But I think we still had chemistry. Just not the kind of chemistry that would be long-term. We were kind of this… slow simmering thing that would have eventually stopped bubbling before it became any sort of big reaction. It was just fun while it lasted.”
“Hm,” Gemma replied. She tried to think about her relationship with Corey in the same way. Are we even ‘simmering?’ She was pretty sure they weren’t. She was pretty sure there was no discernable reaction between the two of them at all.
“I’m sorry I’m no help, Gem,” Zoe pouted. “My brain’s been fried between all the shooting and press and then some fun things at home that I’m not allowed to discuss with you.”
“Ugh,” Gemma laughed, covering her eyes.
“But it’ll get a little less hectic and I’ll be myself again in a couple weeks. And we’ll all get to meet up and see each other at The Gotham Ball, right?” Zoe asked, sitting up on her knees and downing her coffee. “And I’ll meet Corey if you still haven’t figured out how to end it with him by then.”
“Gavin’s gonna hate him,” Gemma said, frowning.
“Let’s be real, Gavin’s gonna hate every man you date that isn’t Damian,” Zoe laughed. “But from what you’re telling me, he would probably hate Corey in particular. So, there. Is that enough ammo for you to go and do what you need to do?”
Gemma’s smile was mixed with a cringe as she shook her head at herself. “I think so.”
GUESS WHO’S STILL ALIVE
The Pop Dinner
June 11th
Does anyone need any more confirmation that Queen Bee was in fact a talentless hack? No? Well, here’s some anyway.
For those who may have forgotten, QB only rose to the scene when then-pop idol, Tyler Chase, tweeted his love for the makeup-dependent singer. Not so surprisingly, Chase and Bee broke up shortly after she was dumped by her label, Oro Records, and since then, the world has essentially forgotten about either Queen Bee or Gemma Hunter.
Until now.
Why? Because of a boy.
Shocker.
Now that Bee’s been seen on the arm of eye candy extraordinaire, Corey Sloan, Jr., she’s back in the headlines – which is actually good news for us at Pop Dinner because there’s never been anything more enjoyable than tracking the never-ending drama that follows “The Queen.”
Plus, how perfect is this couple? Two people who would have never been famous if it weren’t for their rich families have gotten together to potentially pro-create and churn out more useless, talentless, auto-tuned attention whores. You can’t tell me you’re not excited.
And as if things couldn’t get more hilarious, Bee has opted to go down the stereotypical road of the failed, otherwise talentless former popstar by starting her own fashion line. Called The Court. I mean is this a joke?
If not, we’re pretty sure that The Court will never amount to much. Sorry, Bee. Hope you actually land some jobs with your desperate little line. Otherwise you’ll just end up a lonely jester.
Chapter 3
Gemma sat in the backroom of her boutique, studying the nearly bare space. There were four dress forms in a corner, each sporting the beginnings of new designs that had been custom ordered for the Gotham Ball. Colorful rolls of
their corresponding fabrics were scattered beside the manual steamer and the three haphazardly placed sewing machines. It all looked comically small in the lofty space with its twenty-foot ceilings, plastered white walls, and unfinished cement flooring. It reminded Gemma of the beginnings of those elementary school dioramas using empty shoeboxes as bases.
Armand was away for a few days, traveling around Europe to visit old friends. The rest of the team was still at Armand’s studio, where they were working on the two-dozen or so pieces that Gemma had chosen for the runway of her nearing Fashion Week debut. Much to her delight, Gemma had the day completely alone in the remarkable emptiness of the backroom. It would only be a matter of time before the space was filled with all the things they were moving from Armand’s studio. While she still could, Gemma wanted to take the time to make the corner that she had designated as her office space into a more personalized spot. It was her little pet project.
The little nook was tucked away behind the stairwell of the lofted area. Though it was still open to the rest of the room, it felt cozy and private. Gemma was excited to make that space her own. The rest of the room would remain monochromatic, allowing her elaborate pieces to shine without distraction – but her office would be another story. Gemma stared at the wall space below the loft and behind her desk. It was a ten by twelve feet stretch of white wall – a blank canvas for her to create some artwork. She had picked up several gallons of paint, all in bright, vibrant colors. Though she wasn’t sure what exactly she’d be painting, she knew she wanted an explosion of those colors surrounding her.
She looked at the cans that she had set along the wall. There were eight, each indicating the color within with a smudge of paint on the top of the lid. Gemma grabbed her keyring, tucking the strongest key she had under the metal lid of the magenta paint. She knelt beside the pail, holding it still in hopes of gaining enough leverage to pop it open, but the lid clung onto the sides with a surprisingly stubborn force.
Gemma sat back for a moment, wondering if there was anything else in the building that would do a better job opening the can. But in that momentary silence, she could hear the sound of footsteps in the distance. She frowned. It was a Saturday and she was pretty sure she hadn’t scheduled any appointments, nor was she expecting any deliveries. She pushed herself to her feet, smoothing out the rosy pink cotton of her maxi-dress, making her way out onto the main floor.
“Hello?” she called out, stepping into the even emptier space of the boutique.
“Hey, you’re here.”
Gemma peeked her head out to find Damian standing in the middle of the room. He was wearing a white t-shirt and jeans, looking as if he had just rolled out of bed and into the first thing he could find. Or maybe that was just what her mind was imagining for some reason. Stop that, she scolded herself, hoping her eyes hadn’t betrayed her cool by lingering on him for too long. But in his usual casual wear, she couldn’t help it.
“Hi,” she said with a smile. She had meant to contact him since their brief encounter at Greyta. With everything that had been going on in her life, Gemma was sure that Damian’s returning presence would only do her some good.
“Gavin said I might find you here.” His hands were deep in his pockets as he rolled back on his heels. He tilted his head to the side, smiling at her and looking a bit like a child who had been caught stealing out of the cookie jar.
“What?” she asked, laughing. Gemma felt her heart leap just a little. She had missed him terribly, and she only seemed to realize now.
“I’m a little embarrassed,” he shrugged. “About the other night. I don’t really like that I haven’t seen you in forever and the first time we do meet up, I’m so drunk that I’m hardly myself.”
“You were fine, Damian. I don’t know why you’re making such a big deal about it.”
“I really don’t know why either,” he replied, rubbing the back of his neck as he studied her. He looked at her through his lashes, his lips pressed into a serious line. “You know, it’s been over a year since I’ve seen you and double that since we exchanged more than a couple of sentences. I just had, I guess, an image in my head of what it would be like when I finally saw you again.”
“Really,” Gemma raised an eyebrow. Though it had indeed been awhile since she’d seen him, she couldn’t say she had given their reunion as much thought. “What was that image like?”
“It wasn’t too specific,” Damian laughed. “It just featured a more functional version of myself.”
“I didn’t think you were so bad,” Gemma said with a smile. “I actually had fun seeing you a little tipsy. I’m not sure I’ve seen it before.” Damian grimaced. “And I mean just a little – like barely detectable. I only saw it because I know you well enough otherwise.”
“At least I amused you,” he smirked.
“So what? Are you here for a redo?”
“Yes, actually,” Damian replied, flashing a quick grin. “And I’d like to start by congratulating you on the success of The Court. I’m proud to see that it’s earned its own space. And I’m excited to see your multi-talented self conquer yet another field.”
“Why, thank you,” Gemma said, tilting her head and giving him a mock curtsy.
“And I’d like to say I like the name of the place. I know The Court means the royal court for the former Queen Bee, but when I retire from the NBA, think about how easily I can work for you and integrate my own designs and the name would still be relevant.”
“Really?” she laughed. “You’ve given thought to retiring and becoming a fashion designer?”
“No, not at all,” Damian shook his head, laughing. “I’ll leave that all to you. Which brings me to my next thing. I heard you designed that jacket Corey was wearing the other day.”
“I did.” Gemma crossed her arms.
“I liked it.”
“Are you saying you’d like one?” Gemma teased. “Because you can just ask me and I’ll gladly make you one.”
“Well, I want a little more than just a jacket.” Damian bit his lip. “I kind of need a whole outfit. For the Gotham Ball.”
“You’re going?” Gemma clapped her hands together. “So that means you’ll be staying in New York a little longer than we all expected. Does that also mean you’ve made a decision?”
“I don’t think extending my stay in a city where most of my friends are is necessarily indicative of what team I’ll be playing for,” Damian smiled. “But, if you must know, I have made my decision.”
“And?”
“And I haven’t even told my parents yet, so you have to keep it to yourself.”
“Are you playing for the Knicks?” Gemma whispered excitedly.
“That’s the plan,” Damian replied. “Short of a few front office matters, I’m pretty much set.”
“Oh my God!” Gemma exclaimed, jumping up to wrap her arms around Damian’s neck. “We’re gonna be in the same city again!” It was, for some reason, another idea that Gemma had never entertained. When Damian re-signed with the Warriors the year that Gemma moved back to New York, she was pretty sure anything that would ever happen between them was just never actually meant to happen. “Damian!” Gemma squealed, unable to mask her excitement for his decision. She gave a little squeak as he grabbed her by the waist, hoisting her into his arms for a tight embrace. Gemma felt her feet leave the ground as he held her, twirling her around playfully. She laughed as she held onto him, his strong body enclosing hers.
“I’m glad you’re so excited,” he said as he continued to hold her. “I’m not sure I’m even there yet.”
Gemma interlocked her fingers behind his neck, leaning back so she could look him in the eyes. He watched her in that way he always had, bathing her in his warm, comforting gaze.
“Why? Are you nervous?”
“I’m about to move back here after being out on the West Coast for five years. And things aren’t what they were when I left it, so it’s going to take some getting used to. I love New York –
the Knicks were my team growing up and I know what the fanbase is like and it’s just making me think a lot. About everything that’s here and all that there is to deliver. I just don’t want to disappoint anyone.” Gemma nodded, recalling the type of fans Gavin and her father were. As much as Knicks fans loved their team, they definitely had no qualms about expressing their disappointment or distaste for what they deemed lackluster performance.
“I can definitely understand that,” Gemma said. “I’m a little worried myself over the new fashion line and the flagship store. I feel like no one takes an industry transition like this seriously, especially when you were once a pop star. I know it’s not quite the same, but I can definitely empathize.” She let her hands slip down to give him a supportive squeeze of the shoulders. With his height and musculature, it was a little more difficult than she expected.
“So,” Damian said, glancing at her hands as they ran down his arms. “How did you and Prince Charming keep your relationship a secret for so long?” Gemma laughed at the abrupt change of subject.
“Prince Charming,” Gemma rolled her eyes. “Right.” Damian kept his eyes on her, a mischievous smile curling his lips.
“What was that?”
“What was what?”
“I caught the eye roll.”
“Oh. I was just,” Gemma shook her head, trying for a save. “It’s just that everyone calls him that.”
“Should they not? He looks like he walked out of a Disney movie or something,” Damian scoffed. Gemma narrowed her eyes at him, cocking her head.
“You’re the only person who says it like it’s a bad thing.”
“Oh, no, I mean,” Damian laughed, backpedaling. “No, it’s not a bad thing. Girls like that look, right? I just didn’t think you were the type.”
