Chasing His Kickass Luna Back by Jane Above Story

#Chapter 56: Pity Party
The restaurant buzzes with an energy that I haven’t felt in a long while. Streamers hang from the

ceiling, twi nkling fairy lights wrap around the bar, and the laughter of friends and colleagues fills the air.

Tonight is more than just another party; it’s a celebration of someone I hold dear, and I can’t help but

get swept up in the excitement.

“So,” Ethan says as we complete the finishing touches on some balloons. Leah is on her way with

Chloe, who thinks that it’s just going to be the three of us girls going out for drinks. She has no idea.

“You hear anything yet about the cook-off?”

Instinctively, I lower my voice and shoot Ethan a wary look. Karl is floating around here somewhere,

and I haven’t mentioned the cook-off to him yet.

I’m not entirely sure why, other than the fact that I did promise that I would go to the Alpha party with

him, and potentially catering it would get in the way of that.

“Not yet,” I answer as I tie an intricate knot on one of the bundles of balloons. “Still waiting to get the

details.”

“Well, either way, I’m excited for you,” Ethan says gently. His leg seems to be hurting him, and he takes

a moment to lean on the bar. “If you need any help, let me know.”

I can’t help but smile. Ethan has always been one of my most faithful employees, and I’m glad to have

made him the new restaurant manager. He deserves it.

“Thanks, Ethan.”

Just then, a voice cuts through the room.

“Everyone get ready! Chloe is coming!”

In an instant, the room falls into a hush. People dart behind tables, the lights go off, and Ethan and I

duck down behind the bar with smirks on our faces. I can hear the sound of the door opening, followed

by Chloe’s confused voice.

“What the hell? Why is it so dark in here?”

The lights flick on. Everyone jumps out from their hiding places, yelling “Surprise!” at the top of our

lungs. Chloe gasps and claps her hand over her mouth.

“You guys!” she shrieks, spotting me and closing the distance between us to throw her arms around my

neck. “This is so nice!”

“It’s the least we could do,” I say into her ear, hugging her tight. “Happy birthday, Chlo.”

…

yet elegant dress, floats around, chatting

seeing her this happy makes every

behind the bar, a contented smile tugging at my lips. But amid the

my eyes catch a familiar

wall, nursing his drink. Our eyes lock

and a mixture of

the smell of delicious food wafts through the air as

with mouthwatering dishes: lobster tails, crab

on the table, Chloe’s eyes light up like a kid on

together and squeals with

my G od, Abby, you

aims to please,” I reply,

to say, I have the best friends in the entire world.

with each of us, “you two are the best

friendship and fabulous

and for a moment, all is right with

this,” Chloe declares, her eyes scanning the room.

with it, trying to find the perfect spot where we

prop it against a glass, angling

failed attempts—it slips, tips over, or just gives a skewed angle—I sigh in

to work, is it?” Chloe notes, sensing

can answer, her eyes land on Karl, who’s leaning against

Karl.”

up?” he says, taking another

the picture

demanding, as though daring him not to

her photo. A weird tension fills the air

over a captivated audience.

a little animosity, a subtle

me uneasy.

think everyone should be in the picture,” I start to say, not

a part of the team, part of this night. And he’s helped me immensely with

eyes, and it’s as if he reads my thoughts. His face softens, and he puts down his

worries. I’d be happy to take

sense of relief that ripples through the

around!” Chloe announces, her excitement returning in full

servers, friends, and family, each one

connected through the thread of this

grabs the phone, getting into position. “Ready? One, two,

capturing smiles, joy, and a room full of people who

measure before handing the phone back

through the

in frozen snippets

for a moment, I think to myself that the picture feels terribly

old days. I push the thought away, though, and offer Karl

but

back to his original spot, my heart twinges with a mixture of gratitude and guilt.

help, to be a part

the same time, I can’t shake the feeling that he should have been

of this