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.”

…

simple yet elegant dress, floats around, chatting with everyone. Her joy is

makes every ounce of effort worth

from behind the bar, a contented

my eyes catch

drink. Our eyes lock for a fleeting moment

a mixture of emotions churns

delicious food wafts through the air as waiters begin

lobster tails, crab cakes, rice pilaf and

light up like a

together and

Abby,

chef aims to please,” I reply, sharing

her glass. “I just want to say, I have the best friends in

of us, “you two are the best

and

moment, all is right

capture this,” Chloe declares, her eyes scanning the room. “I want

find the perfect spot where we can all fit in

against a glass, angling it just

over, or just gives a skewed angle—I sigh in

going to work, is it?” Chloe notes,

land on Karl, who’s leaning against the wall, sipping his drink.

Karl.”

up?” he says, taking another sip of his

picture

demanding, as though daring him not to take the photo,

him in her photo. A weird tension

over a captivated audience.

a little animosity, a

me uneasy.

in the picture,” I start to say, not wanting Karl to

team, part of this night. And he’s helped me

eyes, and it’s as if he reads my

happy to take the

tension lifts, replaced by a collective sense of relief that ripples

gather around!” Chloe announces, her

together, a motley crew of chefs, servers, friends, and family, each

the thread

grabs the phone, getting into

joy, and a room full of people who

measure before handing the phone back to

softly, flipping through the pictures. They’re

in frozen

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

him by my side, just like old days. I push the thought away,

tone casual but

he moves back to his original spot, my heart twinges with a mixture of gratitude and

and help, to be a

the feeling that he should have been

of this memory