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

seeing her this happy makes every

survey the room from behind the bar, a contented smile tugging at my lips. But amid the thrum

my eyes catch a familiar

the far wall, nursing his drink. Our eyes lock for a

mixture of emotions churns

wafts through the air as waiters begin

lobster tails, crab cakes, rice

food lands on the table, Chloe’s eyes light up like a kid on Christmas morning. She claps

together and

G od, Abby, you made my

reply, sharing a

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

of us, “you two are the best

and

clink, and for a moment, all

declares, her eyes scanning the room. “I want a

phone and start fiddling with it, trying to find the perfect spot where we

prop it against a

few failed attempts—it slips, tips over, or just

work, is it?” Chloe notes,

land on Karl,

Karl.”

up?” he says, taking another sip of

the picture

as though daring him not to take the photo,

in her photo. A weird tension fills the air for a split

over a captivated audience.

sense a little animosity, a subtle standoff

me uneasy.

I start

of this

as if he reads my thoughts. His face softens, and he

I’d be happy

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

around!” Chloe announces, her excitement

servers, friends, and family, each one

but connected through the thread of this

phone, getting into position.

smiles, joy, and a room full of

before handing the

flipping through the pictures. They’re perfect,

in frozen

a moment, I think to myself that the

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

replies, his tone casual but carrying a depth I can’t quite

he moves back to his original spot, my heart twinges with a

for his willingness to step in and help, to be a part of this moment in his

at the same time, I can’t shake the feeling that he should have been in those pictures too.

part of this memory we’ve