Chasing His Kickass Luna Back by Jane Above Story

#Chapter 69: Serving Judgments
Karl

“Watch it, you’re massacring those veggies,” John calls out, glancing over from the stove where he’s

sauteeing some garlic and mushrooms.

I chuckle, adjusting my grip on the knife. I’m supposed to be julienning some peppers, but instead I’ve

lost my train of thought and accidentally begun dicing them instead. “Yeah, well, they had it coming.”

John grins, shaking his head. “Y’know, you’re not as unfunny and st upid as I thought you were.”

“Could say the same about you,” I reply, gathering the sliced vegetables into a bowl.

Who would’ve thought? John and I, mortal enemies turned reluctant allies. A couple of weeks ago, we

could barely stand to be in the same room, but time and circumstances—and angry bosses—have a

way of forcing you to reassess your priorities.

“It’s all about collaboration,” John continues, his tone more philosophical than I thought the brute would

be capable of. “You can’t make a great dish with just one ingredient. Same with a kitchen. Everyone’s

got to pull their weight, contribute their flavor for the bigger picture.”

“You should put that on a plaque or something.”

“And have everyone roll their eyes? Nah, I’ll stick to cooking,” he laughs, adding a splash of white wine

to the pan, filling the air with a rich, aromatic scent.

The door to Abby’s office opens, and for a moment, my world narrows. She steps out, her eyes

scanning the room as if looking for something—or someone. When her gaze falls on me, my heart

leaps in anticipation.

But she averts her eyes, quickening her pace as she walks out of the kitchen.

The atmosphere turns brittle around me. John notices, his eyes narrowing. “Hey, snap out of it! You’re

burning the scallops.”

“Sorry,” I mutter.

I refocus on the task at hand, on the sound of the scallops sizzling in the pan, but the weight of last

a dark cloud. We’d argued, voices raised, over her decision to compete

agreement. I’d felt betrayed; she’d felt

inside me stirs, restless. “You messed up big time,” he says, a

I reply, my mind a swirl of regret and confusion. “Trust

down, as the kitchen grows quieter, the realization sinks in deeper. Abby isn’t just

of this restaurant. She’s not just another chef. She’s someone I

and desires should mean as much to me

insecurities, my fears, get in the way. I shake my

that’s been driven

out. You good here?” John asks,

See you tomorrow,” I say, forcing a

concerned glance my way before exiting the kitchen. Alone

catch Abby’s office door, still closed, a barrier

one.

almost knock. But then, I decide that right now, I think I’d

…

bar always stays open for a couple of hours

that tastes a lot like failure. My eyes catch my

unanswered, piercing. Should I have reacted the way I did

to make things so

succeeding in life, Karl,” my wolf murmurs, his voice a gravelly echo in

proud. Not territorial.”

snort, swirling the whiskey in its glass.

—”

how much this competition means to her,” my wolf retorts. “If you ever plan on

to show support. Show that you care. And not just

but my

thoughts and my

if on cue, Chloe, one of the bartenders, walks over to refill my glass, her eyes cold, judgmental.

trying to pour that disdain she feels

I ask, setting down the glass harder than I mean

instead of

I can manage both,” she snaps, her eyes

eyebrows shoot up, surprise mingling with a touch of indignation.

aren’t I?”

something? Oh, you mean like how you missed being supportive

Her voice drips

So she knows.

went down last

the nerve to get angry about her

Chloe has always been direct, no-nonsense, but this

wasn’t prepared for right now. For a moment, I almost