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

agreement. I’d felt betrayed;

stirs, restless. “You messed up big time,” he says, a growl wrapped

know,” I reply, my mind a swirl

as the kitchen grows quieter, the

just another chef. She’s someone I care

should mean as much to me

I let my insecurities, my fears, get in the way. I shake my head, frustrated

been driven between

heading out. You good here?” John asks, snapping me back

See you tomorrow,” I say,

glance my way before exiting the kitchen. Alone now, I

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

one.

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

…

kitchen is closed, but the bar always stays open for a couple of hours longer. I sit

of whiskey that tastes a lot like failure. My eyes catch my reflection in the glass,

have reacted the

have to make things so complicated. This isn’t what I

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

proud. Not territorial.”

the whiskey in its glass. “She knew

—”

her,” my wolf retorts. “If you

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

her,” I shoot back defensively, but my

and

bartenders, walks over to refill my glass,

trying to pour that disdain she feels for me into the glass

the

instead

I think I can manage both,” she snaps,

mingling with a touch of indignation. “I’m

aren’t I?”

something? Oh, you mean like how you missed

voice

So she knows.

down last night, how you made her

you’ve got the

feel like I’ve been slapped. Chloe has always

wasn’t prepared for right now. For