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

hangs over me like a dark cloud. We’d argued,

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

big time,” he

swirl of

day winds down, as the kitchen grows quieter, the realization sinks in deeper. Abby

just another

should mean as much to me

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

been driven between

good here?” John asks, snapping me

I say, forcing a

my way before exiting the kitchen. Alone now, I

Abby’s office door, still closed, a barrier

one.

almost knock. But then, I decide

…

stays open for a couple of hours longer. I sit

lot like failure. My eyes catch

Should I have reacted the way I did

just wish that she didn’t have to make things

voice a gravelly echo in my mind. “You

proud. Not territorial.”

snort, swirling the whiskey in its glass.

—”

competition means to her,” my wolf retorts. “If you ever

you need to show support. Show that you

defensively, but my wolf has

thoughts and my

of the bartenders, walks over

feels for me into the glass

the look?” I ask, setting down the glass

now instead of

I think I can manage

eyebrows shoot up, surprise mingling with a touch of indignation. “I’m missing

aren’t I?”

mean like how you missed being supportive

voice drips

So she knows.

know what went down last night, how you made her

put her through, you’ve got the nerve to get angry about her

has always been

right now. For a moment, I almost consider