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 in

agreement. I’d felt betrayed; she’d

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

I reply, my mind a swirl of

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

this restaurant. She’s not just another chef.

and desires should mean as much to me as

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

been driven between

good here?” John asks, snapping

I say,

my way before exiting the kitchen. Alone

My eyes catch Abby’s office door,

one.

I almost knock. But then, I decide

…

stays open for a

of whiskey that tastes a lot like failure. My eyes

have reacted the way I did

wish that she didn’t have to make things so complicated.

voice a gravelly echo in my mind. “You

proud. Not territorial.”

the whiskey in its glass. “She knew how much that

—”

how much this competition means to her,” my wolf

Show that you care. And not

do care for her,” I shoot back defensively, but my wolf has already withdrawn, leaving

thoughts and my

the bartenders, walks over to refill my

she feels for me into the glass along

down the glass harder than I mean to.

instead

can manage

with a touch of

aren’t I?”

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

voice drips with

So she knows.

tells me everything, Karl. I know what went down last

you’ve got the nerve to get angry about her

been slapped. Chloe has always been direct, no-nonsense, but

prepared for right now. For a moment, I almost