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

argued, voices raised, over her decision to compete in

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

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

swirl of regret and confusion. “Trust me. I

grows quieter,

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

as much to me as my

the way. I shake my

that’s been driven between

here?” John asks, snapping me back

tomorrow,” I say, forcing a

somewhat concerned glance my way

hang it up. My eyes catch Abby’s office door, still closed, a barrier in more ways

one.

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

…

stays open for a couple of hours

glass of whiskey that tastes a lot like failure. My

I have reacted the

make

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

proud. Not territorial.”

swirling the whiskey in its glass. “She knew how

—”

to her,” my wolf retorts. “If you ever plan on

show support. Show

defensively, but my wolf has already

thoughts and my

on cue, Chloe, one of the bartenders, walks over to refill my

feels for

down the glass harder than I mean

instead of

think I can manage both,” she snaps, her

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

aren’t I?”

you missed being

Her voice drips

So she knows.

went down

got the nerve to get angry about her

has always been direct, no-nonsense, but this

prepared for right now. For a moment, I almost consider being