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

like a dark cloud. We’d argued, voices raised, over

felt betrayed; she’d felt

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

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

quieter,

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

as much to me as my

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

been driven

good here?” John asks, snapping me

See you tomorrow,” I say,

casting a somewhat concerned glance my way before exiting

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

one.

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

…

for a couple of hours longer. I sit

like failure. My eyes catch my reflection in

have reacted the way I

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

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

proud. Not territorial.”

almost snort, swirling the whiskey in its glass.

—”

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

you need to show support. Show that you care. And

I shoot back defensively, but my wolf has already withdrawn, leaving me alone

thoughts and my

one of the bartenders, walks over to

she feels for me into the glass along

the look?” I ask, setting down the glass harder than

now instead

can manage both,” she snaps, her eyes

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

aren’t I?”

Oh, you mean like how you

Her voice drips with

So she knows.

everything, Karl. I know what went down last night, how you made her

her through, you’ve got the nerve to

Chloe has always

right now. For a moment, I