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

me like a dark cloud. We’d argued, voices raised, over her decision to compete in

despite our earlier agreement. I’d felt betrayed; she’d felt

up big time,” he

a swirl of regret and

grows quieter, the realization sinks in deeper.

She’s not just another chef. She’s someone I

and desires should mean as much to me

let my insecurities, my fears, get in the

been

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

tomorrow,” I say,

glance my way before

eyes catch Abby’s office door,

one.

a moment, I almost knock. But then, I decide that right

…

open for a couple of hours longer. I

whiskey that tastes a lot like failure. My

unanswered, piercing. Should I have reacted

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

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

proud. Not territorial.”

glass. “She knew how much that party meant to

—”

this competition means to her,” my wolf retorts.

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

shoot back defensively, but my wolf has already withdrawn, leaving me alone

thoughts and

of the bartenders, walks over to refill my glass, her eyes cold, judgmental.

she feels for me into

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

now instead of

I can manage

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

aren’t I?”

Oh, you mean like how you

Her voice

So she knows.

what went down last night, how

you’ve got the nerve to get angry

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

wasn’t prepared for right now. For a moment, I almost consider