Chasing His Kickass Luna Back by Jane Above Story

Chapter 103
Abby

My office is silent as I scroll through the new emails that have landed in my inbox. My fingers drum on

the desk, anticipating the one email that I’ve been waiting for the most—the details of the upcoming

cooking competition.

And then, there it is, bolded and marked with high importance: Cook-Off Competition Details.

Taking a deep breath, I click on it.

The email is concise but packed with information. Attached to it is a long list, detailing every possible

dish that might come up during the competition.

My heart rate quickens as I scan the list. Some dishes I recognize, ones I’ve made a thousand times

over in my career, but others are unfamiliar, exotic even, presenting challenges I’ve never faced before.

I won’t know which three dishes I’ll be asked to prepare on the spot. Which means only one thing: I

have to practice all of them. Every single one.

Grabbing a notepad, I jot down a list of ingredients I’ll need for the more exotic dishes, then turn my

attention to the restaurant’s supplier portal, adding item after item to the shopping list. The ingredients

range from the ordinary to the obscure. Each addition of expensive truffles, caviar, and fresh scallops

makes my anxiety spi ke.

How can I perfect so many dishes in such a short time?

Once the orders are placed, I stretch and push back from the desk, glancing at the clock on the wall.

It’s getting late, but there’s no time to waste. Without a second thought, I pull my hair into a messy bun

and prepare to head to the kitchen to get started.

Before I can leave, however, a sudden page over the intercom draws me from my task.

“Abby, can you come up front for a moment? I need help with the register.” It’s Chloe, her voice

strained.

with a sigh, I head to the bar where Chloe is

what’s going on?” I ask, striding up to

mutters, her fingers hovering over the register keys. “It’s been acting

evening.”

navigating through the system. A

life, responding as it should. Chloe releases a breath

been holding.

I’d have to do all the transactions

her a reassuring smile. “Anything else

shakes her head. “No, that’s it. But…” She hesitates, her eyes flickering with an

night… I shouldn’t have snapped at you. Especially not

the counter, crossing my arms. “Chloe,

insists, her eyes earnest. “I’m your best

see you get hurt again, fall into another toxic

the fears I keep buried deep down, but

once, remember? Learned my lesson the hard way. It’s

to happen again.”

says softly, “but it’s just… you deserve so much better, and

him hurting you again.”

appreciate

can make my own decisions, and I don’t need to

holds my gaze for a beat, a mix of

reluctant nod. “I understand.”

say, my voice soft, before

office, Chloe’s

her concern, but another part is frustrated. This entire

balancing between concern and independence, friendship

to strain my friendship with Chloe. Our bond means more to me

need—her to trust me, to trust my judgments

same Abby who fell for Karl’s charms all those years ago, who got

got my heart broken. I’ve grown, learned, and

feel as though all of my friends just see me as

guy that’s bad for

into my office chair, though, a thought comes

hands on me, the taste of his lips. Our intimacy in the kitchen,

spoken about.

delicious mistake. And it can’t happen

…

with the last employees heading