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.

I head to the bar where

register. “Hey, what’s

hovering over the register keys. “It’s been acting up

evening.”

step beside her and start navigating through the system. A few

machine whirrs back to life, responding as it should. Chloe releases

been holding.

I thought I’d have to

a reassuring smile. “Anything else I

She

I shouldn’t have snapped at

lean against the counter, crossing my arms. “Chloe, it’s

earnest. “I’m your best friend, Abby, and I’m just… I’m

you get hurt again, fall

words sting, echoing the fears I keep buried deep down, but I push them away, offering

already married Karl once, remember? Learned my

to happen again.”

you deserve so much better, and I can’t

him hurting you again.”

reach out, gently squeezing her hand. “I appreciate your concern, Chloe, but I’m

don’t need to be monitored or

my gaze for a beat, a mix of emotions swirling in her eyes, before

reluctant nod. “I understand.”

say, my voice soft, before

I make my way back to my office, Chloe’s words reverberate

but another part is frustrated. This entire situation, I realize, is like walking

concern and

strain my friendship with Chloe. Our bond means more to

need—her to trust me, to trust my judgments and

Abby who fell for Karl’s charms all those years ago, who got lost in a relationship that

I’ve

that? Why does it feel as though all of my friends just see me as a

guy that’s

sink back down into my office chair, though, a thought comes to

Karl’s hands on me, the taste of his lips. Our intimacy in the kitchen, which

spoken about.

horrible, delicious mistake.

…

fallen quiet, with the