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.

laptop with a sigh, I head to the bar where Chloe is standing. Frustration is evident on

the register. “Hey, what’s going

da mn thing,” she mutters, her fingers hovering over the register keys. “It’s been

evening.”

beside her and start navigating through the system. A few

whirrs back to life, responding as it should. Chloe

been holding.

I’d have

problem,” I reply, giving her a reassuring smile. “Anything else I can help

She hesitates, her eyes flickering with an unspoken

about the other night… I shouldn’t have snapped

the counter, crossing my arms. “Chloe,

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

get hurt again, fall into another

the fears I keep buried deep down,

married Karl once, remember? Learned my lesson the

to happen again.”

“but it’s just… you deserve so

him hurting you again.”

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

don’t need to

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

reluctant nod. “I understand.”

I say, my

to my office, Chloe’s words reverberate in my head. A part

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

concern

my friendship with Chloe. Our bond means more

time, I want—no, need—her to trust me, to

all those years

my self-worth and got my heart broken. I’ve grown, learned, and changed. Why

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

that’s

sink back down into my office chair, though,

of his lips. Our intimacy in

spoken about.

A wonderful, horrible, delicious mistake.

…

fallen quiet, with the last employees heading home