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.

head to the bar where Chloe is

she fiddles with the register. “Hey, what’s going on?” I ask, striding

her fingers hovering over the register keys.

evening.”

through the system. A few

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

been holding.

have to

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

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

I shouldn’t have snapped

crossing

not,” she insists, her eyes earnest. “I’m your best friend,

you get hurt again, fall

buried deep down, but I push them

married Karl once, remember? Learned my lesson the

to happen again.”

you deserve so much better, and I

him hurting you again.”

“I appreciate your concern, Chloe, but I’m not

and I don’t need to be

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

reluctant nod. “I understand.”

say, my

my way back to my office, Chloe’s words reverberate in my

part is frustrated. This entire situation, I realize,

balancing between concern

Chloe. Our bond means more to

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

fell for Karl’s charms all those years

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

feel as though all of my friends just see me as a fool

guy that’s bad for

office chair, though, a thought comes to mind. A memory,

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

spoken about.

mistake. A wonderful, horrible, delicious mistake. And

…

has long since fallen quiet, with the last employees heading home for the night.