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.

the bar where Chloe is standing.

register. “Hey, what’s going on?” I ask, striding up to

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

evening.”

start navigating through the system. A few prodded buttons and adjusted

to life, responding as it should. Chloe releases a

been holding.

thought I’d have to

I reply, giving her a reassuring smile. “Anything

that’s it. But…” She hesitates, her eyes flickering with

I shouldn’t have snapped at

counter, crossing my arms. “Chloe, it’s

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

get hurt again, fall into

echoing the fears I keep buried deep down, but I push them away, offering her a

already married Karl once, remember? Learned my

to happen again.”

you deserve so

him hurting you again.”

her hand. “I appreciate

my own decisions, and I don’t need to be monitored

my gaze for a beat, a mix of emotions

reluctant nod. “I understand.”

I say, my voice soft, before turning

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

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

concern and independence, friendship and

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

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

fell for Karl’s charms all those years ago,

heart broken. I’ve grown,

as though all of my friends just see

that’s bad for

my office chair, though, a

taste of his lips. Our intimacy

spoken about.

horrible, delicious mistake. And it can’t

…

the last employees heading home for