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

what’s going on?” I

mn thing,” she mutters, her fingers hovering over the

evening.”

her and start navigating through the system.

the machine whirrs back to life, responding as

been holding.

thought I’d have to

her a reassuring smile. “Anything else I can

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

have snapped at you. Especially

counter, crossing

earnest. “I’m your best friend,

get

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

already married Karl once, remember? Learned my lesson the hard

to happen again.”

“but it’s just… you deserve so much better, and I can’t stand the thought

him hurting you again.”

gently squeezing her hand. “I appreciate your concern, Chloe, but I’m not a

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

a mix of emotions swirling in her eyes, before

reluctant nod. “I understand.”

you,” I say, my voice soft, before turning

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

frustrated. This entire

balancing between concern and independence, friendship and

friendship with Chloe. Our

trust me, to trust my judgments and my decisions.

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

got my heart broken. I’ve grown,

as though all of my friends just see me as a fool who would so

that’s

my office chair, though, a thought comes to

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

spoken about.

wonderful, horrible, delicious

…

kitchen has long since fallen quiet, with the last