Chasing His Kickass Luna Back by Jane Above Story

Chapter 0159
Abby

The weight of the world feels like it’s pressing down on my shoulders like a leaden weight, and just

when I think it can’t get any heavier, Karl appears in the doorway of my office.

“Is everything okay, Abby?” he asks, and there’s a genuine concern in his eyes that almost—almost—

makes me want to believe in him again.

I hesitate, my eyes darting to my phone with Chloe’s unsent text. But there’s also a cook-off I need to

win, friendships to mend, and a restaurant to run. “I’m fine,” I lie, although my voice betrays me,

cracking slightly.

“Come on, Abby.” He steps into the room, closing the door behind him. “You and I both know that’s not

true.”

I sigh, shifting my gaze to my computer screen where an article on black truffles glares back at me. I

already promised to myself that I wouldn’t let Karl get closer, and everything in my body is screaming at

me right now to send him away.

But before I can stop him, Karl moves closer, leaning on the edge of my desk. “Look, if you don’t want

to talk about it, fine. But if there’s any way I can help—”

“Help?” I snort, incredulous. “You’ve done enough, don’t you think?”

He winces, stung by the harshness of my words.”Alright, fair point,” he concedes, pausing. “But let’s

not pretend that I’m the only complicated thing in your life right now.”

His eyes flicker to my computer screen, then back to me. “Now, what’s this about black truffles?”

I exhale deeply, a mixture of relief and frustration swirling within me. As much as it pains me to admit it,

he’s right; I’m in desperate need of help. “I need them for a dish I’m working on for the cook-off,” I

rare, expensive, and the season’s basically

eyes scanning the article. “You know, I might

When I was sourcing ingredients for

name. Every memory of that whole

not only the breakup, but the fact that

know,” he catches himself, shaking his

rare ingredients. If you let me, I

churns my stomach. Can I trust him?

in. “Fine,” I finally

almost as if he’s been waiting for this tiny chance at redemption. He quickly

a number. I can hear the phone

Karl. Listen, I

pounds in my chest as I listen to him speak

also a smooth confidence that I remember all too well. It’s

a time, the same confidence that I’ve been trying to protect myself

like an eternity, Karl hangs up and looks

but even my supplier can’t get them. There are none available on

market right now.”

of

really on my own with

phone away and gazes at me,

of genuine concern. “Abby, I know you have no reason to

But sometimes, even when the odds are against you, you can still turn things

the article about black truffles on my screen, then

it were that easy, Karl,” I say, my voice tinged with an exhaustion I can

do.”

sit in silence. But the room feels like it’s closing in on me with each moment

then, without warning, I can’t hold it in anymore.

that has finally burst.

widening as he takes

wrong?”

breath before I let it all spill out. “It’s Chloe,” I manage to

And Leah sided with her; she said it’s

friends,

air. The fact that I

up from his seat.

on my feet too, rushing to stand between