Chasing His Kickass Luna Back novel Chapter 111

Abby

Chloe leaving sends me into a spiral.

Hot tears begin to prick at the backs of my eyes as I watch her fading form. Some of my other employees are starting to trickle in, with Daisy at the helm, who nearly ran face-first into the slamming door as Chloe brushed past her without so much as a greeting.

“Geez,” Daisy says, swinging the door open with a confused look on her face. Her ankle is all wrapped up in an Ace bandage, but she seems much better after she rolled it. Ethan comes in behind her. I’ve noticed recently that the two of them seem thick as thieves, but I pretend not to notice. It’s sweet, but it’s not my business.

Daisy jerks her head toward Chloe as she approaches the bar. “What’s her problem?”

I shake my head and try to steady myself over my coffee. “Nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

Daisy, picking up what I’m implying, scurries past to the back room without a word. Ethan, however, doesn’t take the hint. Typical men.

“You good, Abby?” he asks, limping behind the bar and pouring himself a cup of coffee from the machine. “You look like—”

“Just… Don’t,” I interrupt, unable to hide my annoyance any longer. Ethan shoots me a confused look, but I don’t care at this point.

Still reeling from my argument with my best friend, I storm into my office, my heels clicking angrily against the floor. The door slams behind me before anyone can so much as utter a word, leaving me alone at last.

I’m overwhelmed, hurt, and furious all at once. Chloe was supposed to be my rock, my confidante, my ride-or-die. How could she just turn her back on me like that? All because I wasn’t willing to just throw Karl out on the street when he’s clearly trying to be better?

Maybe she’s right about Karl. Maybe I should be staying away from him. Maybe this will end in disaster again. But if it does, I want it to be my decision. Not anyone else’s.

I sink into my chair, my hands shaking as I grip the edge of my desk. I hear the distant chatter of my staff outside the door, no doubt gossiping about the spectacle that just unfolded. What’s worse is that I’ve never been the kind to air my dirty laundry in public, and especially not in my own restaurant.

I press my palms against my eyes, trying to hold back the tears. But it’s a losing battle; one rebellious tear escapes, then another, trickling down my cheeks as I let out a choked sob.

It’s not long before there’s a hesitant knock at the door.

“Go away!” I snap, my voice breaking. I’m in no mood to deal with anyone right now, even if it’s Chloe coming back to apologize.

But the door creaks open anyway, and I look up, fully prepared to unload my frustration on whoever’s intruding. It’s Karl. The epicenter of all of this, in a way.

“What do you want?” I hiss, narrowing my eyes. “I said to go away.”

“Abby, we need to talk.” His voice is soft as he lingers in the doorway. I don’t know what to say; all I can do is stare unblinkingly up at him, praying that no more tears will spill.

“Talk about what?”

He steps inside and closes the door gently behind him. For a moment, he just stands there, locking eyes with me. There’s a genuine warmth in his gaze, an unspoken understanding.

“But she’s right, in a way,” he counters. “She told me to stay away from you, to give you space and let you succeed without interfering. I couldn’t even do that for one night. And after everything I did to you…”

Now, Karl’s voice is the one that trails off. He shoves his hands in his pockets and crosses the room, his head hanging slightly with regret.

I shake my head, trying to process his words. “Are you saying you regret helping me last night? Is that it?”

“No, no, not at all!” He spins back around to face me and rushes to clarify, his eyes widening. “I don’t regret helping you, Abby. I regret causing tension between you and Chloe. There’s a difference.”

“You’re serious about this, aren’t you?” I ask, my eyes searching his. “About making this right?”

“Absolutely,” Karl replies without missing a beat. “You both mean a lot to me, in different ways, and if there’s a chance I can fix this, I will.”

A smile flits across my lips before I can stop it. “You’re really changing, Karl. I can see it. You’re not the same man you were, and it's...it’s nice. You’d better not be playing me right now.”

He grins back at me, visibly relieved. “I am trying, Abby. I promise. I’m not playing you. Trust me?”

“I believe you,” I say softly, and for the first time, I realize I mean it. I actually believe that Karl is capable of change, of growth, of being the man I once thought he could be.

Karl sighs, taking a step back. “Alright, I’m going to find Chloe. It’s high time we had a conversation.”