Chasing His Kickass Luna Back novel Chapter 187

Abby

The restaurant is closed for the evening, and it’s about time that I gather my team for an impromptu meeting.

“Listen up, everyone. I know it’s been a long day, but we need to talk about something important.”

My eyes scan over the faces of my staff: Anton, the homeless chef who turns out to be a culinary genius; Daisy, our beloved waitress who once worked the streets; Ethan, a war veteran with a limp who has become my trusted restaurant manager; John, a single father with a past alcohol problem; and finally Karl, my ex-husband turned line cook.

Anton sets down his ladle and wipes his hands on his apron. “Is everything okay, Abby?”

“It’s about that article,” I hesitantly begin, fully aware that I’m opening a can of worms. “People are talking, and we need to be prepared for whatever comes next.”

Daisy looks up, her eyes narrowing. “So what are you saying? We should prepare for the worst?”

“Not exactly, but I think we should be cautious,” I say. “I mean, come on, let’s be real: Anton, you’re homeless. Daisy, you have a past you’re trying to move away from. Ethan, you’ve got your own set of scars, and—”

Ethan suddenly cuts me off, a fierce look in his eyes that I’ve never seen before. “Are you trying so say that you’re ashamed of us, Abby?”

“No!” The word bursts out of me, and I feel my face flush. “I’m not ashamed. You all are the best team I could’ve ever asked for. But I have to publish an article before the competition, and—”

Daisy leans against the counter, shooting me a sideways look. “What are you suggesting? That we put on a show? Make the place seem more ‘normal’, like we’re not a bunch of weirdos?”

“I don’t know,” I admit. “Maybe it would be good to be proactive about it, control the narrative a bit.”

Ethan chuckles darkly. “What are we gonna do? Put out a press release saying, ‘Hey, come to our restaurant; our staff is just as messed up as you are?’”

My eyes finally land on Karl, and the sparkle in his eyes steels my resolve. “So we’re all in agreement? We stay true to ourselves, come what may?”

Karl smiles, his eyes softening in that special way that still makes my heart skip a beat. “We wouldn’t have it any other way, Abby.”

A sense of warmth and certainty floods over me. Standing here, in the restaurant we’ve all worked so hard to build, I realize that we’re more than just a team; we’re a family, just like Daisy said.

An unconventional, imperfect, but entirely genuine family. And that’s worth more than any reputation, any competition, any amount of success.

I clear my throat, trying to dispel the sudden lump forming there. “Alright then, let’s prepare for another day of proving the world wrong. One meal at a time.”

As they nod, grins forming on their faces, I feel it deep down—this is exactly where I’m supposed to be, with these people, in this moment. And whatever comes next, we’ll face it together.