Chasing His Kickass Luna Back novel Chapter 47

Abby

In the dimly lit café, surrounded by the soft murmur of conversations and the aroma of fresh coffee, I sit with my friends, watching their eyes widen in disbelief as I relay the events of the past few days.

“You broke up with Adam?” Leah, with her ever-present surprise, always finds a way to make her eyes bulge out in an almost comical manner.

“Sort of,” I reply, stirring my iced coffee absentmindedly. I don’t want to ‘out’ Adam for his orientation, so I decide to leave that part out. Around the restaurant, the clinking of the ice cubes and the soft sound of voices meld together to create a soft jingle that feels oddly comforting when I need it the most. “It was… more of a mutual thing.”

Chloe gives me a sharp glance, her red lipstick making her pouty lips seem even more pronounced. “Mutual?” she asks. “Mutual how?”

I shake my head. “I don’t wanna get too into it,” I reply. “But I’ll just say this: it was never gonna work out. Not in a million years.”

Both Chloe and Leah shoot me a sideways glance. Even though I’m staring down at the frothy cappuccino sitting in front of me, I can see them look at each other in my peripherals and mouth some silent words to each other. I pretend not to notice.

“You don’t seem too heartbroken, Abby,” Chloe finally says.

Shrugging, I admit, “I’m sad, yes, but not heartbroken. More like... hopeful.”

It’s the truth, too. Adam’s confession did make me sad; I spent the first three nights crying and cursing the Moon Goddess. But it’s been a week now, and I feel surprisingly good. I feel free. Like a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. Like a whole host of opportunities lay before me, waiting to be plucked.

“Hopeful?” Rebecca repeats, arching an eyebrow. “For what?”

“For the future,” I say, smiling softly. “For new opportunities, new beginnings.”

Chloe snorts, reading my wistful expression instantly. She’s always been good at that. “Don't tell me you’re considering Karl as one of those ‘new beginnings’?”

My cheeks burn. How can I explain the complex web of feelings I have for Karl without sounding naive?

“Of course not,” I lie, knowing that I’ll absolutely never, ever, not in a million years, admit that I have thought about it. “But he was there for me, Chloe. When Adam wasn’t. There’s no denying that.”

She rolls her eyes. “I know, I know. He played the knight in shining armor, jumped in front of the flames, stood by you during the hospital visit. I’ve heard the tales of his heroics.”

“But it’s true,” I insist. “He showed me a side of him that I had forgotten existed. And honestly, I think he’s changed, too. For the better.”

Leah, ever the mediator, finally speaks up. “Both of you have a history together. It’s natural to feel something when you see a familiar face during difficult times.”

“Yeah,” Chloe chimes in, her voice dripping with sarcasm, “especially when the ‘familiar face’ was a perfectly sweet gentleman before the wedding bells rang. And then turned into a totally different person after.”

I take a deep breath, feeling the weight of Chloe’s words. She’s not completely wrong. Something about the wedding changed Karl all those years ago; that was when he started getting jealous and controlling.

“I know,” I retort, breaking off a piece of my croissant and dipping it into my cappuccino. “Like I did with Adam.”

“At least you realize that,” Chloe says with a chuckle. “You two moved so fast, especially for someone who was fresh out of a marriage and had her heart broken.”

“Yeah,” I answer, narrowing my gaze, “and let’s not forget exactly who talked me into getting back into dating.”

Chloe opens her mouth to retort, but her lips turn upward in a smile. Leah steps in with a chuckle. I can’t help but laugh a little, too.

“Alright, alright,” Leah says, raising her mug to her lips. “Everyone’s to blame here. Let’s not point fingers. What really matters, Abby, is that you’ve grown and moved on from the way things were back then. And it shows, too.”

I lean back in my chair, letting their words wash over me. The idea of being single, of having time for myself, is tempting. For so long, my life revolved around men, relationships, trying to mend broken things.

But now, with my restaurant and my dreams, there’s so much I want to achieve. Opening the restaurant was only the beginning of my journey. Perhaps this is the universe’s way of telling me to pause and refocus.

“You guys,” I begin, my voice thick with emotion, “thank you. You always have my back. Even when I don’t really deserve it.”

Chloe reaches across the table to squeeze my hand. “Always. And remember, no man is worth your peace.”

“Oh, I’ll remember,” I say, taking a long sip of my cappuccino. “Trust me. I’ll remember.”