Chasing His Kickass Luna Back novel Chapter 70

Abby

“Let me help you.”

Karl’s words hit me like a ton of bricks. Karl, of all people, wants to help me prepare for the competition that we were only just arguing about? I can’t believe it.

“You’re joking,” I murmur.

Karl shakes his head, his eyes darting down to the failure of a souffle sitting between us. “Nope. Not joking. Do you want my help or not?”

Part of me wants to accept his offer, but another part of me, perhaps the more logical part, decides that maybe it’s not the best idea. I’m angry right now over my argument with Karl and this damned souffle, and I know that I wouldn’t exactly be the best kitchen partner tonight.

“I’m fine, Karl. Just a little tired,” I reply, forcing a smile. “Besides, you’ve been working all day. You can head home.”

“I don’t want to go home,” he says quietly, sliding the souffle back toward me from across the cold metallic counter. “I’m not tired, and home is boring. Let me help.”

I pause. I know that I should push him away and keep working on my own, not only so I can focus fully on my preparations for the competition but also so we can both cool off after our arguments. But something stops me. Maybe it’s the sincere look in his soft brown eyes.

“Sure,” I finally mutter, nodding. “I guess I could use some help.”

Karl doesn’t need to be told twice. I watch for a moment as he slips off his jacket, revealing his sinewy biceps peeking out from beneath his short sleeves. I have to look away before I get too attached to his image, and refocus my attention on my fourth attempt at making a souffle while he washes his hands.

Before I know it, the eggs and other ingredients are laid out before me, my whisk deftly beating the eggs into a golden mixture.

“You know, I used to make souffles as a kid,” Karl says out of nowhere.

“You made souffles?” I can’t even begin to keep the surprise out of my voice. Karl rarely ever cooked when we were together, and he certainly never brought it up to me. “You never mentioned that when we were together.”

“My mom used to make them all the time when I was little. It was my favorite dessert. She eventually taught me how to make the best souffles ever,” he confesses, almost shyly. “Would you like me to whip one up?”

My curiosity gets the better of me. “Sure. I’d love to see you try.”

Karl sets to work, skillfully separating the egg yolks from the whites, stirring the flour and butter, and then folding everything in with care. I watch in amazement; the man has finesse, and it’s clear this isn’t his first time at the souffle rodeo.

The oven dings, and Karl retrieves the dish, setting it on the counter. The souffle has risen perfectly, its golden top a promise of the fluffy, airy delicacy beneath.

He dips a spoon into it and extends it toward me. “Taste.”

I accept the spoonful, the flavors bursting in my mouth—cheesy, eggy, and utterly perfect. The use of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese gives the souffle a savory tang, but Karl incorporated just the right amount of sugar so that the two opposite flavors meld together into a symphony of deliciousness.

Our eyes meet, and for a moment, all the tension, the arguments, they vanish. There's just the two of us, and the culinary creation between us.

“Thank you, Karl. This is amazing,” I finally manage, breaking the spell and turning away.

“It was nothing. I was glad to help.”

As I walk back to my apartment later that night, a stray thought enters my mind.

Could Karl be the sous chef I need for the competition? He’s been getting better, and he knows how to handle himself in a kitchen. And, even though we have our moments, we also know each other well; I know for a fact that we could function together as a well-oiled machine under pressure.

I swallow. The words come out harsher than I mean them to. “Chloe, it’s not your place to tell him to stay away from me.”

“I was trying to protect you, Abby. You and I both know that you don’t make the best decisions when it comes to men. And especially not when it comes to Karl.”

Her words make me even angrier. Without meaning to, I stand abruptly, causing the barstool to scrape loudly on the floor and echo throughout the empty restaurant. “What do you know about good decisions?” I snap. “All you’ve ever done is hook up with anything that moves.”

For a moment, Chloe is silent. Even as the words tumble out of my mouth, I realize how harsh they were. “Chloe, I didn’t mean—”

She holds her hand up to stop me. “It’s whatever. You’re not entirely wrong. But I know you, and I know Karl—”

“You don’t know Karl at all,” I bite out. “He’s changed, Chloe. Maybe it’s about time you realize that he’s trying to be better. And for the record, he apologized last night.”

Chloe scoffs. “So you’re just going to let him waltz back into your life after everything he’s done? Are you serious? Just because he ‘apologized’? As if it wasn’t just a tactic to get in your pants.”

“I’m not letting him waltz back in, and I’m not ‘letting him in my pants,’” I snarl. “But maybe, just maybe, he’s becoming something of a friend.” Even as I say them, the words feel strange on my tongue. But I mean it. Despite everything, Karl has helped me a lot recently. I can’t deny that.

“A friend? So what does that make me, then? Chopped liver?”

“No, Chloe, you’re not chopped liver. You’re my best friend, but that doesn’t give you the right to dictate who I can and cannot talk to.”

“Well, if Karl’s your friend now, maybe you don’t need me anymore,” Chloe snaps, her eyes brimming with anger and something that looks a lot like betrayal.

Before I can say anything, she turns on her heel and storms out, leaving me standing there. All I can do is watch her fading form and curse under my breath.