Chasing His Kickass Luna Back

#Chapter 29: The Secretary

Abby

I get off at my stop and walk over to the restaurant. Just my luck. Karl is already standing outside with

my daily coffee in hand.

I take it from him, unable to meet his gaze. Partly from anger, partly from embarrassment. If he only

knew what I dreamed of last night. Knowing him, he’d probably love it. Then he’d suggest we make it

reality. And honestly, after my failed attempt with Adam last night, I’m not sure if I would refuse.

“I hate him,” I think to myself, indiscernibly shaking my head slightly and avoiding his gaze. “Don’t even

think about it. It was just a wet dream, and nothing else. Those dreams can happen with anybody.”

Almost as though he’s reading my mind, Karl gives me a curious look, and I feel warmth rush to my

cheeks. His hair is the same as it was then, and the wind blows long strands of it down across his

forehead. I can almost see my fingers gripping on to it. The corner of his mouth twitches, but he doesn’t

smile.

“You, okay?” he asks. I force myself to look away.

“Fine,” I snap, letting the door fall shut behind me. He puts out a hand to stop it and follows me further

into the restaurant.

“You sure? You’re acting a little funny.”

“I said I’m fine.”

I stomp across the dining room and shove my way into the kitchen. I can hear him trailing after me, but

he keeps his distance, thank God.

I close my office door and sink into my chair. What has gotten into me? One stupid dream, and now I’m

embarrassed to talk to him. What am I, a twelve-year-old girl? He’s my ex-husband, and he hurt me.

Badly. He’s an asshole. A manipulator. A male chauvinist. He’s… sexy. He knows me. He’s good in

bed.

I have to shake my head again to dispel the thoughts. Now isn’t the time to be giggling like an idiot

because I had one sex dream about him. And besides, I’m probably just misremembering what sex

with him was really like. It couldn’t have been that good… right?

Right. He’s awful.

I repeat it over and over until I’ve managed to shove the dream from my mind. I will not let my

subconscious trick me into letting him off the hook. Good in bed or not, he’s got some serious groveling

to do, and even that might not be enough. No, it’ll never be enough. I’m stronger than that now, and I

won’t get back together with my ex. Not now, not ever.

Luckily, the dinner rush is especially frantic, and it helps me shove thoughts of that dream from my

mind. But unfortunately, like most nights, the rush doesn’t last forever.

Karl hands me the chicken breast, and I cut it into strips. Part of prepping the kitchen involves cutting

up ingredients for the line cooks, and Karl is helping me with it tonight. I have him cutting vegetables,

and though he’s a lot slower than me, he’s doing an okay job.

He’s already managed to annoy Ethan, who was setting things up in the dining room with him earlier.

Apparently, Karl just can’t stop himself from ordering Ethan around, even though Ethan outranks him.

“So help me god, if that little prick tries to boss me around one more time…” Ethan had been livid, his

face redder than I had ever seen it.

“Don’t worry, Ethan,” I said, shooting an angry glance at Karl’s back as he stalked away. “I’ll handle

him.”

“You had better.” Ethan’s voice was harsher than I expected, and seemingly harsher than he had

expected, too. He softened a bit, and passed a hand over his weary face. “Sorry, Abby. I didn’t mean to

snap at you. He just pisses me off.”

I sighed, squeezing Ethan’s arm. “Don’t sweat it. I promise Karl won’t be a problem anymore.”

“You’re getting good at that,” I say. Karl is faster with the knife now than he was when we started.

Usually, I have him mopping floors and setting tables, but I figured he might as well help me and give

everyone else a bit of a break. It’s my turn to take Karl off of their hands, like a babysitter tasked with

handling an unruly toddler.

“Thanks,” he says, flashing me a grin. He wipes a stack of carrots off the end of the knife with his

finger. “I do what I can.”

I can’t seem to help my answering grin. Last night’s debacle with Adam, and my inability to stop

thinking about Karl, is one of the many things I’ve been mulling over. I let my mind wander, and guilt

settles in. It’s not fair to Adam that I fell asleep thinking about Karl and not him. Adam did nothing

wrong. He got a bit too drunk. We all do sometimes. Hell, I embarrassed myself in front of Karl not too

long ago. © 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Karl asks as he grabs another carrot. He really is taking forever. I mostly

just have him here to keep him out of everyone else’s way.

I shake my head. There’s no way I’m sharing any of my worries with him. There’s especially no way I’m

telling him I couldn’t stop thinking about our old sex life. As far as he’s concerned, I never think about

him at all.

“Nothing interesting.”

“I seriously doubt that.”

I give him a look. “Don’t try to flirt with me, Karl. It won’t do you any favors.”

“Flirting?” he asks, batting his eyelashes slightly. “Why, I would never.”

“Just shut up and chop the carrots. And hurry up; you’re slower than molasses in January.”

“Sure thing, grandma,” Karl purrs.

The corner of his mouth turns up a little. I can tell he wants to smile, but he’s doing what he can to

avoid it.

The expression is pretty adorable on his face. I take for granted how often he smiles around me. I know

most of the world doesn't get to see that side of him. He has to be the tough, no-nonsense Alpha to so

many. It must get exhausting.

“Now you’re the one who’s staring,” he says. “And you called me the flirt.”

I quickly look away and resume my task. Maybe getting us alone together wasn’t the best idea. Ethan

left the kitchen a while ago, and Chloe’s out at the bar setting everything up. A few of my waiters are in

the breakroom getting changed.

“I was thinking, and it just looked like I was staring,” I say. “I barely noticed you.” A total lie. I was

focusing a little too hard on his chiseled jaw and warm brown eyes. I know a lot of people have brown

eyes, but no one has eyes like Karl. If he cares about you, he can make you feel like the most special

person in the world with just one look.

There was a time I thought I’d never see that expression again. Now that it’s back, I’m not sure which is

worse. The more time I spend with him, the more confused I feel.

“Sure, whatever you say.”

I just roll my eyes in response.

Tiffany’s words run through my mind again. I consider confronting Karl about it, but now doesn’t seem

like the time. I’m much too busy and exhausted to get into everything right now. It won’t be tonight, but

at some point, we’re going to have to sit down and talk about what happened between us. If he plans

on being in my life, he needs to give me some sort of explanation for what he did. Leaving me in the

dark doesn’t seem fair.

“You’re cute when you’re annoyed,” he says.

I narrow my eyes at him.

“See, cute.”

I look away so he doesn’t see me smile.

The doors to the kitchen open, and Ethan appears. He gives Karl a weary look, and I put down the

block of cheese I’m shredding when I see the person who walks in after him. It’s Karl’s secretary. I

recognize her from that obnoxious video Chloe and Leah showed me.

She pushes her sleek, black hair over her shoulder as she approaches Karl. He gives her an assessing

look and puts down his knife.

“What are you doing here, Gianna?”

“Can we talk for a moment?” she asks. She glances at me, then dismisses me entirely. I know she

knows exactly who I am. “It’s work related.”

“You can use my office,” I offer.

“Thanks,” he says, turning to give Gianna a stern look “I can only talk for a minute.”

She nods and trails him into my office, closing the door behind her. Ethan gives me a tight smile and

returns to the dining room.

I wait a moment, then sneak over to the office. My mom always told me eavesdropping was rude, and I

know she’s right, but I can’t help myself. Is it possible that Karl and Gianna have some sort of

relationship? Or that they once did? I’m surprised by how queasy the thought makes me feel. The

thought of him with another girl just doesn’t sit well with me.

“He’s not yours anymore,” I mutter to myself. God, I really need to get it together.

“You need to come back,” I hear Gianna say.

I’ve practically got my ear pressed to the door.