Chasing His Kickass Luna Back novel Chapter 278

It’s the question I’ve been dreading because the answer isn’t going to be something that they want to hear. But everyone is staring at me, and I can’t bring myself to lie.

“Stories,” I say finally. “Real stories about real people. That’s what matters to me.”

There’s a moment of silence, and a flicker of something that looks like disappointment flashes across Elise’s gaze. “How... quaint,” she manages, before turning her attention to Meg’s phone, who is scrolling through her most recent bikini pictures and talking about her breast augmentation.

All I can do is sit, my spine stiff in my chair. My gaze meets Marcus’ from across the room, who just shoots me a subtle nod and a thumbs-up. It makes me want to roll my eyes.

Just then, my distracted gaze lifts past his shoulder, and for a fleeting moment, my heart leaps into my throat.

There, in the doorway, a figure appears, a silhouette backlit by the golden chandeliers, and for that split second, it’s Abby.

It's her shape, her grace, the way she holds herself. Her golden hair cascading over her shoulders, her eyes lit up as she looks at me. My breath catches, and I’m rising from my seat.

But then reality crashes over me. It’s not her. It could never be her. It’s a different woman entirely, a trick of the light, a mirage in what feels like the driest desert on the planet.

I sit back down, the disappointment crashing over me like a wave.

“So,” Marissa says, leaning in and smelling too strongly of floral perfume, “Karl… What do you think? Diamonds or pearls?” She’s holding her phone out to me, but I’m not looking. My gaze is transfixed on the window, through which I can see my car sitting in the driveway.

Waiting. Beckoning to me.