Chasing His Kickass Luna Back novel Chapter 37

Abby

The once golden glow of the candles seems dull now. The shadows in the room stretch longer, a stark contrast to the beautifully set table, pristine and untouched. The wine, once poured with anticipation, sits still, a silent witness to my growing anxiety. The aroma of the truffle oil, once intoxicating, now only serves as a bitter reminder of the love I had poured into preparing for this evening.

The clock on the wall seems to mock me with its relentless ticking, each second stretching into an eternity. My phone lays idle beside me, and the absence of a call or message from Adam weighs heavily on my heart.

Trying to ward off the budding dread, I take a deep breath and dial his number. “Maybe he’s stuck in traffic or something,” I think to myself. “Or, god forbid, he got into an accident.”

After dialing his number, I hold my phone up to my ear with a shaky hand. The soft hum of the ringtone echoes in the silence.

After what feels like a lifetime, he answers. The din of background noises hits me instantly—shouts, laughter, the unmistakable hustle and bustle of his restaurant.

My stomach sinks. He’s working. I should have known better.

“Adam?” My voice quivers slightly.

“Abby? What's up?”

His casual tone catches me off guard, and I try to steady myself. “What’s up? Seriously? You were supposed to be here over an hour ago!”

“Oh...right. About that,” he starts, his voice hurried and distracted. “Look, Abby, I got swamped here. Thought maybe you wouldn’t mind if I sat this one out. You know, have dinner by yourself? You can save me some leftovers for tomorrow, right?”

Tears prick at my eyes, and I feel a twinge of anger. “This wasn’t just about the food, Adam! It was about us, about spending time together, reconnecting. This was about you showing up when you said you would. Just this once, I actually wanted you to follow through with our plans.”

“Come on, Abby,” he interrupts. “Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill.”

“But you promised,” I whimper, biting my lip to keep it from quivering. “You promised, Adam.”

Adam sighs. “I’m sorry, Abbs. I didn’t think it would be that big of a deal. We see each other all the time, you know?”

“Really? Like last week, when you took me out?” I counter, sarcasm dripping from my words.

“Yes,” Adam says, sounding annoyed now. “Just like last week, when I took you out for drinks and dancing—at your request, might I add.”

I huff angrily. “Be honest with me, Adam,” I say, pinching the bridge of my nose in annoyance, “you wouldn’t have gone with me if you had been able to work that night. It was only because of the electricity going out at your restaurant and you had nothing better to do.”

Silence. I can almost hear him gritting his teeth on the other end, and it's a few moments before he responds. “If I could have gone to work that night, I would have, Abby. You know how important my restaurant is to me. But we still had fun, didn’t we?”

I almost feel sick. I knew all along that he would have rather gone to work that night, but hearing it out loud is like reopening a wound.

“C’mon, Abbs,” he prods. “Admit it: we had fun. It was a good night.”

“But it wasn’t about just having fun, Adam,” I hiss. “Yeah, the dancing and the drinks were fun. But you had so much to drink, just like you always do when we’re together. It’s like… It’s like you can’t even be around me unless you’re drunk.”