Chasing His Kickass Luna Back novel Chapter 73

Abby

My hand freezes on the spreadsheet I’m working on when I hear a knock on my door. A soft, hesitant one that’s almost drowned out by the evening chatter of the restaurant. My heart instantly jumps to my throat. Is it Karl? Has he decided to make another appearance?

But when I open the door, it’s Chloe standing there, her eyes hesitant but earnest.

We’ve kept our distance today, partially because of the insane lunch and dinner rush, but I think also partially to cool off. I’m not sure if Karl’s conversation with her was successful, but the knot in my chest loosens when I see her.

“Hey,” I manage to say.

“Hey,” she replies softly.

Neither of us says anything for a moment. The silence is thick, full of the words we’d both hurled at each other this morning. Finally, she breaks it. “Can I come in?”

“Of course.” I step aside, letting her enter.

The door clicks shut behind her, sealing us into this tiny bubble of a moment. I feel her arms wrap around me, almost tentatively, as if she’s afraid I might pull away. But I don’t. I hug her back, tightly, grateful for the chance to mend this fragile piece of our relationship.

“I’m sorry, Abby,” Chloe says into my shoulder. “I was out of line.”

“I’m sorry too,” I reply, feeling a twinge of guilt for the things I’d said earlier. “We both got carried away.”

We pull away and Chloe takes a seat, her eyes scanning my face as if searching for something—perhaps a sign of residual anger or a lingering grudge. But she won’t find any. At the end of the day, Chloe is like a sister to me, and that’s one thing you never turn your back on.

“So, you and Karl, huh?” Chloe finally says, her tone cautious.

I shake my head quickly, dispelling the thought before it even has a chance to settle. “No, Chloe, there’s no ‘me and Karl.’ We’re just figuring things out, that’s all.”

“But you think he’s changed? Really changed?” She looks at me, her eyes almost pleading for an answer that would make everything simple again.

“I don’t know,” I admit. “Maybe. He says he wants to be better. Shouldn’t everyone get a chance at redemption?”

Chloe sighs, looking down at her hands. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe I’ve been too hard on him.”

Chloe’s words warm me, but I know that there’s something lingering at the end of her sentence. Something that she’s trying to leave unsaid. “...But?” I prod.

“But… I hope you’re not thinking of getting back together with him. You know you deserve better, Abby.”

The irony of her statement doesn’t escape me. “I promise, I’m not planning on it,” I reassure her. “Honestly, I think I need to be single for a while. Figure myself out, you know?”

Chloe looks relieved. “Good. You have so much to offer, Abby. Don’t waste it on someone who doesn’t deserve you. Especially not when you have so much going for you right now.”

I nod, my thoughts suddenly drifting to the kitchen scene with Karl—his proximity, his scent, the undeniable chemistry that seemed to draw us together no matter how hard we tried to stay apart. My wolf stirs inside me just at the thought, a low growl of yearning in the distance that’s quickly snuffed out as soon as I brush the thoughts of Karl away.

“Thanks, Chloe,” I say, pulling myself back to the present. “Your friendship means the world to me.”

“Yours too, Abby,” she says, standing up. “Yours too.”