Chasing His Kickass Luna Back novel Chapter 76

Abby

My apartment door shuts behind me with a satisfying click after a long day of being away from home. With a sigh, I throw my bag on the couch, and flop down beside it.

But it’s not long before I’m on my feet again, pacing my apartment floor as I chew on my lower lip. Karl’s proposition still lingers in my mind: going with him to the pack? To our old home?

My first instinct screams at me to not go, of course. To return to our old home together? How is that not a recipe for disaster?

As I finally decide to pour myself a glass of wine to calm my frayed nerves, I think to myself that right now, I really do have it all. A successful career, friends who love me, and the cook-off coming up. Why throw a wrench into it by letting Karl back into my life in that way? We’re doing just fine as friends, keeping everything at arm’s length between us. There’s no need for it to become more than that.

But then, there’s still a tiny sliver of myself that almost considers going with him. My life was once entwined with his, after all. The long talks in our garden at sunset, the joy of cooking in a kitchen I had designed myself.

But that was a lifetime ago.

I take a sip of wine, letting the bitter flavor linger on my tongue before swallowing. “Tomorrow,” I resolve, “I’ll tell him I can’t go. It’s for the best.”

…

The scent of freshly brewed coffee greets me the moment I walk into the restaurant. It’s comforting and slightly bittersweet, but also unexpected. I should be the only one here right now, and I didn’t see Ethan’s car on the way in; but I’ve hardly made it halfway through the door when Karl suddenly steps into my line of sight, a coffee cup in hand.

“Morning,” he greets, his eyes searching mine for something—confirmation, maybe, or perhaps reassurance.

“Morning,” I reply cautiously. “You’re here early.”

He offers a lopsided grin, holding the cup out to me. “Wanted to get some prep work done. Coffee?”

I smirk and take the cup. It’s sweet and light, just the way I like it. But I can sense Karl’s true ulterior motives. “You’re trying to butter me up again, aren’t you?”

He chuckles, a low and surprisingly endearing sound. “Is it working?”

“No,” I say, letting a slightly serious tone take over my voice. “And actually, I’ve thought about it. I’m sorry, Karl, but I can’t come with you. It’s not a good idea… for multiple reasons.”

The disappointment that flickers across his eyes is subtle but unmistakable. But much to my surprise, he simply nods. “I understand.”

No argument, no second attempt to change my mind. Just those two words: “I understand.” I could count the amount of times I’ve heard Karl utter those words on one hand.

In fact, I’m surprised. “That’s it?” I find myself saying. “You’re not gonna try to convince me to go anyway?”

“No, Abby,” he says, taking a step back. “It’s your decision whether you go or not. I just wanted to invite you, give you a chance to take a little time off. But if you don’t want to go, I won’t push it.”

He turns to leave, and I’m left standing here, coffee cup in hand, my eyes wide with shock. My first instinct last night was to assume that he had ulterior motives behind inviting me back to our old home, but now, I’m starting to wonder if that was ever the case at all.