Chasing His Kickass Luna Back Chapter 376

Abby

“You’re sure you want to do this?”

Karl looks at me and gives my hand as we stand across the street and look up at the small building.

The main area of the town is a cluster of tightly-packed buildings, each one more quaint than the last. Stucco walls make way for colorful shutters and wrought iron balconies, and the cobblestone street is closed off to cars, allowing people to walk freely. It’s a surprisingly busy little town.

I’m not sure why, but I was expecting something quiet and rural, like the pack where Karl and I grew up.

I take in a deep breath and nod. “Yeah. I want to at least take a look.”

“Then let’s go.”

Together, we cross the street and walk up to the little stucco building that’s nestled in between two others. The wooden door is cracked open, and Karl knocks lightly as we enter.

“Hello?” he calls out.

“In here!” the realtor replies from somewhere inside. “Come on in!”

Karl and I step into the small building, and my breath is taken away as soon as my eyes adjust to the dim lighting.

The plaster walls, smattered with the occasional array of red bricks peeking through, are warm and inviting. The parquet wooden floors creak slightly as we walk through the foyer and into the main area. And the floor-to-ceiling windows open inwards like shutters, allowing the warm ocean breeze to flow in.

“You must be Abby and Karl,” a polite-looking real estate agent with blonde hair says as we walk in. “Or should I say, Prince Karl?”

Karl’s face reddens slightly. “Just Karl is fine.”

The realtor smirks. “Not much unlike your father, I see.”

“Is my father well-known around here?” Karl asks, then winces at his somewhat dumb question. “I mean, does he…”

“Does mingle with us commoners?” the realtor asks with a laugh. “Yes, he does. He’s seen in town quite often.”

Karl and I exchange glances; yet another interesting little fact about the king. It’s oddly comforting to know that he doesn’t hold himself up on such a high pedestal that he avoids his own people, unlike Damon, who seemed to think that he was above everyone—even the law.

“So,” the realtor says as she begins showing us around. “You already own a restaurant, Abby?”

“Yes—I own a bistro back in the city,” I reply, gazing in awe up at the high ceilings, where dark wooden rafters stand in contrast to the warm plaster.

“And you’re looking to expand, or…?”

Once again, Karl and I exchange glances. “I… I’m not sure,” I say after a beat of awkward silence. “I’m just assessing my options right now.”

“I see.” The realtor nods as she leads us through the dining room and into the kitchen in the back. “Well, I believe you’ll find that this location boasts a wonderful kitchen. It needs some work, but…”

As she speaks, she opens the door to the kitchen. Once again, my breath is taken away. While the appliances certainly need some upgrading, the cozy little kitchen seems perfect. There’s even a brick pizza oven against the far wall.

“Wow,” Karl muses as he runs his fingers along the rough bricks. “Abby, I could picture you making some of your famous pizzas in this oven.”

I can’t help but blush at his words. He’s right; I can picture it, too. And it’s not all that I can picture. I can already imagine the dining room filled with happy patrons, a lively bar up against the wall, and tables lining the cobbled street outside.

It’s… perfect. But it’s not La Belle Vie. It would be a huge change, not only in location, but in menu and setting.

And I wouldn’t have any of my friends with me.

…

The FaceTime call rings for a few moments before Chloe picks up, followed by Leah a moment later. I can already tell, just from a moment of seeing each of their screens, that it’s darker there than it is here. They’re a few hours ahead of us here.

“Ah, if it isn’t the Princess Abby,” Chloe says with a mock curtsy. “How splendid of you to grace us with your presence, Your Highness.”

I roll my eyes as Leah begins giggling on the other end. “Alright, alright,” I say. “First of all, I’m not a princess. Second, if I ever have to see either of you curtsy at me again, I’m gonna throw up.”

“Noted.” Chloe smirks and grabs her phone up off the table, moving over to her bed. In the background, I can see what looks like a men’s suit jacket hanging on one of the four posters.

“Chloe,” I say with a gasp. “Is your gentleman caller there?”

Chloe blushes, but doesn’t deny it. “Logan is in the shower right now,” she admits. “And, uh… he maybe sort of asked me to be his girlfriend tonight? And maybe I said yes?”

Leah and I both gasp in unison. “Chloe, I’m so happy for you,” I say.

“I just can’t believe you’re actually in a relationship,” Leah adds. “Wild.”

“Hey, hey.” Chloe laughs. “Enough about me. Abby, how’s your little vacation going?”

I swallow, feeling suddenly nervous now that the attention is on me. This is it; the dreaded moment where I tell my friends about what’s been going on. And I don’t think that they’ll be particularly thrilled about the fact that Karl and I moving here might actually be a possibility.

“Where do I start,” I begin slowly. “Yesterday, we got a tour of the enormous palace, had some of the best salmon I’ve ever eaten, went on a horse ride on the beach…”

Over the next few minutes, I recount everything that happened yesterday—including the information I gleaned about Karl’s family. No, not just Karl’s family, but our baby’s family.

But when I get to the part about moving here, I blanch.

Leah, astute as ever, narrows her eyes at me. “You’re leaving something out,” she says. “I can tell.”

I clear my throat nervously and glance at the door. Karl is off somewhere with his father, and I know I’m alone here in our bedroom. And yet, I feel the need to lower my voice for some reason.

“Um… Reginald wants Karl to move here,” I finally admit. “And… I don’t know, guys. Part of me sort of wants to move here, too. I was looking at this restaurant space that’s for sale today, and then we spent the day in the town, and it’s just so beautiful, and—”

“Abby.” Chloe suddenly interrupts me, and for a moment, I think she might scold me for even considering the notion. But then, something amazing happens. “I think you should do it.”

“What?” I sit up on the bed, my eyes widening slightly.

“I think you should do it,” she repeats. “I mean, Abby, it’s a palace, first and foremost. And second… A fresh start with you and Karl and your baby sounds romantic, doesn’t it?”

I swallow. Leah is silent, but she’s smiling. “But what about you guys?” I whisper, tears misting over my eyes already. “I don’t want to leave you.”

“Oh, please.” Chloe waves her hand and laughs. “We can always visit, and—”

“Can I be honest with you?” Leah suddenly interjects. “I’ve been um… considering leaving the city myself.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.” She nods and runs a hand through her hair. “I hate my job, and my lease is about to end here, and… I don’t know. I just feel like I need a change. Abby, would there be room for one more for a while until I found a place of my own?”

“Are you kidding?” I ask excitedly. “Leah, you’d really want to come along?”

“Hey, why not?” she asks with a laugh. “I’d like a change, you know? It’s just something to consider.”

Meanwhile, Chloe grins on the other end, much to my surprise. I can hear a voice in the background, a male voice—Logan. She laughs at something he says, and for the first time in years, there’s a light in my friend’s eyes. A real light.

In this moment, it finally hits me. We’re all being pulled along on our own strings of fate, our own stories. Some of them might go in opposite directions, and some might follow a similar path.

But the strings that connect us will never break, and that’s what really matters.