Chasing His Kickass Luna Back Chapter 395

Abby

“Abby, why don’t you sit down?”

Karl looks up at me from where he’s sitting on the sofa, a look of concern on his face. He pats the spot next to him, but I shake my head.

“I can’t,” I say, continuing to pace back and forth in our living room. “I won’t sit down until I hear back about that critic’s column.”

Karl sighs heavily. “I understand your worry, but it could be days. You’re not going to pace for days, now, are you?”

I don’t respond and simply continue my pacing.

This is how it’s been all morning; I’ve been pacing back and forth, chewing my nails into oblivion.

The food critic, Alfred Cunningham, simply walked out of my restaurant last night after taking one bite of the black farro mafaldine. No compliments, no complaints, nothing. He just threw his money down on the table and walked out, and I didn’t even get to see the look on his face.

“Abby,” Karl sighs, standing and walking over to me, “come on. You wanna go for a walk or something? Or maybe…”

He smirks, leaning down to kiss my neck. The feeling usually makes me shiver with anticipation, but right now, I barely even feel it.

“According to my sources, Cunningham typically posts his columns within twenty-four hours,” I say, turning away from Karl and continuing my pacing. “He should post it soon.”

Karl lets out a low groan of annoyance. As I turn back around, I can see him standing right behind me now. Before I can pull away this time, he wraps his arm around me, scoops me up, and carries me over to the sofa.

“Karl—”

“That’s enough, Abby,” he demands, holding me on his lap as he sits. “You should be resting that ankle anyway.”

As he speaks, he reaches down and pulls my sock down a bit to look at my ankle. It’s still a bit swollen and sore today, but I’m walking better. A quick prod at it with his finger, though, makes me wince; a reminder that maybe I should give it a rest.

I sigh and lean back into his arms. “I just don’t understand why he only took one bite,” I groan. “After all of that hard work… And then he just walked out without even saying ‘thank you’!”

“I know.” Karl sighs along with me. “But you’ve dealt with plenty of food critics before, Abby. You know how… capricious they can be.”

“Yeah, and he really takes the cake,” I say with a shake of my head.

After watching me for a moment longer and seeing the abject annoyance on my face, Karl chuckles softly and reaches up, brushing a strand of hair out of my eyes. “Hey,” he whispers, pressing his nose into my cheek. “Let’s think about something else. Like the wedding.”

I can’t help but smile at the mention of our big day. “Six more days,” I say softly. “And then we’ll be married.”

“Again,” Karl teases, letting his hand rest on my belly. “Are you prepared to become my wife for a second time?”

“Oh, Karl,” I laugh. “It’ll be different this time. I’m sure of it.”

Karl nods and runs a finger through my hair. “I know it will.”

We sit there in silence for some time, just holding each other. I shiver a bit as Karl runs his fingers up the soft skin of my waist, his fingertips trailing my belly beneath my shirt.

“There’s my girl,” he whispers into my ear once I begin to relax into his arms. “How about a nice little afternoon distraction?”

I smirk as I run my hand along his groin, where he’s begun to grow hard beneath his pants. With my other hand, I grip a fistful of his shirt and pull him down onto the couch with me. He gasps and nearly falls on top of me, holding himself up over me with one arm.

“A little distraction would be nice, I suppose,” I whisper, then flick my tongue across his earlobe.

However, before either of us can take it any further, there’s a knock on the door. We both sit up, breathless, and the door flings open before we can even call out.

Leah stands in the doorway, her eyes widening as she sees our slightly bedraggled state. “Oh—sorry,” she says, taking a step back. “I can leave—”

“What is it?” I interrupt.

Leah takes a deep breath, then rushes forward. She holds her phone out to me, and it’s now that she’s closer that I can see tears in her eyes. Instantly, I know what’s happened.

“He posted it?” I whisper, practically leaping up from the couch.

Leah nods silently and thrusts her phone into my hands. Then, taking a deep breath and exchanging a nervous glance with Karl, I begin to read.

“When I first stepped into Abby’s little pizza shop, nestled right in the heart of downtown, my expectations were high,” the column begins. I gulp and continue reading. “But unfortunately, I was rather disappointed within a matter of minutes…”

As I read those lines, I feel my heart skip. I look up, tears already swimming in my eyes.

But Leah, seeing my hesitation, just nods toward her phone. “Keep reading.”

“The pizza was bland and tasteless, the service was sluggish, and the atmosphere was altogether cliche…”

My heart skips again, but I keep reading.

“...or at least, that was what I told myself. Upon speaking to Abby herself, however, she asked me one question: ‘How can I make it right?’ Of course, I gave her a seemingly insurmountable task; to find black truffles during the off season is no easy feat, a feat that I expected—and rather hoped—that she would fail.”

“But Abby did not fail. In fact, she went above and beyond to find those truffles, if the limp she sported on her way out of the kitchen with the new dish several hours later was any indication.”

“Oh my god,” I whisper, clamping my hand over my mouth.

“Keep reading,” Leah urges.

“It is no easy task to cater to a bitter old critic’s whims,” the column continues. “Perhaps, it is just as insurmountable as finding black truffles during the off season; but, as always, Chef Abby accomplished the impossible. Not only did she heed my demands with a smile on her face, but…”

“...She made the best damn meal I’ve ever eaten,” I read out loud. “Needless to say, I will be returning for more; and so should you.”

When I’m finished, it’s only now that I realize that the tears have fully spilled out of my eyes and are now streaming down my cheeks in rivulets. I look up slowly, my hands trembling, to see Karl and Leah both beaming at me.

“We did it,” I whisper.

Leah nods. “You did it.”

I can’t contain the wild yell of excitement that escapes my lips. I throw my arms around Karl’s neck, kissing his face all over. “We did it,” I echo, grinning from ear to ear. “Our opening night was a success after all.”

Karl grins and picks me up, spinning me around. Another yell of excitement slips out before he sets me back down—gently, so as not to aggravate my ankle. “And here’s to many more,” he says.

He beams down at me, kissing my forehead, before he stretches out his arms and pulls both me and Leah into the tightest hug I’ve ever felt.