Chasing His Kickass Luna Back

Abby

I can’t wait for the next morning to come. The excitement bubbles up inside of me as I lie in bed, anticipating the arrival of my restaurant staff and friends. I know it's only been a couple of weeks, but it feels like it's been far too long since I've seen them, and I can't wait to hug each one of them and welcome them to the mansion.

I just hope that Chloe and Leah don’t get too upset when Karl and I tell them about our little... arrangement.

still, despite my trepidation, as the sun breaks through the curtains, I practically leap out of bed and hurriedly get dressed in comfortable jeans and a cozy sweater. I want to be outside to greet them when they arrive, which should be soon.

After a quick breakfast, it's almost time for them to arrive; they should be here any minute, so I head outside. And, lo and behold, I can already see the cars pulling into the driveway.

The first car belongs to John. Aside from John, Anton steps out as well. Behind them pulls in another car, Ethan and Daisy. I can already see another car—Leah's car—driving down the road, and although it makes my heart pound, I'm still utterly excited to see my friends.

"You guys came,” I say as I approach the group that has already gathered. I pull each of them into a hug. “How was the drive?”

“It's so scenic out here,” Daisy says as she looks around. “The drive was beautiful.”

Anton, always the joker, chuckles and chimes in, “Abby, you didn’t mention you were staying at a palace.”

I can't help but blush a bit at their shocked reactions. “Surprise,” I say with a sheepish grin. "Welcome to, um... Karl's place.” I decide to keep the mention of this actually being my home at one point in time, too, and no one seems to notice my hesitation.

Just then, Karl himself appears at the door, a warm smile on his face. “Welcome, everyone,” he says, extending his hand to Anton, who shakes it with a bewildered expression.

John furrows his brow. “Karl, why didn’t you ever mention that you're an Alpha?” he asks.

For a moment, I half expect the air to fill with tension. But thankfully, it doesn’t. Karl just chuckles and shrugs. “I was trying to keep my Alpha life separate while helping Abby at the restaurant, but yes, I am an Alpha,” he admits.

Just then, Chloe and Leah pull into the driveway. They both climb out of Leah's car, and I meet them halfway to give them both a hug. “It's so nice to see you guys,” I say softly as I hug them both tightly. “I missed you.”

“We missed you, too,” Leah says gently.

I pull apart from the hug and turn to Chloe next. She hugs me tightly and warmly, but I know she’s still a bit upset. It's hard to tell if she’s upset about Karl and me or if she's more upset that I didn't tell her sooner. Either way, now that everyone is here, it's time for the tour.

I can feel Chloe's eyes on me, her judgment palpable as we join the rest of the group. I try not to let it bother me, but it does sting just a little. I hope she will put this behind her and not be too upset for much longer. But Chloe isn't stupid; I know she'll see reason.

Karl leads us all inside the mansion, and I watch as my friends’ eyes widen in amazement at the space around them. Everyone except for Chloe and Leah, who have both been here many times before, is absolutely shocked. Karl shows them to their respective rooms, and they are all shocked by the number of guest rooms available.

Once everyone has settled in, we gather in the mansions spacious conference room, where Karl usually holds his meetings, for a meeting of our own to discuss our plans and the menu for the event. I want it to be a collaborative effort, and I know my staff has plenty of great ideas.

"We need to focus on dishes that can be prepared in bulk for the workers,” I say, jotting down notes on a pad in front of me. “I was thinking things like pasta, chicken breast, small desserts..."

“How about sandwiches and small sides, too?” Ethan chimes in. “Fingerling potatoes, cole slaw, mac and cheese?"

“That sounds delicious,” Daisy says, already rubbing her stomach with anticipation. "Don’t mind me if I steal some.”

I can't help but chuckle. “There'll be plenty for everyone,” I say.

“What about the setup situation?” John asks next. “Will we be cooking on site, or...?"

“We'll do as much prep work here as we can, and we'll also have a tent with a setup at the volunteering location,” I answer.

“Ah,” Anton chimes in. “I cannot wait to cook in this kitchen. It's such a lovely space.”

“It was designed by the best,” Karl says, glancing at me with a smirk.

That statement hangs in the air for a moment, and I can feel everyone's curiosity mounting. They all look back and forth between me and Karl before Anton asks, “Who designed it?"

Karl, clearly not sure what to say, shoots me a cautious glance. I clear my throat, feeling a bit sheepish. “I did,” I admit, not meeting their eyes.

The shock in the room is palpable, and I finally look up to see their expressions. Everyone, except for Chloe and Leah, wears expressions of astonishment.

I can't hide the blush that creeps up my cheeks as I add, “And, um, I also designed a lot of the interior of this house.”

The palpable silence hangs in the room for a moment, and then the questions begin to pour in. "How is that so?” Daisy asks. “Abby, did you know Karl before or something?”

I exchange another glance with Karl, then with Chloe and Leah. Chloe's got her arms folded across her chest, and is shooting me an apprehensive look. Leah looks a bit sheepish, like she’s been caught in the middle of something she never expected.

“I guess it's time to finally tell everyone the truth,” I finally say, my voice shaking slightly. “Karl and I used to be married.”

The shock in the room is palpable. A chorus of voices rises up, questions bubbling forth like a pot boiling over. But then Karl puts up his hand, causing everyone to stop.

“Let's just focus on the event for now, guys,” he says. “I don't know if this is the best place to be discussing these sorts of things.”

Karl's words are met with some scattered apologies, understanding, and a bit of gratefulness from me. I guess there's no “perfect’ time to announce something like my history with Karl, though. It was bound to come out eventually, right?

But as the meeting comes to an end and everyone begins to disperse, Karl turns to Chloe, Leah, and me. I know what's coming next, and it makes me nervous.

“Chloe, Leah,” he says, his tone serious. “Could I talk to you two for a minute?”