FreeNovel
Chapter 0150
Chloe rises from her seat and comes around the desk to hug me. “And even then,” she continues, her
arms wrapping around me, “maybe you shouldn’t let him back in. This is it, Abby, This is the sign you
needed to remind yourself that he’s no good for you.”
I hug her back, finding a semblance of comfort in her words. But the fact of the matter is, it’s just not
that simple. I keep thinking back to my wolf’s sudden appearance and disappearance, and what she
had said to me. Part of me wants to mention that to Chloe. But for right now, I can’t.
Instead, I gently pull away and smile, grateful for my friend’s unwavering support. “Thanks, Chloe.
Thanks for listening to me.”
Chloe grins. “Hey, what else are friends for? And if he shows his face here again, I’ll be sure to give
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇthim a piece of my mind.”
“Get in line,” I say, half-jokingly.
“So, what’s the plan now?” she asks, her tone shifting back to seriousness.
“Right now, my main priority is the restaurant,” I say.
“Good. Focus on yourself and your career, Abby. No one else; especially not men.”
I chuckle. “You’re right. No men. For now, I just need to focus on the cook-off.”
Chloe nods, a grin spreading across her lips. “You’re gonna win, Abby.”
…
Stepping out of the office, my thoughts still whirling, I make my way back to the kitchen. I tie my apron
back on, more to ground myself than anything else. The sizzle of pans and the aroma of cooked herbs
and spices fill the air, and for a moment, I feel normal. But just for a moment.
“Ah, Abby, there you are!” John greets me with a puzzled smile. “I thought you were off for another
day? And have you heard from Karl recently? When is he coming back?”
I suck in a breath, my stomach knotting. The mention of Karl’s name feels like a shard of glass to my
already bruised heart. “Uh, yeah. About that—Karl won’t be coming back to the restaurant.”
John’s eyes widen, visibly taken aback. “Really? But we were just starting to get a good rhythm going.
He was shaping up to be a solid apprentice, you know?”
“I didn’t realize,” I murmur, surprised that Karl was beginning to make such an impression here. It just
adds another layer of complication, another ripple effect of his betrayal. John was actually starting to
like him? I never saw that coming. John rarely takes a liking to people like that, especially not Karl.
“He had a good hand for sauces, and he picked up on the plating techniques faster than I’d expected,”
John continues, a note of genuine disappointment in his voice. “It’s a shame he won’t be back. I
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmcould’ve used the extra pair of hands around here.”
“Yeah, it is a shame,” I say softly, my voice tinged with regret, not for the lost apprentice, but for the loss
of something even more, if things had been different. “Look, I’ll find you another cook to help out,
okay?”
John nods, looking a bit forlorn. “Alright, if you say so. Just hope the new one can keep up.”
“In the meantime…” I square my shoulders, feeling a rush of determination. “I’ll be working the line with
you.”
John’s eyes light up, a grin spreading across his face. “Well, well,” he says. “Looks like Boss Lady
Abby is back in business, huh? It’s like the old days.”
I can’t help but smile back. It’s been a while since I’ve consistently worked in the kitchen with John. And
as I slip behind the line and get to work, I make a decision.
Maybe my sous chef for the competition has been right here all along.
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