Chasing His Kickass Luna Back

Chapter 0221

Abby

It takes a moment for me to process John’s words. I’m standing here, on the subway platform, with my

phone in my hand and my coffee in the other, feeling like my life is spiraling out of control.

The buzz of the city, the sleepy commuters shuffling past me, and the distant clatter of subway cars

fade into the background as I realize my situation is getting desperate.

“Okay, okay. Don’t panic, Abby,” I mutter to myself, opening my contacts to find Anton’s number. Anton

is a skilled chef, and he’s been working with me for a little while now. He could fill in for John in a

heartbeat, I’m sure of it.

My thumb hovers over the call button for a second, considering, but then I tap it. I’ve got no other

options right now, the clock is ticking, and Anton will be a shoe-in. The line rings, and with each passing

second, I can feel my nerves becoming even more tightly wound. Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

Finally, Anton answers. “Abby. What’s going on?”

I suck in a deep breath. “Anton, are you busy today? Specifically, in the next couple of hours?”

“Well… Not really… Why?” He sounds a little off, not quite like his normal chipper self, but I chalk it up

to the early hour, and continue.

“Look, Anton, I’m in a bind. John is really sick, like, food-poisoning sick, and he can’t be my sous chef

for the cook-off. I know it’s super last-minute, but can you please step in for him? I-I’ll give you a week’s

bonus.”

There’s a pause on the other end of the line, just long enough for my heart to drop to my stomach.

Then Anton coughs. It’s not a casual, just-woke-up kind of cough. It’s a deep, guttural, I’ve-been-sick-

all-night-puking-my-brains-out sore throat kind of cough.

“Anton, are you okay?” I ask, my eyes widening, my voice tinged with disbelief and a sudden spike of

dread.

He sighs. “I, like John, have been throwing up all night, Abby. I can barely get out of bed.”

“What? You too?” My voice rises with each word, high-pitched and incredulous. “How is this even

possible? What the hell did you guys eat?”

“If John is also sick, then it must have been something we both ate,” Anton muses. “You think it could

be from last night? At your good-luck party?”

The mention of my party sends a ripple of disbelief through me. I can’t even fathom that my innocent

party could be the cause of all of this. “But… But you and John cooked everything yourselves! In my

restaurant kitchen, which, I might add, is impeccably clean!”

“I know, I know. We cooked everything with the same professionalism as we always do,” Anton assures

me with another cough.

“So, what the hell happened? Are we talking about cross-contamination, bad produce, what?”

“Anton, this is crazy,” I find myself saying. “How can both of my go-to sous chefs be incapacitated on a

day like today, of all the days this could have happened? What should I do?” Reаd at Draмanоvels.com

“Merde. I wish I knew, Abby,” Anton says softly, his voice tinged with regret. “If I could crawl out of this

bed and help you, you know I would. I am sorry.”