Chasing His Kickass Luna Back novel Chapter 233

Abby

“And the contestants moving on to the final round are... Abby, Bryan, and Daniel.”

The announcer’s voice sparks an explosion of cheers.

“Abby, you’ve done it!” Karl’s voice carries over to me through the noise, and I turn to face him, my smile so wide it almost hurts.

“I know,” I breathe out, the words barely a whisper. I’ve made it to the next round. I can’t believe it, especially after Logan’s negative comments about my food.

The assistant holds up a sign indicating a fifteen-minute break, which is sorely needed after spending the past hour under the hot stage lights. Karl nudges me forward, steering us through the maze of equipment and fellow competitors, past the spot where Frederick’s station now lies abandoned.

“Don’t let Logan get into your head. You’re in the top three for a reason,” Karl murmurs into my ear as we push through the double doors into the breakroom, a cool breeze from the AC blowing into our sweaty faces.

Karl walks over to the water cooler, grabbing a cup. He fills it and hands it to me, his gaze holding mine.

“Thanks,” I say, chugging the cool liquid in three swift gulps.

“Abby, you’ve done great so far,” he says, taking the cup from me and filling it again. “Despite Logan’s comments. I could tell Vanessa really loved your dish, too.”

“I know,” I say with a nod, taking the cup from him again. Our fingers brush, and there’s a slight static shock that fills me with a combination of confidence and bashfulness. “She really did love it. Logan, on the other hand…”

Karl shrugs. “He’s just one judge,” he says gently. “Just keep trying your best. Remember, there may be fewer contestants with each round, but there will always be three judges. His opinion only holds one third of the weight.”

I take another sip, my mind whirring with possibilities. “Yeah, but one third is still a lot,” I murmur.

Karl pushes off the counter, his own plastic cup crunching in his hand. “Sure. But you’ve handled a lot more than that.”

A glance at the clock tells me there’s still time before we have to head back to stage. I need a moment to myself, a moment to breathe. Excusing myself to the restroom, I step inside and let out a soft sigh of relief.

The cool sensation of the marble counter under my fingertips is grounding as I stand in front of the mirror and breathe deeply. My face feels hot, partially from the stage lights and partially from the physical and metaphorical heat of the kitchen, but I feel invigorated.

Although, if it weren’t for this awful mask of makeup on my face, I’d like to splash some cold water on myself. But I can’t. Makeup artist’s orders.

I take one more glance in the mirror, my determination resurfacing. Karl is right; Logan’s comments couldn’t possibly be the deciding factor of the entire competition. If anything, it should serve as motivation to make an even better dish in the next round.

As I step out of the bathroom a few moments later, Karl is waiting for me, still leaning against “Almost time to head back,” he says, glancing at his watch.

“Almost time to win the next round,” I correct him.

“Win?” an all-too familiar voice calls out.

Just then, the door swings open and Daniel steps into the room. There’s a sneer on his face.

Karl’s hand grips my shoulder. “Ignore him, Abby. He’s just trying to get in your head.”

Suddenly, the PA system crackles to life.

“Contestants, this is your two-minute warning,” the assistant’s voice says. “Please finish up and return to the stage.”

I let out a small, inaudible sigh of relief. Daniel’s moment has been cut short, and he knows it. With one last sneering glance, he strides out, allowing the palpable tension in the room to dissipate like a cold breeze just passed through.

“Don’t worry about him, Abby,” Karl says gently, turning me to face him. His brown eyes are full of worry. “He’s just trying to throw you off your game.”

“I know,” I said, pulling my shoulders back in indignation, my nostrils flaring ever so slightly. “Let’s go show him how a ‘girly girl’ gets shit done.”

Karl nods, his eyes crinkling in that signature grin of his. “Good. I knew you wouldn’t let some little rat like Daniel get under your skin.”

I throw Karl an affirmative nod and we begin heading back to the stage. But despite my mask of defiance, I can’t quite deny the feelings of inadequacy bubbling beneath the surface. Logically, I know that Daniel is wrong; I earned my degree just like everyone else. I put in the work, the long hours, the sweat and tears. I dragged myself through the mud to graduate at the top of my class.

And yet, there’s something about today—Daniel’s words, Logan’s negative comments about my food—that makes me wonder…

Is it really possible for a woman to succeed in this profession, or is Vanessa’s success story a star far out of reach, a dream beyond dreams that someone like me could never truly accomplish?