Chasing His Kickass Luna Back by Jane Above Story

#Chapter 21: Reprimanding the Alpha
Karl

I cross my arms and take a glance around the kitchen. The tiles sparkle like they’re brand new, and the

entire place smells like lemon cleaning solution; I’ve just finished mopping the floor, and although I

would never admit it to anyone, it’s… the first time I’ve ever used a mop.

“Maybe I’m a bit out of my depth here,” I think to myself as I look around. “But I want to do a good job.

For Abby.”

I might not know a great deal about mopping floors, but I do know a lot about running a business. I just

hope that Abby will let me help more in the future. She said she doesn’t need another leader, but that

doesn’t mean that I can’t give her ideas, right?

“Karl,” Abby shouts from across the kitchen, her voice commanding over the din of kitchen noises. “Put

the mop away. We need you over here cleaning dishes.”

She points to the growing pile of dishes on the far counter, then the dishwasher beside it. Ethan had

given me a long-winded tutorial on how the machine worked earlier, but I was really hoping to avoid

that particular job. The idea of touching soggy food and getting hot water all over myself isn’t the most

appealing of ideas, but I know that it needs to be done.

I nod and return the mop to the place I found it. The current dishwasher meets me at the back sink,

where the dirty plates are overflowing.

“Excess food goes in there,” he says, pointing to a nearby garbage bin. “You scrape that off and I’ll

rinse.” Until now, he’s been doing all three jobs himself. It’s clear he’s struggling to keep up with the

never-ending piles of dirty plates that the busboys keep bringing in.

“Geez,” I think to myself. If Abby was worried about losing business and having to close down, she

needn’t have bothered. Now that the place is up and running again, the dinner rush has been nonstop.

Without a word, the dishwasher hands me one of the plates. There’s a half-eaten steak on top, gravy

everywhere, what looks like mashed potatoes that someone swirled around with their fork before

deciding that they didn’t want them. I can’t help but scrunch up my nose at the mess; who orders a

steak and then only eats half of it? It feels like a waste.

name again?” I ask the dishwasher, wanting to

it. It’s

taking Jack’s name to memory. I’ve always been good with names, and I’ve

kitchen down. “Here, Jack,” I say, handing him

the garbage again. “What’s wrong with it?” I ask, taking

plate. I’ve already

an annoyed look. “There’s still mashed potatoes

up my dishwasher or something? Scrape

not thrilled by the dishwasher’s attitude, but I decide

the trash can. When I’m satisfied,

just makes another face, snat ches it out of my hand, and scrapes

sigh of annoyance at

there’s too much on the line for me to screw up

to that party with

be faster if you spent less time rinsing

dishes on the counter. If we don’t start moving faster, the

over us.

bristle. “You have to rinse them well,

crusted to the plates.”

I’m getting the plates ready for you a lot faster than you’re able to rinse

should rinse them.”

“That wouldn’t make sense.”

another plate and stack it next to the sink. “It makes a lot

I say we do it this way.” Jack shoots me an angry look,

filled with annoyance.

say more, but before I can, Abby’s voice cuts

and I brace myself for more

say, wiping the sweat from

with Jack,” she says.

but frown. “I was just trying to make the process more

back at the dishwasher. “It’s your job to shut up and

Just do what he tells

bet.”

grit my teeth, but nod. If that’s what she

Even if it’s stupid.

…

Abby

his work, scraping food

pulling together. He’s saying something to Jack that I can’t hear,

on Jack’s

something he has no business having an opinion on. For

the one

used to being in charge, and dominance

this up, it’s going to cause problems. The last thing I need is

little bit of humility in his life. Maybe after

top dog everywhere he goes.

that, which is part of the reason