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.

ask the dishwasher, wanting to fill the silence

said it. It’s

Jack’s name to memory. I’ve always been

in the kitchen down. “Here, Jack,”

the

plate.

annoyed look. “There’s still mashed potatoes on the

my dishwasher or

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

scrape over the trash can. When I’m satisfied,

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

a small sigh of annoyance at Jack’s attitude. But I’m determined

life, and there’s too much on the line

go to that party

you spent less time rinsing off each plate,” I say, noticing

the counter. If we don’t start moving faster, the dirty plates are going to start to

over us.

have to

crusted to the plates.”

plates ready for you a lot faster

should rinse them.”

“That wouldn’t make sense.”

next to the sink. “It makes a

do it

filled with annoyance.

before I can, Abby’s voice

and turns back to his work, and I brace myself

wiping the sweat from my

with Jack,” she says. “He’s busy and

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

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

haven’t. Just do what he tells you. Unless you’re

bet.”

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

Even if it’s stupid.

…

Abby

at Karl. He’s focused on his work, scraping food scraps into the garbage. I

He’s saying something to Jack that I can’t

look on

business having an opinion on.

the one in charge

used to being in charge, and dominance is

but if he keeps this up, it’s going to cause problems. The last thing I

a little bit of humility in his life. Maybe after tonight,

top dog everywhere he goes. Restaurant kitchens always teach people

of