Mending Heart |18+|

Chapter 31

Survivor

"Everything has changed and yet, I am more me than I've ever been." – Iain Thomas

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"Don't even think about ordering any of that raw shit." I scrunched up my nose in disgust, looking up at Ethan.

"That raw shit has a name you know." He laughed, bending down and planting a lingering kiss on my cheek. "It's called sashimi."

"I'm all for trying new things, and I love sushi as much as the next person, but there is no way in hell I'm eating raw fish." I retort quickly, shaking my head. "It's just not happening."

Ethan and I were waiting for a table to open up at a local sushi place not too far from my apartment. It seemed all we ever did was go out to eat, but there was only so much you could do when it was below freezing outside, and he was at work until 7 PM.

"You're just picky, McKenzie," Ethan muttered over my shoulder.

"Not picky enough," I grumbled, leaning into him and allowing him to wrap his arms around me. "I settled for you, didn't I?"

"What was that?" Even though I was no longer facing him, I could hear the smirk in his voice.

"Nothing!" I giggled as I felt his hot breath on the crook of my neck.

"McKenzie?" Both Ethan and I whipped our heads to the sound of the voice.

I knew we should have just gotten take out, I thought as my eyes landed on a familiar pair of blue eyes. "Justin." I shifted my weight from one foot to the other. Behind me, I felt Ethan stiffen and his hold on me tighten.

Justin blinked a couple of times, his eyes moving between Ethan and me until they finally settled on me. "How are you?" He asked, stepping closer. He was holding a carryout bag in one hand, and his car keys in the other.

"Good," I replied, my gaze fixated on the hostess behind him. He's not an idiot. He's pretty smart actually, but taking a hint was never one of Justin's strong suits.

There were over two and a half million people living in Chicago at this very moment. Two and a half million. What were the chances of me running into the one person I did not want to see. Higher than you would expect, apparently.

Ethan must have picked up on my discomfort because he extended his hand towards Justin. "I'm Ethan." His tone was clipped, authoritative, and extremely sexy.

Focus McKenzie!

Justin continued to eye Ethan strangely, before finally shaking his hand. "Kenz, I was wondering if I could talk to you for a sec." He brought his attention to me once again. "You kind of stormed out the last time I saw you..."

Yes, I wonder why.

"There's nothing to talk about, Justin." I sighed, finally meeting his gaze.

"I know that the situation with Erika took you by sur –"

"No –" I held my hand up, stopping him before he could say anything else. "Whatever happened, happened. It's in the past. There's no sense in dragging anything out when both of us have moved on. Hell, there's no need for you to talk to me when you see me next time. I am perfectly content pretending like we're two strangers."

"Kenz, that's not what I want." Justin pleaded, and he looked like he was about to take another step towards me but at the last minute changed his mind.