You’re Mine by Penny Brooks

Chapter 134
Harper
Easton and Dad return from the patio and Easton looks like he's seen a ghost.

Or an entire colony or paranormal creatures.

He's pale and sweaty and I feel terrible for him.

I can't believe Dad hauled him outside.

Well, I can, but I can't imagine what he said to him.

Part of me wants to ask Easton when we get a minute alone, and part of me would rather never know to save myself the embarrassment.

“Are you all right?"

I whisper the moment he's at my side.

"No."

He wipes his forehead.

"I'll never recover from that conversation.

Ever."

I glance at my dad who's now standing next to my mom as she adds dressing to the salad.

The two of them smiling at each other, like they just checked the final item off their list.

"Was it that bad?"

“Let's put it this way ..."

He glances toward the oven.

“If there are buns in there, baking, don't serve me one."

He adjusts his shirt and I see the sweat marks under his arms.

"In fact, I don't know if I'll ever eat another bun again."

Oh God.

It was THAT bad.

"I'm going to go add ice to the water glasses,"

I declare, and quickly fill a large bowl with cubes and carry it into the dining room, Easton on my heels.

When I get us out of ear range, I say softly, "What did he say to you?"

He holds onto the back of a chair.

"Oh, he covered it all—birth control, pregnancy, not being allowed in your room or touching you under his roof, you going to college, dropping out of college because of me."

He pauses.

"I think I've covered most of it."

"I think I'm going to be sick."

He shakes his head.

"That makes two of us."

I drop the ice into the glasses and move over to him.

He immediately takes a step back.

And then another.

“Easton?"

"I don't want him to think anything is happening in here."

"Seriously?"

place the bowl on the

like that?*

weren't out

you have no idea."

"Ugh."

want to kill my father, but

can't come fast

Except ...

really mean

will be off to

I will be, too.

those places aren't anywhere

lasagna is done, can you grab it

mother calls from the

put in the glasses and no longer wants us

already

"Be right back,"

into the kitchen, grabbing the mitts before I reach into

gone, and Mom is cutting and plating the garlic

“Mom?"

glances up, the knife still in

“Mmm—hmm?"

say this, but

the wrath

Can we...

I don't know ...

to move on and never mention"—I nod toward the living room where the

knife down, the noise making a

you really think you're in

puts her hands on

off thin ice,

have your

not breathing down your neck every time you leave

it, you

don’t care where we end up, graduation needs

giving her a taste of her own

from the front door, in a sing—song

floods through

of the kitchen, where Easton is standing,

“You're late,"

arm as he joins us

Sadie, she was

“Ryan!"

shouts, her

"He's lying!"

Mom and she's smiling, hugging Ryan hello,

course, she doesn't get upset by

He's a son.

tree shenanigans don't

Ugh.

Again.

“How's it going?"

as

like he's about to raid your parents’ liquor

surprised he

"That good, huh?"

show up soon, I was going to have to fake an illness or drop the lasagna

out of our hug,

"I'm glad you didn't.

and

would end up grounding you for life and the next time you'd see Easton, you'd be his neighbor in some

laughing at the

So does Sadie.

and all the anxiousness

“What's so funny?"