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

that?*

out there

you have no idea."

"Ugh."

want to kill my father,

can't come

Except ...

really

will be off to

I will be, too.

if those places aren't anywhere near each

lasagna is done, can you

calls from

ice being put in the glasses and no longer wants us alone

already getting

"Be right back,"

kitchen, grabbing the mitts before

mysteriously gone, and Mom is cutting and

“Mom?"

glances up, the knife still in

“Mmm—hmm?"

don't know how to say this,

the wrath

Can we...

I don't know ...

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

noise making a clank

you're

hands

got off thin

have your phone

breathing down your neck every time you

it, you

take that back, I don’t care where we end up,

giving her a taste

Ryan shouts from the front door, in

floods

Easton is standing, he mouths, “Thank fucking God,’ telling

“You're late,"

in the arm as he joins us

Sadie, she

“Ryan!"

her

"He's lying!"

and she's smiling, hugging Ryan hello, not an ounce of anger on her

doesn't get upset

He's a son.

don't apply to

Ugh.

Again.

“How's it going?"

whispers as

about to raid

he hasn't

"That good, huh?"

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

pulls out of

"I'm glad you didn't.

horrible liar and not exactly

the next time you'd see Easton, you'd be his neighbor in some old—

laughing at

So does Sadie.

of tonight and all the anxiousness I've been feeling

“What's so funny?"