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

that?* He

out

you have no idea."

"Ugh."

to kill my father, but

come fast

Except ...

really mean

be

I will be, too.

those places aren't anywhere near

can you grab it from the

mother calls

stopped hearing the clink of ice being put in the glasses and no longer wants us alone

is already getting

"Be right back,"

kitchen, grabbing

and Mom is cutting and

“Mom?"

up, the knife still

“Mmm—hmm?"

this,

has gotten the wrath from

Can we...

I don't know ...

toward the living room where the Christmas tree sits —"that

sets the knife down, the noise making a clank against the

think you're in a position

puts her hands on her

off thin ice,

have your

down your neck

push it,

back, I don’t care where we end up, graduation

a

armrrrived, Ryan shouts from the front door, in a

suddenly floods

look toward the entryway of the kitchen, where Easton is standing, he mouths, “Thank fucking God,’ telling me he

“You're late,"

arm as

she was

“Ryan!"

her

"He's lying!"

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

she doesn't get upset by what

He's a son.

tree shenanigans don't

Ugh.

Again.

“How's it going?"

whispers as

he's about to raid your parents’ liquor

surprised he hasn't

"That good, huh?"

to fake an illness or drop the lasagna or set the

pulls out of our hug,

"I'm glad you didn't.

a horrible liar and

for life and the next time you'd see

laughing at

So does Sadie.

of tonight and all the anxiousness I've been feeling makes me laugh

“What's so funny?"