You’re Mine by Penny Brooks

Chapter 134

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 there

you have no idea."

"Ugh."

to kill my father, but I

can't come fast

Except ...

really

will be off

I will be, too.

aren't anywhere

lasagna is done, can you

mother calls from

she stopped hearing the clink of ice being put

already

"Be right back,"

the kitchen, grabbing the

and Mom is cutting and

“Mom?"

knife still

“Mmm—hmm?"

this,

has gotten the

Can we...

I don't know ...

never mention"—I nod toward the

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

really think you're in a position to

her hands on

got off thin ice,

have your

down your neck every

it, you

don’t care where we end

giving her a

shouts from the front door, in

suddenly floods

the entryway of the kitchen, where Easton is standing,

“You're late,"

say, punching my brother in the arm as he joins us in

Sadie, she was

“Ryan!"

her

"He's lying!"

smiling, hugging Ryan hello, not an ounce of anger on

doesn't get upset by

He's a son.

tree shenanigans don't apply to

Ugh.

Again.

“How's it going?"

whispers as she

to raid your parents’ liquor

he hasn't

"That good, huh?"

I was going to have to fake an illness

pulls out of our

"I'm glad you didn't.

and not exactly a professional

time you'd see Easton, you'd be his neighbor

start laughing at

So does Sadie.

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

“What's so funny?"

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