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?"

the bowl

that?* He

weren't out

you have no idea."

"Ugh."

to kill my father,

come

Except ...

I really

be off to

I will be, too.

if those places aren't anywhere

done, can you grab it from the

mother calls from the

ice being put in

already getting

"Be right back,"

Easton and I hurry into the kitchen, grabbing the

is cutting and plating the

“Mom?"

glances up, the knife still in her

“Mmm—hmm?"

know how to say this, but I need to

has gotten the wrath

Can we...

I don't know ...

nod toward the living room where the Christmas tree sits

sets the knife down, the noise making a

think you're in a

her hands

off thin ice,

have your

your neck every

push it, you hear

where we end up, graduation needs to

giving her a taste of her own

shouts from the front door, in

suddenly floods through

toward the entryway of the kitchen, where Easton is standing, he mouths, “Thank fucking

“You're late,"

say, punching my brother in the arm as

Sadie, she

“Ryan!"

her face

"He's lying!"

toward Mom and she's smiling, hugging Ryan hello, not an ounce of anger

get upset by what Ryan

He's a son.

don't apply

Ugh.

Again.

“How's it going?"

as

to

he hasn't

"That good, huh?"

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

out of our

"I'm glad you didn't.

and not exactly a professional

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

laughing at

So does Sadie.

build—up of tonight and all the anxiousness I've been feeling

“What's so funny?"