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?*

weren't out

you have no idea."

"Ugh."

kill my father, but I

can't come fast

Except ...

I really

will be

I will be, too.

if those places aren't anywhere near each

done, can you grab it from the

mother calls from

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

is already getting

"Be right back,"

and I hurry into the kitchen, grabbing the mitts before

gone, and Mom is cutting and

“Mom?"

up, the knife still in her

“Mmm—hmm?"

this, but I

gotten the

Can we...

I don't know ...

move on and never mention"—I nod toward the living room where the Christmas tree sits —"that

the knife down, the noise making a clank against the

think you're

her hands on her

just got off

have your phone

your neck every time you

push it,

care where we end up, graduation needs to happen

answer, giving her a taste of her own

Ryan shouts from the front door, in a

suddenly floods through

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

“You're late,"

brother in the arm

Sadie, she was being

“Ryan!"

shouts, her face turning

"He's lying!"

and she's smiling, hugging Ryan hello, not an ounce

get upset

He's a son.

tree shenanigans don't apply

Ugh.

Again.

“How's it going?"

whispers as she hugs

like he's about to raid

he hasn't

"That good, huh?"

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

out of our

"I'm glad you didn't.

a horrible liar and not exactly a professional

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

laughing

So does Sadie.

all the anxiousness

“What's so funny?"