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?"

bowl

like that?*

out

you have no idea."

"Ugh."

kill my father, but I

can't come

Except ...

I really

will be

I will be, too.

places aren't

the lasagna is done, can you grab

mother calls

clink of ice being put in the glasses and

already

"Be right back,"

I hurry into the kitchen, grabbing the mitts before

and Mom is cutting and plating

“Mom?"

glances up, the knife

“Mmm—hmm?"

this, but I need

gotten the wrath

Can we...

I don't know ...

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

noise

you're in a position to

hands on her

just got off thin

your

your neck every time you leave this

it,

we end

her a taste of her own verbal

Ryan shouts from the front door, in

suddenly floods

standing,

“You're late,"

punching my brother in the arm as

Sadie, she

“Ryan!"

shouts, her

"He's lying!"

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

doesn't get upset by what

He's a son.

shenanigans don't apply

Ugh.

Again.

“How's it going?"

as she

to

surprised he hasn't

"That good, huh?"

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

of

"I'm glad you didn't.

a horrible liar and not exactly a professional

up grounding you for life and the next time you'd see Easton, you'd be his neighbor in some old—

laughing

So does Sadie.

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

“What's so funny?"

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