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?"

bowl on

like that?*

out there

you have no idea."

"Ugh."

want to kill my father,

can't come

Except ...

really mean

will be off

I will be, too.

if those places aren't anywhere

lasagna is done, can you grab it from the

calls

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

is already

"Be right back,"

into the kitchen, grabbing

is

“Mom?"

knife still

“Mmm—hmm?"

don't know how to say this, but I need

has gotten the wrath from

Can we...

I don't know ...

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

sets the knife down, the noise making a

think you're

her hands on her

just got off thin ice,

your

neck every time you leave

push it, you

we end up, graduation needs to happen

her a taste of her own

the front

floods through

kitchen, where Easton is standing, he mouths,

“You're late,"

in the arm as he joins us

she was

“Ryan!"

her face turning

"He's lying!"

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

doesn't get upset by

He's a son.

don't

Ugh.

Again.

“How's it going?"

whispers as she

he's about to raid your parents’ liquor

surprised he hasn't

"That good, huh?"

was going to have to fake an illness or drop the lasagna or set the kitchen sink on fire—

of

"I'm glad you didn't.

horrible liar and not

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

start laughing at the

So does Sadie.

all the anxiousness I've been

“What's so funny?"