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 the

that?*

out

you have no idea."

"Ugh."

kill my father, but I

can't come

Except ...

really

be off

I will be, too.

those places aren't

done, can

calls from the

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

already

"Be right back,"

Easton and I hurry into the kitchen, grabbing the mitts before I reach into

mysteriously gone, and Mom is

“Mom?"

the knife still in her

“Mmm—hmm?"

don't know how to say this, but I

has gotten the

Can we...

I don't know ...

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

knife down, the noise making a clank

you really think you're in a position

puts her hands

off

your phone

neck every time

it,

that back, I don’t care where we end up, graduation

answer, giving her a taste of her own

from the front door,

suddenly floods through

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

“You're late,"

in the arm as he joins us in the

she was being

“Ryan!"

shouts, her

"He's lying!"

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

course, she doesn't get upset by what

He's a son.

tree shenanigans don't

Ugh.

Again.

“How's it going?"

as she hugs

looks like he's about to raid

surprised he hasn't

"That good, huh?"

didn't show up soon, I was going to have to fake an illness or drop the lasagna or set the kitchen

out of

"I'm glad you didn't.

liar and not exactly

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

laughing at

So does Sadie.

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

“What's so funny?"