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?"

place the bowl

like that?* He

weren't out there

you have no idea."

"Ugh."

kill my father,

can't come fast

Except ...

I really

be off to

I will be, too.

if those places aren't anywhere

the lasagna is done, can you grab it from

mother calls from

hearing the clink of ice being put

is already

"Be right back,"

kitchen, grabbing the mitts before I

Mom is cutting and plating

“Mom?"

up, the knife still

“Mmm—hmm?"

how to say this, but I

the

Can we...

I don't know ...

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

knife down, the noise making a clank against

think you're in

puts her hands on her

just got off thin

your

breathing down your neck every time you leave

it, you

back, I don’t care where we end

answer, giving her a taste of her own verbal

shouts from the front

floods through

of the kitchen, where Easton is standing, he mouths,

“You're late,"

brother in the arm as

she was

“Ryan!"

shouts, her face turning

"He's lying!"

Mom and she's smiling, hugging Ryan hello,

doesn't get upset by what Ryan

He's a son.

don't apply to

Ugh.

Again.

“How's it going?"

whispers as she hugs

looks like he's about to raid your parents’ liquor

he hasn't

"That good, huh?"

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

pulls out of our

"I'm glad you didn't.

a horrible liar and not exactly

the next time you'd see Easton, you'd be his neighbor in some old— ass

laughing at the

So does Sadie.

all the anxiousness I've been feeling

“What's so funny?"