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

like that?* He

weren't out there

you have no idea."

"Ugh."

want to kill my father, but I

come fast

Except ...

I really mean

will be off to

I will be, too.

those places aren't anywhere

done, can you grab it from

calls from

she stopped hearing the clink of ice being put

is already getting

"Be right back,"

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

mysteriously gone, and Mom is cutting and

“Mom?"

the knife

“Mmm—hmm?"

know how to say this, but I need to say

the wrath from

Can we...

I don't know ...

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

knife down, the noise making a clank against

really think you're in

her hands on

got off thin

your

neck

push it,

don’t care where we end up,

a taste of her

armrrrived, Ryan shouts from the front door, in a

suddenly floods through

the entryway of the kitchen, where Easton is standing,

“You're late,"

brother in the arm as he joins us in

she was being

“Ryan!"

shouts, her

"He's lying!"

toward Mom and she's smiling, hugging Ryan

get upset by what Ryan

He's a son.

shenanigans don't

Ugh.

Again.

“How's it going?"

whispers as

like he's about to raid your

he

"That good, huh?"

to have to fake an illness or drop the lasagna

out of our hug,

"I'm glad you didn't.

a horrible liar and not exactly

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

start laughing at

So does Sadie.

tonight and all the anxiousness I've been feeling makes me laugh

“What's so funny?"