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 on the

like that?*

out there

you have no idea."

"Ugh."

my father,

can't come

Except ...

I really mean

be off to

I will be, too.

places aren't anywhere

is done, can you grab it from

mother calls from

the clink of ice being put in

is already

"Be right back,"

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

Mom is cutting and plating

“Mom?"

glances up, the knife still

“Mmm—hmm?"

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

the wrath

Can we...

I don't know ...

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

the knife down, the noise making a clank against the

really think you're in

hands

just got off

your phone

down your neck every time you

it, you hear

take that back, I don’t care where we end

a taste of her own verbal

armrrrived, Ryan shouts from the front door, in a

floods

kitchen, where Easton is standing, he mouths, “Thank fucking

“You're late,"

in the arm as he

Sadie, she was

“Ryan!"

her face turning

"He's lying!"

look toward Mom and she's smiling, hugging Ryan

get upset by

He's a son.

shenanigans don't

Ugh.

Again.

“How's it going?"

as

looks like he's about to raid

he

"That good, huh?"

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

pulls out of

"I'm glad you didn't.

liar and not exactly

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

laughing at

So does Sadie.

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

“What's so funny?"