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

that?*

weren't out there

you have no idea."

"Ugh."

my

come

Except ...

I really mean

be off to

I will be, too.

places aren't anywhere near each

lasagna is done, can you

mother calls from

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

is already getting

"Be right back,"

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

is cutting and plating the

“Mom?"

knife

“Mmm—hmm?"

how to say this, but I need to

the wrath from

Can we...

I don't know ...

nod toward the living room where the

knife down, the noise making a clank against the

think you're in a position

her hands on her

off thin

your

neck every time you

it, you hear

back, I don’t care where we end up, graduation needs to happen

her a taste of her own verbal

from the front

floods

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

“You're late,"

arm

Sadie, she

“Ryan!"

shouts, her

"He's lying!"

Ryan hello, not an ounce

doesn't get upset by what

He's a son.

shenanigans don't

Ugh.

Again.

“How's it going?"

whispers as she hugs

he's about to raid your

he

"That good, huh?"

to have to fake an illness or drop the lasagna or set the kitchen sink on

out of our

"I'm glad you didn't.

a horrible liar and not

you for life and the next time you'd see

start laughing at

So does Sadie.

the anxiousness

“What's so funny?"

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