You’re Mine by Penny Brooks

Chapter 134

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?"

the bowl

that?*

out

you have no idea."

"Ugh."

want to kill my

come fast

Except ...

I really

be off to

I will be, too.

aren't anywhere near each

done, can

calls from

put

already getting

"Be right back,"

and I hurry into the kitchen, grabbing the

Mom is cutting and plating the

“Mom?"

knife

“Mmm—hmm?"

to say this,

the

Can we...

I don't know ...

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

the noise making

you really think you're

hands on

got off thin

your phone

neck every time

it,

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

I answer, giving her a taste of her own verbal

Ryan shouts from the front door, in a sing—song

floods

Easton is standing, he mouths,

“You're late,"

my brother in the arm

she was

“Ryan!"

shouts, her

"He's lying!"

smiling, hugging Ryan hello, not an ounce of anger on

she doesn't get upset by

He's a son.

shenanigans don't apply

Ugh.

Again.

“How's it going?"

whispers as she hugs

about to raid your

surprised he hasn't

"That good, huh?"

fake an illness

of our hug,

"I'm glad you didn't.

a horrible liar and

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

start laughing at

So does Sadie.

the anxiousness I've been feeling makes me laugh

“What's so funny?"

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