You’re Mine by Penny Brooks novel Chapter 91

Easton

The dinner with my parents started out like a total shit show, but at least ended on a positive note.

Once we moved past the local news reporting on me and Leigh—like what the actual fuck—-Mom called us into the dining room where she had a huge spread of food laid out in dishes like she made it.

I know for a fact she’s too damn busy to cook and ordered everything from her favorite Italian restaurant, but I never said a word.

Neither did Mom.

In fact, she basked in Harper's lavish praise about the delicious meal and pretended to be modest.

Like her "making"

dinner was no big deal.

Whatever.

If Mom wants Harper to think she’s an expert on Italian cuisine, I don't care.

We hung out for a while after dinner at the table, making small talk, my parents asking Harper an endless string of questions.

She answered every one of them like a champ, never letting her poise slip in front of them.

Damn, she made me proud.

I walked her out to Ryan's car and I climb inside with her, kissing her for a solid thirty minutes before she finally, reluctantly left.

I went to bed with a smile on my face.

Still was wearing that smile when I walked into school this morning.

And then during first period, I got called into the principal's office.

The moment I walked inside, the serious expressions on everyone's face—and there are at least five people crammed into the office, two of them I don't recognize—sends a spiral of dread through me.

"Easton.

Sit down."

Principal Jenkins indicates the empty chair in front of his desk.

I settle in, glancing around.

"What's this about?"

"These detectives here would like to speak to you."

Jenkins waves his hand toward the man and woman I don't recognize.

"About the—incident between you and Mrs.

Scott."

I keep my face completely neutral.

"What incident?"

"The allegations that have been made in regards to you being...

involved with Mrs.

Scott."

Principal Jenkins actually squirms in his seat.

"I know this won't be easy to talk about, and of course we'll leave you alone with the detectives so you can speak freely "There's nothing to talk about."

Panic races through me, my heartbeat thundering in my ears.

I send a quick glance in the detectives' direction and I can tell they're not liking what I'm saying.

Well tough shit.

No way do I want to talk to them and turn this into a big deal by getting the police involved.

I'm going to deny anything even happened.

Jenkins frowns.

"What do you mean, young man?"

"I mean what I say.

Nothing happened between Mrs.

Scott and I.” I sit up straighter, rendering my expression into stone.

“Yeah, she helped me out by having me work on a couple of rough drafts for my college essay.

Had me over at her house one night so we could look at college websites together, but that's it.” Jenkins openly sneers, like he just sniffed someone's stinky ass.

"You were at Mrs.

Scott's house?"

“Yeah.

Her husband was there too.” He was that one night, upstairs asleep in their bed while I banged Leigh on the kitchen counter.

"It was all on the up and up.

I know it's not standard for a student to be at a counselor's house in the evening, but that’s about as inappropriate as it gets between Mrs.

Scott and I."

"Really."

The female detective's flat tone tells me she thinks I'm full of shit.

She's the only smart one in this roam.

"Yeah."

I meet her gaze, never backing down.

"Really."

"Well."

Principal Jenkins clears his throat, resting his clutched hands on top of his desk.

"I see.

That changes everything."

“Nothing happened,” I stress, glancing around the room so I can look everyone in the eye.

They can't bulldoze me into confessing Iwas inappropriately touched or whatever the fuck they're saying.

I wanted it.

I made it happen between Leigh and I.

Yeah, I also was a minor at the time, but I don't need any more trouble in my life.

I'm over it.

Done.

"Are you sure, son?"

Jenkins asks, his voice lowering.

Like he's the overly concerned, father—figure of the school.

"I'm positive,"

I say, matching his tone of voice.

Trying to sound like the prodigal son.

Jenkins leans back in his chair, his smile of satisfaction indicating me pleading my case actually worked.

"I think we've solved your case,” Jenkins crows to the detectives, who look like they want to murder me where I sit.

Specifically, the female detective.

The glare on her face is unmistakable.

"Easton, you can go ahead and leave, son.

Make sure and grab an excuse slip from my secretary on your way out."

hightail it out of there as quickly as I can, stopping at the secretary's desk and putting on the charm while I wait for her to fill out the slip so I can get back into class.

Once she hands it over, I leave the office, dashing into the bathroom to take a quick piss before I head back to sit through the rest of first period.

Though it’s almost finished.

I could just wait around for a few minutes in the hall and the bell will eventually ring.

"You're a liar."

I stop in my tracks, glancing over my shoulder to see the female detective standing in front of me, her hands on her hips.

I turn to fully face her.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

She takes a couple of steps closer, her expression one of pure determination.

"You're lying.

You had a relationship with Leigh Scott.

You're protecting her.

Why, I don't know.

She's a predator, Easton.

She used you."

This bitch has no idea what she's talking about.

“You've got it all wrong-"

She holds up her hand, silencing me.

"Keep your lame ass story to yourself.

It's not working for me.

You're lucky there's no evidence, or your one true love would be locked up in jail and have to register as a child sex offender for the rest of her life."

My jaw drops, shocked at the way the detective is speaking to me.

"You don't know what the hell you're talking about."

“Oh, but I do.

And I can guarantee I'll see you soon, Easton.” She turns on her heels and walks away, my gaze staying on her until she disappears around the corner.

Fuck.

More trouble that I don't need.Why can't I ever catch a break?