Page 30 of Not Another Rockstar
“Give it some time,” Phoebe said, unable to fathom how she was defending the woman who had altered the course of their lives.
“How can you be so forgiving?” Maureen snapped, looking for someone, anyone to take her anger out on.
“I’m hurt, angry, disgusted, but I can’t yell at him, or throw things, or find out why he did what he did. He’s gone, and we’re here to make the best of this shitty situation.”
“I’m so sorry.” Maureen’s tone softened and tears glazed her eyes. “You’ve been like a daughter to me, and to see you treated so breaks my heart. I’d give him a good going over with a wooden spoon if I could.”
When their eyes met, they both laughed, only for gentle tears to follow. Maureen had been threatening them with the wooden spoon for most of their lives, but she had far too gentle a constitution to ever act on it.
“Just talk to her, if and when you want to,” Phoebe said, taking Maureen’s hand. From the corner of her eye, she saw Mr Murray hand Helen an envelope.
“I don’t think I can bear it today.”
“No one expects you to. Mr Murray will have her information when you’re ready,” Phoebe assured her, and Maureen nodded slowly.
“You’re more forgiving than I. When Cillian’s father left me and started a new family, I couldn’t get out of bed for a month. I swear I could’ve set him on fire.”
“Cillian is the one who broke my heart. She’s only guilty of falling in love with him.”
Phoebe knew how charming Cillian could be. They’d spent so little time together since the tour began, and he hadn’t texted or called as much as he used to. Days would go by before they checked in with each other. She’d thought his tour anxiety had lessened, but he had found someone else to comfort him.
“You think she loved him?” Maureen asked, interrupting her thoughts.
“She came to his funeral and faced all of us, alone.”
Phoebe’s words took a moment to settle in.
“Maybe I should say hi,” Maureen said eventually, smoothing her hands over her black skirt.
Phoebe nodded, and Maureen kissed her cheek before leaving the table.
Phoebe took a moment to catch her breath. She didn’t care what Cillian had left Helen. If anything it was the only considerate thing he’d done.
“Are you expecting a sainthood in your next life?” Axel said from behind her chair.
Phoebe jumped as his words brushed her ear. “Were you eavesdropping?”
The will revelations had distracted her from thinking about their kiss. He took a seat beside her and scooted closer; she had the overwhelming desire to do it again.
“I didn’t mean to. I was hiding behind the door that connects this room to the sitting room,” he said gruffly, as though that were a rational thing to do.
“Why were you hiding?” she asked, trying not to stare at his lips.
He twisted a snake-shaped ring on his finger. “One of the cousins is a big fan, and she keeps following me around asking for my number. This place is too small to hide.”
“Poor rockstar can’t handle all his adoring fans,” she teased.
Axel’s expression hardened as she tried to deflect. “Don’t change the subject. Why’d you help Helen?”
“I didn’t.”
Axel distracted her by resting his hand too close to hers. His pinkie finger brushed hers, and suddenly she felt like she was the cheater. She placed her hand on her lap, and he smirked, knowing exactly what he was doing. He wasn’t going to let her escape without an answer.
“I helped Cillian’s mum.” Phoebe rose from her chair and pushed it under the table. “I don’t want her to miss out on knowing her grandkid because of her loyalty to me. I didn’t do it for Cillian. I did it because she deserves something good after all this.”
“You really are too good for him.” Axel sighed and walked her to the front door.
“I did feel guilty about her nose,” Phoebe admitted, trying to make light of it.
