Page 25 of Tempting the Goalie (Riverside U #5)

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

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“What the hell is going on?” Phoenix asks as I walk out of Luc’s house.

“Charles came home drunk and was ranting about a bunch of cryptic things,” I say.

Phoenix blows out a breath. “Get on the ATV, Bean, we can talk more at home,” he urges and he passes me a helmet.

I put it on and get on the back of the ATV.

The ride home is only a short distance but this time of night there can be all kinds of animals lurking, which is why Luc insisted I didn’t walk home on my own.

Phoenix parks the ATV outside the main house and we head inside. Everyone is asleep.

“Mind telling me what you know?” I say to my brother quietly.

He waves for me to follow him into the kitchen. “Charles has been getting drunk and making a fool of himself at The Frosted Mug,” Phoenix says warily.

“Can you elaborate?” I ask.

Again, my brother inhales deeply and I get the sense there’s a lot he’s been keeping from me.

“He’s been ranting a bunch of shit about Maggie Chabot’s death being Mom’s fault,” Phoenix shares.

“What?” I ask flabbergasted. “He’s lost his mind. They were best friends.”

The way Phoenix has his lips pursed together makes me feel like he knows something I don’t.

“Look, maybe you should talk to Daddy about this,” Phoenix suggests, just as my dad walks into the kitchen scratching his belly. He’s wearing a pair of pajama pants and a white T-shirt.

“Maybe you should talk to Daddy about what?” Daddy asks.

“Charles Chabot. I’ve never seen him so unhinged before. He went off on a rant about how I look like Mom.”

Dad sighs and I can see the sadness in his eyes. Mom left and didn’t look back. I’m sure he could’ve tracked her down, but he always said there was no point finding someone who didn’t want to be found. “You do look like the spitting image of her, Bean.”

“Why is that a trigger for Charles all of a sudden?” I ask. “I saw the man last summer and even though he wasn’t the friendliest, he sure as hell wasn’t lashing out the way he did tonight.”

“Did he hurt you?” Daddy suddenly asks on edge.

“I’m fine.” I rub my hands up and down my arms. “I can handle a verbal lashing and Luc was there. It’s just that Charles was always a chill kind of drunk.”

Phoenix and my dad exchange a look. They have me sit at the breakfast bar and each of them takes a seat on either side of me.

“You guys are terrible at making a girl feel calm.” I chuckle nervously.

“Which is why we are both single,” Phoenix chants.

“I need you to be straight with me here. I’m not a kid anymore,” I say to them.

“No, you’re not, Bean,” Daddy says. I see how his dark eyes are torn and it heightens my nerves.

“Last summer, after you left back to school, Charles decided he was cleaning out his house. He found some letters written between your mom and Maggie,” he explains.

I knew Mom was best friends with Luc’s mom.

Mom had met Daddy through Maggie, and they loved that they could live next door to each other.

“Your mom was aware Maggie was having an affair.”

“Affair? As in she cheated on Charles?” I ask.

“That’s what it means, Bean,” Phoenix says dryly.

“We don’t need your sarcasm now,” Daddy warns my eldest brother.

“Sorry,” Phoenix coughs.

“You know there was a passenger in Maggie’s car the night it crashed,” Daddy says.

“Yes, a coworker,” I state.

“You and Luc were so young when Maggie died. We did the best we could to keep the newspapers and media out of your reach. It wasn’t that hard because you both loved the outdoors. We just encouraged you to spend time outside and away from all the talk in town.

“Kyle Jensen was Maggie’s coworker. Luc and I know that. You thought you were protecting us, but we were curious. We know he was the one in the car with Maggie. That’s how Elyna befriended Riley.”

“Damn, Dad, I told you not to treat her with kid gloves,” Phoenix suddenly says in an outburst.

“I was trying to do the best I could for all of us. Your mom took off on us after Maggie’s funeral.

I thought she’d be back in a few days, but we all know how that turned out,” Dad reminds gruffly.

It’s still hard for him to talk about her after all these years.

I know Mom broke after Maggie’s death, but I would’ve thought she would hold it together for the sake of her five kids.

“What did Charles find that tipped him over the edge?” I ask Daddy.

“Letters your mom wrote to Maggie about, uh, carrying on the affair with Kyle Jensen. Up until that point we all thought they were coworkers. Nobody thought they were having an affair. When Elyna showed up with Kyle Jansen’s grandkid, it pushed Charles over the edge.

He’s been drinking out of control and disturbing the peace.

I feel bad for the guy, but I’m this close to locking him up for continued disorderly conduct,” Daddy says, holding his index finger close to his thumb.

“Holy shit.” I lean on the breakfast bar and rest my elbows on the counter, pushing my hair off my face.

“Do you think Mom felt responsible for Maggie’s death?

” I ask both my father and brother but I don’t need the answer, I already know.

She felt responsible. Maybe that’s why she couldn’t live with herself.

“Yeah, Bean,” Daddy says apologetically. “It does shed some light on the past. Doesn’t make me feel any better. Charles had a drinking problem from the start. Maggie should’ve left him. I don’t know if she stayed for Luc and Elyna. Maybe she stayed to be close to your mom. It’s impossible to know.”

“Wow. Charles looked at me tonight like I was the devil. And the way he referred to Braden as being the devil’s spawn, it all makes sense. Luc needs to know about this.”

“You should tell him, Bean, or I can sit him down and tell him,” Daddy offers.

Daddy was always close with Luc since he spent so much time at our house.

In a way, he was like another one of my brothers, except he wasn’t because he was the boy who held my heart.

Now my heart is hurting for my best friend.

It feels like this news will open old wounds for him.

“I’ll tell him. I’ll take him to the waterfall and sit him down and tell him,” I say to Daddy.

“I’m sorry you have to deal with all of this again,” Daddy says.

“I’m sorry for you too. I just wish you had been upfront with me. I wouldn’t have gone over there tonight. Charles was acting crazy. Elyna needs to know what’s going on. She and Braden need to get out of there ASAP. For now, I told Luc to watch Braden like a hawk.”

“I can’t imagine Charles will hurt the baby,” Daddy says.

“You didn’t see him tonight, Daddy. He was off the rails. He was mean and unhinged,” I say as I stand from the stool I was sitting on.

“I’m sorry, Bean.”

“Luc was there. I knew he would never let Charles hurt me.”

“What’s going on there?” Phoenix asks out of nowhere.

“What do you mean?” I ask, looking at my brother.

“I wasn’t born yesterday, Bean, I saw the way you two were looking at each other when he came in here,” Phoenix states. “Looked like you two wanted to rip. . .”

“Okay, that’s it,” Daddy raises a hand, shutting up my brother.

“You know what, Daddy? Maybe it’s better you speak to Luc. I think you two could use a good talk.”

“Is that so?” Daddy questions, bobbing his head. Everyone knows you can’t get anything past my father. “Will do. I’ll be home around noon for lunch.”

“Thanks, Daddy.” I walk up to him and kiss his cheek.

“Anything for you, Bean,” he replies because he’s the best dad on earth.

“This should be interesting.” Phoenix laughs.

“Stuff it, big brother.” I peck his cheek and head up to my room because my head is spinning. That was a lot to digest. “You know what, I need your help.”

“Uh oh.” Phoenix eyes widen.

“I need you to let Elyna stay in one of the cabins. She and Braden aren’t safe.”

“I don’t have the space.” He rubs his temples. “They’re all taken. I really do wish I could help.”

“What about the loft above your garage?” I suggest. Phoenix moved out of the main house years ago and built himself a small house on the property. It’s a bungalow style with a small loft that would be the perfect size for Elyna and Braden.

Phoenix’s wide eyes get even wider. “You want me to move her into my house?”

“It isn’t your house and she’s in trouble. There’s a separate entrance,” I remind.

“She has a baby,” he says, as if we didn’t all know.

“No shit, Phoenix. This is going to require you to stop being a loner. I get it. Just think of all the good karma that will come your way when you help a single mom in trouble.”

He mutters something and rolls his eyes. “Fine, Bean. Fuck.”

I laugh at his little tantrum. “Thanks, you’re the best big brother a girl could ask for.”

“Make sure Eric, Becket, and Asher hear you say that,” he says.

“I’ll never admit it, you jerk. Now have a good night. I’ll let her know in the morning we found her a temporary place to live.”

“Bye, Bean,” he says, turning on his heel. He leaves out of the kitchen sliding door since it is a shorter walk to his place from the back.

“Thanks for coming to get me,” I shout before he closes the door.

“Always,” he answers.

I used to hate being the only female in the house with five guys, but now I appreciate them so much. The Thorne men are the best men I know. Besides Luc, he’s pretty amazing too.