Page 10 of Breaking the Habit

For the longest time, Rhys had only had Andi as a friend and confidant. Then he had Declan. Now the two people he loved the most had each other...and it still annoyed Rhys why he was so confused about what that meant now...he felt like he’d been cut out of their lives.

“Why did you do it, Rhys?” Andi asked him softly, her own hand resting on the piano keys. “I understand that you like to party. I understand all the one night hook-ups. But drugs? Why would you do that?”

“You’ll never be able to move on and be exactly who you are supposed to be if you do not explain to those around you how you feel. The healing comes from speaking the truth to those who love you.”

Dr. Shannon’s words popped into his head and although Rhys would have ignored Andi’s question, if he wanted to get back to where he wanted to be, if he wanted to start to live the life he wanted, then he needed to start being honest with everyone around him and maybe starting with Andi was the way to go.

“I know you don’t believe me, but that night was the first and last night. I swear to ya.” Rhys began, setting his hands in his lap before continuing. “I was overthinking...a lot. And I was angry at you, at Dec, hell even at Jameson for being so nauseatingly happy. It made me feel like a bastard and I just wanted to not think, even for a couple of hours. That’s why I did the cocaine. I just wanted to stop hating myself for a minute.”

It felt awkward, admitting that to Andi, but he felt like it was the start of unburdening himself, and he heard Andi sniffle, Rhys reached out and took his sisters hand and gave it a squeeze.

“You have to promise you’ll never do that again.” Andi said finally, a fierceness in her tone. “If you feel like that again, you come to me. I am never too busy for you, Rhys. Never.”

Rhys cleared his throat to try and get rid of the emotion that suddenly seemed to make his throat feel tight. “Okay, Andi. And I promise. I know I shouldn’t have done it in the first place.”

Andi threw her arms around him, engulfing him in a hug, and Rhys could do nothing wrap his arms around her in return. They stayed like that for a while, until Andi let him go. She swiped the tears from her eyes, then offered him a smile.

“Why don’t you come up stairs? We can talk and have some dinner.”

While he was glad that he had taken a step forward with Andi, Rhys wasn’t ready to take that step with Declan and his face must have shown it because Andi frowned, muttering that they were both as bad as one another.

“I think I’m just gonna sit and play for a bit, if that’s okay? But maybe we can get lunch or dinner during the week? Just us...like old times.”

It was an olive branch, but not much of one and Rhys knew that Andi would feel conflicted that the two men in her life couldn’t be in the same room as one another at the moment. But his sister just smiled and replied. “I’d like that, Rhys. Do you mind if I sit and listen to you while you play? To clear my own head?”

Rhys didn’t answer Andi, just started to play one of her favourite songs, and she leaned her head against him as he played and for a moment, Rhys felt like everything was right in the world again.

ChapterEight

Shay

Shay was boredout of her fucking mind.

She sat across the table from her date, Barry, a handsome client of Isaac’s who had asked her out for dinner, and who had the personality of a dishcloth. Barry worked in investments, made his money dealing with wealthy clients who took his advice on how to invest in stocks and bonds and lots of stuff that Shay had absolutely no interest in.

But Barry had been rabbiting on for nearly an hour about his summer house and lad’s trips to pompous rich people places, and Shay had almost fallen asleep with her eyes open. Even now, her chin was resting on her fist as she leaned on the table, her eyes open but her mind had already wandered as she looked at the fire that was burning from a stove and casting shadows in the darkened restaurant, an idea for a new tattoo design popping into her mind and she wanted to be done with this date so she could go home and sketch the idea out.

Shay hadn’t even wanted to go on the date, but Isaac had convinced her that Barry was a good guy and Shay should give him a chance, to which Shay had asked if she could fix Isaac up with one of her old college friends. Isaac had rolled his eyes, telling Shay that he only had time for one girl in his life and dating wasn’t in the cards for him.

She’d agreed to the date just to see the distressed look in Issacs’s eyes vanish.

They had just finished eating. Barry was still drinking a glass of expensive wine and that should have been a clear indication that Barry and her were just two different kinds of people, because she was drinking a pint. The restaurant was far posher that Shay liked to dine in, but she had come here a few times with her parents, when she was younger.

“Shay”

Oh shit, Barry had obviously asked her something and she had totally blanked him.

“I’m sorry,” she offered with a terse smile. “What did you say?”

Barry was obviously used to women who listened as he spoke and hung on his every word because he gave her a look of distain that almost made Shay laugh out loud. Barry held up his hand and clicked his fingers, summoning the waitress for the bill, an action that annoyed Shay as she gathered her jacket and bag, getting out her purse to pay her share, annoyed at herself that it would eat up most of her savings for the month.

Barry slid the waitress a black sleek credit card, brushing off her attempts to pay. He walked her out the door, his hand on the small of her back, turning to her when they stepped away from the door, and Shay hoped he wasn’t about to ask for a second date.

“Shay.”

A sense of dread crept along her spine as Shay turned to see her father standing on the footpath looking at her. He had aged since the last time she saw him, with grey strands now intertwined with his black hair. His eyes were still as sharp as ever and they ran over her in assessment before coming back up to hold her gaze.

“Dad.”

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