Page 31 of Breaking the Habit

Striding out to the front, she heard the little girl’s voice, smiled at the sound of it and then she heard a deep chuckle that stopped her head in her tracks.

“I think you should learn to play the piano too. I’ll make sure Luna lets you practice on the one you played when you came to visit last time. Learn to play all the instruments so you can do it all.”

“Luna said I could get my own drumkit if I practiced really hard. But I don’t think a piano like yours would fit in my nana’s house.” MJ told him, and Rhys laughed again, sending shivers along Shay’s skin.

“That’s why I keep my piano at Declan’s. But I think you might be like your dad and get into tattoos. that looks awesome.”

Shay stepped out and finally laid eyes on MJ and a clean-shaven Rhys, who was presently being drawn on with a very permanent sharpie marker. Rhys had taken off his jacket and rolled up his sleeve as Melody drew skulls and flowers on his arm, her face scrunched up in concentration.

Ducking under the counter, Rhys lifted his head and smiled at her, and Shay felt like she was a love-struck teenager all over again. Rhys nodded his head at something Melody said, paying full attention to the little girl. Shay grinned when MJ put the lid back on her black marker, then tucked it behind her ear like her dad tended to do, then took out a bright green one and coloured in the skulls she had drawn.

“Hey MJ,” Shay said, as MJ lifted her head and smiled.

“Auntie Shay, Rhys said I could practice on him so I can tattoo him when I’m older.”

The excitement in her tone said more about the fact that Rhys was in one of her favourite bands and that she didn’t realize just how bizarre it was that they were all rubbing shoulders with rockstars because of Cathal and Luna.

MJ went back to her sharpie tattoo as Rhys lifted his head and his full lips curved into a smile as Shay came closer.

“You do realize that’s not gonna come off easy, right?” Shay told him and Rhys winked, making her heart stutter.

“That’s cool since I wanna keep it.” He replied, his amber eyes dancing with mischief. “I’ll just have to skip showers and buy some strong deodorant. Could get pretty smelly though since I’m a boy.”

Melody scrunched up her nose, lifted her head, and looked at Rhys. “Daddy says personal hygiene is important. It’s okay if you have to wash it off. I can always draw you something new the next time. I don’t think people would like you if you were smelly.”

Shay had to turn away so she wouldn’t laugh out loud, and Rhys himself had to smother a laugh with a cough. MJ continued on with her masterpiece, then declared she was hungry, pushing off her chair as she started to head back to the kitchen, pausing to ask Rhys if he wanted a snack.

“I’m good, MJ. But thank you. Come here for a second.”

MJ walked back to where Rhys was still sat, the rockstar taking a twenty out of his pocket and handing it to Melody, who declined it at the start, saying he didn’t need to pay her yet. But Rhys just shook his head and pressed the money into the little girl’s hand.

“If I was on the street playing music, you’d ask your dad to tip me. You did some awesome art and even if I have to wash it off so I’m not smelly, then you deserve a tip. You can save it towards your piano.” Rhys told her with a wink.

Melody grinned then leaned in and sniffed Rhys. “You smell okay to me.” Then she walked under the counter, but not before she stopped and looked up at Shay. “Tell Rhys he doesn’t smell bad so he won’t be sad.”

Rhys barked out a laugh as Shay’s face reddened at the innocent phrase from the child as Rhys slowly got to his feet. “So, you gonna have a sniff too?”

Shay rolled her eyes, leaning against the counter for support. “Like you need that kind of encouragement.” Rhys grinned as he leaned on the counter, and Shay heard herself saying. “You were brill with MJ. That was unexpected.”

Rhys laughed again, the sound so melodic it was like a caress on her skin. “I think it’s 'cause I’m just a big kid myself. Plus, MJ’s not like other kids. She’s got this confidence I admire, even if she’s like what, seven?”

Shay returned Rhys’ smile, then she remembered it had been nearly two weeks since they had spoken and there was so much unsaid between them. She wasn’t sure what he was doing here, even if she was glad to see him and despite the fact that things weren’t resolved between them, or even with his bandmates, Rhys looked happy.

“Why are you here, Rhys?” Shay asked, curious to know exactly what the rockstar was doing at the shop today. “Finally decided to let one of the lads tattoo you? Although I think you may need to wait for MJ now.”

Rhys’ expression darkened as he took a step toward her. “I told ya, Shay, if anyone gets to pop my tattoo virgin cherry, it’s you. Until then, I came to talk to you. You got time to take a walk with me?”

There was this hungry look in Rhys's amber eyes that made Shay swallow hard, and take an involuntary step backwards, and that action only made Rhys grin even more as she blinked away from the eye contact and went to tell Cathal she was taking a break.

It was just a walk...it doesn’t mean a thing...right?

ChapterTwenty-Four

Rhys

It becameclear to Rhys that Shay didn’t know about his plans to leave Ireland when she didn’t chew him out there and then, the moment she laid eyes on him. It had been bad enough telling his mam, who burst out crying the moment Rhys told her of his intentions to leave, his dad not saying much, just going to stick the kettle on. But despite his mam’s tears, it wasn’t as bad as Andi’s reaction.

Jesus, he’d never seen her so mad, her entire face going red with rage as she told him he was stupid, and selfish, called him an idiot, and told him that he was in fucking breach of contract if he didn’t finish the album with the band, to which Rhys had replied that he had recorded all his pieces for the album and it was Declan who wanted to go back in and rerecord stuff.

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