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And then her friend had flushed when Shay had pointed out that Luna probably had a ton of clothes and make-up. The boys then started to tease Cathal about asking Luna to move in, and that would be great for the shop because Cathal was always more relaxed after Luna stayed over.
That had resulted in Cathal throwing paint at the lads, and of course, they were only too happy to engage in a paint fight that had left them covered in paint and laughing like the fucking children they were.
Shay had started to try and pull them back in line, then Darren had flicked his paintbrush at Shay and that was when she had nearly committed murder.
Cathal had seemed to sense it, so he sent her out to get some coffee over at Rebel Books, telling her to sit and drink hers at the bookshop before coming back and he would make sure the place was sorted, and the idiots cleaned up.
She had stormed off then, grabbing her sketchbook and a pen, muttering under her breath that MJ was more mature than they were sometimes, and that made Isaac laugh in agreement.
So, Shay had ordered the largest coffee from Cliona, one of the managers of Rebel Books, and went to the farthest table beside a window and sat down with a huff. She kicked off her shoes and pulled her legs up on the armchair, like she had done many times before, and balanced her sketchpad on her knees.
Her sketchpad had been filled lately with half-finished sketches of a rockstar who seemed to invade her thoughts. Despite Sinéad’s advice, Shay found herself consumed by thoughts of Rhys and her drawings were proof of that. Over the last few days, Shay had drawn lots of pictures of a faceless man playing piano, another one of two men on stage, one shirtless and the other with a fake smile on his face. No matter how many sketches she did, Shay couldn’t bring herself to finish the facial features because that would be akin to admitting that she had become a little obsessed lately.
Flipping over the pages, Shay began to work on her design for the wall. Cathal had decided to go for old school skull black and grey design with his, Darren had decided he wanted to do a trash polka design and Isaac wanted to use bold colours. Then Cathal had looked at Shay expecting her to show off her design, but considering Cathal was one of the best Japanese artists she’d ever seen, Shay was a little terrified to show him her take on a phoenix.
It wasn’t exactly traditional, more fantastical, her phoenix the same colour as eyes that haunted her dreams, the mystical bird flying out from flames that morphed into claws as if they were reaching out of the depths of hell to drag the phoenix back to the flames.
“That’s cool.”
Shay snapped her head up, eyes widening when Rhys grinned back at her, his amber eyes filled with mischief. It was as if her thoughts had conjured him into being as Shay stole a look at him under her lashes.
Dressed in ripped faded jeans that hung low on his hips, moulded to his lean frame, and a grey tee that had music notes printed across the chest, Rhys looked like he could be modelling designer clothing rather than standing in a bookshop, looking at her with those fucking eyes of his.
“I did call your name but you seemed miles away. I get like that sat behind a piano.”
Shay was at a loss for words when Rhys indicated to the chair across from her. “Can I sit?”
Nodding her head, Shay closed her sketchbook and set it aside, taking a sip of her coffee to gather her thoughts before she asked. “What are you doing here?”
Rhys glanced around and cocked a brow. “Would you believe me if I said I was looking for a book to read?”
Before Shay could reply, Rhys leaned back in his chair with a grin. “Nah, don’t even bother coming out with a dumbass rockstar joke. I make um all the time. And considering I’m dyslexic, you’ll only feel embarrassed after.”
Despite the grin curving his lips into a devilish smile, Shay could see Rhys brace himself for her to remark on his learning difficulties. Instead, Shay rested her chin on her knees.
“Is it reading you have difficulty with or writing? I’ve heard audiobooks are a great alternative and considering how easy music comes to you, the listening might help if you want to listen to a book.”
Rhys blinked, sharp and sudden, as if he hadn’t expected her to offer anything in response and Shay wondered if people either shied away from talking about it or they just lectured him on what he should be doing to help himself.
“I’d never considered audiobooks, but Niamh, Jameson’s sister, she suggested it to me a couple of years ago and while I’m still not much of a reader, I do use it from time to time. And before you ask, I ordered some piano music from Niamh and came to collect them. I try to support her rather than go to a music shop.”
Rhys leaned forward in his seat, leaning his elbows on his knees. “What brings you here?”
Shay let loose a sigh. “Cathal made me take a time out. I was ready to castrate one of them for being stupid idiots. So coffee...”
Barking out a laugh, Rhys asked for more details, and Shay gave him the very short and very boring story of the lads throwing paint at one another and then Darren had flicked his paintbrush at her and now she was here hoping the caffeine would sate her murderous intentions.
“Well, that explains it,” Rhys began and time slowed as the man reached across the table and brushed his thumb over her cheek. Shay forgot how to breathe, and how to speak as heat flooded her body and she tried to still the rampant beating of her pulse.
“You’ve got some paint on your cheek,” Rhys said, and maybe Shay was imagining it but his voice seemed to be lower, more husky than before and when Shay lifted her eyes to meet his, they clashed, and Shay saw a flicker of heat that seemed to set his amber eyes ablaze.
Rhys jerked his hand back suddenly, slumping back in his chair, and it was then and there that Shay was able to see the difference between a genuine smile and the fake-ass smile that he was now flashing her. Something had rattled Rhys, Shay considered as the rockstar got to his feet.
“I better go and collect my order. Try not to kill anyone today, Shay. I’d hate to have to visit you in prison.”
Shay didn’t even have the chance to offer her own goodbye, Rhys was already headed to the counter, either not noticing or oblivious to the admiring glances cast in his direction. Cliona handed him a bag and waved him off when he tried to pay, telling him that Jameson had already paid for them last night when they came in.
Rhys looked perplexed as he thanked Cliona, then glanced back to where Shay was sitting and offered her a salute before he ducked out the door and Shay deflated in her chair. Was she mad thinking that the heat in Rhys' eyes was for her? Had she lost utterly lost her mind to think that the connection between them had startled Rhys enough to make him react like he had?
