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Cathal dragged her into his and Luna’s conversation, the pair not noticing how quiet Rhys was being. The man that Shay wanted to strangle one minute and kiss the next was looking out of the window, stirring his Coke around so that the ice clinked against the glass. Anyone who looked at him could see that he looked lost.
As if he sensed her watching him, Rhys turned his head to look at her and Shay hated that Rhys affected her with just one look. His lips parted as if he was going to remark, then the waitress arrived with their food, grinning at Rhys, but to her surprise, and Luna’s too from the look in the drummer’s face, Rhys didn’t so much as glance in the woman’s direction as she set down his pasta dish.
The sheer look of disappointment on the woman’s face made Shay want to laugh. When Shay and Luna’s eyes met, Luna just shrugged, a flash of worry crossing her face as she pushed her plate of chips toward Rhys, who shook his head.
“I’m grand, Luna.”
Rhys shoved a forkful of his pasta into his mouth, making a show of chewing and swallowing before he quirked a brow, as if to challenge Luna to say something. Luna’s phone pinged and she checked it, typing out a message, giving the game away when she looked at Rhys, who just happened to be staring at her.
“You can report back to Andi, or Declan, or whoever is checking on me that I haven’t had a drink, I didn’t chat up the waitress or head to the bathrooms for a quick fuck. You can tell them I’m eating food and not causing any trouble. You can also tell them that the micromanaging and babysitting is getting old fast and more likely to drive me to have a drink.”
Cathal bristled at the harshness in Rhys’ tone, especially since it was directed at Luna, but Shay kicked him under the table, because apart from the tone, Rhys hadn’t really said anything that wasn’t the truth.
The rest of the meal was eaten in relative silence, reminding Shay of dinners that she had had when she still lived at home, forced to attend formal family dinners each evening where conversation was the bare minimum. It had been torture.
When they had all finished eating, Cathal called for the bill and Rhys surged to his feet, telling Luna he would wait outside while they paid. Luna made to follow after him but Rhys tossed her a dark look that had Luna stopping in her tracks. Rhys stalked out into the night air, but stayed in view as he went and leaned on the wall outside, his arms folded across his chest and his eyes closed.
“Andi said he was still so angry, but I didn’t realize how much he was.”
Luna’s words were spoken so softly, Shay almost missed them. “Maybe he just needs to feel like he’s in control. I know if I felt everyone was watching me as if they were waiting for me to fuck up, I’d be pissed. When I broke my foot, the boys were so suffocating I threatened to castrate the lot of them.”
Luna laughed, the tension easing from her face. “Oh, I know. They were all like that when I was mugged. I’ll tell Andi that...it might help.”
Shay reached out and gave her arm a squeeze, then let the couple alone as she went outside to where Rhys was standing. “Luna’s worried about you.”
Huffing out what Shay could only describe as a frustrated breath, Rhys clenched his fists, then flatted his palms. “I know. I know, okay. Everyone’s worried Rhys is gonna screw up and fuck over the band. I know I brought it on myself but Jesus Christ, I need a minute. I just need a fucking minute.”
There was a staggering amount of pain weaved into Rhys’ words that Shay could totally understand. He had made some mistakes, sure, and yet, with everyone watching him, how was Rhys supposed to carry on when everyone was already setting him up for failure?
Shay leaned against the wall beside Rhys and glanced over. “Maybe you should just tell them how you are feeling and what you need. It might not help, but it couldn’t hurt.”
“You make it sound so easy,” Rhys replied, running those talented fingers through his hair. “But every time I open my mouth I end up saying the wrong thing. So, what’s the point?”
Shay didn’t know what to say in response, and when she didn’t say anything to his question, Rhys sighed. “Sorry. Not really sure why I just offloaded to you.”
Nudging Rhys with her shoulder, Shay grinned. “Comes with the territory. When you work front of shop, people come in with tattoo ideas and they tell you their life story. Cathal once referred to getting a tattoo as a form of therapy session, so maybe that’s it. Plus, I’m on the outside looking in. I’m not here to judge you.”
A look of surprise flashed across Rhys’ features before he pulled his gaze away. He rubbed his palms on his jeans and inhaled, like he was readying to say something, but Luna and Cathal strode out of the restaurant and Rhys clamped his lips shut.
“Right, Rhys, you can come back to Cathal’s with us and watch a movie or something. Shay, you too!”
Shay was already shaking her head when Rhys interjected. “Luna, I’m gonna head home.”
“But it’s still early!”
Lifting her gaze to Cathal, Shay tried to tell him with just a look that Luna needed to dial it back, and Cathal took notice, slipping his hand into Luna’s. “Rhys probably just wants to get some sleep, Luna.”
Rhys looked like he could have kissed Cathal as Luna pouted, obviously not happy that her boyfriend was siding with the man she was trying to look after. Cathal looked at Shay, all wide-eyed as if he didn’t know what to do now, and if it wasn’t for the tension, Shay might have even laughed.
“Cathal’s right, Luna,” Rhys began, pushing off the wall. “I just wanna go home and crash in my own bed. Thanks for dinner.”
Rhys reached out and pulled Luna in for a hug, then fist-bumped Cathal, before turning to her. Shay wanted to ignore the galloping of her heart, the way her body seemed to come alive as Rhys smiled at her, those amber eyes of his so enticing. “See ya around, Shay.”
Shay frowned as she watched Rhys stride away, and heard Luna mutter about finding him in some bar in the morning. But Rhys walked straight to the taxi rank and jumped into the back, leaving them standing there in the cold night air.
“I should call Declan,” Luna said as she pulled out her phone, and Shay felt irritated on Rhys’ behalf as she listened to Luan tell Declan that Rhys had supposedly gone home in a taxi.
“Maybe they should give him the benefit of the doubt.” Shay heard herself mutter, not meaning to say the words out loud.
