Rob was outside in the dining area, looking relaxed in a T-shirt and workout shorts. In front of him was a room service feast: ceviche, marinated pork, rice, plantains, fish. And a bottle of tequila. He was sipping it from a glass.

“Want some?” he asked, lifting up the bottle.

“Sure,” Emily answered, sitting down next to him and surveying the food in front of her. She’d taken her braids out, and her hair was framing her face, resting on her shoulders.

He handed her a generous pour of tequila and then raised his glass. “To making music,” he said, and they both clinked glasses and took a drink.

“That’s the best tequila I’ve ever had,” she said, looking at the label.

“That’s what I asked room service for,” Rob answered. “A bottle of the best tequila on the menu.”

Emily laughed. Even with all the trappings of this successful musician life, he was still Rob.

He started serving himself some food, but Emily just sipped the tequila. She was thinking about the text from Ezra. He still hadn’t responded to her. Had there been something he’d wanted to say when he called Ari’s house? When he called her cell phone earlier?

They’d had ceviche at their wedding. And a bottle of tequila, though not one quite as good as this. The night after they had gotten married, when they went back to their room alone, Ezra had whispered to her that he’d never been happier than he was in that moment. She’d whispered the same, and it had been true. She tried to remember that feeling. It was hard to recapture.

“You’re not eating,” Rob said, a piece of shrimp speared on his fork.

Emily focused in on him again. “Sorry,” she said. “Just thinking. How’s the ceviche?”

“Delicious,” he answered with a smile.

Emily put some on her plate and took a bite.

Rob refilled her tequila glass and his, which they’d both drained. “You okay, Queenie?” he asked.

“You called me Emily so many times during the show, I wasn’t sure if I’d lost my nickname,” she said, avoiding his question, picking up her glass.

“Well,” he said. “It seemed like I should introduce you to the audience properly.”

She took another sip of tequila. “You used my maiden name,” she said.

He took a sip. “I didn’t even realize,” he said. “I can introduce you differently tomorrow night. You’re staying for tomorrow night?”

She could see how gingerly he was stepping around this question.