The girl beamed. “Oh my god, you have to meet my friends!” She glanced over her shoulder. “Josie! Connor! Get over here! It’s fucking Descent!”

For the next forty minutes, Eden posed for photos and signed t-shirts, dresses, and bare skin with a Sharpie someone found. The beat hammered, the lights flashed, bringing in faces and voices and sending them away again.

“I want to marry you.”

“Your music is my favourite thing. I listen to it every single day.”

“I didn’t know people could be as gorgeous as you.”

Eden smiled and nodded. She signed things and gave hugs. She didn’t ask what she wanted to ask, which was; “Are you sure? You want to marry me? You like ‘Mindscape’ better than ‘Hold Your Hand’ or ‘Bad Guy’? You think I’m prettier than Zendaya? Kaia Gerber? Ana de Armas? Are you lying, or do you actually believe what you’re saying?”

Eventually, she sort of drifted out of her body, watching herself chat to incredibly high people while inside she hummed Smoothie Bowl. Willow had probably already left, pissed at her for wasting his time. That was for the best. Her job was being drunk and distracted on a Sunday night. If he didn’t get that, it was better he’d already gone.

When the crowd thinned enough that Eden knew she could excuse herself, she gave everyone an apologetic smile. “Bathroom! Be back soon.”

Sometimes it felt like her career was one long Irish goodbye. She moved through the dancefloor, pulling her veil around herself like a cloak. She’d head back to the dressing room and pull on her big black hoodie and leggings and head to Peaches or Juliette bar—somewhere music was still playing. If Kieran was willing to ditch their douchebag contacts, they could come, and if they didn’t, someone would want to dance with her. She recalled the creepy producer waiting in the green room. If she went back there, he’d see her and insist she drink with him—

“Eden Jade?”

She turned, confused, and there was an oasis. Willow, tall and relaxed in a denim shirt, his hair curling perfectly onto his tanned forehead.

“Hi.” He held out a hand. “Great show.”

Without thinking, Eden slid her fingers through his, locking them together. “I thought you’d gone.”

“No way.” He lifted their joined hands, kissing her above her fingers. “It’s so good to see you again.”

Eden’s stomach swooped. She looked at him, the wall of calm. Take me away. Anywhere. Let’s go now.

He waved his free hand at a crowd clustered near the bar. “I ran into some cool people. Massive fans of yours. Do you want to meet them?”

She felt her smile falter. She hitched it back up. "Sure.”

Willow frowned. “No dice?”

Eden wanted to tell him she was fine, that she wanted to meet his friends, but the words wouldn’t come.