“Hey…” He moved in closer, his body blocking out the noise, enclosing her in her own safe little chamber. “How are you? Have you eaten?”

She laughed, because what kind of question was that? It was up there with ‘do you believe in life after love?’ Or ‘have you ever seen the rain?’ “Not recently, I guess?”

Willow’s forehead creased. “Let’s go get something to eat.”

“It’s almost four in the morning.”

“That doesn’t matter. Do you want to get out of here?”

God yes.

She didn’t even have to answer. Willow’s hand tightened on hers. “Do you have a change of clothes?”

“Yeah, but I’d have to go past a bunch of people I don’t want to see to get them.”

“Let’s make tracks.” He pulled her into his side, steering her toward the back of the club. Eden wanted to protest, or at least disentangle her body from his, but his scent was so sweet, so wholesome, she buried her cheek into his shirt and inhaled.

Outside, the night air was crisp and full of cigarette smoke.

“There’s a place around the corner that does amazing tacos,” Willow said. “Is that okay?”

A wave of tiredness washed over Eden. “I guess, but what about the next show? Didn’t you want to hang out?”

“I want to see you. It’ll be better, being alone together.”

Eden looked up at him. She was jealous of his height. People wouldn’t grab her if she was his height. “Okay. Tacos sound nice.”

“Great.” They set off down the street. Despite the chill in the air, Eden was feverishly hot. She needed to stop touching Willow before things got out of hand. As they approached the road, she pretended to check out a street sign, letting her body pull away from his.

The front of the restaurant was just a neon taco sign over a battered door. If Eden had been alone, she wouldn’t have noticed it. Willow led her up a dusty staircase and into a small room with low hanging lights and mismatched tables. ‘Blue Moon’ by Elvis was playing.

A waiter with suitcases under his eyes sprung out of nowhere. “Hello, Mr Williams.”

“Hey, Hank. Can we get two watermelon margaritas and the taco platter?”

“Of course.”

The waiter led them to a booth beside a dark window. Outside, Melbourne flickered like a mirage. Eden studied their fellow diners. Drag queens in glittery dresses. Tattooed guys who all looked like they were concealing knives. Even in her wedding dress, she was hardly out of place.

Their margaritas arrived. They were huge and pink and despite the alcohol, they tasted nourishing. Eden drank deeply and if Willow wasn’t watching, she’d have finished the margarita in one. As it was, she left an inch in the glass and wiped her mouth. “How did you find this place?”