Willow smiled, his eyes navy in the semi-darkness. “I know things. Great set tonight. What was the new song in the middle?”

“‘Novemberitus?’”

“I dunno, it went like…” He hummed the melody to ‘Novemberitus.’

Eden smiled. “It’s ‘Novemberitus.’”

“What’s it about?”

She licked some of the salt from the rim of her glass, delaying the last sip. “Who says it’s about anything?”

“I do.”

“It’s about the feeling you get when you realise it’s November and nothing’s changed.”

He nodded slowly. “Nice work, getting people to dance to a song about end-of-year depression.”

“Thank you.” She glimpsed a shiny chrome clock behind his head. It was four-thirty in the morning. “Jesus. Don’t you have work tomorrow?”

“Training at ten.”

She gasped. “And you’re here with me?”

“Where else would I be?”

She dropped her gaze to the table. “That’s, um, really nice.”

He didn’t say anything. The awkward silence was mercifully broken by Hank zooming toward them with a platter carrying all the soft-shell tacos on earth. He slid it between them. “Enjoy.”

Eden scanned the plate, completely overwhelmed. “How are we supposed to eat all of these?”

“Just try one.” Willow plucked a taco from the middle of the plate. “Here. Pork and pineapple.”

Eden took the taco, juice dripping between her fingers, and she wished she hadn’t. Why was she letting Willow boss her around?

“Eat. You’ll feel better.”

Eden glared at him. “You’re a tender man, aren’t you?”

He burst out laughing. “A fucking what?”

“A tender man.”

Willow still looked confused. With a sigh, Eden gestured to the table of tattooed guys. “Your flirting style. Some dudes come on hard, some are all jokey—” She thought of Francis staring at her across the green room. “—some are arrogant.”

“So, what am I?”

“None of them. You’re all gentle and caring and a good listener.”

He threw his head back and laughed, exposing the thick muscles of his neck. “I can’t just be interested in you and want to buy you food?”

“You can. But I think it’s strategic.” Her mouth exploded in a wave of sweet and savoury juice. She’d unwillingly bitten into the taco and it was delicious. She chewed, waiting for the good feeling to go away, but it intensified, making her whole body shudder. “Holy shit, this is good.”

“I told you. Keep going.”