He frowned and shook his head. “Nope, don’t know. She likes you, though. Ess don’t trust many people. Couldn’t trust me,” he laughed, until his face gradually stilled. “Jeez, I loved that woman.”

There was something sweet and open about him. Liv could tell he’d be devastated to learn of Essie’s death in eight weeks’ time. She felt the need to comfort him. “She must have loved you, too,” she said. “She left England to be with you.”

“That surprises you, huh? We’re totally different people, right?”

Liv nodded, but she could see how sparks might fly between them. “How did you both meet?”

He circled his glass. “At a book launch of mine in London. We got talking and she was a real lady. Classy. They say opposites attract, and they did. I went home with her that night and felt like I never wanted to leave her. Ess’d had enough of the UK, so I invited her over to LA. Life was fun for a long time.” Ice clinked against his teeth when he drank his whiskey.

“You’ve never talked to the press about your life together. That’s noble,” she said.

“It’s the least I can do,” Hank murmured. He stared into his glass.

“And you’ve remarried and have a family now?”

“Yep, moved on. A wife and two great kids,” he said briskly. “How’s Ess? Is she good?”

Liv didn’t want to lie to him. After hearing how Ted and Sven tried to shape Essie, Hank sounded truly invested. “She’s been struggling a little recently, with her health and work.”

“I was afraid that might be the case.” He shook his head. “Wish I’d never coaxed her along to that damn Constellation thing.”

Liv lowered her whiskey. It sounded like Hank recognized the awards were the catalyst for Essie’s downturn, too. “I always wondered what happened that night,” she said gently. “It was a highlight of her career, yet she was never seen in public again. Why did you have to persuade her to go?”

“Will telling you make me feel better?” He sighed.

“I suppose that’s for you to decide,” she said.

Another couple of glasses arrived. Hank nodded thanks to the server and refocused on Liv. “Ess always had this thing with dates. You’ve noticed, right?”

Liv nodded.