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“I want you to keep it,” she said, sliding the paper closer to him.

Blair nodded, but he still didn’t reach for it. He glanced down at the title, then back into her eyes. Iris looked down too, her cheeks flushed.

“It’s true,” she whispered.

His jaw tightened. “Please go, Iris,” he begged quietly as the customer walked over to stand awkwardly behind her with his items.

Iris fought back tears. His words felt so formal, so final, and she couldn’t pull herself away, couldn’t let this be the end of their story. At last, she forced herself to move toward the door with the sensation of something being ripped from her chest. She wiped her cheeks with her palms as she exited the shop.

She hurried down the rain-soaked street, dodging puddles, swallowing down the lump in her throat. The title of her song refused to leave her mind, the refrain repeated like a worn record:

This sadness will last forever.

That night, Blair sat on a step ladder in the back room of his apothecary, staring silently at the piece of paper in front of him.

When Iris had left the shop earlier that afternoon, he’d used a napkin to move her song lyrics as though the sheet might soil his hands. He’d placed the paper on his makeshift kitchen table where it now sat, innocent and deeply dangerous all at once.

He’d read the lyrics a dozen times, but he couldn’t bring himself to touch the page. He knew Iris, knew that she hadn’t meant to hurt him, that she cared for him still. But her betrayal was like a hornet stinging him over and over again.

She had chosen Gabriel over him when she’d protected his secret, and Blair couldn’t help but feel that she always would.

He traced a finger around the rim of his water glass as he fixated on the frayed edges where the paper had been ripped from Iris’ notebook. If he were to touch her words, to feel her swell of emotion, he knew there was a very good chance he would forgive her.

And that might be a terrible mistake.

Blair ran a weary hand over his face, a gesture that reminded him painfully of Gabriel.

Even if Iris was truly remorseful, what would stop her from betraying him again? And even if she really did love him, he was certain that Gabriel didn’t. Gabriel was probably thrilled that he was out of the house.

Blair took a large bite of his microwave meal as he continued to stare broodingly at the song. He kept thinking of all the ways he’d overlooked Gabriel’s darker edges. Gabriel had outright told him once that he’d been responsible for someone’s death. Of course, Blair would have had no way of knowing that he’d meant Lucy, but why hadn’t he interrogated that statement? Why hadn’t he asked Gabriel to explain exactly what had happened?

He’d just assumed that whatever the specifics, Gabriel was clearly remorseful, and it likely hadn’t been his fault.

Blair had been far too unsuspicious of them both. And look where it had gotten him.

A sharp knock sounded on the front door. Blair got to his feet and stumbled over the stacks of boxes littering the back room, before emerging from behind the counter. Couldn’t they see the closed sign?

The motion light beamed down on a man wearing a long camel-colored coat and a cashmere scarf. Blair wrapped his arms around himself, debating on whether or not to open the door.

At last, he unlocked it and pulled it open.

Gabriel balanced on his heels, a light layer of frost clinging to his dark hair. “May I come in?”

Silently, Blair moved out of the way, and Gabriel stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

Dim overhead lights shone over the front window display. The rest of the shop was cloaked in darkness. Gabriel peered around the best he could. “The place looks great.”

Blair shifted on his feet, his hands around his elbows. “Thanks.”

Gabriel turned to him. “Can we talk somewhere?”

Blair led the way into the back room. Gabriel navigated around boxes of supplies, eyeing the folding table and step ladder seating arrangement. Then he noticed Iris’ song. His hand ghosted over the page, and he bent down to read it.

“Did Iris write this?”

Without thinking, Blair snatched the lyrics off the table.

He thought he was having a heart attack.