Page 80

“A lapse of judgement on your part in inviting him, I’m sure.” Her smile morphed from venomous viper into harmless garden snake. “Well, I appreciate your help with this matter, Gabriel.” She stood, dusting off her dress. “I hope you enjoy the rest of the festivities.”

Gabriel grinned back at her, utterly confounded. “Same to you.”

As she disappeared into the throng, Gabriel had barely a second to try to make sense of their interaction before he noticed Iris weaving through the crowd of revelers in his direction. Blair wasn’t with her. Gabriel jumped up from his seat, suddenly panic-stricken. Had something happened? What if someone upset Blair and he’d lost control again? Gabriel had felt reassured when Blair remained calm throughout the ceremony, but what if⁠—

But as soon as he caught sight of the expression on Iris’ face, he knew that all was well. She stopped in front of him, balancing on the balls of her feet.

“Audrey asked Blair to dance with her. She thinks it’s her duty as my best friend to make sure he’s treating me right.” She rolled her eyes playfully, a soft blush lighting her cheeks. “Will you dance with me, Gabriel?”

Gabriel smiled, placing his hand in hers. “Why, Iris, I thought you’d never ask.”

A slower, more contemplative song replaced the livelier tune the moment they stepped onto the dance floor. Gabriel recognized it at once; it was quite a popular ballad back in the early seventies, though he found the theme a tad melancholic for a wedding. The soft piano and moving vocals filled the hall as Gabriel wrapped his hand around Iris’ waist, the other resting on her shoulder. He inhaled the scent of her vanilla shampoo, an unfamiliar prickle in his eyes as he held her close and let the lyrics about two people who had grown apart but vowed to remain the best of friends wash over him like summer rain.

Iris moved closer, resting her cheek against Gabriel’s chest so that they were almost hugging. She relaxed into him with the subtle ease they had once shared, and Gabriel lay his own cheek on the top of her head, letting out a long, contented sigh.

For the first time in a long while, he let himself believe that maybe the words Iris had repeated again and again—that just because she cared for Blair didn’t mean she loved Gabriel any less—were actually the truth.

Perhaps they could truly stay the best of friends. Perhaps his hope wasn’t as delusional as his fear had led him to believe.

As the song came to an end, Iris slowly lifted her head to look at him. For a frozen moment, they stood motionless on the dance floor, the question lingering in his heart mirrored in her warm brown eyes.

Maybe they could stay that way forever: still and solid. And when the world sent hurricanes their way, they could remain as impenetrable as statues, withstanding every storm, every flood, every change.

It felt almost dangerous to hope, but devastating not to.

31

It wasn’t yet March, and already the weather was more lamb than lion. Gabriel rolled his car window down to its farthest extent, one elbow resting lazily on the door, his right hand wrapped around the Mercedes’ leather steering wheel. He smiled as he watched a flock of geese soar across the deep cerulean sky through his windshield.

Beside him, Iris—who had traded in her large violet winter coat for a lighter magenta jacket—tossed him a grin.

“What?” he asked.

“Nothing.” She shrugged. “You look happy.”

“It’s a beautiful day,” he said in defense.

“It is,” Iris agreed, bemused. “I’m just saying.”

They parked along the street across from Blair’s narrow brick storefront. The apothecary was situated on a less populated road off Main Street, wedged like the filling of a pie between the less charming establishments of the old fish and tackle shop and the hardware store. The wide front window was already stocked with bottles and jars surrounded by decorative vines and local flora, but as Blair still hadn’t decided what to call the place, there wasn’t yet a sign.

Gabriel checked his watch; they had just a couple of hours before they were expected at Audrey and Evette’s place. The couple had recently returned from their honeymoon and used the promise of travel gifts to beckon the three of them over for dinner. Iris’ mother would also be in attendance.

In the meantime, that afternoon was their planned meeting to ready the store for next Saturday’s grand opening. Blair’s new friend and investor, Anna, was supposed to join them. As Iris had already spent several evenings helping Blair map out his interior layout, Gabriel imagined there likely wasn’t too much left to do.

“Shall we go in? Iris?”

Iris’ face had suddenly drained of color, as though she had simultaneously just seen a ghost and become one.

An unfamiliar man stood on the sidewalk, peering in through the tinted windows. His salt-and-pepper hair was cropped short, and his beard, though trimmed close to his skin, still somehow managed to look unkempt. His expression brightened as soon as he spotted Iris.

On instinct, Gabriel locked the doors. The man rapped on the passenger side window with his knuckles, making them both jump.

“Iris! I’ve been looking for you everywhere.” His voice was like steel scraped across gravel. “Come out and greet your old man.”

No…it couldn’t be…

“Dad?” Iris’ voice was barely above a whisper. Her hands quivered in her lap. She seemed to have melted into the leather chair.