Page 38 of Magical Melee

I smiled and nodded, holding up my bag of yarn. “Attempting to.”

Keegan looked as if he’d stepped out of some classic novel, all brooding charm and a quiet mystery daring to swallow him up.

He was leaning against a post, hands in his pockets, his dark hair falling over his forehead in a way that felt carefully unintentional. At first glance, he looked like he was idly people-watching, but the slight tension in his jaw suggested he’d been waiting longer than he’d have liked.

“I was just wandering Stonewick, trying to find something.”

“What would that be?” he asked. “Everything’s pretty much in plain sight.”

“Is that so?”

His mouth curved into a small, reluctant smile. “I was starting to think you’d gotten lost.”

“Maybe I did,” I replied, returning his smile. “Or maybe this town doesn’t want me finding all its secrets just yet.”

He raised an eyebrow, gesturing for me to sit on a bench behind us. “Stonewick isn’t for everyone to understand. Sometimes, it’s best to let things be. We’re good at what we do here.”

There was that tone again—a mix of dismissal and mystery that only made me want to dig deeper.

“Let’s head across the street for lunch,” he offered.

“Lead the way.”

We didn’t bother with a crosswalk and walked to a cute little café tucked in a brick building about three stories tall. It was a few doors down from Stella’s tea shop.

A lady waved at Keegan and pointed at a table near the window.

I sat down, still clinging to his dismissal of everything Stonewick.

“Well, if Stonewick has so many secrets, it’s only natural to be curious. Don’t you think?”

Keegan didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he signaled to the server, who quickly brought over two menus and poured us each a glass of water.

His expression was more guarded now, as if he were weighing his words.

“It’s one thing to be curious, Maeve,” he said slowly, his hazel eyes fixed on me, “but it’s another to go prying into things that are best left alone. This town has a rhythm, a way of keeping balance. Sometimes, it’s better not to disturb it. We depend on tourists to make our town what it is. If you go snooping and try to uncover how we operate, you could ruin a lot of people’s livelihoods.”

I frowned, not liking the way he seemed to brush off my questions. “I’m not looking todisturbanything, Keegan. I’m just trying to understand a town I apparently have a connection to. Nova told me my father was connected to Stonewick, and I wanted to know why. That’s not too much to ask, is it? Truthfully, I wouldn’t have thought anything aboutanythinghad you not given me that photo.”

Keegan’s expression softened briefly, but he quickly masked it with that familiar, guarded look. “Nova,” he murmured, almost to himself. “I should’ve known she’d start filling your head with all sorts of ideas. She’s a good woman, but she tends to see things… differently.”

The server came back and glanced at Keegan and me. “I recommend the wild mushroom soup and sourdough grilled cheese.”

I nodded. “Thank you. I’ll take it.”

“Sounds good,” Keegan agreed.

The woman took our menus and wandered to the kitchen.

“Differently?” I repeated, crossing my arms. “Or accurately? Because right now, she’s the only one who seems willing to tell me anything. Meanwhile, everyone else just keeps hinting that I should stay out of it. Do you have any idea how frustrating that is?”

Not to mention, I might not have even seen her last night.

I’d made it up!

A shadow passed over his face, and he leaned back, looking more irritated than amused. “Maeve, you don’t understand what you’re asking. This town… it’s not like other places. Things happen here that don’t have easy explanations. People come and go, drawn to Stonewick’s charm, but few stay long enough to realize there’s a reason for the mysteries. It’s not as simple as digging up a family tree.”

My irritation flared at his dismissive tone, and I met his gaze with a stubborn glint. “Well, maybe I want to find out. Maybe I need to find out. I grew up not knowing half of who I am, and now I’m here in this place with people who seem to know more about my family than I do. Don’t you think I deserve some answers?”