Page 4 of Magical Melee

I chuckled. “This is why we’re best friends. You see what I see in the world.”

Skye’s smile widened. “Absolutely.”

I looked down at my tea, noticing the pale yellow hue darkening into a magenta liquid.

“Are you going to miss the house? I know you told Alex to keep everything, but I’ve been worried you might regret not taking a little more.”

“I’m going to miss living across from you. But it doesn’t feel like any of that other stuff matters now. He’s more than welcome to our wedding dishes and everything else his attorney begged mine for. It’s just stuff. Plus, with Celeste in college, the house feels empty, so I wouldn’t want to be there.”

I’d packed the only items I cared about, like my daughter’s drawings, her cutesy pink baby shoes, and everything else thatreminded me of Celeste and all the good from being tethered to Alex for nearly two decades.

I looped my fingers through the cup's handle and raised it slowly to take a drink when the magenta turned blue. My eyes widened, and I set it right back down.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Is your tea changing color?”

She glanced down at hers and shook her head. “Nope.”

“Okay.” I licked my lips and glanced over at the dog.

“Maybe your tea is like a mood ring,” she teased.

I chuckled nervously and looked down to see orange. “This is so weird. I’m kind of afraid to drink it.”

“Want me to try it first?” she asked without waiting for an answer. She reached over, picked up the cup, peered inside, and frowned. “Maeve, the tea is completely clear with a hint of yellow.”

I chuckled and reached for the tea, but Skye held onto the cup, shook her head, and chuckled. “Bottoms up.”

She took a sip, pursed her lips, and squinted. “It’s not the best.” Skye glanced around the tea shop and handed the cup back to me. “All yours.”

I chuckled until my eyes fell on the tea, which had now changed to red.

“You don’t see this? It’s red.” I tilted the cup for her and watched her study the inside of the teacup before bringing her gaze back to me.

Skye shook her head. “Sorry. It’s as clear as moonshine to me, but the good news is that I feel fine after drinking it.”

I snickered and let out a sigh. “Thanks for taking one for the team, but I don’t think your hubby would be thrilled with me if you keeled over from drinking mysterious liquids on our girls’ trip.”

She grinned and stretched her legs under the table, glancing out the window to see the sidewalks bustling with tourists. “I’ll keep that in mind. But don’t say I didn’t warn you about the taste.”

“Ah, what the heck.” I lifted the teacup, took a sip, and felt the hot liquid coat my throat.

A kaleidoscope of flavors dazzled my tastebuds. Cinnamon, orange, and earthiness danced inside my mouth. The tea was like drinking a candy apple with a hint of something citrusy and spicy.

My eyes widened in surprise. “This is so good.”

I took another sip as if I couldn’t get enough.

Skye cringed and shrugged. “To each their own.”

I set the tea down and smiled. “There’s something special about this place. Really special.”

She nodded and glanced at her phone. “I love it too. Just so quaint. It feels like we’re in another time. Speaking of, I have a little reading scheduled for us. We should probably head over there soon.”

A bell above the door chimed softly as a customer walked inside. The sound of the ring rippled through the air.

Stella looked up and adjusted her poncho as her gaze met the customer’s. For a brief moment, something unspoken passed between them. He glanced over his shoulder at me, andI whipped my gaze away, focusing on my tea, which had now turned turquoise.