Page 42 of Magical Melee

“You don’t think the tea made me faint last night, right?” I teased.

Stella chuckled, but she didn’t answer.

“This town has been a trip.” I smiled as she glanced at Frank. “But I think it’s time I go back home and start the rest of my life.”

“Can I interest you in something to take the edge off?”

I laughed, slipping onto a stool at the counter. “You have anything for ‘mysteriously handsome men who refuse to answer questions’?”

She chuckled. Her laughter was light but tinged with understanding. “Ah, Keegan gave you the Stonewick runaround, did he? You’re not the first to be on the receiving end of that particular charm. Nor will you be the last.”

Her words of encouragement didn’t exactly set my mind at ease.

Stella moved gracefully to the shelves behind her, selecting a small tin with a label that readFortitude Brew.She began scooping loose leaves into a small strainer, her gaze shifting back to me as she set a teapot to boil.

“It’s not just Keegan,” I admitted, feeling a mix of frustration and something else I couldn’t quite name. “Nova’s been just as cryptic, hinting at things without actually saying anything. I feel like everyone in this town knows some big secret, and they’re all taking bets on how long it’ll take me to crack it.” I shrugged. “If it didn’t have to do with my dad, I probably wouldn’t even think twice.”

Stella sighed, measuring out loose leaves with the finesse of a master magician. “Ah, welcome to Stonewick, honey. We don’t reveal things outright here. No, no, that would spoil all the fun! This town is like a good novel. We must keep you guessing until the last chapter.”

“Great,” I muttered.

She placed a steaming cup of tea in front of me with a flourish.

“Where’s the fun in knowing all the answers upfront?” She shook her head. “You strike me as someone who enjoys learning and teaching.”

I took a sip of the tea—earthy and soothing, with a touch of citrus—and tried to let her words settle my frustration.

“It just feels like they’re hiding something important. Nova’s always so cryptic, and Keegan… well, he’s impossible. Flirts one minute, shuts down the next. It’s enough to make a person’s head spin. Actually, he might not even be flirting. I’ve been married so long, I don’t even remember what that’s like. He’s probably just being nice.” I sank my head on my arm and groaned. “Oh, no. He probably wasn’t flirting.”

Stella gave a long, dramatic sigh. “Oh, honey, Keegan’s been making heads spin since he got here, and let me tell you, he’s had plenty of practice.” She leaned in, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “But the man cares about this town and everything in it. Annoying as he might be, Keegan’s got his reasons.”

I rolled my eyes, setting my cup down with a huff. “I’m too old for games, especially when they concern the opposite sex.”

“Ha!” Stella cackled, clearly enjoying this more than she should. “Men like Keegan don’t say things, darling. They brood. And then they brood some more, all dark eyes and silent charm. They’re like a well-worn teapot—stubborn as anything and full of hot air.”

Her laughter was infectious, and I found myself smiling despite my irritation. “I suppose it doesn’t help that Nova’s just as bad. One minute, she’s hinting at family connections and destiny, and the next, she’s off in a cloud of incense, leaving me to figure it out alone.”

Stella nodded, patting my hand with a touch of motherly concern. “That’s Nova’s way. She gives you pieces, lets you stew over them, and only then, when you’re nearly out of patience, does she let slip something useful. It’s a game, but it’s not without purpose. The answers stick better when you find them yourself.”

“I just wish it didn’t feel like everyone’s in on something I don’t know.” I sighed, glancing around the cozy shop, half-expecting the jars and teapots to be hiding secrets, too. “I guess it’s supposed to be part of the town’s charm, but it’s wearing on me.”

“Look, Maeve,” Stella said with a softness that surprised me, her hand covering mine. “This town is… different. And the people in it? They’re all here for a reason, just like you. Stonewick doesn’t let just anyone in. Sure, tourists wander the streets and slap down their credit cards for ghost tours, but they don’tseeour town. Not like you do.”

“Again, with the vagueness.” I laughed and shook my head.

“If you’re here, it’s because you belong. And that comes with a lot of mystery—but also a lot of magic.”

Her words settled over me, warming me in a way I hadn’t expected. “I keep feeling that… That this place is trying to show me something. Even earlier today, I could’ve sworn I saw a scarf floating in the air before folding and putting itself away on a shelf.”

“Well, that’s purely practical.”

I laughed. “So, you’re saying I didn’t imagine it?”

She chuckled. “No, I didn’t say that. I’m just impressed at how practical your idea of magic is. Self-folding laundry? A very creative imagination, indeed.”

I took a sip of tea and felt the warmth trickle down my throat.

Stella’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she stirred her own cup of tea. “Magic’s just another word for the unexplained. But if Stonewick’s trying to lead you somewhere, you’d best pay attention. It has a way of pointing you exactly where you need to go whether you’re ready for it or not.”