Page 46 of Magical Melee

“Maybe you’ll get some answers. A little closure,” she offered, noticing the photo I held.

The thought made my stomach twist. I’d held onto the few memories I had of him like precious treasures. But this felt like a doorway to a past I didn’t even know existed.

“Can I see it again?” Skye studied the photo a moment longer, then handed it back with a solemn expression. “Maeve, you have to find out what’s going on. If your mom didn’t tell you the truth, maybe there’s something deeper here.”

I was surprised that she wondered that, too. It made me feel a little less crazy.

“There’s a lot about the town that feels familiar, and it has since we stepped inside the tea shop. This photo made me feel a little less nuts.”

Skye’s eyebrows shot up. “Like, déjà vu?”

“Yeah.” I shrugged. “Maybe. Or maybe I’m just overthinking everything. But there was something about Stella… And then Nova, the tarot card reader, who felt strangely comforting. She also seemed a little odd.”

Skye chuckled. “She was probably worried you’d sue her for collapsing during her reading.”

I chuckled, knowing that wasn’t it.

My phone dinged again, and I pulled it out of my back pocket. I glanced down to see a message from Stella.

“Whoa,” I whispered.

Skye’s hands whipped to her hips. “What now?”

I handed her my phone, and she smiled as she read the text.

I checked with the cottage's landlord. He says if you can fix it up over the next few months, there’ll be no rent. After that, you can negotiate. He’s more concerned about its upkeep than money.

Her eyes landed on mine, and I shook my head.

“Is this for real?” I asked Skye.

“I mean, this is perfect. Do not talk yourself out of this, Maeve. I mean it.” She handed me back the phone. “I know how you overthink things and want to learn everything there is before making a decision, but sometimes, a gift is a gift.”

I drew in a steady breath, realizing I didn’t even have pictures of the place I’d be volunteering tofix up.

“What’s the worst that could happen?” she prompted. “You move out?”

“True,” I said softly, trying to run the pros and cons list mentally. “But I don’t have a ton of money to put into something that’s not mine.”

“But it’s like your rent,” she argued. “You’d have to pay something anyway.”

My phone buzzed again, and I looked down.

And all repairs will be at the owner’s expense. Just your labor is more than plenty.

“It’s like these people read my mind, and I don’t like it.”

Skye laughed and threw her head back. “You are so paranoid.”

“Not paranoid. Suspicious.” I shoved the phone back to her.

“That, my friend, is a coincidence.”

My brow arched. “I thought you didn’t believe in those.”

She chuckled and shook her head. “Don’t blow this, sweetie. You know how you look around in life and see all the lucky people out there, and you wonder, why not me?”

I nodded, studying my friend.