Page 5 of Magical Melee (Stonewick Magical Midlife Witch Academy #1)

“Frank?” My brows furrowed as I stared at the English bulldog on the other side of the door. “You didn’t knock…did you?”

He didn’t say anything.

Obviously.

But he looked at me intently as I stuck my head out and glanced in both directions to find only Frank in the hall.

My brows furrowed, and I glanced behind me to see Skye ordering our food on the phone.

I folded my arms and bent down. “Did you need something? Or?”

He stared at me.

“Can I help you with anything?” I whispered, hoping Skye wouldn’t hear me. “You gotta give me a bit to go with here. Did you want to come in?”

I waited for a wink or a snort or something.

But all he did was turn around and sit with his back facing our room and his snout facing the hallway. He took position like one of the many gargoyles out front.

“Okay, then. I’ll just close the door. Let me know if you need anything. I guess?”

He didn’t say anything, so I slowly closed the door.

Wait a second.

Of course, he wouldn’t say anything. I was losing my ever-loving mind.

Skye bounded toward me with a glint in her eyes. “Who was there?”

“Ummm. Nobody, really.”

“Well, somebody knocked.”

I nodded. “Yeah, but the somebody that’s there couldn’t have knocked.”

She scrunched her nose. “Huh?”

“The only person out there was Frank.”

“Frank?” She shook her head, not remembering the winking pooch.

“The bulldog,” I responded, waving my hands around.

She chuckled. “Sorry. You said person, and the bulldog didn’t exactly come to mind.”

“I said person?”

Skye nodded.

“Well, all I know is that Frank is outside the door.”

“That’s odd.”

“After the evening so far, it might be the most normal thing yet.”

She chuckled. “True, but I ordered some onion rings, cheese curds, two cheeseburgers, two side salads, and cheesecake. So all will be right with the world soon.”

I grinned at my friend and nodded. “At least I know I’ll never go hungry with you as my companion.”

She stretched toward the ceiling and yawned. “I actually thought it might be a delivery from the pharmacy. You’re sure you didn’t see anything out there?”

“Nope. Just Frank.” I shrugged.

“I ordered a pregnancy test.”

“I thought Nova said it would be too early.”

She shrugged. “I just thought I’d give it a try. I came out positive early the last time.”

I chuckled lovingly. “Is that a thing?”

“In my world.”

“Well, good. Then, I hope the sticks get here soon, and you can get to peeing.”

She slid onto her bed and kicked her feet in front of her. “Did you open that envelope from that guy you used to know?”

“Keegan? Oh, yeah. I totally forgot.” I laughed and shook my head.

“Maeve, what am I going to do with you? What if he’s trying to invite you out for drinks tonight?”

I laughed and shook my head, sitting on the bed across from her. “Well, I’d like to think if it was something like that, he would have just done it already.” I grinned. “You know, the old-fashioned way. In person? The two times he’s seen me.”

She slid off the bed and went to my purse where the corner of the envelope poked up, pulled it out, and handed it to me.

“Can you just open it for me? I’m dying of curiosity.”

I grinned and pretended to tear it very slowly.

“You’re the worst.”

I chuckled, finally opening the envelope, and peeked inside to see a photograph. Cocking my head slightly, my fingers touched the old picture, and I slid it out.

My heart froze when I saw my dad holding me tight with Stella, the tea shop owner, behind us. Keegan was kneeling next to Nova.

I stared in disbelief as my fingers trembled, and I saw us all standing outside the tea shop.

“Maeve, is everything okay?”

My eyes met hers, and I nodded slowly. “I guess I have been here before.”

She scooted off her bed and sat next to me. A little gasp erupted from her lips when she saw the photo in my hand.

“Maeve,” she said softly. “Is that your dad and you?”

I nodded slowly, letting the memory wash over me.

My gap-toothed smile beamed in the photo with my hands wrapped around my dad’s forehead as he held me on his shoulders A plaid dress stuck to me like I’d had a hard day of playing, and my black leggings twisted near the ankles. My wild and unruly hair had been pulled back by a lopsided purple ribbon.

I remembered that smile and the feeling of safety and joy in his arms.

But the backdrop struck me the most.

There was no doubt about it.

Behind us stood the cobblestone paths, tall iron streetlamps, and quaint little storefronts of Stonewick Village. We were definitely in front of the tea shop.

Not only had I been here before. It appeared I had been quite at home.

Familiarity washed over me as I stared at the photo, and glimpses of me running down the sidewalks with Keegan by my side pushed their way into my mind. Or twirling around in the tea shop until my brain went dizzy with delight.

“We used to come here all the time.” My eyes met hers. “I just didn’t remember.” I shook my head in disbelief. “I knew the tea shop felt like I’d been there before.”

“Do you think your mom took the picture?” she asked. “Is that why she’s not in it?”

“I don’t know. Maybe?” I let out a sigh. “I always got the impression we hadn’t been here. She certainly never wanted to bring me here when I was a kid.”

Skye rubbed my back and smiled. “You look like him. How old were you there, do you think?”

“Maybe five.”

“You’re cute.” She bopped my nose, and I laughed.

“I have to tell Keegan thank you for this. It’s…amazing.”

Skye nodded as I stood and walked to the window, where a cozy armchair had been tucked into the corner.

“Do you think he’s here now? I mean, he owns the place.”

Skye grinned. “Good question.”

I settled into pillows with the odd feeling that this place had welcomed me like a long-lost friend.

Skye sprawled across the bed, flipping through one of the ancient spell books we’d found on the nightstand.

“What a trip,” she said, humming with her feet kicking in the air behind her. “You see tea that changes color, pass out from a draft and dehydration, run into a boy you used to know, and then find out you’ve already been here.”

The small, faded photograph felt delicate between my fingers. It said so much to me now. But last week, it would have told me nothing.

Today?

It felt like the beginning of something…magical.

I stared at the picture, and an inexplicable warmth spread through me as I took in my dad. He was handsome and had such kind and mischievous eyes.

But the nagging questions had already started.

Why did my mom hate this place?

Why did she pretend I’d never been here?

Why hide any of this if it didn’t mean something?

“The one time my mom goes on a two-month cruise with my stepdad.” I smiled and shook my head.

“Can you send her an email?” Skye asked.

“I doubt she’s logging on.”

I squinted, pulling the photo closer as though that would unlock more memories buried somewhere inside me. My dad and I looked right at home in the heart of this enchanting town as if we were meant to be here.

Yet I’d always been told I had never been to Stonewick before. In fact, every time I’d mentioned wanting to visit a place like this, my mom’s face would go tight. Her eyes flitted away with an excuse about it being “too far” or “not our kind of place.”

Though, my mom and I never really agreed about a lot of things, and once she met my stepdad, she agreed with me even less.

Don’t get me wrong. I had a solid upbringing, but I always felt a little out of place.

It was probably why I was so excited to start my own family.

I just happened to pick the wrong man if I had wanted us to grow old together in some rocking chairs.

Now, I wasn’t so sure that sounded like fun, anyhow.

So, take that, Alex .

I chuckled and nodded, thinking back to my dad. I’d always gotten the impression he was pretty mellow.

Not me.

My mom’s fiery temper was embedded deep, which wasn’t helping now.

And it was all channeling toward her. I hated being left in the dark, and this photo brought so many questions, I felt like I would burst.

A knock at the door brought me out of my fog as Skye bounded toward the door.

She opened it wide to see a room service attendant dressed in a black suit standing behind a cart with our food.

“Your dinner has arrived,” he said, glancing past Skye.

Our eyes connected for a brief spell before he brought his gaze back to Skye.

“Come right on in,” she said, motioning to the man.

He gave a quick nod and wheeled the table into our room. The smell of deep-fried goodness filled the air, and I chuckled.

“We don’t usually eat this poorly,” I assured him.

He laughed and shrugged. “Why not? We only live once.”

Skye quickly scribbled her signature on the receipt, and he walked toward the door as someone else with a bag appeared.

“I have an order for Skye…”

She whooped, interrupting the second delivery man, and dashed toward him. “Thank you so much.”

“Absolutely,” he said, handing over the small plastic bag.

Both men turned toward the elevator down the hall as Skye shut the door, dangling the bag in front of me.

“This is it. We’ll see if Nova is up to no good.”

I smiled and shook my head. I wasn’t so sure we were going to be pleased with the results.

“Are you sure you don’t want to wait?” I tried again, reaching for a cheese curd. “She did say…”

“Have you ever known me to be patient?”

I laughed and shook my head. “No, that isn’t a characteristic that comes to mind with you.”

She bounded off to the restroom as I stared at the photo I’d set on the dresser. I had so many questions for my mom and for Keegan, and since my mom was floating in tropical breezes somewhere, I had to find Keegan.

I placed our food on a small table and wheeled the oversized cart back out the door, only to see Frank standing as still as a statue facing the hallway.

“You’re still here?”

He didn’t even twitch.

I frowned and looked down the hallway. “Where is Stella? Does she just let you roam around town? You could get stolen or dognapped.”

His inability to answer didn’t stop me from talking.

“What kind of place is this, Frank?” I sighed softly. “I feel like there’s something more than meets the eye. Are you with me on this?”

He finally glanced up at me, and his dark brown eyes melted me.

“I’ll be right back.” I turned around and closed the door, beelining to my burger. I ripped off the bun and tore off a big chunk of meat and cheese, set it on a smaller appetizer plate, and returned to Frank in the hallway. “You have to eat something.”

His eyes widened, and he looked both ways in the hallway before standing and gobbling up the meal in one bite. He let out a burp and sat back down.

“You truly are a bulldog.” I grinned and took the plate away. “I’ll bring some water.”

As I went inside and snooped for something to pour water into, the toilet flushed, and Skye reappeared.

“Time will tell.” She wiggled her brows. “What are you looking for?”

“A dish to put water in for Frank.”

“He’s still here? I didn’t even notice him out there.”

“He is, and I gave him some of my cheeseburger.”

I found a little saucer where creamers were stored, dumped them out, and filled it with water before returning back to the hall.

My heart nearly jumped out of my chest when I saw Keegan kneeling in front of Frank talking.

I smiled and shook my head as I knelt down with the water, promising myself I didn’t just hear Frank, the bulldog, chatting.

“You know, he doesn’t really talk back,” I told him.

Keegan stood, smiling at me. “How do you know?”

I chuckled and shrugged. “Just a hunch. You know, because he’s a canine.”

Keegan’s eyes fastened on mine, and my heart skipped a beat, maybe two.

But now was not the time for that. For all I knew, he was with Nova.

“I just stopped by to check on you.” His teeth grazed his bottom lip. “You know, from earlier.”

“Oh?” I laughed. “You mean, the whole fainting thing?”

He grinned and nodded.

“Well, thanks for checking on me. I’m actually about to dive into a cheeseburger, so I must be doing better.”

He laughed and nodded. “Glad to hear it.”

The energy between us shifted, and I returned my gaze to his.

“I’m glad I ran into you.” I drew a breath, feeling like I was suddenly thrown back into high school. “I wanted to thank you for giving me that photo.”

“Yeah? Had you seen that one before?” he asked.

I shook my head quickly. “No. I haven’t ever seen it. I…” Words failed me.

“You what?” he asked softly.

“I had no idea that I’d been here before.” A shiver ran through me. “My mom strictly forbade me from coming here. She said it was foolish and a waste of time and money.”

“Interesting.”

“Why’s that?”

“She was the one taking the photo.”

My eyes shot up in surprise. “Really?”

“Yeah.” He leaned against the wall, his muscular figure hard to ignore under the clothes he’d changed into. A grey plaid flannel stretched across his chest and forearms like he could bust out of it at a moment’s notice if needed.

Not that men needed to turn into Superman all the time or anything, but still…

I smiled, realizing Skye had gotten into my mind. Keegan did not need to become a potential date.

“You know, your family was a huge presence in Stonewick before your dad…” He didn’t finish his sentence, but I nodded.

“I feel kind of cheated,” I confessed. “This place feels so cozy.”

He chuckled, lifting his brows. “It does? Most people say it’s a little haunting and creepy.”

“Then I guess I’m not most people.”

His eyes stayed on mine, and he nodded. “You never were, Maeve.”