“Offered to buy the shop again.”

Ethan rolled his shoulders like he was physically shaking off the thought. “What’d you tell him?”

Mason gave him a look. “What do you think?”

Ethan’s jaw clenched. “Next time, call me. I’d love to tell him personally where to shove it.”

“Yeah, well, it’s not like he's giving up,” I muttered.

Mason sat on the edge of the workbench, crossing his arms. “That's not all.”

Ethan raised a brow.

Mason grabbed the key and held it up. “Recognize this?”

Ethan frowned, stepping closer. Then his brows pulled together.

“Yeah,” he said slowly. “I found it in a lockbox a while back.”

Mason and I exchanged looks.

Ethan eyed us. “What?”

Mason’s voice was tight. “That key’s from Page Turners.”

Ethan’s frown deepened. “Is it?”

“Something in the basement,” I added.

Ethan turned the key over in his fingers. “Huh.”

“That's it?” Mason snapped. “You find a key to her place and just…huh?”

Ethan sighed. “I didn’t know where it was from. Figured it was something Pop left behind.” He looked between us. “You think this means something?”

Mason scoffed. “You don’t?”

Ethan rolled his shoulders, but his eyes were sharp.

Too much shit was happening at once. Too many weird connections.

We needed to clear our heads.

I clapped Ethan on the back. “Lucky’s?”

He exhaled. “Yeah. Let’s get a drink.”

Lucky's was already buzzing when we walked in. The smell of beer and fried food filled the air, country music twanging from the old jukebox.

The three of us headed straight for the bar, tension still thick between us.

Ethan ordered whiskey. Mason and I stuck to beer.

None of us spoke at first. We just sat there, letting the alcohol work through the frustration of the day.

It was Mason who finally broke the silence.

“We need to figure this shit out.”