Robin and the Red Crow

Chapter Twenty-Six - A Hundred Other Towns

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the incredible third-place winner of the Adel Winter Pastry Competition,"

Robin looked up from the jewelry display he was packing as Bert approached, the large man clapping his gloved hands in a theatrical manner.

Robin let out a snort and shook his head in response, ignoring the man as he returned to helping Holly pack away her jewelry booth.

Both Bert and Margo were bundled up in their winter attire, as the day of Adel's Winter Market was frightfully cold. Margo was dressed in a fur-trimmed white coat and a warm bonnet, while Bert sported a coat that appeared to be made of fox fur and a wide-brimmed Stetson.

Robin and Holly were dressed warmly as well, rewearing the designs from the fall festival—with some new winter additions. Thick winter coats with embroidered hats and gloves Holly had made in an attempt to keep them warm and on theme for the chilly market day.

Margo strolled over to Holly's booth with an amused expression, eyeing the Pastry Competition ribbon Holly had hung from the table. "You placed with your pear tarts, huh Robin?" she mused, casting a cheeky glance at Holly. "Whose idea was that?"

"It was Robin's," Holly replied, shooting her friend a playfully irritated glance in return.

"Well, living with you, he certainly would have had enough practice. I'm a bit surprised he didn't sweep the competition this year."

"Well, there's always next year," Robin said with a laugh, placing the last box onto Holly's cart.

"Oh? Is there?" Margo muttered, her eyebrows shooting up in question as she looked at Holly.

"There are some extra tarts in that bag over there if you want to try some," Holly replied, tossing a glare at her friend as she changed the subject. She nodded toward the paper sack on the corner of the table, sitting just above the ribbon.

"Of course, I would. I'm honestly surprised you didn't eat them all already, Holly," Bert joked, reaching into the bag to pull out two tarts for himself and Margo.

Holly huffed in annoyance.

"Have you guys been enjoying the market?" Robin interjected politely, trying to include himself despite feeling slightly out of place among the old friends.

"We just got here, actually," Margo said. "We saw you two packing up and decided to stop by the market and join you both."

Robin was confused. "You saw—"

"These are really good, Robin," Bert mumbled with a full mouth, wiping the crumbs from the pear tart off his face. "I can see why you managed to place in your first year."

"Thank you, Bert," Robin responded with a small smile, still confused by Margo's statement, but deciding to move on. "Like Margo said, I've had a lot of practice these last couple of months."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Holly grumbled, her irked glance now turning to Robin, "I need to take these boxes to the store. Then we can grab some non-pear-related food from the vendors."

"Yay! Did you hear that, Robin? You are freed! Your first non-pear food since you arrived in Adel!" Bert teased, raising his arms in mock celebration.

"Wow! I forgot that was even possible," Robin joked back, as he shook his head and rubbed his temple with a fake sigh.

Margo snorted at the two of them while Holly let out another irritated huff.

"Well, you two can wander around the food vendors and grab us all something 'real' to eat while Margo and I drop off the boxes in the shop."

"Oh, I see. Girl-talk time," Bert grumbled, shooting Robin a look, seemingly annoyed that they hadn't invited him along.