Robin and the Red Crow

Chapter Twenty-Six - A Hundred Other Towns

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the famed third-place winner of the Adel Winter Pastry Competition," Bert said theatrically, clapping his gloved hands as he approached Holly's jewelry stand, where Robin and Holly were packing up after selling the last pair of earrings they had brought.

Both Bert and Margo were bundled up in their winter attire. Margo wore 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.

Margo strolled over with an amused expression, eyeing the ribbon hanging from the table. "Pear tarts, huh?" she said, casting a cheeky glance at Holly. "Whose idea was that?"

"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.

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

"Oh? Is there?" Margo said, her surprise evident as she looked at Holly.

"There are some extras in that bag over there if you want to try some," Holly said, changing the subject and nodding toward the paper sack on the corner of the table near the ribbon.

"Of course, I would. I'm 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 asked politely, feeling slightly out of place among the old friends.

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

Robin was confused. "You saw—"

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

"Thank you, Bert," Robin said, still confused but deciding to move on. "Like I said, I've had a lot of practice these last couple of months."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Holly said, her annoyed 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? Your first non-pear food since you got here!" Bert teased, raising his hands in mock celebration.

"I forgot that was even possible," Robin joked back, mimicking Bert by lifting his hands in the air as well.

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

"Well, you can show him around the food section, Robin, and grab us all something real to eat while Margo and I drop off the boxes."

"Oh, I see. Girl talk time," Bert grumbled, seemingly annoyed that he hadn't been invited.

"No, I just need to be freed from the mockery of pears for two and a half seconds, and I fear you two won't drop the joke if you come with," Holly said, shooting Bert an exasperated look.

"You would be right, I'm afraid. But you have nobody to blame for that but yourself."

In a flash, Holly reached into her pocket and whipped out a pear, holding it over her head as if she were about to throw it at him.

"Whoa, whoa, put that thing down," Bert laughed. "We all know you're highly trained in handling that thing."

"Yeah, so make another pear joke in the next five seconds and see if I don't handle you like I do the annoying pear men that come to my door."