He considered this. “With magic returning, I don’t know what to expect. I’m hoping the next few months are completely uneventful, if I’m being honest.”
“Uneventful is boring!” Fiella griped.
“Boring is safe,” Tommins insisted. “Boring is good.”
Redd tilted his head as he settled back into his chair. “I can’t disagree with you there.”
The table was now full of boxes and bags of varying sizes. Gifts both big and small cluttered the space. I could hardly see Fiella across the table.
Tommins looked for a moment like he would flee, but I patted him on the shoulder, sending a small zap of magic into him. He flinched, and then glared at me.
“You don’t have to leave,” I insisted.
“I don’t want to intrude?—”
I shook my head. “Nobody thinks you’re intruding.”
“But you’re all friends, and I’m…” He trailed off, unsure.
“You’re our friend, too,” Fiella said warmly. “Even if you do threaten to send us to the dungeon a little too often.”
Mayor Tommins’ face flushed, dark and warm. He cleared his throat twice before he spoke again. “Well, someone has to keep you crazy folk in check.”
Fiella raised her goblet, a broad grin baring her fangs. “I’ll cheers to that.”
We all lifted our glasses. Tommins looked bashful, but he raised his glass, too.
“And cheers to Merry Day!” Ginger added before she took a long swallow from her glass. She set it down with a thunk and then leaned back, kicking her hooves up and resting them on the edge of the table. If it were anyone else, we would’ve gotten a thump on the back of the head, but being the pub owner had its perks. “Now, who’s first! Redd!”
Redd startled. “Me? Oh, no. Someone else.”
“Redd! Redd!” Fiella chanted.
The rest of us joined in. “Redd! Redd!”
His cheeks darkened. “Oh fine, fine.” Under his breath, he grumbled, “I’ll get it over with.”
I glanced at Fiella from the corner of my eye to find her absolutely beaming. Lovesick fool. I suppressed my own grin.
Redd had three packages in front of him. He opened them with a brisk efficiency.
The first package, from Fiella, contained two items. The first was a knitted hat, striped with varying lines of brown and green.It was actually pretty nice. The second item was harder to work out.
He held the bundle up questioningly. “I love it,” he said warmly. Then he cleared his throat. “But… what is it?”
Fiella snorted. “It’s a strap for your tools! You can wrap it around your waist, and it’ll carry your hammers and mallets, so you don’t have to bend all the way to the ground to retrieve them from your toolbox.”
Redd stared at her with soft eyes, his jaw working. “It’s perfect,” he said. His voice was husky.
Fiella was absolutely radiant. “You like it?”
“I love it.”
“Save the lovey dovey stuff for your cottage!” I complained. “Open mine next!”
Redd cleared his throat, glancing around the room as though remembering he had an audience. “Right. Of course.”
He pulled the top off of the box, and then smiled. “Is this what I think it is?”
