Page 320 of Bride of Choice

“Ticks on phoned clock,” he corrected. “No many. Odix say Jo comes to buy, Odix buys.”

My eyebrows winged upward. “Are you saying my hairy butt is covering my shopping binges?” I joked.

Without an ounce of a sense of humor, he nodded. “Jes.”

“Well, alrighty then. In that case, may I see that pretty grey shawl?” My smile matched his as he handed it over and I tried it on. “This too. It’s gorgeous. Did you make this?”

“Mate make it,” he told me proudly.

“It’s so soft and pretty. Compliments to your mate.”

Tikti beamed. “My Lolly be pleased to hear.”

With an agreement to be back in two hours to collect my cups, I wandered over to the smithies pit to say hi and wish the head smith’s mate well, as well as inquiring about something I’d been thinking about a lot lately.

“You can do it? I’ll be back later and I can have it to you then.” I was trying to contain my excitement.

“Jes. Come back next moon full. Have all ready. Good, strong. Like door,” he promised.

“Thank-you-thank-you-thank-you! You’re the best,” I told him.

He blushed but waved me off. “Sound like my female. All the nice things. Too nice. Shoo. Go. Make face hot!”

I laughed as I did as he bade, rejoining Mal and Rosa.

“You know him?” Mal asked.

“Ybor. He did my door.” I nodded as Mal linked her arm in mine and we walked.

“He’s kinda scary looking.” Rosa glanced over her shoulder at him.

Mal patted the little back of Binc strapped to her chest.

Booger was somewhere around here, with the fussy little girly strapped to his chest screaming her head off whenever he slowed down to a walk. Booger was going to have thighs of steel spoiling that kid.

Zhuii was just outside the market area, teaching his kiddos how to make mud castles with Gopher’s youngest sisters, who’d taken a shine to Kehko and the boys.

“My girls!” Mamma walked over to us with Papa and BapaGo fast on her heels, Elle and Amee-lee in tow. Mamma had quickly realized how important Mal and Rosa were to me and they’d become her girls, too.

“How’s BapaFuz doing?” I asked.

“Stubborn,” she muttered, then rolled her eyes. “As always. But, he’s healing.”

“He’s too ornery to kick it,” Papa chimed in, effortlessly dodging one of Mamma’s elbows to his side telling him to hush it.

“They’re taking us shopping,” Mamma told us with a twinkle in her eyes.

“No need more things,” Elle grumbled, folding her arms over her chest.

Mamma sighed but smiled and shrugged her shoulders. “They love having many daughters, my mates tell me, but do they tell you they’re as pigheaded as their fathers?”

Papa and Bapas sharp shock of laughter told me they didn’t think the girls got their stubbornness just from their daddies.

“So I should aim to have all boys, then?” I joked.

Mamma threw her hands up at that one. “One boy. An angel. He wants to move as far away as possible the moment he’s of age!” Shaking her finger at me, she warned me, “The girls will drive you crazy but the boys, the boys will break your heart! Mark my words, ladies!”

“Mine better not,” Rosa muttered with a frown as we said our good days and headed for Zhuii.

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