Page 46 of The Bartender Special

Benny used the hand that Marzipan Junior had just licked to push the man’s face away. He rolled his eyes.

Sure, Ms. Peggy had a lot of things, but that came down to a love of couponing and a knee-jerk reaction to the word Sale. Add in anything craft, funky wall decor, or gnomes, and there was an almost-guarantee that they were coming home with her.

But it wasn’t like she kept them all to herself like Gollum trying to keep the ring.

From time to time she’d been known to let others shop her personal inventory.

Or, at least, Benny and Callum.

She’d been a savior for both during Benny’s senior prom decorating committee snafu and Callum’s first trick-or-treating adventure with his girlfriend’s son.

She was less of a hoarder and more of a secret pop-up shop.

One that he was extremely grateful for when she walked them to her guest bedroom and revealed an organized wonderland of treasures. She went to a stack of bins with labels placed on the outside.

“I made out like a villain when that big-box craft store in Mobile went out of business last year.” She squinted at one of the labels, then tapped the bin. “This one has metallic fringe out the wazoo in it and this one,” she moved to the one next to it, “has a lot of nautical items. I’m assuming this is the one we want to look at.”

She turned to Jack and was back to skepticism.

“I'm also assuming you actually are going to decorate the bar for the party, right?” she asked.

Jack nodded and then grumbled deep.

“From what I've been told, I have no choice.”

And he didn’t.

Which is why Benny clapped his hands at a bin he’d just spotted.

“Is this thing filled with blue and green streamers?”

Ms. Peggy nodded.

“Wait until you see the pirate-themed box.”

“And why do you have all of this?” Jack asked.

His tone wasn't disrespectful, but it wasn't aboveboard, either.

Ms. Peggy put her hands on her hips and gave Jack another don't cross me look.

“Because we live in a town obsessed with the theme of pirates, mermaids, and sailors,” she responded. “I also like helping the people I like. And, you know what, Jack Knox? I’m not sure I like you.”

“Ms. Peggy,” Benny started.

The older woman raised her hand in a universal stop motion. She kept her gaze on Jack, who kept his mouth, thankfully, shut.

“But since I've been a fan of this boy here since he was a teen and he must think you're worth more than just that muscled snark, I'll make you a deal.” Ms. Peggy motioned to the room as a whole. “You can take whatever you need to decorate your bar and float if you do me a favor.”

“A favor,” Jack deadpanned.

She nodded.

“That’s right. One little ol' thing you can do, and then you can take whatever you need for free to help you and your precious bar.”

Jack might have been a grouch, a grump, and full of grumbling about visiting Ms. Peggy, but the word free had a way of sounding good to even the most dour.

He lifted his eyebrow.