"Good, my red maned mare, I am always bloody good," he said, flashing a grin at her as he added more bravado than he needed to. He knew she'd see through him, but with the growing crowd, he wasn't sure how much detail he should go into. After taking a moment to decide, he decided to at least share the positive part of what had happened to him recently; he knew his worries might end up worming their way out but he'd face that when he got there.
"The place is hopping. I've booked some brilliant bands for the next couple weeks. I'm thinking about getting some of those baked goods over here, from the shop down the street. And I sent flowers to a girl."
He tried to look nonchalant about it, turning to glance at the customers who all seemed placated for the moment.