I stood up and started to walk to the kitchen to throw it out but Simon stopped me, grabbing my hand. "All joking aside - are you okay?" He looked up at me earnestly. I felt an actual ache in my heart at his expression. I thought sentiments like that were just fodder of trashy romance novels, but I actually felt a physical pain in my heart as I looked at him. I was right. The girl that ended up with Simon would truly be lucky. At that moment, I hated that girl, whoever she was.
"I'm fine," I replied, trying to smile. "Don't make me smack you again."
Simon released my hand. "I never would have pegged you for the violent type. Always smacking me around." He faked a wounded look and then grinned. "We can try to get out your aggression in other ways. Much more pleasurable ways."
I rolled my eyes. "Definitely impossible," I grumbled as I made my way to the kitchen, but with a smile.
After I threw away the Ding Dong, I checked the timer on the oven and the progress of the cookies through the glass door. "Five more minutes," I called out to Simon in the living room. He came to join me in the kitchen. We both leaned against the counter opposite the oven.
"Are you working tomorrow?" Simon asked conversationally.
"You don't know?" I smirked. "You seemed to know my schedule for today without me telling you."
"That's because I called Colette's today to see if you were there and they said you weren't working today," Simon admitted. "And I saw Sarah earlier on campus and she said you only had morning classes today."
"Very sly, Mr. Crewe," I replied, narrowing my eyes but feeling pleased at his effort. "I'll add snoop to your list of talents."
"I prefer the term enterprising, Ms. Kile,"
"The euphemism for sly noted, Mr. Crewe."
Simon shook his head in mock disapproval. "So negative, Ms. Crewe."
"Realistic, Mr. Kile." I grinned.
The timer on the oven went off, interrupting our banter. Simon's eyes lit up. "Time for my reward."
"Reward for what?" I scoffed, grabbing a potholder and taking the cookies out, placing it on the stovetop.
"For withstanding your attack on my honorable intentions, of course." Simon reached to take a cookie but yelped and drew his hand back quickly when it made contact with the hot baking sheet.
"Tsk, tsk" I admonished him. "Didn't anyone teach you that patience is a virtue?"
"I'm honorable, not virtuous. There's a difference." I looked up at Simon at his tone, at odds with our
lighthearted retorts. He was looking at me with an expression I didn't understand. There he was again, with his rapidly changing moods. It was hard for me to keep up, so I decided not to try.
"Fortunately, virtue isn't a requirement for cookie eating," I said, grabbing a plate and piling the cookies on it with a spatula. I placed the plate on the counter. "So have at it."
Simon seemed to shake off his odd mood as he grabbed a cookie and took a bite. "I'm never eating Ding Dongs again," he said rapturously. Today's garbage cookies included chocolate chips, toffee bits, pretzels and macadamia nuts. "I can't waste my taste buds on that drivel when I could be eating your garbage cookies." He finished the cookie and grabbed another.
"I'm not your cookie-making machine," I warned, but immensely pleased at his approval. "I hope your almost photographic memory retains everything."
"Hmm, we'll see," Simon said noncommittally.
I glanced at my watch. "I should get going. I have homework to finish up and Sarah will be expecting me back for dinner since neither of us have late classes tonight." I was tempted to invite Simon over for dinner, but knew I shouldn't overdo it. I had to pace my friendship with him.
Simon looked disappointed but he didn't object. "Okay. At least I have your cookies to console me."
I laughed. "Forget your inflated ego. Now you're giving me an inflated ego."
Simon smiled. "I'm okay with that."
I shook my head at his comment and went to the living room to grab my coat. Simon followed me, grabbing his coat that was hanging alongside mine.
"You don't have to walk me, Simon. It's not even dark outside."
"My mother," Simon reminded me with raised eyebrows.