15. Burnt Boxing Cookies

So, fun fact- I am not good at cooking… or baking. I can make a pretty dang good tea or hot chocolate, but as far as kitchen-skills go, that's about it. I was disappointed and annoyed but not surprised when the kitchen began to smell like something was burning. Eloise entered just as I was taking out the smoking cookie tray from the oven.

"What are you doing?" She peered over my shoulder, mildly curious. "Trying to make cookies," I sighed, tossing the tray down onto the stovetop upset. "Those are cookies?" Her eyebrow rose up. "They were supposed to be. I wanted to make Simon some sugar cookies in the shape of boxing gloves as thanks for the flowers. He's a boxer." "Huh, I did not know that. You're not gonna give him these, are you? They look like trash." "Thanks, little sis. No, I'm not; they're too burnt," another sigh fell from my lips. "Why didn't you just buy him chocolate boxing gloves?" Eloise plucked one up for inspection. "I wanted it to be special. No one's ever gotten me roses before." "Mmmmm, Daddy bought you a rose bush that one time," she smirked, attempting to nibble off the edge of the very brown and black sugar brick. She made a face and threw it back down onto the tray. Meanwhile I sent her an unimpressed scowl. "You're clever," there was no holding back the sarcasm in my tone.

"Well, hurry up. We want to start the movie. I just came in here to make the popcorn; Francesca's setting the tv up." "Can you give me a minute to clean all this up?" "Ugh, fine. But speed it up. Chick flick night waits for no girl." "I don't even want to watch a romcom," I rolled my eyes. I let my two younger sisters pick the film for tonight's entertainment- like an idiot. Eloise totally ignored my comment, taking out one of those microwavable popcorn bags and putting it into the microwave. Scarcely had she pressed "start" before a voice bellowed from the man-cave downstairs.

"Eloise!" Benedict could he heard from all the way up here, causing me to roll my eyes again. "What?!" She was just as loud as him. "Be a peach and bring me down a beer, would you! A cold one from the fridge!" Of course he was too lazy to come get it himself- that, or the match was too good to miss out on. The three eldest Bridgerton boys were having a "guys' night" tonight. They were watching this big boxing tournament in the UK somewhere; I didn't know the details exactly. Simon had come over to join them. We greeted each other at the door before he went downstairs with the others. That's when I got the bright- or not so bright- idea to make him cookies. I wanted to surprise him with them for on his way home. But… well turns out that's not happening.

Eloise couldn't have looked more apathetic to Benny's request. Instead she pulled out the big bowl designated for popcorn and butter. "Get your own beer! I'm busy!" "But I'm really thirsty!" Was his lame plea. "Yeah, I could use a cold one too!" Colin hollered up. "Make that three if you're coming down! Er, four!" Anthony added. I had to stifle a grin at the disgusted look on my sister's face. She glared towards the basement door like it housed a bunch of entitled pricks. I mean, let's be real…. If just to get them off our backs and let us enjoy our movie in peace, I went to take out a six-pack of beer from the fridge.

Eloise blinked at me. "What are you doing?" "I'll bring them drinks. Then I'll come up and we can start the movie." "You're not their servant, Daph." "No, I'm their sister. I can choose to be nice to my brothers, especially since I'm leaving soon. Besides, Simon is a guest." She, of course, rolled her eyes. "You spoil them." "No, I don't." "Yes, you do," she chuckled. Having enough of her nonsense- since I'm about to deal with a lot more- I took the beer cans downstairs.

Now, observing men watch sports is a fascinating experience. It's really something to see grown adults get so worked up over something like a sports game. And don't me wrong; I know what it's like to route for a specific team. I watch the Euro Cup and World Cup on pins and needles whenever its on. My point is that men are a lot more… abrasive, let's say. They yell and holler and jostle and scream at the television screen like the referee and players can actually hear them. Personally, I find it entertaining and a little scary, but that's just cause I'm a pacifist by nature and don't like confrontation. Which is why I can't watch boxers physically hit each other, but that's another story.

They were all being rowdy and little like teenagers when I reached downstairs with their beer in hand. They were so emersed in the match that none of them noticed my arrival for a good twenty seconds, leaving me to stand there watching them make- in my opinion- total fools of themselves. It was actually charming; nice to see they can let loose around one another. Speaking of letting loose….

Benedict was the first to spot me over by the staircase, likely because I was holding beer. Guess to where his eyes went first. "Hey, Daph!" He waved all energized and excited. All heads had to rotate from the tv screen to me, which was rather comical to witness. They were like robots moving in unison. Anthony and Simon's face lit up; hopefully for different reasons than Benny.

"Baby sis! Hi! Didn't hear you come down!" Anthony announced, also with eagerness. "I'm surprised you can hear anything with how loud you have the tv," I came over to set the cans on the table, chalked full of candy wrappers, empty soda and beer bottles, and crisp bags everywhere. Anthony muted the tv and the four descended on the poor, unsuspecting cans. Then they all grinned up at me.

"Thanks." "Yeah, thanks Daph." "Thanks, baby sis." "Thank you, Daphne." Well, at least they're still gentlemen; got to give them props for that. I smiled; my hands clasped together in front of me. "You're welcome." Simon took a drink from his can then glanced at my face, or more specifically my cheek. "Baking something?" He inquired. Confused how he would have known, I brushed my right cheek with my fingers, only to find it had flour on it. My eyes rolled up toward the ceiling, completely unimpressed with myself.

"Oh, yeah. I was trying to make boxing glove cookies for you to take home but…" "Boxing glove cookies?" Simon blinked perplexed and baffled. "Cookies shaped like boxing gloves," I clarified. Colin stuffed a crisp into his mouth casually. "You can't bake." "I know that, Colin! I wanted to try all the same. It was to thank you for the flowers you sent on Easter," I then told Simon. His eyes widened a little. "You… were baking something….. for me? No one's ever baked me something before." Anthony nodded his head approvingly at this. "It's a great idea! Where are our sisters? Why weren't they helping you? Simon got them flowers too." "They were… busy trying to decide whether we should watch The Devil Wears Prada or To All The Boys I've Loved Before. The latter won out… unfortunately," I tacked on under my breath. They all laughed. "Girls, man. I'll never understand 'em," Colin noted. "I have no doubt about that," I didn't hesitate to concur with a side-smirk.

Simon patted the couch cushion beside him. "Why don't you join us?" "Yes, come join us, baby sis! The match is just getting to the good part," Anthony also encouraged. I don't know how any part of a boxing match can be classified as "good". Not that it mattered. I raised my hand up in a grateful but passing fashion. "I'd love to stay but…." A familiar voice came rushing down to suddenly interrupt me mid-sentence. "Daphne! What's taking you so long?! How long does it take to deliver six cans of beer?! We're waiting to start the movie and popcorn's getting cold! You can side-flirt with your Peter Kavinsky later! Hurry up!" Eloise could have been one of those old-timey criers if she wanted to be. While they all seemed confused, I couldn't have internally cringed harder. I wore the world's least thrilled expression on my face, staring off into space for a moment. It's moments like this where I really wish I only had brothers.

"Who's Peter Kavinsky?" Benedict asked no one in particular. "Do we know any Kavinskys?" Colin added. "Ugh, it's nothing. She's just being a moron; just ignore her," my hand ran down my face in sheer agony. I couldn't have got out of there fast enough. I said good night to all of them before making a mad dash upstairs. They were back to their cheering and ruckus by the time I closed the door up top. With a low growl, I was about to go find my sister and give her an earful. That's what I would have done if my phone didn't start to vibrate on the kitchen counter where I'd left it. I was watching "how to make sugar cookies" on YouTube; not that it helped anything. A quick check of the screen made my eyes grew.

"Hi, Dr. Pillar!" "Hi, Daphne. Sorry; I know it's late. I was on a conference call." "No! No, not at all. I'm just happy to hear back from you," I grinned, happy to hear her voice. "I read over those research proposal ideas you sent me. They need some work." "Of course! Just… let me get a pencil!" Completely forgetting about the movie, I ran up to the desk in my room- where I stayed for the next two and half hours. We didn't talk for that long; more so between forty minutes and an hour, but I wanted to take detailed notes of everything she said. There were a lot of changes I'd have to make. After the call ended, I scribbled down anything I missed, and began looking up chapters to read and making notes of stuff I'd have to do.

By the time I exited my room again, it was after ten. The house was quiet now, what with the boxing match being over and my sisters' movie ended. Francesca came up to demand what I was doing in my room, but they left me alone when I pointed to my phone and made a "hush" gesture with my finger to my lips. The only one I saw again that night was Eloise, who was in the kitchen making herself a cup of tea. I was mentally fatigued and wanted a nice mug of hot chocolate before bed. My sister spun her head to me as I re-entered the kitchen.

"Where is everyone?" I glanced around, a little surprised by how unexpectedly quiet it was. "In their rooms. Simon went home." "Oh," my head nodded somewhat unthinkingly. Then I looked down at the cookie tray still on the stovetop. To my wonder, the burnt cookies were all gone. "You throw out the cookies?" I picked up the tray to go clean it. Honestly, I wouldn't be upset if she did; no one was going to eat those black bricks. But, much more to my shock, Eloise shook her head. I gave her a puzzled look prompting her to continue.

"Simon took them." "He what?!" This couldn't have floored me more. He wasn't supposed to take these! He was never even meant to see them. Granted, that was partly my fault since I left them unattended in the kitchen. But I never suspected he'd actually want them! Why would he want those things? They're practically inedible. Only good for the trash and what not. Reading my floored expression, Eloise had the curtsy to go on. "He said you made them for him, so he wanted to take them. Didn't seem too bothered that their heh, uneatable."

"How could you let him take them?! He's going to think I'm the worst baker in the world!" "Uh, you kind of are, sis," her eyes narrowed in that "obvious" way. My hand flew up to my forehead. "What's he going to do with burnt, disgusting cookies?! So stupid…! They're not any good… Ugh! Why didn't I just throw them out?! I'm such an idiot! Why am I such an idiot?!" "Oh my god. How can dense can you be, Daph? You know, for someone who's in Masters, you can pretty thick- you know that?" Eloise's hands planted on her hips. I looked at her dumbfounded by this statement. Her eyes lowered onto mine, softer this time.

"Duh. He wanted them because you made them for him. He doesn't care if they're burnt." "What? That's obviously not what's going on," I said before I gave myself time to think about it. "Uh, yes; it is. And if you two weren't so "anti-relationship", you'd see how much you really like each other." My cheeks turned a bright shade of red. "Me?! Like the duke?" "Well why else would you make him cookies?" "To thank him for the roses…. Er, flowers; flowers he sent all of us," I quickly corrected myself. Her eyes rolled. "Uh huh. And why do you think he sent us flowers?" "Because it was Easter." "No, you dough brain! It's because he likes you! Simon clearly has a thing for you." "Yeah, as a friend. He's made it apparent more than once that he's not interested in dating well… anyone; not just me." "He said that, but you can't stop yourself from falling in love. It just….. happens. There's no "off-switch" for feelings." She said this, and my lips parted a sliver. Off-switch…. "Don't worry about you? Well, I'm sorry; there's no "off-switch", Daphne." Oh…. Oh boy.

Eloise continued to watch me as I gave my head a very hard shake, as if trying to punish myself for thinking about any…. Well, any of that. No! I have to stay strong. Remember what Daddy said. Love isn't meant for people like me- it's not even worth thinking about. Besides, it's not like Simon and I could ever get married. He doesn't even want to get married…. Thinking about it like that made it a lot easier for me to calm down, though my heart was still pounding.

I drew in a deep breath and met my sister's gaze straight on. "Look, I appreciate what you're trying to say, but you're wrong about this one, Eloise. The duke and I are friends- that's it. That's all either of us want; we're happy with the way things are now. And besides! What would happen if we got together and I went back to Belgium? I'm flying back soon; this is not the time to get romantically involved with anyone." She stared into my eyes for a moment, letting a pregnant pause slip in. "So you haven't caught feelings for Simon at all?" "No! I mean, he's great to hang out with and I feel like crying whenever he smiles. Plus I admire the person he is on the inside. But that's normal between friends, isn't it?" Her eyes narrowed onto mine suspiciously. "Have you ever felt that way about anyone before?" I don't know how long I watched her for, but eventually at some point my lips opened again.

"Well, no; but that doesn't automatically mean I like him. Like "like" like him." Eloise shook her head incredulous. "You don't get it, Daph. If you don't sink your claws into him soon, he might slither away." "Let him. I'd never want to trap Simon," I know all too well what that's like. She rolled her eyes. "Come on, sis. Don't you think he's one in a million?" "Oh, I think you're wrong there, Eloise. Simon isn't one in a million.

He's more like one in a lifetime."