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All four of us had been standing at baggage claim for nearly twenty minutes now and none of our bags had shown up yet. 

"Did we all give our bags to the wrong people or something, jeez, why the hell is it taking so long?" Jamieson groaned. 

"There are still a lot of other people waiting too, you know, I guess their flight just had a lot of people on it," Poppy shrugged, looking around. 

"It still shouldn't be taking this long, don't you think?" Valerie scoffed slightly, turning to me. 

I paused, staring at her blankly. "I really don't care much for it," I shrugged. 

"Oh, finally," Jamieson mumbled before reaching forward and pulling up his suitcase, moving to the side once he did. 

"I think that's yours," Poppy said to me, moving out of the way. 

I unfolded my arms and stepped forward, grabbing the handle and pulling it off the conveyor belt swiftly, setting it on the ground. 

Another two minutes later, Valerie's bag showed up. "Oh, that's mine. Can someone help me out?" she chuckled softly. 

With a brief pause as Jamieson, Poppy, and I exchanged glances, Jamieson stepped up. "Yeah." 

I grabbed Poppy's arm, pulling her to the side. She stumbled a bit, staring up at me and I didn't have to look at her to know that's what she was doing. 

"Um, thanks," Valerie said, taking her bag from him and moving to the side. 

Poppy rocked back and forth on her heels, still waiting for her bag. Knowing her, she will struggle a bit to pick it up, just like she did when we got to the airport back in New York, and despite that, she won't ask me to help her, I just know it. But I'd rather her not embarrass herself and me with her. 

"Jamieson, why don't you and Valerie go get us two cabs while Poppy gets her bag?" I asked. 

"Uh, I can wait with her," Valerie shrugged, glancing between us. 

"That's fine," Poppy chimed in, glancing at us over her shoulder. "You should get a cab," she pulled on a smile. 

"Yeah, sure. Valerie, let's go," Jamieson shrugged, both of them leaving a minute later. 

I watched Poppy in amusement as she straightened up, spotting her bag.

She huffed once it was close enough and took in a deep breath like she was about to do some crazy stunt. 

I scratched my brow, glancing at the floor while running my tongue along the inside of my cheek, trying not to laugh at her. It's rude but it's true, I'm never laughing with her, it's always at her. But she was so dumb sometimes, there was nothing else to do but laugh. 

She might be the biggest source of entertainment for me in our office. She took another deep breath and I found myself, rolling my eyes, glancing outside and then at my watch. 

I don't have time for this shit right now. 

I grabbed her arm and pulled her back. She let out a surprised, "Whoa," before grabbing my suitcase while hers reached us. 

Taking the handle, I pulled it up, set it on the ground, and then extended the handle before sliding it over to her. "There, Hercules," I snickered. 

She shortened the handle a bit for her height and then slid mine to me. "Thank you, Darla," she retorted. 

I stared at, my brows lifting. "Darla? From Finding Nemo? Really?" 

She shrugged. "You match her energy." 

"I don't want to know." 

She hummed as we reached the exit gate and found Jamieson and Valerie, both standing at a cab, holding it for us. Slowing down before we reached them, when Poppy and I looked at the cab Valerie was getting into, we both released a sigh in sync. I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye and caught her doing the same. She scooted an inch closer to me. "Let's agree to hate her," she whispered. 

"Without telling her," I exhaled, "she's annoying." 

"She is," Poppy nodded with me. 

"But so are you," I whispered, looking at her. 

She clicked her tongue, facing me. "More than her? Are you sure?" 

I shrugged, "Mm, more or less." 

She rolled her eyes. "You sit with her then," she scoffed. 

I took her suitcase before she could go to Jamieson and then took it with me. "Jamieson," I said before he climbed in. 

"Yeah?" 

"You should sit with Valerie," Poppy told him. 

"Why? You guys don't want to sit with her?" 

"No," we replied in sync. "We just need to discuss some things about the trip," I replied, "Poppy doesn't know the timings and bookings yet, I have to catch her up to it." 

He eyed us quizzically and then shrugged. "All right. She is just a bit annoying, isn't she though? Is that just me?" 

"Totally just you," Poppy scoffed immediately. 

"Probably you," I nodded in agreement. 

"Well, whatever. Go ahead." He went to the other cab and Poppy opened the trunk, stealing another look at me. 

"I bet Lydia would really like her, you know," Poppy snickered. "She's a bit like you." 

"Valerie is?" 

Poppy nodded as I tucked in our bags before closing the trunk. We both went opposite ways and got in the cab simultaneously. 

"Essence Hotel, please," I told the driver who nodded and then started driving. "If you think Valerie's like me, shouldn't you love her?" I asked, facing her. 

She laughed humorlessly, staring out the window. "Oh, I do. Can't you tell? She's the best," she replied, her words dripping with sarcasm. 

"I bet you're so excited to have her on this trip as your photographer, as your little friend, no?" I lifted a brow at her, a smirk tugging at my lips. 

"Oh, I'm so excited, I can't wait. But you know what would be even better? Sharing a room with her," she said, scoffing a bit. 

"Really?" I asked, feigning interest. 

She took in a breath, turning to me and shaking her head softly. "Totally," she shrugged. 

I paused in thought. "We can arrange for that," I told her. 

"No," she said immediately. 

"But I thought you—" 

"No," she repeated. 

I nodded in amusement, facing the window. "All right, as you wish." 

Another fifteen minutes later, we arrived at the hotel and grabbed our bags, checking in and we reached a little before Valerie and Jamieson since our cab was ahead of theirs. Our bags were taken by hotel staff and would be in our rooms for us, so Poppy and I went to separate employees at the front desk and took our room keys while checking in. With a quick view of the information sheet, I knew that all three meals were served as a buffet in the dining hall and they were included with our bill, the hotel offered cars with drivers and without for rent, and there was a free spa for us since we were from the magazine for today. 

"I will take that spa," I heard Poppy say. 

"Of course, would you like me to book a time slot for you both?" the receptionist asked Poppy, looking between us. 

"You can just book that for—" I began but Poppy never let me finish. 

Poppy had other ideas today. "Yes, please, for both of us." I paused just to glare at her. She grinned at me smugly. 

"And would you like that to be a regular spa or a couple's spa?" 

Fine, Poppy. I'll bite. 

Just as Poppy answered, "Regular." 

I replied, "Couple's." 

She turned to me wide-eyed and then quickly pulled me closer. "Do you not understand how couple spas work now?" 

"Are they any different than lying on a table?" I lifted a brow. 

She stared at me, eyes wide, and whispered, "Did you not check their website?" 

No... but why is that relevant? 

"Regular," Poppy repeated to the woman. "Please, change that to a regular spa." 

"A regular spa together then?" 

"Sure," Poppy nodded quickly. 

"In an hour from now, your time slot will start. The spa and pool are on the top floor, have a nice stay, and welcome to Essence Hotel," we were told with a smile. 

Poppy grabbed my arm, ushering me towards the elevator. "You almost just dug a grave, not just your own but mine too." 

"Did I?" I asked as she pressed the button and then unlatched herself from my arm. 

"A couple's spa at this hotel doesn't mean getting massages together. It means giving massages. To each other. How did you not even read the website?" 

"Why would I read the website when I'm not the one who chose or booked our hotel? Lydia did." 

"So... What? You just walk into all your trips completely blind?" 

I shrugged. "More or less." 

She eyed me warily as the elevator dinged before we stepped inside. "That's bold. I wouldn't trust Lydia." 

"Why not?" 

"Because she likes to fire people. Sometimes, I think she creates situations in which an employee has no choice but to break a rule, and then she fires them for breaking that exact rule. It baffles me how you've worked here for five years without breaking a single rule." 

I followed her into the elevator, pressing the button to the fifth floor, where both our rooms were. "It's kind of simple. I just don't break the rules. And whenever I do, I talk my way out of it." 

Her eyes narrowed at me. "Yeah well, everybody doesn't have a silver tongue, Nilsen. Plus, no matter what anyone does, it fails if Lydia already knows she hates you. And she hates me." 

I eyed her for a moment before facing ahead. "You don't need her to like you, Poppy," I told her, "it doesn't matter what she says." 

"She's my boss, how can it not matter? I get to explore the world thanks to her. That means everything to me, I can't risk losing this job over her attitude." 

"It means that much to you? To explore the world?" 

She hummed, walking out with me. "Doesn't it mean that much to you? Isn't that why you work at Travel Addict Weekly? So you can keep running?" I glanced at her as she sped up, falling into step beside me and matching my pace. "Isn't that why we all like it? Because it keeps us away from whatever sad excuse we call home?" She shrugged nonchalantly. "That's why I like it." 

"What's your sad excuse of a home?" I asked, both of us slowing down to a stop at our doors that were across each other. 

"Wouldn't you like to know?" She raised her brows at me. "Sorry. I can't tell someone I hate something so personal like that. It's not like you tell me anything about you." 

"Fair enough," I agreed.

She cleared her throat. "Let's meet here in ten minutes. We can check out the hotel and the cafés around to kill time until our spa session. Cool?" 

I unlocked my door and stepped in before facing her. "Cool." And then I shut the door on her.

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