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As we reached outside and spotted the car, I noticed that Jamieson and Valerie had just made it out of the elevator.

"Hello sir, hi ma'am," the company guide greeted us.

Poppy offered a small smile, "Hi."

He opened the car door before folding up the seat, gesturing for us to go ahead and sit at the very back as Jamieson and Valerie joined us, then he moved to greet them.

I held up a hand for Poppy and she blinked in surprise before glancing at me once. "Am I dreaming or are you getting nicer and nicer as the days pass?"

"Shut up and get in the car, Poppy."

She took my hand before pushing herself up and ducking her head before she climbed inside and then scooted over, making room for me.

"You're sitting in the back?" Jamieson asked.

"Yes," I said, not waiting for a reply and climbing in. I sat in the seat with a huff and the guide pushed the seat back down so that the other two could settle in. Once they did, he started the car and started driving us.

The drive was barely ten minutes but when Lydia made the booking, she did tell me that the company gives you a ride to and from the Manchac swamps no matter how far you're staying from them.

"I thought you hated sitting at the back," Jamieson said, turning in his seat to look at me.

I felt Poppy's eyes on me, waiting for my answer. "Two people had to sit here anyway. It's only ten minutes away," I replied nonchalantly.

He glanced between Poppy and me once before facing ahead again.

"Jamieson could have sat at the back too, we can do that on our way back, can't we?" Valerie asked him.

He paused in hesitation.

"Actually, Jamieson feels a bit sick in the back, don't you, Jamie?" Poppy asked, kicking the back of his chair.

He looked at her and then nodded. "Yeah, I do. So, I can't sit at the back. Josh and Poppy are fine sitting there, let's just come back this way too."

I turned to look out the window, suppressing a laugh.

Poppy nudged my knee not even two minutes later to tell me, "Don't take up all the room," she mumbled. So, of course, I only spread my legs further. She rolled her eyes as our legs touched and then simply faced the window, ignoring it. I glanced at where our knees met before blinking away and watching the street.

Things are changing so fast and it's making me realize that this whole time, whatever hatred we've had, it was just so forced.

But that was the right thing to do, for not just my sake, but hers too. If anything happened between us and Lydia found out, we'd be fired in the blink of an eye, apparently. And now, I do have to think about that because now I think I... really don't hate her.

I might even like her a little bit.

Every time I looked at her, she was grinning, she was enjoying every single moment, and she is fucking gorgeous. I realize it every time I see her and my heart... does something that it's never done before.

So do other body parts.

I stole another glance at her since she wasn't looking and my eyes raked over her body once again. She had on a matching set of Nike leggings and a sports bra and pulled her hair up in a high ponytail with that. She still had a spare hair tie around her wrist though. Since the drive was barely ten minutes, give or take, so we got there pretty quickly.

"Any bags or purses, you can leave in the car, don't worry," the guide said as Valerie and Jamieson got out. He folded up the seat and I climbed out first before putting a hand out for her again.

She grabbed on and hopped out, stumbling a bit, her grip tightening on my hand.

I watched her in amusement as the others started walking. "Okay?" I asked, biting down a smile.

"Great," she mumbled. "Considering I'm at a swamp."

I rolled my eyes and pulled my hand away, pushing her towards the path. She laughed, glancing at me over her shoulder before she started walking, following our guide and photographers.

Once we made it down to the water, we were all given the choice of wearing life jackets, which most people skipped on. It was a small-group tour and there were five kayaks. Considering one kayak belonged to the guides and the others were for the guests and it's only two people per kayak, we were a group of eight people in total.

"All right," one of the guides cleared his throat. "The rules are simple, I take it everybody here knows how to row and paddle. We are two people per kayak, so everybody make sure you're with your partner. Once we're in the water, we're going to move in a single line, so don't lose sight of the kayak in front of you and just follow it. Stay out of the water, of course, but this is fresh water, so don't worry too much if you do fall in or get a bit wet. Are there any questions?"

A few people asked some and the others didn't. While they started helping people in, they told us that we'd be on the water for two hours, and just as he said that Poppy glared at me. "Two hours in a swamp, Josh?" she whispered.

"The sunset is worth it, wait and watch, Ms. Valentine," I replied.

We took the last kayak there was, so I helped her first and once she was settled, I got in, both of us grabbing a paddle each. She was sitting at the front because that way, it would be easier for me to paddle because I don't think she knows how to do it correctly, but I have no doubt that she'll manage. While other people were still settling in and getting ready, she spun in her seat and faced me instead.

I watched her with raised brows. "What are you doing?"

"Facing you. I'll paddle backward," she shrugged.

"Can you paddle backward?" I asked.

"Sure," she replied nonchalantly. "Kind of," she added sheepishly when I narrowed my eyes on her. "I know how to paddle, okay? I'm sure I can handle going backward. But you have to paddle for the most part because I can't see where we're going otherwise."

"Why don't you face forward?"

"It's weird talking to someone without being able to look at them and there's no way you expected me to not talk to you when we're sharing a kayak."

I sighed before noticing that all the kayaks were in the water now, so I leaned over, pushing us off the bank and into the water slowly. "You're weird, Poppy," I told her.

"Well, were we just going to keep quiet and paddle?"

"Yes."

"No. That's no fun. I want to ask you a few questions."

"What about?"

"About the mystery that is Joshua Nilsen."

I rolled my eyes and then nodded. "All right then. Ask away. I can't promise answers but sure, go ahead."

"Tell me a bit about you. What do you do in your free time?"

"Not much," I shrugged, "I work out, I go see Blake, but usually I'm catching up on work, or I'm cleaning up the penthouse and cooking."

"You like to cook?"

I nodded. "It's good to pass the time. What about you? What do you do in your free time?"

"Also not much. Um, sometimes I go shopping, I like reading—"

"Wow, she reads," I taunted.

She rolled her eyes, nudging my foot with hers. "I also go see Blake," she chuckled, "and once in a while, I attend pottery classes."

"Pottery classes," I repeated. "You like pottery?"

She shrugged, "Sometimes. I mean, it's messy and it's so damn difficult, especially when the wheel spins out of control, which happens more than one would think it does. But my Mom loved pottery. Back at my house in San Diego, there's a whole room full of the things she's made. She loved it so much, she made it her job."

"You do it because it reminds you of her?"

She nodded with a hum. "It makes me feel closer to her."

I paused, taking in a small breath. "I'm sorry you lost her... When um, when did it happen?"

She blinked and thought back to it, glancing behind her once as she cleared her throat. "I was... six years old? Yeah, six years old."

I wasn't going to ask her how it happened, I knew she wasn't going to tell me that. "You have a younger brother, right?"

She nodded, seemingly relieved that I changed the subject. "He's three years younger than me, so still in college. His name's Jack."

"Do you get along with him?"

She shrugged hesitantly. "So-so. Sometimes, yeah, sometimes, no. I um... I don't get along a lot with Jack or my dad though. Not since I moved to New York. You don't get along with your family either, so... I guess you do know what I'm talking about? Maybe?"

I chuckled dryly, glancing ahead of us. "Well, I guess distance doesn't always bring fondness. At least not with us," I replied.

She nodded quickly, "Exactly. But then I know I'm the one who created the distance, so I can't really blame them."

"Is that it? You don't get along with them all the time because you chose to move?"

She shook her head. "Mostly because of what happened to my Mom. I guess... I guess my Dad holds me accountable somewhere down the line. And Jack just doesn't know how to act around me after hearing Dad's side of the story. He's distant with me and our Dad now. What about you and Jenny? You're both distant with your parents?"

I nodded. "Yeah. She left Chicago as soon as she could and then I left as soon as I could."

"Why don't you and Jenny get along then?"

I took in a breath, contemplating whether I should tell her. And then I decided I wanted to. "Because she left me with them. Even when I begged her not to."

She stared at me, swallowing nervously.

"What are you thinking now?" I asked.

"I'm wondering if Jack felt that way when I left," she sighed.

"Do you think he did? Did he ask you to stay?"

She shook her head slowly. "He barely said goodbye. I had to get out of there, it was killing me."

"You shouldn't feel guilty about it, Poppy."

"No?" She chuckled forcefully.

I shook my head. "We all have to look out for ourselves when people turn their backs on us. I'm sure that's all you were doing. Right?"

She nodded faintly, giving me a small smile. "Right."

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