Poppy had known from the moment she left him in the Venture that happiness wasn’t her destiny. Because she’d never have him. Never be his. Coming to terms with that reality was taking her some time. His arrival didn’t change anything. They were from different worlds and had different expectations of life. Hers would be whatever her family dictated. Once, Turner had called himself her freedom. The least she could do was give him his freedom in return.
TWO
Morning was slowly sliding toward afternoon. That was the theory anyway; Poppy wasn’t entirely sure of the specific time. Not that it mattered. Nothing mattered except him.
All night she’d lay awake obsessing about the distance stretching between them. Why did she tell him to leave? Because she believed it was best for him. Reminding herself over and over didn’t help. The last thing she’d intended to do was force Turner’s hand. Leaving him hadn’t been an ultimatum. Poppy’s intention was to keep him safe, him and his family.
They’d never be safe with her. Sure, the media would give up on the Holden thing eventually, but if she moved to the Venture full-time, the paparazzi would know where to find her in the event of future scandal. How many heiresses shunned their birthright for love? It was a fairytale in reverse.
Violet’s routine involved getting up in the morning and lounging in her hot tub for an hour or two before preparing for the day. By contrast, Primrose, the middle Granger sister, enjoyed sleeping and stayed in bed until lunchtime if she didn’t have an earlier appointment.
That morning, Poppy chose a mixture of all the Granger Girl routines. Because she had trouble sleeping, she got up early and went for her usual workout, as was her routine. Exercise didn’t tire her out, so she sat in her tub for a couple of hours trying to distract herself. With nothing else to do, and the house still silent, she’d returned to bed.
Sleep didn’t join her.
After a few hours of just lying there letting her thoughts run wild, Poppy couldn’t take the speculation anymore. Part of her usual routine involved visiting Grammie before lunch. Considering what had gone down the previous night, even that rendezvous wasn’t safe or simple. Grammie would have questions and Poppy didn’t know if she had the strength to answer them without breaking down.
Turner.
He’d driven for fifteen hours to get to her. She hoped that he’d rested before going back. Thirty hours on the road with only a pause for heartbreak wasn’t a recipe for success.
Leaving her phone in the Venture was deliberate. The point was to give everyone involved a clean break. Except since sending Turner away from the estate, Poppy had been wishing she’d memorized some of the phone numbers in that device. She wanted to let his sisters know he was on the road back.
The Maddox family would likely never forgive her for breaking his heart, but she’d take their condemnation just for some assurance they’d look after him. Whatever the Maddoxes wanted to dish out, Poppy deserved it.
Rolling out of bed, Poppy took a half-hearted shot at making it. It didn’t have to be perfect; it wasn’t like anyone was going to be in her room for any reason.
Dizzy with the melancholy, she decided fresh air would be a good remedy, some sunlight too. Maybe both would offer a little perspective.
Her drapes were heavy, so she used both hands to push one back and then the other. To welcome the light, Poppy pulled the cord to draw open the thin gauze curtains as well. The sun was bright. The sight of the sea gave her a hearty dose of optimism. The blue beckoned from half a mile away, beyond the green of the grounds. Wonderful nature.
Life was good. That was what she had to tell herself. And Turner’s would be better after he got home too. He’d hate her for a while. Then, in time, he’d forget and she wouldn’t feature in his thoughts anymore.
Using all her strength to open the central sash window, Poppy smiled when the salt air cascaded in. With her hands on the sill, she stuck her upper body out to soak up the new day. Hoping it would clear out the sorrow, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. A new day. A new start. That was what they both needed.
Telling herself she was cleansed, Poppy opened her eyes ready to face the world. The last thing she