Ashe lifted his head to watch the explosions of fireworks above him. Many of the guests were calling out their excitement over the array of colors and sounds.

     He didn't like fireworks. Even as a kid, he never liked them. They reminded him of the sparks he'd see at the construction sites for the contracts his father took him on. The flicker of lights and the loud sounds he associated with something being buzzed off or blown up. Neither thing made him feel joy or awe.

     "I hope she gets back before the fireworks stop," Daniel said anxiously. He rocked on his heels a few times. "Do you think maybe that she doesn't like me?"

     Ashe sighed heavily. "Her and I may hate each other, but I have known her for five years now. I know she likes you, she likes you so much that she doesn't want you to see her looking her worst."

     "Really?" Daniel grinned like a kid diving into a bowl of candy. "You really mean that?"

     Ashe lifted his fist to lightly push Daniel back. "I really mean it."

     "I'm back!" An exasperated voice said with the click of heels against the decks surface.

     Ashe and Daniel both turned to see Zoe panting. She looked as lovely as she had when she first stepped aboard the ship. She didn't look like she'd been grossly hung over a trash can losing her lunch. As much as Ashe may have not liked Zoe, he couldn't deny that she was absolutely gorgeous.

     Daniel placed his hands on the railing and motioned for Zoe to join him. She seemed to listen to any command Daniel gave her without hesitation. If only Daniel knew that she was capable of breaking a guys thumb when necessary. Ashe had seen her fight in the ring, she was not a force to be messed with.

     The two of them kept shyly exchanging glances, but not really saying anything. Daniel just seemed to be on a loop of reminding her how good she looked or smelled.

     Smelled. That was funny. Ashe could smell the vanilla spray scent on her and knew immediately that she'd drowned herself in air freshener because he knew she smelled horrible after their seasickness.

     He couldn't keep from smiling about it, then the smile turned into a laugh.

     Zoe kept shooting Ashe mean looks and mouthing for him not to say anything to Daniel.

     It was too funny, it was like she had a split personality. She showed Daniel her best and Ashe her worst.

     Fingers traced up along the side of Ashe's arm and all he could see was waves of red hair. Hannah tilted herself until her face was in clear view of his. She smiled, soft and gentle, like an angel.

     "What's so funny?" She asked him with amusement in her eyes.

     Ashe let his expression stiffen again. "Nothing."

     Hannah seemed to let it slide. She leaned forward and rested her arms against the ships railing. Her body bent in ways to accentuate the changes to her figure. Everything about her seemed to be purposefully sensual.

     "When I was thirteen I discovered that the kids made fun of me behind my back, never to my face. Most of them are probably on this ship. You were never one of them, Ashe. You seemed like you were so cold to Zoe, but you were always nice to me," Hannah said.

      Her gaze softened and she stared at him instead of the sky.

    "I am sorry if I came across as too needy or pushy for your attention when we were younger. I partly blame my parents, but mostly myself. I'm not that person anymore," she continued.

     Ashe didn't really know what to say that. He didn't have to figure out how to respond to her either because Daniel tugged him over.

     "Sorry! Need to steal this guy for a minute." Daniel offered an apologetic wink.

     They didn't move far away from the girls, just enough distance for their conversation to not be heard.

     "Man, I am drawing a total blank." Daniel practically was panicking. "I have no idea what to say to this girl. I expected her to be really chatty like most girls and just talk about stuff, but she just gives one word answers to my questions and I don't even know what to ask her. She completely intimidates me!"

     Ashe inhaled really deeply and tried his best not to groan. Why did he have to be the dating coach for the two of them?

     "Stop asking questions to her, just do stuff with her and share your interests with her, maybe somewhere you'll find some common ground."

     "Share what kind of stuff?" Daniel asked naively.

     "I don't know. Things you like or maybe jokes that you think are funny. Try and make her laugh."

     "What kind of jokes would make her laugh?"

     Ashe couldn't take it anymore. "Jesus. Fine! I'll help you out, but this is the first and last time."

     He dragged Daniel back over to Zoe. Her face was trying to fight between being happy to see Daniel and annoyed to see Ashe. Ashe ignored it. He dug into his pocket and pulled out his phone to show the screen to her.

     It was one of those ridiculous 'try not to laugh' type of videos. Hannah, Daniel and Zoe crowded around the tiny screen. They watched the video show various horrible incidents and antics. A few of them caused Hannah to laugh, she used her fingers to hide her mouth so that she could make her laughter dainty.

     During most of the videos Daniel or Hannah laughed, Zoe didn't do much more than smile.

     The final video clip was of a dog who was standing, but falling asleep while standing and fell onto another dog. During this video Hannah and Daniel were silent.

     It was a dumb video, really dumb, but for some reason, Ashe couldn't keep himself from trembling. It started in his shoulders first and then finally he couldn't hold back his laugh. He laughed so hard he felt tears form in the corners of his eyes.

     Through his watery vision he could see he wasn't the only one laughing. Zoe had broken into a full out laugh that was so hard she was practically snorting. There was nothing graceful or cute about the way she laughed. Hearing how ridiculous she sounded only made Ashe laugh harder.

     It took a moment, but once the two of them could actually calm themselves it became apparent how awkward everything was. Daniel was still quiet and watched his feet, Hannah on the other hand excused herself and went to join her other party guests.

     The fireworks were over. It wasn't even a few seconds later that Daniel also created some sort of reason for why he had to go and would be right back.

     Ashe was left alone on the deck with Zoe. They had an uncomfortable silence thing going. She avoided his gaze as much as possible, and looked like she wanted Daniel to return as quickly as he could.

     "Z?" Ashe asked quietly.

     Zoe thinned her eyes at him. "What?"

      Ashe leaned towards her and pretended to be dozing off like the dog in the video before catching his balance.

      Zoe continued to stare at him with the same disdain she always had, but her nostrils flared. The flaring turned into twitching and then she released a snort and all defenses were gone. She laughed so strangely that it was like his humor kryptonite. He was laughing with her too.

     The two of them hadn't laughed together—well—five years ago, but even then they never laughed quite this hard.

     "You have the worst sense of humor, Ashe." She accused while she dabbed carefully at the tears around her eyes.

     He let out a single laugh. "I really feel like you're talking about yourself."

     Zoe feigned innocence and pressed a hand against her collarbone. "What? Me? You laughed first, I only laughed so you wouldn't feel like a total idiot."

     "I'm touched that you didn't want me to feel like an idiot. I knew somewhere deep inside you really cared about me."

     "Don't push it." She threw her signature nasty looks in his direction, but this time it was different. There was a little glint of something in her gaze and a small slip of a smile on her lips. "Terrible seasickness and a terrible sense of humor. Seems the worst parts of ourselves are what we have in common."

     "Terrible families too," Ashe added.

     The word 'families' caused Zoe's demeanor to change. She turned to look away from him. Was she actually offended by what he said? Ashe's father was difficult, strict and controlling, but he knew that must have been nothing compared to Zoe's father.

     "Please don't tell me that you think they aren't terrible. Our legacy is to inherit their corrupt business practices, who does that to their child?"

     "You don't have the right to have an opinion about my family when your family destroyed mine."

     "What? What are you talking about?"

     "I think we need to go back to upholding the rules of the truce. You don't talk and I don't bother you." Zoe folded her arms, and whatever warmth had managed to pour out of her during their laughter had quickly evaporated. They were back to the cold stand-off.

     If that was how Zoe insisted on things being, that was just fine with Ashe. It wasn't like he wanted to be close to her anyway, they were rivals and would continue to remain rivals as long as they followed in their parents footsteps.

     "Fine." Ashe agreed.

     "Great." Zoe confirmed with a bitterness in her tone.

     "Great."

     "I'm going to go look for Adriana." Zoe was clearly blowing him off.

     "I'm going to go look for Hannah." Ashe had no burning desire to find Hannah, he just knew saying that would irritated Zoe the most.

     They turned from each other like two opponents in a pistol duel taking their paces. Once Ashe was positive that Zoe couldn't see him anymore he turned briefly to watch her back. That girl had a talent for reminding him that they'd always be against each other.

     But he did have one weapon against her—he knew how to make her laugh.