Shit. Shit, shit, shit. There was no mistaking that deep voice.

It was Hudson, and he must be heading down the hallway toward her. There was no way she wanted to have this conversation with him here, now, and talk about their kiss and what she’d said and how he made her feel and—no way. Not now, not with June standing there, totally innocent and clueless.

Annika began speed-walking down the hallway, hoping to get to the bend and lose Hudson before he could catch up to her. “Come on!” She tossed June a maniacal smile over her shoulder. “It’s good exercise! Let’s go!”

“Annika,” June said, speeding up. “I’m pretty sure Hudson’s looking for you.”

“No, he’s not!” she insisted, grabbing June’s arm as she raced along. The bend was just ahead, thank goodness. “You must be hearing things.”

“Actually, she’s not.” Hudson stepped around the corner, his cheeks pink, his hair less than immaculate. Dammit. He must’ve sprinted here to cut her off. He folded his arms and leaned against the wall, his eyes boring into hers. “Hey.”

She stumbled to a halt. “Oh. Um, hey. I didn’t hear you there.” She laughed weirdly, her voice too high.

June, who’d begun lagging again, caught up to Annika, huffing and puffing. “That was not easy in six-inch heels, missy.” Then she caught the look Hudson was serving up and looked slowly from him to Annika, falling quiet.

“Training for a 10K, Ms. Dev? I only ask because you were running the last time I saw you, too.” There was a small smile at Hudson’s lips. Rude. Plus, his tanned skin was practically glowing, even under industrial recessed lighting and against cement-gray walls. Extremely rude.

Annika crossed her arms, too. “I’m trying to escape the relentless gong sounds emanating from your office. Some of us have serious businesses to run, you know.”

Hudson laughed. “Hey, that’s the sound of success.”

There they were, their diametrically opposed life philosophies on glaring show. “No,” Annika said, cocking her head. “That’s the sound of heartbreak, Hudson.”

Hudson blinked and looked away for a moment, and then turned to gaze back at her. “Can we talk?” he asked more seriously. His eyes flickered to June and then back to her. “Somewhere private?”

“Sure, why don’t I—” June began, but Annika cut her off.

“There’s nothing more to say,” she said, cupping her elbows with her hands. “I’m sorry, but there’s just not.” Unless he’d sold Break Up and was here to share the good news.

He huffed a breath and ran a hand through his hair. “Annika, come on.”

“What’s changed since last night, Hudson?”

He didn’t say anything, but frustration was painted all over his face.

“Didn’t think so,” she said quietly, brushing past him and turning toward the bathrooms. She looked over her shoulder. “June, you coming?”