Her dad chuckled. “Aha! So you’re trying to say I brought this on myself. Fair point, fair point.”

Annika walked over to him and slung an arm around his waist. “You can’t help that you care about your patients so much. It’s what makes you a great doctor.”

Her dad kissed the side of her head. “Hey, not that I want to break up this party, but it’s getting late. Do you want to stay the night? You’re welcome to as well, Hudson.”

Annika swallowed. “Um … no. I think we’ll head back, Dad. But thanks.” She nodded to Hudson. “You ready to go?”

His gaze never leaving hers, he answered, “I’m ready.”

A soft shiver went through Annika’s body at his words; they held a promise for things to come. Things were changing with Hudson … but she couldn’t—wouldn’t—hold back at EPIC.

Napa was going to be a very interesting experience.

chapter seventeen

Annika arrived in Napa on a perfect Friday afternoon. The skies were an exquisite crystal blue, with just a few picturesque clouds scudding across the surface. Her dad and June would fly in tomorrow, and EPIC would be on Sunday morning, which gave her all of today and tomorrow to rehearse and re-rehearse her pitch. She’d done it dozens of times already, but it paid—literally—to be perfect. Better than perfect, even.

Thoughts of the bank letter darted into Annika’s brain as her Lyft pulled into the large circular driveway of the hotel, but she pushed them out again. This weekend was about positivity and confidence. She was determined not to let anything mar her mental state between now and Sunday.

She glanced up at the hotel as her Lyft driver helped her unload her suitcase. The Hotel Monte Vista looked like a medieval castle, with flags waving from its roof. Somewhere inside, Hudson would be settling into his room. They were back in a hotel again, just like in Vegas.

Annika blinked the thought away. This time, she was here to kick his ass, truce or no truce.

She stood in the check-in line of the grand hotel lobby, looking around as a harpist in a floaty white gown played a gentle melody in the corner. A monstrous crystal chandelier was suspended from the vaulted ceiling—threateningly, Annika thought, though none of the other guests seemed too concerned. Like every five-star hotel, the air was softly scented with money, as if to lull guests into feeling right at home. “You’re exactly where you’re supposed to be,” the hotel seemed to murmur soothingly. “You’re among friends. You’re—”

“Daydreaming?”