Annika spun around to see that she wasn’t the last person in line anymore. Hudson smiled down at her, one side of his mouth higher than the other, his trademark look. He was dressed in a button-down linen shirt that emphasized his broad chest and shorts with palm trees embroidered on them. Very preppy. Very I’m-on-a-working-vacation-in-beautiful-Napa.

Annika felt the tips of her ears heat. “Oh, hi.” She was not ready for this. Yes, they’d called a truce, and she did feel like she’d gotten to know him a lot better at her dad’s, but … he was still Hudson. How was she supposed to be around him if she wasn’t actively sabotaging his every move? She tucked a lock of airplane-flattened hair behind her ear and smoothed down her pink floral jumpsuit, just now noticing how rumpled it had gotten on the flight. “How—um, did you just get in?”

“An hour or so ago. I was waiting in the restaurant while they got a room ready for me.”

Annika nodded, trying desperately to think of something to say that wasn’t snarky. “Um, so … where are the others? Blaire and Ziggy?”

“They’ll fly in tomorrow. I wanted a day to unwind and get my bearings. Plus, this is a gorgeous hotel, might as well enjoy it a bit.” He gestured at the big glass windows overlooking rolling hills in the distance.

“Right, yeah—me too. I mean, June’s flying in tomorrow. With my dad.”

Oh, god. This was too weird. They were making awkward conversation like two acquaintances or boring colleagues. Was this how she wanted the whole weekend to be? Annika glanced at him from underneath her eyelashes and quickly looked away when she saw he was watching her.

“I have a question for you.”

Annika stepped forward as the line moved up, her hand clasped around the handle of her rolling suitcase. A businessman in a suit lined up behind Hudson, tapping away at his phone. “Okay.” If he asked to see her pitch, she was going to laugh in his face. Truce or no truce, Hudson was still on the opposing team—the losing team.

He scooted his duffle bag forward with the side of his shoe. “Will you go to dinner with me?”

“Oh.” Her hand jerked up, hitting the handle of her suitcase. It fell to the floor with a clatter, causing everyone in line to turn around and look at her. Her cheeks burning, Annika knelt to pick it up.

Hudson smiled, a touch of mischief dancing in his eyes. “Is that such a scary thought?”

Annika barked a laugh. “I’m not scared of you.”

He continued to smile, as if he could see her nerves shimmering around her like an opalescent wall. “So? What do you say, then?”

Dinner with him? Was he … asking her on a date?