“Yeah?” He was still searching her face, wanting to be sure he wasn’t forcing her into it.

Annika smiled a little, trying to invoke June’s carefree spirit. “Yeah. Let’s do it.”

The wine train was a vintage locomotive sitting on the tracks in the last of the dusky sunlight like a big, eager caterpillar, ready to take them all on a wonderful journey.

Annika and Hudson were the first two to climb aboard. She looked around her with a fizzy sense of anticipation, distracted from EPIC and Hudson and everything else on her mind—for the moment, at least.

“This is amazing.” They climbed the stairs into the dome car, which was 90 percent curved, clear roof and enormous windows. After taking a seat in a private booth, Annika carefully set her rose on the seat next to her. There was a small crackled-glass vase of flowers on the table, next to a flickering Moroccan-style lantern. Golden light filtered over everything, suspending them in a gilded soap bubble, a dream.

Annika’s stomach flipped as Hudson took a seat across from her and folded his big hands on the table. He’d picked the moonlight tour instead of, say, a more casual restaurant—like Subway—for a reason. This wasn’t the kind of dinner you had with a colleague at a conference, especially a colleague who might obliterate you in a competition two days away. Hudson clearly had a specific agenda in mind. The thought made her gulp.

“It’s nice, isn’t it?” He looked around. A few more couples were climbing aboard; all of them looked deeply in love.

“Really nice,” Annika replied, her fingertips grazing the flowers in the vase. Her mind was elsewhere; she needed to tell him what she was thinking. It might ruin everything—it might totally kill the vibe—but she had to be honest. Looking back up at him, she said, “Hudson. I’m playing to win at EPIC.”

He leaned back against the booth, his expression unbothered. More people walked in and drifted past them. “As am I.”

“Only one of us can win,” Annika pressed, as if he didn’t already know that. “No matter how many train rides we go on, or how many roses you buy me. That changes nothing. I’m going to be ruthless.”

He put his elbows on the table and smiled at her, the lantern light reflecting in his eyes. “This isn’t a bribe, Dev. Besides, that’s one of the things I like best about you.”

She raised an eyebrow. “My ability to kick your ass?”

Hudson chuckled and ran a hand over the lantern, making shadows play across the table. “The fact that you’re a worthy opponent. It wouldn’t be fun otherwise.”