Patty and Dennis joined them, and Miranda once again made the introductions. Dennis spouted some football jargon that Miranda didn’t understand, while Luke responded in the same language. Patty just stood there with a look of pure bliss on her face as she let her gaze rest on the quarterback.

“I have more autographs to sign,” Luke said with a wry glance toward the waiting crowd.

“Thank you for a truly memorable afternoon,” Miranda said while disappointment rippled through her. She wanted to soak in the golden glow that seemed to surround Luke. “I am now an enthusiastic Empire fan.”

“You mean you weren’t already?” He shook his head in mock disappointment. “Well, that’s how we build ticket sales, one fan at a time.”

Miranda felt the tug of his charm in all the places she shouldn’t. “Judging by the noise in the stadium, you’re running a pretty successful campaign. Now go greet the rest of your admirers. We’ve taken enough of your time.”

He nodded, and she was pleased to see his eyes still held some of the warmth she’d noticed with Theo. Then he stepped forward and was engulfed by the waiting crowd, leaving her feeling bereft. All she could see was his gilded hair above the sea of blue jerseys.

She sucked in a breath, trying to shake off her shockingly intense awareness of the man.

Dennis and Theo went off in pursuit of more autographs, but Patty stayed behind with Miranda.

“Good Lord in heaven!” Patty said. “He saw you and walked right across the room to talk to you.”

“He was looking for Theo,” Miranda said. But she had felt that searing rush of exhilaration at being singled out for his attention.

“Girl, he only wanted to meet Theo because of you.”

“He promised to stop in to see my nephew. That’s all,” Miranda said, trying to fix that thought in her own mind.

“Well, you should have heard people trying to figure out who you were,” Patty said. “They were divided between an actress and a model.”

Miranda burst out laughing. “That’s just because they couldn’t imagine Luke Archer dating any other kind of woman.”

“That’s not true. You’re beautiful,” Patty said with more loyalty than truth. “You’ve got gorgeous, thick, glossy hair . . . when you let it down out of that ponytail. And those big brown eyes make men want to fall into them.” Patty sighed. “I wish I had your figure, too. My waist will never be as small as yours again.”

Miranda hugged her. “You’re blind, but I know it’s because you love me.”

They plunked down in two armchairs and watched Theo and Dennis circulate among the other players. But Miranda never lost track of Luke Archer as he moved through the room—greeting fans, signing shirts, hats, and programs, and accepting congratulations. With his tailored suit and flashing smile, he reminded her more of a presidential candidate or a movie star than a football player. She said so to Patty.

“He’s a little of both, Miranda. That man carries hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars on his broad, gorgeous shoulders. He’s the face of the franchise, so he is a movie star. And think about it—he can practice endlessly, but he doesn’t know what his costars’ lines are going to be. It’s all improv, kind of like a political debate. He has to be a pro, on and off the field.”

“That’s a lot of pressure for one person.”

“Well, if anyone can handle pressure, it’s the Iceman.”

Miranda wondered, though. Could anyone be that impervious to the responsibilities placed on him? She thought of him in the office with his brother. Trevor was another of his obligations.

Heather came over with Theo and Dennis in tow. “The meet and greet is wrapping up. I have some goodies for you in my office.”

“Oh, gosh, we already have plenty of goodies,” Miranda said, feeling a pang of distress that she wouldn’t get to say good-bye to Luke. “You’ve been a terrific hostess.”

“Mr. Archer told me you’re a concierge.” Heather pulled a business card out of her blazer pocket and held it out to Miranda. “If you ever need tickets or something special for your clients, just give me a call or drop me an e-mail. I’ll make sure they get taken care of.”

“That’s very generous of you.” Miranda rummaged in her purse and found one of her cards. “The same goes for me if you need theater tickets or a restaurant reservation in New York City.” It was the least she could do, because having Heather as a contact was going to make her professional life much easier during football season.

“Hey, thanks!” Heather said, tucking the card away. “Okay, let me get you to your car.”

As Dennis drove to the station so Miranda could catch the train back to her apartment, Theo paged through his book. He ran his index finger over the autographs from the players as though he couldn’t quite believe they were real. “Aunt Miranda,” he said, turning his face up to her, “you are the most awesome aunt in the whole world.”

Miranda thought her heart might swell right out of her chest. She put her arm around Theo’s thin shoulders and hugged him against her side. “And you are the most awesome nephew in the whole world.”

“She’s the most awesome sister in the whole world, too,” Dennis chimed in, throwing Miranda a laughing glance over his shoulder.

“And sister-in-law,” Patty added.

But it was Luke Archer who was truly awesome. He had provided the tickets and the collectibles. He had made a point to meet a small boy, an encounter Theo would probably talk about for the rest of his life.