Holly blinked at the heretofore completely put-together, sophisticated, elegant publicist, who was suddenly looking like a rabid fan.

Wade swung again and this time connected with a solid line drive right up the middle.

Samantha screamed, “Yeah!” so loudly she nearly pierced Holly’s eardrum, and then jumped up and down, holding onto her hat with one hand and the hem of her skirt with her other. “That’s the way, baby! That’s the way! Go, go, go!”

The second baseman missed his catch, and Wade rounded the base, heading for third.

“Yes!” Sam screamed. “Ohmigod yes!”

Wade stopped at third, safe, and Sam sank back down to her seat and chewed on her thumbnail, her eyes locked on Wade waiting lithely on third for the next batter.

“So,” Holly said, lightly amused, “you’re a quiet fan.”

“We need a big hit now!” Sam yelled at Mason, who was at bat. “Bring him home, Mas. Bring him home!”

Mason singled, and Samantha leapt back to her feet when Wade headed for home just as the shortstop nabbed the ball and threw.

“Oh God.” Samantha slapped her hands over her eyes, then peeked through her fingers as both the ball and Wade raced for the plate. “I can’t look, I can’t look!”

“But you are looking,” Holly pointed out.

“Tell me what’s happening!”

“Safe,” Holly told her, watching as Wade slid into home a fraction of a second before the catcher snatched the ball out of the air and dove onto Wade. “He’s . . . buried, but safe.”

Samantha dropped her hands from her eyes to her mouth as she stared at the tangle of limbs over home plate, not moving a single muscle until Wade pushed clear, adding an extra adrenaline-fueled shove for good measure as he got to his feet, dirty but safe.

Samantha fell back into her seat, blew a strand of hair from her eyes, and let out a long breath. “Jesus. This is exhausting.”

“Yes.” Holly put her tongue firmly in her cheek. “Does it hurt, too?”

“What?”

“That horribly painful-looking crush you have going for the Heat’s sexy catcher.”

“Shh!” Samantha whipped her head right and then left. “Do you want everyone to hear?”

“I hate to break it to you, but you were the one yelling your head off for him.”

She looked horrified. “Was I that loud?”

“I don’t know. The people in China might not quite have heard you.”

“Oh my God, I know! It’s ridiculous.” She covered her face. “I’m ridiculous.”

“Why? You’re smart, funny, beautiful. He’s smart, funny, beautiful. Why is it ridiculous?”

“Oh no. You’re not going to interview me. No way. I’m not my publicity whore brother. I set up the interviews and that’s it.” Sam folded her hands in her lap and returned to the formerly prim, in-charge professional Holly had first sat with. “What were we talking about?”