—With a nail-biting finish, we can safely say this tournament is one of the most exciting we've ever witnessed. Alana Cusack, live from Croke Park. We're returning the signal to the studio, Brian.
Alana continued smiling until the broadcast was cut, and she handed the microphone to her assistant, Aisling. She was relieved to be off the air. She avoided looking at the man who was still standing in front of her, leaning against the wall. He had his hands in his pockets and was wearing a black coat with the collar turned up. He had been talking to one of the French players, but by that moment, he was alone again.
The stranger kept staring at Alana. He'd been watching her throughout the entire match between Ireland and France in the Six Nations tournament. That look had unsettled and distracted her, though she didn't know why.
It was a lie; she knew exactly why. He was a dark-haired, tall, and handsome man, so attractive that the first time their eyes had met by chance, Alana had felt a knot in her stomach. It had been a furtive glance, but intense and truly disconcerting. Never had a man made her feel that way with just a glance.
Not even her husband.
The impression had been so strong that she couldn't help but smile and raise an eyebrow in surprise. She had noticed a strange gleam in the man's dark eyes, even though she had the impression that he was laughing at her.
It was the first time they met. Alana had never seen that angular face or those sensual lips, which she appreciated even though she was sitting some distance away. Suddenly, she realized she'd been staring at him for a while, and she blushed.
He had to be French. He looked more like the handsome young people who made up the French fans than the pale-faced supporters of the home team. The man had been sitting in the seats reserved for VIPs, located just below the press box. And he really did look like a VIP. She had only had to look at him once to realize that he was a man.

He realized that he stood out from the crowd. Every time he stood up, like the rest of the audience, for a foul or a shot, his height and bearing had stood out.
Was he waiting for her because he thought Alana had invited him over? She immediately rejected the suggestion. He couldn't be that brazen.
"Do you want me to give you a ride somewhere, Alana?" Derek, the cameraman, asked her. Aisling and the rest of the crew had already finished cleaning up. She suddenly felt disconcerted, and that didn't happen to her very often. She'd always been teased for maintaining a cool, collected appearance.
"No," she answered immediately. The stranger had just disappeared from her field of vision. She suddenly felt panicky; perhaps he was behind her, waiting for her. "I have to go to a family dinner later, so I brought the car."
—So you're not going to stop by the French celebration party?
—I'll just stop by for a moment to show myself and make Rory happy.
"You did a good broadcast today," his teammate added, as he started walking with the rest of the team.
Alana was pleased. It was quite a compliment coming from Derek, a true television veteran. He'd been working hard for a long time to earn respect.
"Thanks, Derek. I really appreciate you telling me," he replied, smiling.
His companion winked at him before turning and leaving.
Alana gathered her things, holding back her joy. When she was ready to leave, she realized her laptop and notebook were still in the press gallery.