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She nosed around corners and raced past offices until they pulled into a loading area on the far side of the terminal. She swung the car into an empty spot marked Employees Only, hiding them behind a couple of cargo vans.

She turned the engine off and they sat, catching their breath while the engine ticked in protest. “Well, that was entertaining. Have you missed your flight yet?” She sounded hopeful.

Tyler frowned. “Stop it. No. Private jets wait.”

Josh said, “You’re not going to miss the flight.”

“I’m going to miss this.” Tyler considered him a moment and blinked softly.

Nadia groaned and hauled herself out of the car.

Tyler climbed out himself, peering around the corner of a cargo van.

A scruffy young man in a reflective vest drove their way on a big luggage cart, almost like an ATV, with six wheels and a separate open-topped trailer, which was stacked with even more luggage.

Tyler turned to Josh and Nadia. “Stay put for a second. I got this.”

The handler guy pulled to a stop at the dock and climbed out, shuffling around to the trailer without any hurry.

Before Josh could protest, Tyler slid out of hiding and strode over with a superstar grin. “Hey, brother. Mind giving me a hand with something?”

Warily, the luggage handler looked up.

Tyler flashed his most disarming smile. “I’m in kind of a jam.” He started to say something in a low voice until the scruffy man’s eyes went wide and his face blanched.

The baggage handler fell back a step in surprise. “No way, you’re… Tyler Fantana? Number eighty-six. My grandpa loves you! I love you. My whole family loves you. Not in like a weird way, but— Wow. I can’t believe….”

“That’s very kind, Dale.” Tyler squinted at the name tag on the guy’s chest. “Your name is Dale?”

“You know my name. Oh, wow. My girlfriend ain’t going to believe this.”

Tyler pointed at the tag, but Dale wasn’t making a lot of sense.

The kid grinned, awestruck. “I swear, this is the greatest day.”

Tyler held out his hand and shook Dale’s firmly. “I’m really happy to meet you, Dale. And I could use your help with a small problem.” Then Tyler’s voice got quiet again as he leaned in and muttered.

Josh started to step out toward them, but Nadia touched his arm and shook her head. “Give him a second.”

“Is this something he does?”

“Not exactly, but he’s got this way with people.” She tilted her head, watching.

Josh sighed and smiled at Tyler working his magic over there. “He does.”

From the body language and the luggage handler’s expression, whatever Tyler had said had made the guy nervous.

Dale glanced around with wide eyes before he spoke up. “I don’t know, man. If my union found out, I could get in all kinds of trouble.”

“I would never let that happen. You’d be saving my ass,” Tyler promised. “Tell you what. If you can help me out, I’ll make sure you get an autographed football and a jersey.”

Dale’s face lit up. “Yeah?”

“Are you kidding?” Tyler clapped his shoulder. “I owe you.”

“You don’t owe me nothing.” Dale nodded, hustling back to the driver’s seat of the large luggage cart. “Tyler flippin’ Fantana, man.”

Tyler beckoned surreptitiously to Josh and Nadia. “All set.”