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help you?”
    She pointed to the front of the store. “I’d like to see the charm in the window. The bird flying.”
    “Certainly.”
    Her eyes followed the man as he moved to unlock the window and returned with the large gold charm, then set it on a black velvet board in front of them. “This is a lovely piece.”
    “Mm,” she agreed.
    Wings spread wide in flight, the bird, probably a seagull, appeared to be soaring upward. His head, in profile, had a single eye. A tiny deep green emerald, shining brightly. The piece was absolutely beautiful.
    Timid fingers made a casual attempt to flip the tag. The sparkle of longing in her eyes was eclipsed by sticker shock. Most likely a one-of-a-kind piece, the charm was priced accordingly.
    “This is eighteen karat gold. Though small, the emerald is high quality from Colombia.”
    “Yes. Thank you.” Micki smiled and stepped back.
    “We’ll take it.” Kirk hadn’t noticed if she’d worn any jewelry on the ship. She would need a necklace or bracelet to wear the charm on. A bracelet. Somehow he knew a discreet bracelet was something she would be more likely to wear back home. “And a bracelet, too.”
    “Oh, no." Eyes wide with surprise, her hand reached over and covered his. "I can’t let you do that. It’s lovely, but—”
    “Work hard, play hard." He turned his hand under hers, linked fingers, and offered a gentle squeeze. "This is our last day. I’d like you to have it.”
    For a few long seconds he noticed something in her gaze he hadn’t seen before—sorrow. He’d wanted the gift to make her happy not sad. And then, as if it had been nothing more than his imagination, the delightful twinkle in her eyes was back.
    “Thank you." Her hold on their clasped hands tightened. "I’d like that, too.”
     
     

CHAPTER SIX
     
     
    “I can’t get over it. You look fabulous!” Angie, Michelle’s neighbor, helped carry the luggage upstairs to her room.
    “I gotta admit,” Corrie chimed in, “you really do look hot in that outfit.”
    “Mm.” Michelle had barely had enough time to retrieve her old luggage and check in for her flight, never mind change into her old clothes. It nearly killed her to pay the extra per suitcase charge on the cruise clothes she would probably never wear again in her life. But she wasn’t leaving them behind, either. Maybe she could donate them to a woman’s shelter or something.
    Right. Like women’s shelters really need cruise clothes. She could probably store the clothes-filled suitcases in the attic. Maybe someday she’d take another trip. Maybe even with Kirk. Right. She didn’t know a dang thing about him other than his first name, and that he had a cute little heart-shaped birthmark on his left butt cheek. Like she could put that into a search engine to find him. She had no idea where he lived or what he did for a living. All she’d learned was Kirk did consulting. Whatever that meant. For all she knew, he could be a Mafia hit man.
    She glanced around the room and noted, for the first time, all the shades of beige. Not a single bright color to liven things up. This was her reality. The trip was over. The thrill of living and free as a bird were history. Home less than two hours and already she wondered if any of it had been real. Her left hand closed over the dangling charm on her right wrist. Definitely real .
    Corrie plopped onto her sister’s bed. “Steven has called every day since their return from Vegas. I saved all the messages.”
    Angie pressed her lips together and glared at the kid. Pam rolled her eyes and gently brushed Michelle’s arm. “We weren’t going to mention him yet. Give you some time to settle in first.
    “It’s not like she can avoid them forever,” Corrie continued. “I mean, Beth’s her best friend.”
    “Was,” Pam snapped.
    “Is, was, whatever.” Corrie waved a dismissive gesture. “Do you know they’ve been home almost a week, and Beth’s hardly left the house. I heard she