The Grand Finale of Valentine Vacation by Lyn Cote

Amelia gripped Colin's hand tightly. Somehow she knew that the commotion had something to do with the rings. But she didn't have the nerve to go forward. She started to turn away--when a familiar voice called out, "That's her! That's the woman who found the ring!" The voice belonged to Darrell.

The crowd parted as a tall, perfectly coifed, and stylishly dressed woman walked toward Amelia who had frozen in place.

Colin tugged Amelia along until she began walking to meet the woman. Her heart bobbed up into her throat. It couldn't be, could it?

And then she was there, standing within arm's reach of one the biggest stars in Hollywood, June Roberts.

"I'm so happy you found my engagement ring," June gushed. Camera flashes nearly blinded Amelia but the actress acted as if she didn't notice them at all, her big smile gleamed from her tanned face. "My fiance and I were walking on the beach late yesterday and I didn't notice I'd lost the engagement ring he'd just given me till later."

"She couldn't take her eyes off me," an extremely tall and handsome man said, standing at June's elbow.

"You shouldn't have gotten a ring a size too big." June chuckled in response and reached for Amelia's hand. "Thank you a thousand times."

Amelia couldn't speak. She's seen Miss Roberts in so many movies. She felt like she was in a movie.

Colin cleared his throat. "Amelia was only doing what was right. She's that kind of lady."

"She certainly is. My thanks also." The handsome man led away the actress who thanked Amelia once more. The paparazzi flocked after the "star" couple, leaving Amelia, Colin and Christy and Darrel in their wake.

"I don't know about you, but after all that star dust, I can use a tall drink of something cold," Colin said.

For some reason this tickled Amelia's funny bone and she began giggling. Shaking his head at her indulgently, he led their foursome toward the patio at the back of the hotel.

"How much do you want to bet that this was just a publicity stunt?" Darrell suggested, drawing Christy with him.

Colin laughed. "Let's not waste any more time on this."

"But what if someone dishonest had found the ring?" Christy asked, sounding uncertain. "How could they know someone would turn it in?"

"How do you know it wasn't a Cubic Zirconia?" Colin countered.

Darrell laughed. But then sobered. "We still haven't found...." He stopped and put his arm around Christy. "Sorry. I said we wouldn't let this spoil the rest of the day."

Christy blinked as if warding off tears.

Amelia so wished she could have found their ruby ring. Suddenly she felt her own engagement ring in her back pocket. Without taking time to think, she pulled it out and handed it to Darrell. "Here I won't be wearing this any more. Either use it as a replacement for the ring you lost or sell it and buy another one. Your grandmother will understand. Things get lost." She looked up at Colin who was pulling out a chair for her at a patio table.

He smiled down at her. "And somethings that have been lost are found."

And Amelia knew with her heart what Colin meant. She had lost the past and maybe found a future...on her Valentine Vacation.