She was hoping to find gifts for her mum and sister, as well as picking up something small to thank Kim and Annie for their advice, and as a memento of their time here. Onyx, opals, sapphires, and other gems Colette couldn’t identify, but certainly looked pretty, lined the display before her.

“Welcome, I’m Anastasia. How may I help you?” a pretty woman with black hair greeted in Italian.

Colette turned to her with a smile and cleared her throat a little before responding, also in Italian. “I’m looking for some gifts for some special people in my life.”

“For a birthday? Or other celebration?”

Colette shrugged. “Just a thank-you.”

Anastasia smiled. “You have come to the right place. We have everything you need for every reason.” She picked up a silver bracelet with a green stone in it. “Would your friends perhaps like something like this?”

Colette looked at the circles of green mounted in shining silver. It was beautiful, but she wasn’t sure it was Kim or Annie. She shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

Anastasia smiled and moved on to another piece, equally as beautiful, but still not quite what Colette imagined either of her new friends wearing. Kim was elegance personified, whereas something fun or quirky would work best for Annie.

A few minutes later, when guilt began to plague her for the amount of Anastasia’s time she was taking up when she still couldn’t find something, Colette asked the young woman in English to give her just a few minutes to look around. Everything was so beautiful, which was why she was having such a difficult time deciding.

She turned back to a display case.

“So much to choose from, isn’t there?” a male voice commented from beside her.

“Yes, but I just told Anastasia—” Colette looked up and the rest of the words got lost in her throat. Standing in front of her was one of the most attractive men she’d ever seen.

He looked down at her with his arresting eyes and smiled brightly. Colette was lost for words. This part of the world seemed to have a never-ending supply of appealing males.

He chuckled. “Sorry, but I don’t know Anastasia.”

She felt her cheeks grow warm. “You don’t work here, do you?” she realized, feeling stupid for not recognizing the accent.

“No, I’m afraid I don’t. I was just trying to pick out a gift for my mum when I overheard you talking and realized I wasn’t the only English-speaker in here.”

“You’re on holiday here?” she asked.

“Yes, though not for much longer, sadly. Hence the gift-buying. I’m not keen on souvenirs.”

“Me neither.” Colette smiled. “I’m looking to pick up something unique for my friends, but everything here is so lovely it’s hard to decide.”