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“Okay, I have to go this way,” Kelsey said, reading the sign indicating her gate. “Baggage claim is through there.”

“I feel like a bad host. You’ve flown into my city and I’m leaving you at the airport. I can wait until you get on your plane,” Isabella said.

“You’re not being a bad host. By the time you get your luggage my flight will be boarding.”

“I’m walking with you to your gate.” Isabella put her arm through Kelsey’s. She had a strange feeling in her stomach. She knew Kelsey had to leave, but she hated to see her go.

They slowly walked to Kelsey’s gate as other people hurried around them. “Here we are,” Kelsey said. “Look, they’re already pre-boarding.”

“Take a picture and send it to me when you’re in your seat,” Isabella said.

“What?” Kelsey chuckled.

“Promise!” Isabella demanded.

“Okay. I promise.”

“And don’t forget to send me a pic of you and the girls in your T-shirts.” Isabella was talking rapidly and couldn’t seem to stop the anxiousness taking over her body.

“I will, Bella. I’ll call you tonight when I get home,” Kelsey said.

They heard the attendant over the loudspeaker announce that it was time for Kelsey’s group to board.

Isabella threw her arms around Kelsey and hugged her tight. She kissed Kelsey on the cheek as her heart began to flutter in her chest. Then Isabella did something she’d never done before. She pulled her head back and stared into Kelsey’s eyes. They were golden brown and looked at her so sweetly. That’s when Isabella leaned in and quickly kissed Kelsey on the lips.

“Uh—are you sure you can get your bags,” Kelsey stammered.

Isabella could see the shock on Kelsey’s face and Isabella was just as surprised, but she also felt a kind of relief. She would sort that out on her way home.

“You’re not carrying my baggage, Kels,” she said. She smiled at Kelsey and let her go. “See you next month.”

“See you next month,” Kelsey replied with a smile.

Isabella watched her walk toward the entrance to the plane. At the last moment Kelsey looked over her shoulder and grinned.

What am I doing? Isabella thought with a little wave. Once Kelsey was out of sight, Isabella walked to baggage claim. She took her phone out of her purse to text Kelsey, but didn’t know what to say.

As she walked up to the rotating table, her first bag made its way to her. Isabella easily reached down and pulled her bag off the table. She chuckled to herself, remembering how Kelsey had helped her in the Virgin Islands. Her other bag was just as easy to lift and she set it next to the other bag. She put her purse over one handle and her satchel over the other.

Before she began to roll them to exit the airport, she took a picture and sent it to Kelsey.

See you next month, she wrote under the picture.

A moment later Kelsey replied with a picture of her grinning into the phone, sitting in her seat on the plane. See you next month.

Isabella sighed. She didn’t know what was happening. A sense of dread had settled over her as they got off the plane. Maybe it was the idea of going back to her everyday life, but she was excited to see her sons. Still, when she hugged Kelsey then looked into her eyes, she couldn’t stop herself. The quick kiss was heartfelt and Isabella had immediately felt the dread leave her body. She would miss Kelsey; how could she not?

But then a thought came to her: Her heart was telling Kelsey’s heart goodbye. Maybe that’s why she had felt so unsettled, then after the brief kiss, it was as if she could breathe again. “How strange,” she mumbled as she waited for her ride share.

Isabella wondered if Kelsey felt the same way. She saw the surprise on her face, but she didn’t seem upset or angry. Kelsey was supposed to call her when she got to Denver. Should Isabella bring it up? She had to figure this out before it wrecked this year’s travel plans.

15

Kelsey thought about Isabella for the entire flight home. That kiss had surprised her, but it wasn’t unwelcome. Kelsey knew she needed to be careful with her feelings. So much had happened to her and Isabella in such a short time. They had been thrust into this marketing project and quickly became friends while they were working.

Since boarding the flight in St. Thomas that morning, Kelsey had felt like a cloud was descending over them. They were leaving paradise to return to their everyday lives. She and Isabella both missed their families, but there was also a type of grief from having to leave their new friends and each other. At least that’s how Kelsey felt. She wondered if Isabella was feeling the same thing when she suddenly kissed her.

She had seen a change in Isabella the closer they got to Charlotte. Kelsey had felt it, too. She sighed as the plane landed and taxied towards the gate. She couldn’t imagine her life going back to the way it was before this trip. Surely, she and Isabella would keep in touch. Yes, they had business to discuss as far as the resort account was concerned, but they were friends now. And friends shared their lives even if it was through texts, calls, or emails, right?