Michael took Grace's hand and kissed it. She met his dark gaze with a searching one of her own, and her skin tingled where his lips touched. Fresh cheers rose from the crowd.

When the Star Notes director, Henry Bennett, had added romantic interaction to the show's script last year, the crowds had responded with enthusiasm. So had Michael. Only Grace continued to have misgivings about it. Sometimes she couldn't help wondering how much of what went on between her and Michael was an act, and how much was real. And lately she wondered about it after every performance.

As the applause died and the theater lights came on, Grace eagerly anticipated the final phase of the show. She loved talking with the audience.

An usher came down the aisle carrying a huge bouquet of red roses and a gold foil package. He stepped onto the stage and presented the items to Grace with a flourish. "Delivery services brought these for you, Miss Brennan."

The cast of the show often received flowers, gifts and cards from fans. Gifts brought onstage during the final few moments of the show added to the "reality" ambience — another of the director's ideas.

The card with the roses read "From your biggest fan," and it was signed "With love, Michael."

She read the note aloud, waited for the catcalls and applause to die down, then grinned up at Michael as he took the bouquet from her arms so she could open the lid of the package.

She pulled out a music box of stained glass and caught her breath. The jeweled colors reflected the stage lights with sparkling intensity in its artistic representation of a winding, whitecapped river.

"It's beautiful," she breathed, touching the box reverently. She looked up at Michael. "It's —"

But she caught him frowning at the gift, and saw the barely detectable shake of his head.

Okay, so this wasn't from him. She lifted the lid, and music from the song "The Water Is Wide" spilled across the auditorium as its notes were picked up by her microphone.