Chloe’s hand covers mine. “I just want you to know I’m really freaking proud of you right now.”
A blush creeps into my cheeks. “It’s just a game.”
“It’s more than that.”
“How so?”
“This is your redemption.”
Chloe runs the needle through the linen before pulling it up over her head. She sits crisscross on one of the lawn chairs by the lake, seeming to enjoy the early morning breeze.
“What are you making?” I plop down on the chair beside her after my morning workout of mowing the lawn. Could I pay someone to do it? Sure. But could I give up the opportunity to give Chloe a front-row seat to me working the machine while hiding her attraction? Definitely not.
She flashes me the embroidery circle. It’s an exact replica of the lake and mountains surrounding us.
“Wow. You are incredibly talented. How did you make it look so real?” I peer over and check out the fine thread details. There has to be hundreds of multicolored stitches recreating the scene.
“First I sketch whatever design I want on the fabric. Then I pick the threads. For an intricate design like this, I split the threads to make it finer.”
My eyes widen. “Wait. You drew that first?”
“It’s not that hard.” Her cheeks flush.
“No. It’s incredible. Do you have pictures of other ones you created?”
I didn’t realize she was this good at her designs. They’re like pieces of art, woven together by thousands of threads. It’s a shame she hides this talent from the world.
She pulls out her phone and opens up an album. “Here. You can flip through all of those.”
I grab it with greedy hands. The different designs Chloe made range from picturesque nature scenes to quotes and poems. All her designs show up on different objects, from clothes to accessories. I had no clue she was this talented.
“Are you sure you don’t want to start up a shop? These are amazing.”
She laughs. “You’ve never seen other designs to know if that’s true. What if I’m secretly terrible and you have no clue?”
I roll my eyes and pull out my phone.
“What are you doing?”
“Researching the market.”
She snorts. “Why would you do that?”
“Because someone I know speaks from a tall soapbox to others about boosting their self-esteem yet doesn’t do the same to herself.”
“Burn,” she hisses.
I smirk and scroll through Etsy and Pinterest. Spending time with Maya taught me all the tricks of where to purchase certain types of custom items. There are quite a few talented embroidery shops, but nothing compares to the designs Chloe makes. It’s like she channels her inner Bob Ross and makes intricate landscapes out of thread and a needle.
“Okay. I’ve completed my analysis and have the results.” I turn toward her.
“And?” She bites her lip.
“Your designs are superior. The end. You need to start a shop, ASAP.”
She laughs. “I appreciate your kind words. It’s nice.”
“But?”
“But starting up a business is the last thing I should do.”
“Why not?”
“Well, once I go back to America, I need to pick my jobs back up. This summer has been fun and all, but reality will come knocking eventually. Brooke can’t live with some stranger subleasing my room forever.”
My stomach dips at her words. “When do you plan on leaving?”
She shrugs. “I’m not sure. I’m still figuring out when I’ll tell Matteo about who I am.”
Can I cast my vote for never? “And if you tell him?”
“Then I guess I’ll see from there. I’ve never been much of a planner.” Her smile doesn’t fill me with its accompanying warmth.
“Have you ever considered staying here, even after you tell him? Don’t you want to stay with your dad after being apart after all this time?” My voice carries a hopeful note.
Her eyes return to her embroidery circle. She fiddles with the needle, twirling it with her fingers. “Honestly, no, I didn’t think it was even an option to live here. I wasn’t thinking that far ahead when I booked my ticket. But now that you bring it up, I wonder if it’s a possibility.”
“Really?” I didn’t expect her to admit that. Maybe there is some hope after all.
“I mean he’s my dad, and I don’t have many ties in America besides Brooke. I’m not saying I’d stay, but it’s not exactly a no either. Does that make sense?”