Page 49 of Bella Rosa
"Please, call me Lorenzo." He points at all my camera gear. "This is quite the setup you have here. Can I see some of your photographs?"
I open my laptop so I can pull up some of the photos I just took. "Sure! They're not edited yet, but you'll be able to get an idea of how they will turn out."
He pulls his glasses out of his shirt pocket and puts them on. I show him how to flip through the photos with the arrow keys. He takes a few minutes to look through all the photos. I tell him about the plans we have for each shot. I want his opinion about all this stuff, so I hold my breath while I await his reaction. When he is done, he sits back in his seat and takes his glasses off and stores them away. "Those are amazing, Rosalie. You have a real gift."
I can't keep the smile from taking over my face. "I'm glad you like them. I have so many fun ideas on how to bring in business."
He crosses one leg over the other and puts his hands in his lap. "Tell me about your ideas."
I proceed to tell him about all the ideas Matteo and I have been talking about over the past few days. I mention creating a website and social media accounts. He sits quietly while I talk. When I get done, he nods his head and scratches his chin. "I see. And you think this will actually bring in that many new customers without losing our originality?"
I nod my head, hopeful he will see how important this could be to his business. "I do."
He sits up straighter in his seat. "I think you have some great ideas. We're lucky to have you here to help us. I'm useless when it comes to things like this."
I smile as I look him in the eye. I want to see his reaction. "Actually, most of them are Matteo's ideas. I'm just making them a reality."
Shock takes over his face. "What? He's never shown me anything like this before."
I shake my head. "He just didn't have a way to show you what he meant until now. That's what I'm helping him with."
He rubs his hand over his face just like his son. "I had no idea."
I close my laptop lid. "It's okay. Sometimes we just need to be shown before we can believe in something."
When he smiles at me like this, it's like Matteo is staring back at me. "He's lucky to have you."
I smile back at him. "We're lucky to have each other."
His smile shifts to a softer one. "You're very good for my son. Since you arrived, Matteo has actually been living. I've not seen him this happy in years. I have always tried to push him to take more time off and actually enjoy life. It seems like he's finally found his reason. He will be devastated when you leave."
I look down at my lap and beg the tears to stay away. "I will be devastated when I leave."
He reaches out and gently places his hand on my shoulder. I look up into his kind eyes. "Do you want to leave?"
I fidget in my seat. "No, but the thought of not going back terrifies me."
"Making big changes can be scary. At the end of the day you have to do what's best for you."
I tuck a stray hair behind my ear. "That's the thing, I always thought writing was what was best for me. My dad always told me how good I was at it, so I thought that was the best direction for me to go in. Now I'm not sure what to do. I seem to have lost my passion for it."
Lorenzo shakes his head and smiles. "Matteo has shown me your blog. That is not the work of someone who has lost their passion. I think your passions have shifted." The bell suddenly dings signaling there is an order ready. He turns to look across the kitchen. "I better get that. We’re quite busy today."
We both stand and he pulls me into a hug that takes my breath away. Hugging him feels just like hugging my father. I feel tears gather in my eyes. I wish so badly he could have met Matteo. We pull apart from the hug and he gives me a big smile before he walks away. I get a tissue out of my bag and dab the corners of my eyes. I still have a smile on my face when I get back to work.
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Rosalie
Matteostopsnexttothe curb in front of Juli's cafe. He puts the car in park and takes his sunglasses off. "Are you sure you don't want to come?"
I put my elbow on the center armrest and lean over and kiss him. "I'm sure. I've never rock climbed a day in my life. I would just hold you guys back. You deserve a guys day. Plus, I'm excited to spend the day with Juli."
Movement catches my eye. I look up to find Luca walking out of Juli's holding a bag full of goodies and two drinks. A grin the size of Texas on his face, his dimple on full display.
I reach back to get my bag. "You'll have a great time at the climbing gym."
