Stitches and Stones
Page 10
“Are you sure you don’t mind?” Aunt Lulu said for the third time as she stood by the door to leave.
“Mind? We love having Draper here,” Zoey said, her arms wrapped around her doggy cousin’s neck.
Aunt Lulu’s fourteen year-old mutt thumped his tail against the kitchen floor in agreement.
“See? Draper loves being here, too,” Zoey said.
“I know he does,” Aunt Lulu said, smiling. “And I know you and Marcus will give him lots of love while I’m away at the interior design conference.”
“Oh, you can count on that,” Marcus said. “Draper will get plenty of love—and treats.”
“Not too many treats,” Aunt Lulu warned. “He’s already overweight.”
“He is not,” Zoey said. “You are the handsomest dog ever.”
Draper licked Zoey’s face.
“I’ll see you in a few days,” Aunt Lulu said, blowing kisses as she walked out the door.
Draper trotted over and let out a soft whine.
“Aw, he misses Aunt Lulu already,” Marcus said. “Give him a treat.”
Draper’s ears pricked up at the word “treat”. Zoey wanted to follow Aunt Lulu’s advice for at least a few minutes after she left, but Draper seemed so very sad. Just one treat wouldn’t hurt.
“Come on, Draper. Treat!” she said, walking over to the tin of treats.
Draper moseyed over to Zoey expectantly.
“Sit,” Zoey said.
Draper stood, staring up with his brown eyes.
“Come on, Draper, sit!” she said again.
With a deep sigh and an If I really must look, Draper sank onto his rear haunches.
“Good boy, good sit,” Zoey crooned, giving him his treat.
“I wonder if Draper ever thinks, Why do they make me do this just to get a treat?” Marcus said.
“I think he just cares about getting the treat!”
“You underestimate him,” Marcus said.
“No, I don’t. I just think he has his priorities straight. If I could get ice cream whenever someone said ‘sit’ I would totally sit down on command! But now it’s time to sit and sew, right Draper?”
Draper lumbered up the stairs behind Zoey and followed her into her room. After a brief, unsuccessful search for hidden treats, he sat under the cute vintage sewing machine table Zoey’s dad had bought her so she could work in her bedroom.
The week before, Zoey had seen a dress that she adored in her favorite fashion magazine, Très Chic. She wanted it so badly—until she saw the price. But it was so cute! That’s when she had the idea to make it herself. With Draper’s nose resting on her foot, Zoey sketched out ideas for how to copy the dress.
It was comforting to have Draper with her while she worked. He seemed to sense when she was getting frustrated, and he’d give her foot a gentle lick as if to say Don’t worry, Zoey, you’ll figure it out.
Zoey put down her pencil and ducked her head under the table to look at Draper. He lifted his nose and his tail wagged, thumping a steady beat against the carpet.
“You’re such a good boy, Draper,” Zoey said.
And then she had a fabulous idea. . . .
CHLOe TaYLOR learned to sew when she was a little girl. She loved watching her grandmother Louise turn a scrap of blue fabric into a simple-but-fabulous dress, nightgown, or even a bathing suit in an instant. It was magical! Now that she’s grown up, she still loves fashion: it’s like art that you can wear. This is her first middle grade series. She lives, writes, and window-shops in New York City.
NanCY ZHanG is an illustrator and an art and fashion lover with a passion for all beautiful things. She has published her work in the art books L’Oiseau Rouge and Street Impressions and in various fashion magazines and on websites. Visit her at her blog: www.xiaoxizhang.com. She currently lives in Berlin, Germany.
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This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
SIMON SPOTLIGHT
An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division
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Copyright © 2013 by Simon & Schuster, Inc.
All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.
SIMON SPOTLIGHT and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Text by Sarah Darer Littman
Jacket design by Laura Roode
Jacket illustrations by Simon and Schuster, Inc.
Designed by Laura Roode
ISBN 978-1-4424-9802-0 (pb)
ISBN 978-1-4424-9803-7 (hc)
ISBN 978-1-4424-9804-4 (eBook)
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 2013943452