Page 107 of The Innovator

Someone pulled her away from me, and she shouted, “Let me go! Do you know who I am?”

“You’re wanted for murder. The cops are here for you.” I looked up at a stocky man holding a gun to Estelle’s chest. He turned to me. “Ms. LaRue, are you okay?”

I nodded. “Yes. Thank you.”

When the police arrived, I told them everything and discovered the man who helped me was Andrew Summers, a bodyguard Grayson had hired to keep me safe. Grayson had feared Estelle would come after me unexpectedly.

Why hadn’t he shared this information with me? He was keeping too many things from me. We didn’t talk like we used to. I didn’t like how we were drifting further apart.

CHAPTERFIFTY-SEVEN

NATALIE

Grayson didn’t come home for the next few days, saying he had urgent meetings. I assumed he’d want to see me after my frightening encounter with Estelle, but we’d just talked over the phone. I missed him.

My heart felt like a shoe with a broken heel. It wobbled back and forth as I sensed my relationship with Grayson falling apart. He’d been stressed, working late, and avoiding me. It was unlike him. Or was this the real Grayson I hadn’t gotten to see until now?

I was so confused. He’d done so much for me, so I should be more understanding of his schedule. Yet, my inner voice kept whispering doubts to me.

Shoving my anxiety aside, I uploaded my entire collection onto a rendering software. It allowed me to see the apparel designs on three-dimensional figures. Excitement filled me as I reviewed and fell in love with the ten designs I’d chosen for my Momentum debut.

I kept this first collection small and manageable. Each one told its own story instead of the twenty or thirty designs I could’ve created. When I received the new forecast on fabric trends, I incorporated them into my collection. Concentrating on materials that were new to the market and Earth friendly was important to me. I was proud to be a member of Nature’s Innovation Society, an association that researched new techniques in wearable materials. I didn’t want to dump hazardous dyes into the land or the ocean. My preference was to use as many organic materials as possible.

Success came with responsibility, and House of LaRue had been part of Nature’s Innovation Society since its inception five years ago. It was crucial that the environment I lived in was safe, clean, and healthy for me and my children. Yes, I hoped to start a family someday.

A smile danced on my lips as I wondered if Grayson wanted kids too. What would our children look like? They’d be a beautiful blend of cultures, aspects of him and me, and our unique creativity.

He was the first man I’d ever considered having kids with. My history with men hadn’t been successful, and I had thought something was wrong with me. Or that I was just unlucky with men.

Every mistake led me one step closer to the man I was meant to be with.

I wanted to share my new designs with him. He’d be thrilled because he knew how much this meant to me. This was my breakthrough—a dream I didn’t think would happen.

Feeling a little better about myself, I texted him.

Natalie:Hi! Are you busy?

Grayson:Yup.

Natalie:Oh, okay.

Nausea stirred in my stomach.

Grayson:What’s up?

Natalie:Nothing. I just miss you.

I didn’t want to interrupt him if he was in a meeting or doing something important.

A long moment passed without a reply. The construction for the two buildings for Three Point Park was almost finished, so I could only imagine the stress Grayson was dealing with. The construction for The Prism was last on the list because it started after the other two buildings.

He and I were on similar journeys, both working toward our dreams. We understood the artist’s struggle, the emotional rollercoaster of self-doubt, and the courage and patience needed to continue despite those struggles.

I fell for him because I understood him. Did he understand me the same way?

With Derek’s death, Grayson could now start his healing process. Though Derek was a bad man, his love for Grayson was real. That proved to me that a dark heart could learn to love. That there was hope for everything.

The human heart had immense power, but it was also a mystery that no one truly understood. Perhaps that was its beauty and its curse.

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