Page 15 of The Innovator

Natalie:Thanks, but I’ll pass.

If I went there, they’d recognize me. I’d attended trend and fashion shows with these designers before. They were in my circle, and right now, I wanted to exist under the radar.

There was comfort and security away from the limelight. I craved that kind of peace. It allowed me to breathe, to be myself—wear no makeup, be silly, do nothing—and not have to worry about what the tabloids would say or how it would reflect on the brand.

Glamor and wealth could be a prison too.

Michelle:Kiera can introduce you to some of her male model friends.

Kiera:Yes! I have a few in mind who might suit you.

Natalie:Thanks, but I’m not interested.

Audri:Are you okay? You sound sad.

Natalie:Not sad. Just tired and stressed.

Vivian:Sex can solve that. Lol.

I shook my head and smiled. These girls cared about me, and I appreciated them. But I also feared the closer I got to them, the more I had to hide my true self. And what would happen when they discovered I wasn’t Natalie Chapelle, a municipal employee?

Natalie:Sleep will help just fine. I’m boring.

Michelle:You are not! But I get it.

Kiera:She’s only pretending because she has someone else in mind! You can tell us your dream man! Lol. Eggplant emoji. Cucumber emoji. Wide smile emoji. Wink emoji.

I knew she was teasing, but why were nerves swirling in my stomach?

Audri:Have you met anyone interesting lately?

Grayson’s face intruded my mind even though I didn’t want it to. He was more of an irritation than an interest. Why would any woman be interested in a man who stressed her out even if he could make her body feel all kinds of things?

Perhaps Kiera was right about me needing some release. But I wasn’t going to sleep around to achieve that. There were safer ways.

Natalie:I have a big project at work, and it’s overwhelming. Send me pics of hot guys. If one of them stands out, I’ll let you know. Smile emoji.

That would settle their curiosity and give them something to work on.

Kiera:You got it! I’ll send tons of hot guys your way.

Natalie:Make sure they have a brain too.

Michelle:Yes. Women want substance.

Audri:Intelligence.

Vivian:Depth.

Kiera:A working stalk. LOL. Cucumber emoji. Eggplant emoji.

A laugh burst free, making me feel better. Yes. These were my girls.

Natalie:You know me so well. Thanks, babes.

I spent the next thirty minutes chatting with them about nothing in particular and discovered that Grayson hadn’t been seeing anyone for a year.

Somehow I didn’t believe that. Maybe he hid the truth from his family and friends. And if that were the truth, I was curious about what inspired such a profound change in him.

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