Chapter 4
Natalie
I packed up two jars of my signature lavender and honey body butter and a copy of the I Choose You series by Rielle Knight.
“Anything else I can do for you this evening?” I asked my customer.
“No, but I want to say I love your store. Your body butters be having me smelling so delicious, and I always find great new to me authors in here. Not to mention, my book club loves the fact that the majority of your books here are from independent authors.”
“Thank you so much! Our Black authors don’t get enough credit out here, and I want to do my part.”
“When you put me on the RnB series by Olivia Linden and Mesmerized By You by Tash, I fell in love. I tell everybody about your store, no matter where I go!”
“Yas! I love to hear it! Go ahead and keep sending them my way.” I smiled before handing her the items. “Well, have a great evening and be safe out there.”
“You, too!”
I waved goodbye before locking the door behind the woman as she left the store.
Drawing the blinds, I exhaled a long breath as I took a seat in the chair I had set up for a reading corner.
After collecting a few months of deposits from Lawerence’s hush money, I was able to open Body Butter I simply don’t know him.
He barely paid any attention to me while I was growing up, but I had Ricky.
He was younger than me but had no problem stepping up to be my ‘big’ little brother when anybody tried to mess with me.
I had to admit that when Leonard would come home from college and hang out with Ricky more than me, it hurt.
I really thought that he didn’t like me.
Ricky tried to tell me it was all in my head and that Leonard loved us both, but his actions told another story.
After a while, I stopped caring whether or not he liked me.
I only had to talk to him during our monthly family dinners, and then we’d go our separate ways.
Besides, I had Ricky to talk to. When shit hit the fan between Lawrence and me, he was the first person I called.
My little brother was always there for me with open arms and listening ears without judgment.
Yes, he’s been pestering me to tell my parents the truth, but at the end of the day, I know that he’ll support me no matter what.
After I finished closing down my store, I walked into my office to grab my belongings.
I glimpsed myself in the full-length mirror I kept in my office and smiled.
My nutmeg-brown skin was finally getting its luscious natural glow back.
Not to mention, my energy levels were back up after getting back to working out three times a week.
After my breakup with Lawrence, I had to admit that I fell off with my skincare routine, and my eating habits were unhealthy.
I couldn’t count how many empty tubs of ice cream and boxes of tissues I went through.
Depression made me not care too much about anything.
Thankfully, after spending my mornings walking and talking with God, talking to my therapist, and my best friends Mya and Amanda, I finally got back to my old self.
I stopped chasing after what could have been and accepted the truth.
I had to remind myself that it was okay to grieve, but I needed to dust myself off and keep it pushing.
Lawrence wasn’t losing a wink of sleep after what he did to me, so why should I?
Plus, why would I want to get back with somebody who had no qualms about disrespecting me?
Besides, I dodged a bullet not marrying his cheating ass.
I ran my hands down my curvy size sixteen body before turning around and looking over my shoulder.
“Damn, Nat!” I shouted, bending over to twerk. “Those workouts are doing the job.”
I slapped my ass while sticking my tongue out.
As much as I didn’t really like the club scene, I was ready to dance.
This was the main reason I told my little brother I’d go out with him after his graduation.
I haven’t been out dancing in a while. Lawrence didn’t like, in his words, for me to be bending over for other niggas and shaking my ass.
I scoffed and shook my head. He was worried about me, and the whole time he was bending our damn assistant over.
Shaking off my annoyance, I walked over to the content and marketing calendar I had hanging on the wall and tilted my head.
Outside looking in, I was doing great, but behind the scenes, I had to admit that I could use a little help.
I had survived the major rush, but I was still overwhelmed.
If I don’t focus now, then my orders are going to get further behind. I sighed and grabbed my keys.
“Maybe it’s time to hire more temps,” I groaned to myself before leaving my office.