Finally, I see my best friend through the horde. She waves at me and comes my way quickly. “Holy hell. We should have just done the reception tonight. I think most people are here anyway.” She leans in and gives me a hug. “How’s the dress? Too short?”
“No such thing. You look amazing,” I tell her. And she does. Everly always looks incredible. Put together, flawlessly beautiful. She’s wearing the hell out of a short white dress with a high neckline. Her hair is pulled up into a sleek ponytail, and it’s topped off with some killer sparkling drop earrings. Simple and stunning, which is how she rolls. “Sit with me at dinner?”
“I was planning on it.”
“Where did you get this?” She pulls at my skirt. “You look fucking incredible. This whole pink bandwagon you’re on lately is perfection. And I love the earrings.”
“It’s a celebration. It called for champagne!” My rosé champagne bottle earrings match nicely with the bodycon bubble-gum pink skirt I have on. It’s high-waist, so I paired it with a men’s white-collared dress shirt that’s been cropped. Only a sliver of skin shows, and with my lacy bralette underneath, I feel sexy, but not a spectacle. It’s not my night. Or weekend, for that matter. Nope. Tonight and tomorrow are all about the best person in the universe, and the love of her life.
“Turn around. I need to see the full look,” she says, and I do a little twirl.
I catch Henry’s attention on me as my spin comes to an end.
Everly lets out a laugh. “You’re too fabulous not to look at, but help me feel better. Please tell me you’re wearing Spanx? I mean, your ass is always incredible, but I feel like there is magic at play here.”
“I can’t wear underwear with this. Are you kidding me?” I tell her. “It’s all me, baby. Those workouts with Mac have officially lifted this ass a good two inches higher.”
My eyes lock onto Henry. “No magic, just a little bit of discipline.”
His gravelly voice interrupts. “Ev, you want to start making your way to the table? I think Dad wants to make a toast before we eat, and the meat has rested long enough now.” He looks at me as he finishes saying it. My stomach does a flip, and I remember proximity. I’m standing too close to him.
“You heard him. The meat has rested long enough.” I smile wide as I drag my eyes down the front of him.
Everly barks a laugh as she swats my arm.
“Thank you, Henry,” Everly says, patting his chest. “G, grab your drink,”
I watch as Henry takes a full look at me from head to toe and back again. Meeting my eyes at the finish of his perusal.Yeah, I know. Fantasy material right here, flyboy.
“Too bad, Pixie,” Henry says as he fishes something from his back pocket. He looks down at my lady bits region and then holds up a small, thin black remote, smiling. My stomach flips again, and it’s like Cupid herself just shot an arrow straight to my coochie. Direct fucking hit, you crazy bitch. And then it clicks. Just like that, my memory drops back to last year's Riggs Annual Tree Lighting Festival and to what that remote controls.
I don’t know if it’s just the memory or the fact that I’m feeling a sudden urge of regret for not wearing a particular pair of underwear tonight.
26
Giselle
What in theever-loving kitty cat was that?! I shift my stance. Maybe someone dropped something, and it made the floor thunder.
It happens again. A pulsating beat. A quick zip as if I’ve put my phone on vibrate and tucked it into my underwear like a panty liner.
And then it registers.
The underwear.
After my last tattoo session today, my client decided to give me a fabulous present. She might be the newest transplant in Strutt’s Peak, but she’s an absolute doll, and she gave me vibrating panties. The newest elementary school art teacher has a side hustle, making some very scandalous and deliciously sexy adult toys. Instead of paying for me to cover up the name of her now ex-husband, we made a barter. I wanted a couple of new toys. She threw in the undies as an extra.
The part that doesn’t make sense, though, is I didn’t turn these on. Yes, I knew they vibrated, but I was only planning on playing a little if this evening ended up being a boring one.
“Here you go, Giselle. Vodka rocks with a sugared lemon wedge.”
“Thanks, handsome,” I tell the bartender. “Snag me a club soda too. I need to pace myself.”
“You here by yourself tonight?” he asks.
Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzzzzzzzzzz. The vibrations cut off my attention before I can answer. I shift my weight again and try my hardest to hide my smirk. What the fucking fuck is going on? I dig through my small neon green clutch. Money, license, lip stain, and my apartment keys. Nothing else. No remote.
My underwear has been hijacked.