Teresa.”
Rachel smiled at Teresa, glad to know this demure friend of Grace’s. They’d had a few chances to get to know each other since Grace’s wedding and Rachel had visited with her on several occasions at Stigall’s. Teresa once commented to Rachel that she appreciated her involvement in protecting Grace from Patricia. That confrontation hastened Patricia’s expulsion from Angel’s life, which was an added bonus for Teresa.
Rachel opened the gift and the women cooed over the sheer black mesh and lace gown, robe, and thong panty. “That’s beautiful, Teresa, thank you so much.”
Everyone commented appreciatively on how diaphanous it was. Rachel wondered what Eli would think of the sheerness and had a pretty good guess.
“You’re welcome, Rachel,” Teresa replied, smiling back at her.
“Kelly’s is next,” Grace said, placing it in front of her.
Rachel grinned at her tiny friend and future sister-in-law. Inside the gift-wrapped box was a pretty royal-blue satin nightie. It had a drawstring opening at the deep V-neck, and the sides were crisscrossing satin strings which held the front and back together, waiting to be untied. Inside was also a matching long, blue satin robe with flowing sleeves. The slithery fabric slipped and slid over itself as she lifted it from the box with a soft sigh.
“Gorgeous!” Her mom said as she stroked the silky fabric.
The phone Peter had handed to Grace vibrated on the table. She checked it and texted back then took her seat after she placed the opened gifts back on the buffet.
“Paul is bringing the shrimp cocktails now,” she said moments before their lovely waiter tapped on the door and entered, carrying a tray.
After serving them, he refilled their drinks and took orders for refills on their cocktails. They chatted while they waited for him to return. “Your entrees will be ready in twenty to thirty minutes, Mrs. Warner. We’ll let you know and wait to hear from you.”
Grace thanked him, and he excused himself quietly. Grace rose again from the table and returned with another wrapped gift. “This is from Rosemary.”
Rachel tore off the paper and lifted the lid, then opened the tissue. Momentarily puzzled, she lifted the delicate strips of fabric from the box and found the picture label that had been attached to the lingerie. “I can honestly say I’ve never seen anything like this. Wow, would you look at that?”
“Do you like it?” Rosemary asked uncertainly.
“I love it, but I can tell you Eli will absolutely flip for it. He loves a good mystery. I’m going to wear this under an outfit and let him wonder all evening.” She lifted it up and passed the card around so they could see it.
It was a silky spandex chemise that could be worn four different ways. Forward, backward, upside down to the front and upside down to the back, strapless or with shoulder straps. It was a series of clingy straps and strategic cutouts that revealed curves but strategically hid or revealed other parts depending on which way it was worn.
Charity handled it. “Oh, yeah! If I know Eli, he will totally flip for this. Keep that card, Rachel, so you can wear it a different way every time and keep him guessing. I think I need one of these. Where did you find it, Rosie?”
“Oh, this great website, maybe you’ve heard of it? Hips and—”
“—curves.com?” Grace, Rachel, and Charity all laughed outrageously.
“That’s the one! I love their lingerie!”
“We do, too!” Grace chuckled and handed Rachel another gift to open while the girls tucked the picture card back in with the chemise in its box and passed it around. This one was two boxes tied together. She opened the smaller box first and giggled in delight when she found a butter-soft front-lacing leather corset in it.
“Ooooh! That is awesome !” Kelly said. “I’ll bet you get a lot of use from that. Eli loves that biker babe stuff! That’s perfect for you, Rachel.”
“See, it zips up the
Rachel smiled at Teresa, glad to know this demure friend of Grace’s. They’d had a few chances to get to know each other since Grace’s wedding and Rachel had visited with her on several occasions at Stigall’s. Teresa once commented to Rachel that she appreciated her involvement in protecting Grace from Patricia. That confrontation hastened Patricia’s expulsion from Angel’s life, which was an added bonus for Teresa.
Rachel opened the gift and the women cooed over the sheer black mesh and lace gown, robe, and thong panty. “That’s beautiful, Teresa, thank you so much.”
Everyone commented appreciatively on how diaphanous it was. Rachel wondered what Eli would think of the sheerness and had a pretty good guess.
“You’re welcome, Rachel,” Teresa replied, smiling back at her.
“Kelly’s is next,” Grace said, placing it in front of her.
Rachel grinned at her tiny friend and future sister-in-law. Inside the gift-wrapped box was a pretty royal-blue satin nightie. It had a drawstring opening at the deep V-neck, and the sides were crisscrossing satin strings which held the front and back together, waiting to be untied. Inside was also a matching long, blue satin robe with flowing sleeves. The slithery fabric slipped and slid over itself as she lifted it from the box with a soft sigh.
“Gorgeous!” Her mom said as she stroked the silky fabric.
The phone Peter had handed to Grace vibrated on the table. She checked it and texted back then took her seat after she placed the opened gifts back on the buffet.
“Paul is bringing the shrimp cocktails now,” she said moments before their lovely waiter tapped on the door and entered, carrying a tray.
After serving them, he refilled their drinks and took orders for refills on their cocktails. They chatted while they waited for him to return. “Your entrees will be ready in twenty to thirty minutes, Mrs. Warner. We’ll let you know and wait to hear from you.”
Grace thanked him, and he excused himself quietly. Grace rose again from the table and returned with another wrapped gift. “This is from Rosemary.”
Rachel tore off the paper and lifted the lid, then opened the tissue. Momentarily puzzled, she lifted the delicate strips of fabric from the box and found the picture label that had been attached to the lingerie. “I can honestly say I’ve never seen anything like this. Wow, would you look at that?”
“Do you like it?” Rosemary asked uncertainly.
“I love it, but I can tell you Eli will absolutely flip for it. He loves a good mystery. I’m going to wear this under an outfit and let him wonder all evening.” She lifted it up and passed the card around so they could see it.
It was a silky spandex chemise that could be worn four different ways. Forward, backward, upside down to the front and upside down to the back, strapless or with shoulder straps. It was a series of clingy straps and strategic cutouts that revealed curves but strategically hid or revealed other parts depending on which way it was worn.
Charity handled it. “Oh, yeah! If I know Eli, he will totally flip for this. Keep that card, Rachel, so you can wear it a different way every time and keep him guessing. I think I need one of these. Where did you find it, Rosie?”
“Oh, this great website, maybe you’ve heard of it? Hips and—”
“—curves.com?” Grace, Rachel, and Charity all laughed outrageously.
“That’s the one! I love their lingerie!”
“We do, too!” Grace chuckled and handed Rachel another gift to open while the girls tucked the picture card back in with the chemise in its box and passed it around. This one was two boxes tied together. She opened the smaller box first and giggled in delight when she found a butter-soft front-lacing leather corset in it.
“Ooooh! That is awesome !” Kelly said. “I’ll bet you get a lot of use from that. Eli loves that biker babe stuff! That’s perfect for you, Rachel.”
“See, it zips up the
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