CHAPTER 1
MOLLY
Of all the things Molly Princeton understood for certain, there was one thing in particular she had no doubts about—a woman was only as confident as her underwear.
For real, she’d ask anyone to hear her out on this point. A girl could always spit shine the outside, but it was what lay underneath that told the true story.
This was the reason she generally wore lace.
Lace, unfortunately, that no one but herself ever saw. She sighed, a disappointed sigh that came from deep within the soul.
Today, however, her life theory was thrown into a bit of a pickle, seeing as she wore no underwear at all.
The no undies thing? Not her fault.
Well, maybe a little her fault. She was the one who had forgotten to pack undies that wouldn’t show through the silk sheath dress her bestie Rachel had picked out for her as the maid of honor at her wedding.
A wedding in the total boonies where there was no Nordstrom’s or even a Walmart to grab something that wouldn’t leave a panty line. Thus…she might as well join the Army because she was commando.
“Let’s ask Kaiya. I bet she has a whole new package,” Rachel said, looking up to the vaulted ceiling of the bedroom they were using to prepare for her fast-approaching wedding. Her makeup artist applied a touch of jawline shadow before moving on to the powder foundation. “Or you could just take me up on my offer.”
Nope. Nuh-uh. Molly had a firm don’t share underwear rule.
“I’m not asking Kaiya. I’m not asking anyone.” Molly said. Her issue was hers alone. Unfortunately.
And, really, it wasn’t a big deal. The dress Rachel had picked for her, in a gorgeous blue silk, kissed the carpet, so no one was going to see up her skirt, anyway. Even with a gust of wind.
Molly’s bestie and the bride-of-the-day did not need to concern herself with Molly’s undergarment situation.
She really shouldn’t have said anything.
Except they usually shared everything with each other, and she’d vented to her friend about her ability to forget something so important.
But perhaps this might even be the change she needed to get out of the rut her dating life had been in for the past nine years. Of course, no one knew how deep the rut had become. No one except Rachel, who wouldn’t ever say a word about it. Best friend code, and all that.
No one could know.
Molly gave dating advice on a popular YouTube channel as her profession. Good dating advice, given the number of wedding invitations she’d collected from those who had used her tips in the past. Enough viewers tuned in regularly that she was able to pay her bills with sponsorships, and a few years ago had given up the nine-to-five office gig she had always loathed.
“Kaiya always brings spares of everything.” Rachel turned as the makeup artist adjusted her angle. “Brand new spares for just this kind of emergency.”
This was true. Kaiya brought extra of everything. For everyone.
She was their prepared friend.
Also, their multi-level marketing friend. Kaiya discovered this skin care system when she was traveling through Eastern Asia, visiting her family there, and, honest to God, it was better than lace underwear that didn’t show through silk. Kaiya brought the system to the States and sold the heck out of facial creams and serums. Rumor had it, they’d be branching into color cosmetics soon, too.
“I shouldn’t have said anything,” Molly said. “You’ve got other things to worry about other than my inability to remember important clothing items.”
“I,” Rachel said with a huge grin, “am not worried about anything. I have Evelyn for that.”
Evelyn was Rachel’s soon-to-be, and also former, mother-in-law. It was complicated.
“I love Evelyn,” Molly said. This was true. What she’d give to have someone with the persistence of Evelyn on Team Molly. They could move mountains together.
Rachel already knew what that felt like. The Evelyn thing.
“You only love her because you’ve never had her as a mother-in-law.” Rachel raised her eyebrows. “I happen to know all her quirks. Fake cat included.”
