Chapter 15: "Fifty Pairs Before Dinner"
Our first date was ridiculous.
Not in a bad way — in the best kind of way.
We met at an old-school soul food joint tucked behind a bookstore, where the fried chicken was crispy, the mac and cheese was creamy, and the conversation was effortless.
He asked me about my blog. About my family. About my favorite pair of panties.
I laughed so hard I almost choked on my sweet tea.
"You're serious?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
He nodded. "Dead serious. I want to know what makes Tubo tick. And if cotton is part of that equation, I'm here for it."
Turns out, Elijah wasn't just curious — he was into it.
Like… really into it.
By our third date, he showed up at my door holding a gift bag that clinked suspiciously like tissue paper and satin.
"What is this?" I asked, stunned.
"A little thank-you," he said, grinning. "For existing unapologetically."
Inside were five pairs of vintage-style cotton panties — lace trim, floral prints, high-waisted cuts — each one perfect. Each one me .
I looked up at him, stunned.
He shrugged. "I figure you've probably been through enough men who tried to change you. I just want to celebrate you."
From that point on, things escalated quickly — but in the best way possible.
He loved my style. My sass. My love for gospel music and backyard parties. Hell, he even got along with Grandma.
And yes — he bought me 500 pairs of granny panties.
Over the course of one weekend.
"I figured," he said, dropping a mountain of packages at my doorstep, "if your past taught you anything, it's that some people don't deserve your sparkle. So I decided to give you 500 reasons to keep shining."
I cried.
Not because I was sad.
But because I had finally found someone who saw me — all of me — and still stayed.