The Butterfly Effect (Boggy Creek Valley 1)

“What? I can afford it, Willa. You’re a single mom. Besides, this is my divorce gift to you.”

I chewed on my lip for a few moments before I took the dress and started to slip it on. Annie didn’t keep mirrors in the dressing room for some odd reason, so I was forced to step outside of the curtain.

Bree stood up so quickly, she almost knocked over the chair. And Annie, well…she wore a look of triumph on her face as she walked around to zip it up.

“It feels snug,” I commented as I attempted to pull it down more on my legs.

Bree walked up next to me and grinned. “Holy crap. You. Look. Hot. I mean, if I was into women, I’d be all over you.”

Annie giggled as I rolled my eyes.

“Annie, you are amazing. It’s so simple, yet elegant and sexy. Lord, is it hot in here?” Bree asked as she took my hand and led me to the mirrors.

The moment I saw myself, I froze.

The halter-top dress hugged my body like it was sewn onto me. The dress fell mid-thigh, and I couldn’t help but stare at how good it made my legs look. I was a bit on the shorter size. Bree was five-feet-six inches with legs that went on forever. I was five-two, barely. But there was no denying my curves looked good in the dress.

“It’s made with French satin and lace,” Annie said as I turned from side to side to take in the entire dress.

“Look at your ass—my gawd, your ass looks good!” Bree exclaimed. “Even with your boobs completely covered, you look hot. Why can’t my ass look that good? I do squats every day.”

I laughed. “I didn’t realize your breasts had to be exposed to look sexy. And trust me, if you felt my ass it would jiggle.”

Bree winked. “I think I’ll pass on the ass touching. Maybe I should pop out a baby. Good Lord, your body looks so good.”

“No! No!” Annie said. “It’s how you feel in the dress that matters. How do you feel, Willa?”

My eyes swept over my body, and for the first time in years I felt…sexy. My gaze met Bree’s, and my smile grew into a full-on grin.

I took a deep breath and let it go with a schoolgirl giggle. “I do believe we have found the dress.”

Bree stood taller, and her face lit up like Christmas morning. “Hunter is going to kill me for letting you show up looking so hot. But the surprise that I have for you is going to make this the best night ever!”

“You have another surprise? Besides the dress?”

A wicked gleam touched her eyes. “Oh yes. An ever bigger surprise.”

“Oh, this is going to be such a magical night! I feel it in my bones!” Annie declared as Bree nodded in agreement.

As I let myself look once more at the reflection in the mirror, I silently agreed with Annie and Bree. I had a feeling this night was going to mark a whole new beginning to the next chapter in my life.

Resting her chin on my shoulder, Bree winked. “Maybe you’ll even find yourself a man to spend the night with.”

I wanted to push her away and tell her she was being insane, but I didn’t. Instead, I stared at myself and sighed. I wasn’t the least bit interested in hooking up with anyone. When I looked deeper into my own eyes, I saw the truth that I hadn’t wanted to admit to myself for years: There was one man whom I would always secretly hold out hope for, and I knew for a fact he was not going to be at Brew’s tonight.

With an inward, defeated sigh, I forced myself to smile. “Maybe.”

Aiden

A cold beer hit me on the shoulder, and I looked up and nodded my thanks.

“Thanks, Hunter.”

He sat down next to me, a wide-ass smile on his face as Jack, his K9 partner, bounded up and sat between us. I reached over and stroked Jack’s head.

“You bet. I’ve got to admit, I was surprised when you came into the station today, Aiden. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad to see you back in Boggy Creek, it’s been a while. I guess I should be saying welcome home.”

I lifted my beer to his, and we clinked them together. “Thanks for the welcome home, bro.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming home?” he asked.

I looked away from Hunter and stared out over the New Hampshire landscape of my boyhood home. I hadn’t been home in a few years. Not since I had been invited to try out for Tier 1 and got accepted onto Green Team, which was the Naval Special Warfare Development Group, or DEVGRU team for short. If people thought that BUD/S training was bad, it was a cake walk compared to trying out for a Tier 1 team. Once I was on a Green Team, the missions came more often and were far more dangerous. I was sometimes gone for months.