The Butterfly Effect (Boggy Creek Valley 1)

I glanced in the mirror and saw Bree in her car behind me, bopping her head around as she sang to some song. I couldn’t help but laugh. She would actually be good for Hunter. Where he was a thinker, a planner, someone who never did anything on the spur of the moment, Bree was the complete opposite. She was a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants type of woman. Always up for an adventure and not afraid to take a chance. The fact that Hunter had actually stayed with her last night surprised me. My brother was no saint, I knew that much, but he also wasn’t a manwhore. He and Bree must have really connected for him to have stayed. Or it was like she’d said: they’d both needed to be with someone.

Bree could keep pretending, but I knew deep down she wanted to meet someone and settle down. And I could also tell that Hunter was not that man. Besides, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Hunter still held a candle for Arabella Adams. They had gone out in high school, and he had taken her to prom. They had even attempted to keep their relationship going when they both went off to college. Something changed, though, and Arabella left school early. When she came home, she cut nearly everyone out of her life, including Hunter. It had left him devastated for months.

As I drew closer to the house, I saw Hunter’s work truck. The back and sides read Boggy Creek Police K9 and had Hunter’s name, as well as Jack’s. I still thought it was sweet my brother named his partner in honor of our father.

Next to Hunter’s truck was Aiden’s father’s old truck. Aiden had driven it all through high school, refusing to get a new vehicle even when his grandfather wanted to buy him one. I couldn’t help but wonder what type of car Aiden drove while he was in the Navy, and why he hadn’t brought it back home.

Bree parked behind me, springing out of her little sports car like she had just drank five Red Bulls. She probably had them put a few espresso shots in her to-go coffee.

“Where in the heck do you get your energy?” I asked as she practically skipped up to me.

“It’s called amazing sex. Riding high on endorphins, babe. You should try it.”

I shot her a warning look. “Don’t let my mother hear you or get even the slightest of ideas that you and Hunter are an item.”

“We’re not an item,” Bree proclaimed with her brows drawn down like I had offended her.

With one raised brow, I asked, “You already said you’re planning on seeing him again.”

The corners of her mouth twitched with a hidden smile. “For sex only, Willa. Should I just tell your mom that we’re friends-with-amazing-benefits?”

Spinning on the heels of my sneakers, I started toward the house. “I’m going to ignore you. And if you’re smart, you’ll keep my mother off the trail of any possible connection with Hunter at all. Or she’ll start planning your wedding.”

She laughed. “Is Mary that desperate to get Hunter married off?”

I looked at her. “You have no idea. Come on, my folks will be happy to see you. For some reason, they love you.”

“Aw, that’s because I raked your ex over the coals. That tends to win the hearts of family members.”

It was my turn to laugh. “I believe they liked you long before that.”

She smiled. “I do have that effect on people.”

I opened the door. “You certainly do.”

“What was that?” she asked.

“Nothing! Nothing at all.”

When we walked into the house, it was silent. “Mom? Dad?”

“Where is everyone?” Bree asked.

“Hunter! Mom!” I called out more loudly as we made our way through the living room and into the kitchen. My folks lived in a house that was over two-hundred years old, so open concept was not a thing. Even though my mother had begged my father to remodel, he refused to change the house that his great-grandparents had built.

“Outside?” Bree asked as we both heard laughter coming from out back.

“I guess so.”

I pushed open the back door, and Bree nearly fell on top of me as I came to a dead stop.

“What the hell, why did you stop? I nearly pushed you out the damn door.”

I stood there, frozen, watching the scene play out in front of me.

Bree gave me a little push, and I stepped down onto the back porch. She shut the door behind her and then stood next to me. From the corner of my eyes, I saw her take in what I was looking at, then slowly turn her head and stare at me.

“Okay, if you don’t think that’s hot, then there is something broken inside of you,” Bree said before she started down the back steps.

I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat and watched Aiden run around the backyard, holding Ben like he was an airplane. The sound of my nearly one-year-old son laughing so beautifully almost brought me to my knees.