Justice for Boone: Badge of Honor: Texas Heroes, Book 6 by Susan Stoker

father’s expectations…and feeling like she was failing.
    Growing up as she had, she’d been robbed of the joys of teenage girldom. Hayden supposed she should be bitter about it, but she wasn’t. She had a good life, a job that she enjoyed, and good friends. It was about time she tried to cultivate some girl friends for the first time in her life. There was no one around now to stop her.
    Hayden got off work around six and rushed home. Mack said she’d be over at seven. She snarfed down a microwave mac and cheese dinner and stood in front of her closet trying to decide what Mack would think about her taste in clothes. Before she had much time to contemplate, her doorbell rang.
    Hayden looked through the peep hole and, seeing it was Mackenzie, opened the door. Mack turned and waved at Dax, who was sitting in his car, waiting to make sure she got inside safely. Hayden again felt that tug in her chest at seeing the protectiveness Dax showed to Mack. No one had ever cared if she got inside wherever she was going after she’d been dropped off. She buried her jealousy deep, where it should stay, and welcomed Mack.
    “Hey, Mack. Thanks for coming over.”
    “No problem! I’m thrilled you invited me. Seriously! You’re really good friends with Dax, and any friend of Dax’s is a friend of mine.”
    Hayden smiled at Mackenzie. The other woman was a bit older than her, but Hayden was a couple inches taller. Standing next to her, though, Hayden felt frumpy. Mack had the kind of curves all the guys Hayden worked with drooled over. Hayden was strong and muscular, and didn’t have near the curves Mack did.
    “I’m not sure this is going to work.” The words came out unbidden and Hayden blushed at her uncharacteristic candor.
    Mack didn’t seem to notice, or at least she ignored, the panic in her voice. “Sure it will.”
    “I don’t have any girly kinds of clothes.”
    Mack turned to Hayden and looked her up and down. “Hayden, I’ve seen how the guys treat you, and I think I’ve been guilty of following their lead, but believe me when I say—you’re all girl.”
    Hayden scoffed. “Yeah, right. Look at me.” She gestured to her chest and hips, then to Mack’s. “And look at you.”
    Mackenzie didn’t even pause. “And look at your hair compared to mine. You have beautiful, lush red hair—granted, you keep it up most of the time, but it’s absolutely beautiful curled around your shoulders. I have stupid light brown hair that doesn’t do anything I want it to.”
    Seeing she wasn’t really getting through to the other woman, Mack tried again. “Hayden, you’re really pretty. I know you don’t see it, but I’m thrilled as all get out that Boone does. I saw the way he looked at you the other night. He couldn’t take his eyes off you. You don’t have the same size boobs as me, and your hips are narrower, but jeez, girl, your body is smokin’ hot! The shot of you in my charity calendar was one of the most popular pictures. I think half of Dax’s department has that calendar and I swear they all have it up in their offices…turned to your picture. Seriously, you don’t have an inch of extra fat anywhere on you; you were made to wear short skirts and low-cut shirts.”
    Hayden rolled her eyes and ignored the calendar comment. She was so embarrassed that she’d agreed to be in the charity calendar and while she didn’t think she was a troll, she didn’t think the picture really looked much like her at all. “And I don’t have either in my closet.”
    Mack ignored the eye rolling and said earnestly, “I’m not saying I’m the fashionista of the year, but trust me to help you find something to wear tomorrow night that will knock not only Boone’s socks off, but every single guy at Cow Town. In fact, I’ll make you a bet.”
    “What kind of bet?”
    “I’ll bet you that five guys—other than Boone—ask you to dance.”
    Hayden snorted in laughter. “That’s a bet you’re sure to lose. It’d