Mama Knows Best Read online

  Mama Knows

  Best

  (Twin Oaks Series Book 1)

  Reece Taylor

  Copyright © 2018 by Reece Taylor

  All Rights Reserved

  No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without express written permission of the author. This e-book is licensed for your enjoyment only. It may not be resold or given away to other people. The story in this book is the property of the author, in all media both physical and digital. No one, except the owner of this property, may reproduce, copy or publish in any medium any individual story or part of this novel without express permission of the author of this work..

  This is a work of fiction and completely derived from the imagination of the author. Any familiar names or places are just coincidences.

  Proofreader- Kelly Stone GambleF

  Text Design — Deena Rae; E-BookBuilders

  Cover Design — Laura Hidalgo; Beyond DEF

  Table of Contents

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Chapter Twenty-five

  Chapter Twenty-six

  About the Author

  Other Works by Reece Taylor

  About the Book

  Sometimes, Mama actually knows what’s best…

  The last thing MaCee Burkett wanted was to move back to her hometown—and in with her mother—but circumstances demanded she do just that. She finds the life she had before was not as bad as she had imagined, and she is happier than she thought possible. As she reconnects with friends, she finds a love she never dreamed would be hers.

  Tyler Dixon has an unexpected inheritance when his father suddenly dies. He decides to move to the small town of Twin Oaks and go back to his roots. MaCee is an unexpected bonus he soon discovers he doesn’t want to live without.

  Mama Knows Best is the introduction to the small town of Twin Oaks, where everyone knows everyone and then some.

  Mama Knows

  Best

  Dedication

  I would like to dedicate this book first to my daughter, who is behind me every step of the way. Devin you are always encouraging me, and I want you to know I appreciate everything you do for me. I love you with all my heart and so enjoy our “plotting sessions” where we talk about these characters as if they are living next door. Hopefully, all our dreams will come true.

  Next, I would like to dedicate this book to everyone who loves reading about small southern towns. They are so much fun and there is always something interesting going on. I hope everyone enjoys starting our journey into the world of Twin Oaks, where you never know what might happen next!

  Chapter One

  MaCee

  What the ever-loving hell? How am I at the Twin Oaks Annual Cotillion, dressed in a very prissy white sundress, heels, and my Grannie Burkett’s pearls, for Christ’s sake? This is impossible! I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact I’ve moved back to my hometown, and in with my mother no less, then she somehow convinced me to come to this antiquated tradition the ladies of this town seem to think must happen every year. I have no idea how my mother made me think this was the place I simply must be at this moment. She has always been especially gifted at making others believe her ideas are good ones, only to find yourself at a cotillion you thought you would never attend again.

  I’ve been back in town all of a day, and barely have my suitcase unpacked, so to find myself in the country club banquet hall, where all major social events seem to occur in this town, is a bit of a shocker. The hall looks the same as it does every year for this event, white string lights around the doors and every fake plant in the room, white tablecloths and material around the windows, and every type of white flower available to the ladies in vases scattered around. All the unmarried ladies are expected to wear white, I guess to complement the décor. I’ve never thought to ask about that. Lucky for me, my mother just happened to have a white dress lying around. You would think she planned this or something. Also, once you reach the age of twenty you’re expected to show up with a date. I’m without a date which I am finding out is a big no-no.

  Mother presented me to all her society cronies, who have made several passive-aggressive comments about how lovely I look for an older girl who doesn’t have a husband or even a boyfriend. Good God, I’m only twenty-two and hello, welcome to the twenty-first century, women. A woman does not have to have a man to define her. Although my mother may be a pain in the ass at times, at least she doesn’t hold to most of these women’s backward beliefs. She even rolled her eyes behind Mrs. Anderson’s back, one particularly opinionated old biddy who said if I wasn’t careful my uterus was going to dry up. I was proud I didn’t start laughing, which would have totally outed her. I’ve always hated this event which I had to start coming to when I turned sixteen. It induces mind-numbing boredom, has watered-down punch and lame ass music. The last time I was forced to attend I was eighteen and found ways to overcome the misery with several of my friends, but now, I don’t recognize anyone here. All the girls are younger than I am and therefore making me look more and more like the dateless old spinster I apparently am.

  Wait! Is that Hannah Dale? She was a year behind me in school. Maybe I’ll talk to her and leave the undesirable wall I’ve found myself leaning against with all the other dateless wonders. Oh crap, she’s talking to Melody Sims. I know we’re supposed to be adults now, but I hate that woman. She is looking over at me. Bitch. I’ll just smile and tip my glass at her. Yep, she’s still a bitch because I just got the narrowed eye smirk. Don’t wave Hannah. Do. Not. Wave. Awwwww, you’re just too sweet. Now damn, I have to go over there. Might as well bite the bullet, I’m sure I would have seen Melody sooner or later. I start making my way across the room and bump into a tall guy from behind.

  “Well, hello, sweet thang! Wait … MaCee? MaCee Burkett? Damn, girl, where the hell have you been?” I’m spun around by strong arms and look up into the very handsome face of one of my oldest and best friends from high school, Justin Sims. Yeah, he has the same last name as the bitch—did I mention I’m from a small, very southern town?

  “Justin! Oh my, it’s good to see you! How long has it been?” I give him a hug and whisper in his ear, “Please tell me you have alcohol on you.”

  “You know it, darlin’. Meet me on the back patio in five, gotta bring Aunt Jeanine and Mama some punch.” He then winks and heads in the direction of a group of middle-aged women.

  I continue over to Hannah to speak and then hopefully I’ll make my way out to the patio. Hannah grabs me in a hug as she looks around behind me. That’s weird, who could she be looking for? I turn my head and only see a group of matrons. Strange.

  “MaCee, it’s so good to see you! When did you get back in town?”

  “Hannah. Melody.” I nod in the bitch’s direction and turn my attention back to Hannah, acknowledgment
complete. I can be an adult, thank you very much. “I just got in yesterday and Mama seemed to think I needed to come to the cotillion tonight. I didn’t have the heart to disappoint her. Hannah, how have you been? Are you back from college?” I knew the girl was going to school at one time but really haven’t kept up with her.

  “Oh, I’ve been fine. I graduated from Northwestern with a degree in business, minor in marketing and am working at Daddy’s real estate office. I’m a licensed agent and have been home about six months now. Are you home for good or just the weekend? I heard you were a nurse, working at Tulane in New Orleans.”

  She is so sweet, which has me wondering why she is hanging around with Melody—that bitch will chew her up and spit her out.

  “Actually, I’m starting an internship with Dr. Collins to advance my degree to nurse practitioner specializing in women’s health. Mama was lonely, and this came up, so it worked out perfectly.”

  Melody looks at me and smiles. She has the worst fake smile around. I can tell she would rather spit on me and this makes me want to laugh. So happy to see some things never change, our mutual hate for one another being one of them.

  “That is so nice, it’ll be good having you back in town. Did your brother happen to come with y’all tonight?”

  Ah-ha, so that’s who she was looking for. I thought briefly in the past she may have a thing for my brother, but she was so young I passed it off as a teenage crush. Maybe there’s more to it than I thought. He could do worse. Who the hell am I kidding? He has done worse, many times over.

  “No, he said he was going to give me a chance to settle in before he came for a visit. I believe he’s planning on coming home in a couple of weeks, though. I was thinking of having a get-together when he does, you want to come?” I don’t know what made me invite her, but she’s just so cute and seems genuinely nice. I never hung out with her while we were in school because she was younger, but those rules don’t apply now that we’re in our twenties.

  “Oh, that sounds like fun.”

  “I’ll stop by the real estate office next week and give you the details.” Her smile could have brightened the room.

  I look over Hannah’s shoulder and notice Justin is waving me over to the patio. Can’t keep my smuggled alcohol waiting.

  “Sorry, I believe my mama is waving, talk to y’all later,” I lie to excuse myself as I hurry through the crowd and slip out the patio door to find Justin waiting on me, but he’s not alone.

  Damn, where did this piece of hotness come from? I don’t believe I’ve ever seen this guy, or someone from high school has done some major changing. The stranger is over six feet tall, has black hair with light-blue eyes, and is lean and hard looking. I want to smack my lips because he looks good enough to eat. I don’t know who he is, but the cotillion just got a helluva lot more interesting.

  “Good, you brought your punch cup. Here I’ll give you a little splash.” Justin pours me something from a flask he had hidden in his jacket. “This helps these things become a bit easier to swallow, not to mention much more fun.”

  “Amen!” I take a swig and nearly choke, starting a small coughing fit that has Justin banging on my back. “What is this? Home brew?” It tastes like rubbing alcohol.

  “No, it’s Everclear, that’s why I only poured a little. I remember only too well how alcohol affects you.” Justin shakes his head as if that explains everything. The hottie I keep staring at finally elbows him, and Justin seems to remember something.

  “Oh yeah, MaCee Burkett, this is Tyler Dixon. He just moved here last month.” Justin points from me to the man and then takes a drink. I reach out my hand and he takes it. He even has hot hands, well nice hands, he’s just fine and I’m rambling, even if it is in my head.

  “Nice to meet you. Wait, are you any kin to Mr. Alan Dixon who owned Fair Oaks?” I didn’t know Mr. Dixon. Well, neither did anyone else in town. He kept to himself for the most part, and I certainly didn’t know of him having any family.

  “Yeah, he was my dad.”

  Whoa, wait a second. Reclusive Mr. Dixon had a son. I know I’ve never seen him around so he must not have grown up here. I try to be polite and not sit him down and give him the third degree, but man, curiosity is about to kill this cat. Mama told me Mr. Dixon died not too long ago in a freak accident. She tends to keep me up on all town gossip, but she left out this tidbit.

  “Sorry about your dad. I admit I really didn’t know him that well. He kept to himself. My mother told me what happened though.” Awkward … I’m going to shut up now.

  “Thanks, it’s strange. I get the same reaction from most folks around here. My parents divorced when I was young, and my dad lived in another town, but I saw him regularly. He actually worked for NASA and was in Houston often.”

  And you think you know someone. Well, actually, I can’t say that because I really didn’t know anything about Mr. Dixon except to think he was hot for an old guy when I was in middle school.

  “After all these years some people just don’t change. I see you’re up to your old boyfriend stealing tricks again, MaCee?” Melody Sims has the most annoying, whiney voice I believe I’ve ever heard. Did I mention she’s a bitch?

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but if I’m stealing him from you it’s almost too easy.” I turn to smile up at her.

  It always irritated the piss out of me she was a good five to six inches taller and could look down her thin pointy nose at me. Melody is a very attractive woman with reddish-brown hair and a model figure. Her face would be considered pretty if the resting bitch face didn’t get in the way. It’s just really hard for me to see it because I hate her so much. I can’t imagine why she would bring up ancient history unless Tyler is with her. Please don’t let it be so! My respect for him will drop by leaps and bounds.

  “Oh, Justin! There you are. Hit me with a splash! I can’t take much more of this.”

  Sweet Hannah has no clue she has just walked into a hornet’s nest. I’m glaring up at Melody and know I have an evil smile on my face. Melody looks like she wants to stomp on me.

  “I cannot believe you’re out here flirting with my date. I see you haven’t changed one bit!” She moves over to Tyler’s side and grabs his arm. I notice he tries to step away from her, but she’s having none of it and tightens her grip on him.

  “Sorry, Melody, but can I help it if your ‘date’,” I even make quote marks with my fingers, “finds the back patio more interesting than you. Personally, I would rather spend time with the fountain, at least it doesn’t screech.”

  I believe if Tyler and Justin hadn’t grabbed her she would have lunged at me. Wonder what Mama would have said about me getting into a cat fight at the cotillion. This almost causes me to laugh and totally ruin the threatening look I’ve got going on.

  “Melody why don’t you go inside. I don’t know what you think you’re doing but you know damn good and well Tyler isn’t here with you,” Justin says in a very exasperated tone.

  Melody looks as if she might slap him as her face turns a violent shade of red. If I didn’t hate her so much I might feel sorry for her, but my dislike wins in this moment. She looks around and with a gasp turns on her heel to march back inside. Justin never did show her any mercy, and I see he still doesn’t.

  “Oh my, well, I see some things haven’t changed. You two still hate each other.” It appears Hannah isn’t as clueless as I thought.

  “Some hate just runs too deep, Hannah girl. She will never forgive me for pushing her down in the mud in kindergarten and I’ll never forgive her for stealing my extra cookie,” I say with a dramatic sigh. Justin cracks up laughing, and I can’t help but join him.

  “Are you here with Melody?” I ask a bewildered Tyler.

  “No, and I do mean no. I met her after being in town all of a day at the Save N’ Sack while getting a few gro
ceries, and she proceeded to give me her number, which I never used. I don’t even believe I gave her my name. I still don’t know how she came by that information. She sent Justin out on a recon mission, which he still hasn’t told me how she managed, and we clicked to become friends, so he told her I wasn’t interested. She blackmailed him into getting me to come tonight and then told everyone I was her date,” he says with a shake of his head. “I’ve been avoiding her all night, and now Justin owes me big time.”

  I could see by the look of distaste, he had no interest in our resident man-eater.

  “Oh, how juicy! Justin, what did she use to blackmail you?” Hannah asks in that innocent voice of hers. I’m so beginning to see depths to this girl.

  “She threatened to tell Aunt Jeanine I was the one who killed Mama’s prize roses, which was a total accident. Once my aunt spills the beans, my life will be a living hell. Sorry, dude, but trust me, you were a small sacrifice. It was all probably for nothing because she’s pissed at me now and will tell anyway.” Poor Justin looks like I do when I know my mother is going to be nagging me about something for a while. I feel his pain.

  “Hey, why don’t we get out of here and go over to the Twisted Oak. Now that I’m not worried about Melody, I’m ready to blow this joint.” Justin seems to brighten up at the thought of leaving.

  “I’m with you, so you know I’m in.” Tyler turns and looks at me. Oh yeah, I’m definitely in.

  “You’ll have to give me a ride home. I rode with Mama. What about you, Hannah?”

  She smiles and nods her head. “I’ll need a ride too. I rode with my parents.”

  We walk back inside, and I go over to my mother to inform her I’m leaving with Justin and not to wait up. She smiles and waves me off with a “Have fun, dear.” Which is so not like my mother. Maybe she really is having issues? I’m slightly distracted as I head out the door to join the others. I’ll have to do some investigating into what is going on with her, although she could just realize I’m an adult and is genuinely happy I’m home. Nah, that can’t be it. Yep, I’m going to have to find out what is truly going on with her because she has me worried with her non-Mama ways she’s got going on.