As soon as I’m alone, I call Justin to make sure there’s something going on tomorrow, and that I get invited. I want to spend more time with MaCee, and she seems to think Justin is the go-to guy to make that happen.
This girl came out of nowhere and knocked me on my ass. My eyes about fell out of my head when I caught sight of her last night at the social thing Justin finagled me into going to. Which I have yet to get a decent answer as to why I was there, and I would definitely be pissed for that whole scene if MaCee hadn’t shown up. She was a breath of fresh air, standing there in a prim white dress and heels with her long blond hair hanging in curls down her back, looking absolutely miserable. She brightened up when she saw Justin, and I wanted to punch him in the face, friend or no friend.
I was asking about her as soon as Justin came outside and basically ordered him to introduce me. He had a good laugh at my expense, but at least I got what I wanted. She was damn hot across the room, but up close I could hardly take a deep breath. She was stunning with her bright blue eyes and perfect full pouty lips, the type that make a man think very dirty thoughts. She looked taller until she took her heels off at the bar, and she couldn’t be more than five two if she is an inch. She’s so tiny I can pick her up without any problem, and it’s a good thing because I had to pack her into my house last night. I laugh as I think of the wild time we had at that hole in the wall bar. I haven’t been that drunk since college, but I also haven’t laughed that hard in a while either.
I look down at my phone as my call goes straight to voice mail. Maybe Justin is still recovering from last night, he wasn’t in any better shape than the rest of us. I turn into my drive and see his truck. He’s leaning against the tailgate, and if I’m not mistaken, he looks pissed. I wonder what his deal is as I park my truck and get out.
“Hey, dude, what’s up?” I figure I’ll let him tell me what’s wrong.
“Where’s MaCee? I talked to Mitchell and I know the asshole left her here last night with you. Dude, if you took advantage of her while she was drunk, I promise I’ll kick your ass from here to Baton Rouge.” He actually looks like he could do it too, he’s that pissed. I grin at him, which only makes him start heading in my direction in a threatening manner.
I put my hands up as a sign of surrender and shake my head. I’m glad he cares, but it better be only as a friend because I am claiming her as mine. Whoa, need to slow my roll. I’ve only met her once, but still, I can’t seem to stop the streak of possessiveness rolling through me.
“She’s at her house. I just dropped her off, and no, I didn’t take advantage of her. First off, not that it’s any of your business, but I wouldn’t do that and secondly, I was so drunk last night I doubt I could have done anything even if she was sitting on top of me. We passed out the minute we got here.”
Justin deflates, and I think it’s in my best interest not to tell him I may have undressed her and put her in my bed to sleep. He then sticks out his hand for me to shake, clearly over his mad spell, and I know to leave out that bit of information if I want to continue this friendship. Besides, I need him to invite me to whatever he has going on tomorrow.
“Sorry, man, but MaCee and her best bud Cameryn were always a couple of my closest friends in school. I know we haven’t been around each other in a few years, but I still care about them and don’t want anyone treating them like shit. MaCee’s a good girl, so don’t judge her from last night.” He starts laughing and then shakes his head. “Did she remember anything that happened, by the way?”
I start laughing and invite him in.
“No, nothing past the first three shots. She said everything got fuzzy after that. I wonder how Hannah’s doing?”
Justin throws his head back to laugh and immediately regrets it with a groan, but still lets out a chuckle as he thinks about poor Hannah.
“Man, I haven’t been that tore up since the last cotillion I went to with MaCee, and I doubt poor Hannah has ever been that drunk. The look on her brother’s face when he came to pick her up was priceless. Poor Conrad didn’t know what to think. That girl is so sweet, but I believe there are depths to her no one knows about, including her brother.”
I offer him a cup of coffee, and he takes it. He may be acting as if he’s fully recovered, but his eyes are slightly bloodshot, and he looks a little pale.
“Look, I was about to call you and see if there is anything going on tomorrow.” Justin narrows his eyes on me. He’s been inviting me to different things since we met, so I know he’s suspicious of my sudden interest.
“Yeah, the normal mud riding at the river. I’ve been trying to get you to come for weeks and now you want to go.” He begins rubbing his chin as if he is contemplating some confusing mystery. “Hmmm, could it be a short blonde who has sparked this sudden desire to join us?”
I shake my head at him and look in the fridge to see if I can find something to eat for lunch. I pull out what I need to make a sandwich and show it to Justin who shakes his head at me declining my offer of food, although he grabs the bag of chips I put on the counter and starts munching away. I shake my head as I grab another bag out of the pantry.
“It’s not that I didn’t want to go, I’ve been busy trying to get moved in and all, but yeah, MaCee mentioned it and told me to find out what was up. So, are you going to ask me to come or what?”
Justin taps his chin with his finger and acts like he’s considering it, and I want to smack that smirk off his face. I didn’t know he was such an aggravating little shit. He grins as he caves and extends an invitation.
“You know you’re invited. We get together at Devereaux’s landing. You do have an ATV, don’t you?” I nod, and he shrugs. “Hey, just asking. We meet around two and then ride down the river for a while until we get tired. Then come back to the trucks and drink some beer, listen to music, basically just hang out. MaCee will know where to go. Did she tell you to ask me, pussy boy?”
I laugh because that’s exactly what she did, and I try not to take offense at being called a pussy boy. What does that even mean? We talk for another hour or so and Justin takes off with me promising to see him tomorrow.
Once I’m alone, I enter the only room I’ve completely remodeled so far—my office. I work from home, so I wanted to have a comfortable space I could get things accomplished in. I fell in love with the old house almost immediately upon seeing it, but I also knew it would take a ton of work to bring it back to its former glory. My dad was talented in many ways and a very intelligent man, but remodeling and just general maintenance on a house were obviously not his forte. The house was livable, but only because he had a hired man to come in and repair minor things, but no updating had been done in quite some time.
My grandfather, who I lived with, taught my brother and I how to do many things with our hands and I was thankful because it was coming in handy with the projects that needed to be accomplished around here. I was determined I would do the work myself and started in my office. I replaced the old weird fake wood paneling with sheetrock and painted it a light gray with white trim and refurbished the hardwood floors. It looks quite nice if I say so myself. I placed my desk by the window, so I can look out into the back pasture, which helps me to relax and refocus on my work most of the time. Today it isn’t helping because all I can think about is MaCee.
I turn on my computer in attempt to try to get some work done but keep looking at my phone and one number in particular. MaCee had taken my phone and snapped a selfie of herself along with putting her number in, and I can’t seem to get anything done for looking at said picture. Finally, I give up and text her.
Me: How’s the unpacking going?
MaCee: Good, it’s almost as if I didn’t leave which scares the hell out of me.
I laugh because I can only imagine what it must be like moving back home. I didn’t have a conventional upbringing in that I lived with my grandfather
because my parents were working most of the time and they wanted me to have a stable home with a stable parent figure. My father spent as much time as possible with me, and my mother was … well, she’s my mother and I love her, but to say she’s easily distracted and tended to forget she had children would be a nice way of describing her parenting skills. We’ll leave it at that.
Me: I’m sure it’s not that bad.
MaCee: Yeah, I guess not. I really didn’t have much to bring home. I left all my furniture with Cam at our apartment so it’s mostly clothes and books.
Me: So, are you bored?
MaCee: I shouldn’t be. I need to set up my class schedule, and I have a paper to write but I’m having a hard time concentrating. A tall dark handsome man keeps getting in my way.
She thinks I’m handsome! I may do a fist pump in the air, but I’ll never admit it.
Me: Yeah, I seem to have the same problem. I have all this work to do, but a hot blonde keeps getting in my way.
MaCee: Yeah, she’s a bitch like that.
I laugh. This girl is going to do me in, I just know it.
Me: I wouldn’t go that far. Btw I talked to Justin, and are we on for tomorrow afternoon? He said you would know where to go.
MaCee: Devereaux’s Landing?
Me: Yeah
MaCee: I know where to go and sounds good.
Me: I’ll pick you up at 1:30 okay?
MaCee: Sounds like a plan. I guess I better get to work if I’m going to totally be a slacker tomorrow. See you then Hot Stuff.
Me: Later Beautiful.
I put my phone down only to pick it back up and pull up her picture. I almost drop it when it rings in my hand. I look down to see it’s my business partner, Cash Abbott. I’m tempted not to answer because I know he wants to know why I haven’t sent him the proposal yet, but I know the stubborn bastard will only keep calling until I finally cave and pick up the phone.
“Hey, man, what’s up?”
I pull the phone back when he yells, nearly causing me to go deaf in my left ear.
“What’s up? What the hell, Ty? Am I going to have to come down there and kick your ass? Where is the proposal?”
I fire up my computer as I listen to him bitch. Sometimes I feel as though I work with a nagging mother.
“I’m almost done. It’ll take me about thirty minutes and I’ll send it. Sorry, man, I’ve just been a little distracted.”
I hear him sigh on the other end of the line and wonder why he’s so bent out of shape. Technically, I have until Monday morning to have it completed. I stop typing and decide to find out what’s really bothering him.
“Cash, what’s going on? It’s not like you to be so uptight about something that’s not even due yet.”
I can hear him pacing and know that’s not a good sign.
“The business is doing fine. I looked at the financials last week, and we’re doing way better than we projected we would at this stage of the game.”
“No, it has nothing to do with the business. I’ve just got a lot on my mind, and unfortunately, I decided to lose my shit on you.” There’s a pause before he continues, and I would imagine he’s plopped down on the sofa in his living room.
“I broke it off with Ashley, and she won’t let it go. I didn’t realize she was so clingy. Also, it’s living here, too many memories. I’ve seriously been thinking a change in scenery might be a good idea. Little things get to me lately.”
I know it’s close to the second anniversary of his mother’s death, and I would imagine it has to be hard living in their old house.
“Hey, dude, you’re welcome to come here and stay with me. That’s the beauty of our business, we can live anywhere there’s internet.”
He sighs into the phone.
“I might take you up on that. I’ll deal for now, but don’t be surprised if I show up on your doorstep one day. Now, get the damn proposal done. I want to read over it before we submit so I know what it says when I talk to them. You know I hate going in blind.”
“On it! I’ll have it to you shortly.” I hang up and start to work.
Cash was my college roommate, and we started our business together before we graduated college. It started out as a project for one of our senior business classes and we saw the potential. Our company is an online marketing firm and website design company. We’ve been at it for about five years now, and our client load is getting so large I feel we’re going to have to hire some people and maybe open an office.
Not that I’m not thankful we’re doing so well, but I love the way we are now because I can set my own hours, and I don’t have to go in to the office every day. I’m responsible only for myself and don’t have to worry about anyone not doing what they are supposed to. But at the rate our company is growing, I know it’s only a matter of time before Cash suggests we expand and set up a more permanent, stable base to work from.
I hope I can convince him to move here when he decides to do that. I know it would be good for him to leave the past behind and start fresh. Also, I love living on my family’s land, I feel this strange connection to the place, as if this is where my roots are, and totally get why my dad kept coming back here. I’m beginning to find more reasons to want to stay. MaCee pops into my head and I smile as I think she may end up being the biggest reason of all.
Chapter Four
MaCee
It’s Monday, the beginning of my first week home, and time for me to start my internship at Dr. Collins’ office. I’m dressed in my new scrubs, have my hair pulled up in a bun, and outwardly appear to be ready, but inwardly I’m a bundle of nerves. I’ve done all the classwork and know what is expected of me, I just have the first day jitters causing me to doubt everything I’ve learned this past year and half. I take one final look in the mirror and a deep breath, and I walk downstairs to find Mama and Liza, our housekeeper and my mother’s best friend, waiting for me in the kitchen. They’re both smiling, and I smell breakfast. I can’t help but grin at them. They act like I’m six again and it’s my first day of school, which in a way I guess it’s kind of like that.
“Awww, y’all didn’t have to do this, but I’m glad you did.” I walk in and give them both a kiss on the cheek. I was worried moving back home would be difficult, but so far it hasn’t been a problem. Of course, it’s only been a few days. I’m still waiting for the other shoe to drop.
My relationship with my mother has been on the tense side for years now, and I could hardly wait to graduate high school and go off to college. I wanted as much distance from her as possible—she made my life a living hell. After my father died suddenly during my junior year, instead of falling apart and grieving as my mother should have, she turned all her attention on me. She became an overprotective, overbearing shrew, and it was horrible the last couple of years I lived at home. During college, I rarely came into town and made sure I had jobs during the summer or classes to avoid having to stay longer than a weekend at a time. I worried moving home would be much of the same, but my mother has changed or maybe she has finally grieved.
My father was much older than my mother, and their romance was quite the scandal back in the day, but Mama only had eyes for him. She had known my dad most of her life and when she turned eighteen she tried to start a relationship between the two and he refused—told her she was too young to know what she wanted and needed to live. Angry and grief-stricken, she went to college and, in her words, forced herself to stay a year, which according to her was much longer than she wanted. Once home she informed him she had done as he asked and was now ready to begin her life. He caved, and they were married six months later. I’ve heard the story my whole life and knew my parents loved each other to distraction even with an eighteen-year gap in their ages. My father was the quiet, solid rock in our lives and he would usually sit back and smile at my mother’s antics. He
died suddenly of a massive heart attack and my family has felt his loss every day since.
I always said I wanted a love like my parents had—true and lasting. As I’ve grown older I understand some of the reasons my mother acted the way she did after my father died. She was trying to deal with her loss while keeping it together for her children. I just wish she would have handled it in a slightly different manner rather than riding my ass all the time.
I finish up with breakfast, and as I’m heading out the door my phone goes off. I smile as I see a message from Tyler.
Tyler: Have a good first day, beautiful!
My smile widens, and I grab my bag to rush out the door.
Me: Thanks! I’ll call when I’m done.
I add the kissy face emoji. Yesterday I had the best time riding ATVs on the river with Tyler and a group of old and new friends. Things haven’t changed much in the years I’ve been gone. We would get together on Sunday afternoons during spring and summer just for something to do. I believe my brother’s friends did much the same thing when he was younger. After riding for a couple of hours, we gathered at the landing to sit around on tailgates, drink beer, laugh, and catch up on our lives. I recognized most of the folks there, but there were a few new faces. Justin is still the social butterfly he always has been and seems to be the center of things.
I’m beginning to think I don’t hate this town as much as I thought. I believe it was my relationship with my mother I hated and instead of admitting it, I projected it onto my hometown. So far, I’ve loved reconnecting with old friends and reliving old memories has caused more laughter than tears. I’d allowed myself to forget the good times, and I believe I may have influenced Cameryn, my best friend who left with me, to do the same. She came home more often than I did throughout the years but always supported me in my hatred of home. I’m going to have to call her and apologize because, looking back, I know she was only agreeing with me out of loyalty and missed being here.
Mama Knows Best Page 3
