Read Home Sweet Home: A Sweet, Texas Novella for Free Online Page B

thousand.”
    “Dollars?” The brim of Ethel Weber’s lime green straw hat bobbled above her lavender hair.
    “Hard, cold, American cash,” Paige answered.
    “That’s nothing.” Ray Calhoun lifted his old farmer’s hand in a dismissive wave. “Hell, we raised ten thousand to pay for Missy Everhart’s funeral when she took ill so fast.”
    “Can’t put a dollar amount on what this will do for someone who’s given so much,” said Jan West, owner of Goody Gum Drops, the candy store painted like a peppermint stick in the center of town.
    “But the question is … can we get it done before the Apple Butter Festival?” Paige asked the crowd gathered inside the diner.
    “Four weeks?” Hazel Calhoun scoffed. “Easy Cheesy.”
    Bill McBride, Vietnam vet and local good guy stood, imposing in his leather vest and various military patches. “Consider it done.” He turned to the crowd. “Right?”
    The unity in the agreement that echoed across the diner sent a ribbon of warmth fluttering through Paige’s heart.
    Aiden might not ask for much, but the people who loved him the most were about to give him everything.
    THE AXE ARCED high overhead, then slammed into the rotted tree trunk. Aiden pulled his hands back, yanked a bandana from his back pocket, and swept the cloth across his forehead.
    Damn, the sun was hot today.
    He’d promised his brother, Ben, that until he figured out what the hell to do with his life, he’d help out around the ranch. At the rate he was going, he didn’t imagine he’d figure things out anytime soon.
    It had been nearly two weeks since he’d walked out of Paige’s life. Two weeks where he’d avoided anywhere he thought she might go. Two weeks since he’d slept little more than a couple of hours without dreaming of her. Two weeks where his instincts had screamed for him to get his stupid ass back in his truck and go to her. Take her in his arms. And beg her forgiveness.
    Instead, he wrapped his hands around the axe handle again and dislodged the wedge from the tree stump. His instincts had been wrong before. So what the hell did he know?
    Not to trust himself. That was what.
    “Thought you’d be long gone by now.”
    Midswing, he looked up, surprised to see Paige and her dog coming toward him. Damn. The woman managed to make a pair of jean shorts and a silky little tank top look hotter than some flimsy piece of lingerie. Her hair was pulled up into a just-out-of-bed tangle on top of her head, and her smooth skin was kissed with a golden tan.
    While her white tennis shoes ate up the ground, her tongue darted out to lick the half-eaten cherry Popsicle in her hand. The sudden heat whipping through his body had nothing to do with the sun above his head.
    “Yeah. Me too.” He watched Cricket plop her furry dog butt in the shade of a nearby tree, then he turned his gaze toward Paige. Bringing with her the scent of ripe peaches, she came to a stop in front of him. Her big blue eyes looked up at him, full of questions and a spark of her typical vibrancy.
    “So why are you still here?” she asked. “Can’t seem to get those boots in gear after all?”
    How could he explain that while he didn’t quite know where he belonged, he also couldn’t bear the thought of never seeing her again? Even after telling her good-bye. Even after dodging her for weeks. How could he tell her that despite his determined words, he couldn’t bring himself to just pick up and walk away?
    A lump lodged in his throat as he thought of Rennie. He’d unwillingly walked away from the dog that had given him companionship and loyalty. Did he really believe he could willingly walk away from Paige, the woman who’d been there for him through thick and thin even if he hadn’t been willing to take her up on her kindness? The woman who’d waited for him even when he hadn’t been worth waiting for?
    “Not sure.” He shrugged and felt the sting of a sunburn on his shoulders. “I promised Ben I’d help him out. So here I am, doing hard labor while he rings up purchases