Free Home Sweet Home: A Sweet, Texas Novella by Candis Terry

puzzle that made him realize that no matter how hard he tried, he’d never feel whole. Never feel complete. Not even when he was lucky enough to have the love of a good woman.
    While Aiden strolled through the Touch and Go Market with a cartful of groceries to replace the ones he’d devoured at Paige’s house, he realized that being with her was a hell of a way to feel good. To forget. It was the only time he actually allowed himself that privilege. But not a moment went by when he didn’t battle the demons that reminded him that he needed to let her go. Trouble was, he didn’t know if he was strong enough to make it happen.
    “There you are!”
    Aiden turned away from studying the ice-cream section of the freezer for just the right flavor to smear all over Paige’s body so he could lick it off. With orthopedic shoes squeaking and in all their flowered muumuu glory, Gladys Lewis and Arlene Potter, president and copresident of the Sweet Apple Butter Festival committee, came toward him at full speed.
    “Ladies.”
    “Aren’t you just a sight for my eyes,” Arlene said, running a wrinkled hand across his biceps.
    “That’s not the right saying, Arlene.” Gladys frowned at her lifelong friend in a way that made the red smear of her lipstick look slightly scary.
    “I don’t care what the saying is supposed to be.” Arlene scoffed. “I’m too busy looking at the pretty package.”
    Aiden had never felt like a piece of meat before, but Arlene’s disconcerting once-over definitely pushed him in that direction.
    Maybe he was just imagining things.
    After all, Gladys and Arlene were beyond their golden years and heading into ancient status. They weren’t your typical sweet old ladies. Most folks in town said the BFFs leaned more toward the “looking for trouble” type. Still, he supposed he could just be blowing things out of proportion. Most likely they were just … spirited.
    Even as Arlene continued to feel up his biceps, spirited was the expression he chose to use for them. Because God help him if there was anything more.
    “We came here for a purpose,” Gladys insisted. “Quit yer pussfootin’ around.”
    “Oh, all right. Ya big old party pooper.” Arlene gave his arm a final squeeze with a wink. Then she did some kind of weird shoulder wiggle. “You ever need some … company, handsome. You come find me.”
    Aiden had never been more curious. Appalled. Or afraid.
    “We need your help, young man.” Gladys wrapped her arthritic hands around his cart and started to push it down the aisle. Arlene followed with her orthopedic shoes squeaking loudly above the Muzak version of the old nineties hit “I Wanna Sex You Up.”
    No doubt life could be odd. And Aiden had to wonder if somehow he’d fallen into the Twilight Zone.
    “Where are you going with my groceries?” he asked after he followed them around the aisle cap stocked with graham crackers, marshmallow cream, and supersized bars of chocolate.
    “We got to talk business,” Gladys said, grabbing a jar of marshmallow cream and tossing it in his basket. What the hell was he going to do with marshmallow cream? “Can’t do it in the middle of the frozen-food aisle.”
    “Pshaw.” Arlene looked up at her cohort and tossed a bottle of caramel sauce in for good measure. “I’ve done it in the middle of the frozen-food aisle before.”
    Oh, dear God.
    Fearing for his life, or at least his sanity, he followed them. Because the hell if his curiosity would allow him to stay put.
    “MARSHMALLOW CREAM?” PAIGE cocked her head as he pulled the groceries from the bag.
    “Wait. It gets better.”
    As he set the container of ice cream on the counter, then the caramel sauce, Paige asked, “Are we having ice-cream sundaes?”
    A jar of maraschino cherries followed up her question, and he looked up to catch the humor in her eyes.
    “You are the ice-cream sundae,” he said. “And as much as I’d like to take credit for it, you can thank Gladys and Arlene for the idea.”
    “I … don’t know what to say.”
    “On