Page 119 of Conveniently Wed
He wanted to get this over with.
Owen came across Leo Spencer and his wife, near their wagon. His older half-brother had fallen in love on the earliest days of the trail and married Evangeline.
Their campsite was packed up. The fire had been stamped out. Evangeline’s young sister, Sara, played on the wagon seat, away from the dangerous hooves of the oxen already in their traces.
Judging by the way he and Evangeline stood so close against the wagon, Leo must've thought everyone else around was too busy to pay attention. Leo was the same height as Owen, and sometimes looking at him was akin to looking at Owen’s own reflection. They both resembled their late father with his dark hair and eyes.
Leo had his arms around Evangeline's waist, and as Owen watched, he raised one hand to brush against Evangeline's cheek. The clear affection and love in Leo's expression twisted Owen up inside.
It didn't matter. Owen had no use for a love match. Or any match at all. He was only going through with this because it was the right thing to do.
Leo must've caught sight of Owen striding through camp because he glanced over his shoulder and then dropped his hand, though he didn't look embarrassed to be caught snuggling his wife.
"You seen Hollis?" Owen called.
Leo shook his head negatively. "You seen Coop?”
"I haven't," Owen responded. Coop was Leo’s younger brother, no relation to Owen.
Owen halted abruptly and Rachel almost plowed into him. He stopped her forward momentum with a hand on her elbow, though he quickly dropped it, shaking out the ache from his wound.
She gave him a squinty-eyed glare when he turned to her. "Why don't you wait here? I'll go fetch Hollis."
"It will be quicker if I go with you."
He couldn't recall a conversation with Rachel where she hadn't argued with him. Irritation stung like nettles all over his skin. He rolled his shoulders to try and get rid of the feeling. The pulse of pain in his arm grew more intense and then faded.
“We’ll need witnesses anyway." He was aware of Leo’s sharp sideways glance, but continued, “Just stay put.”
He heard the gurgle of her stomach. His eyebrows raised of their own volition. "Have you eaten anything today?”
Her frown was answer enough.
He looked past Rachel to Evangeline, who was speaking to Sara. He called out, “Can you help Rachel scrounge up some breakfast?"
Evangeline murmured a quiet, “Of course,” but he was already striding away, intent on finding Hollis so he could get this over with.
Leo jogged to fall into step beside Owen.
"What do you need Hollis for? And witnesses?”
Owen wasn’t used to being on the other end of Leo’s big brother inquisition. Leo was three years older, which made Owen the same age as Collin and Coop, Leo's twin brothers from another father.
Owen had grown up in California, never knowing he had a brother and sister until his father had been dying of consumption and revealed it on his deathbed. Owen had made a difficult decision to go back east to try and find his siblings.
He was used to being the older brother. The problem solver. The responsible one.
And Owen had found them in a spot of trouble.
Leo hadn't wanted anything to do with Owen those first weeks. Owen thought things had smoothed over between them,but that muscle ticking in his brother's jaw maybe meant things were still a little tumultuous.
“What do you need Hollis for?" Leo repeated.
Owen might as well tell him. It wasn't easy to keep secrets on the trail. With only a flimsy piece of canvas between you and your next neighbor, it was far too easy to overhear conversations.
"I'm marrying Rachel."
Leo snorted, but then grew serious when he realized Owen wasn't joking. "You can't marry her. You hate each other."
