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If anyone would have asked him an hour ago how this whole scene would play out, him dragging her before a preacher wouldn’t have entered his mind. He’d laughed and dismissed the notion when Isaac joked about it earlier but here he stood, hand in hand with Alexandra Avery, both of them madder than wet hens.
She was glaring at him, her lips pinched tight. Her blue eyes were sparking with anger, a hint of determination underneath the new ill-fitting hat he’d bought her and she’d never looked so beautiful.
The staring match may have gone on forever if not for Isaac. He stepped up beside them, the ever-present smile on his face. “I hate to say it Alex, but this would solve more than a few problems.”
She whipped her head in his direction. “Like what?”
“Well, it would certainly look better. A single female traveling with twenty men, none of which are family?”
“Like I care what people think.”
“You may not but some of us do.” The look in his eyes softened and he gave her a smile Jesse was sure was supposed to calm her. It worked. Her shoulders relaxed and she unclenched her teeth. “I’ve been around the campfire long enough to make out the whispers. There’s talk and none of it is good.”
“What kind of talk?”
“None fit for a lady to hear.”
She tugged her hand loose and Jesse let her have the distance but anticipated her running. She looked toward the door, then back to him for long moments before snarling her lip. “This is just plain blackmail.”
“Is that what it’s called?”
“Yes.”
He grinned and crossed his arms over his chest. “What’s it going to be, Alex? You getting on that stagecoach or marrying me?”
She snorted and rolled her eyes. “Some proposal. You’re a real charmer.” She blew out a long breath and looked out the door of the church. Jesse turned to look too. You could see the stagecoach from where they stood, passengers already filling the carriage. She’d have to sit on top with the luggage if she decided to get on it.
She stared at the stagecoach so long Jesse thought she may have changed her mind about going home. Then she turned and smiled at him. The sight of that little smirk sent up alarms. She was up to something.
“Go get my new clothes off that stagecoach Ben and let’s get this over with.” She turned to face the preacher. “You can skip all the flowery stuff and get straight to the ‘I Do’s’.”
Jesse stared, shocked by her sudden turnaround. Was she actually agreeing? He looked to Isaac, he had an, “I told you so,” look on his face before he turned to stand at the first pew while Ben ran out to get Alex’s clothes from the stagecoach.
Alex was staring at the preacher. That determination he’d seen earlier was still there on her face but it was clouded by a hint of fear. The same fear he was starting to feel.
Sweat broke out over his brow. He wiped it away, his heart racing as the words, “what are you doing?” started playing on repeat through his head.
Holden was going to kill him. He couldn’t marry the man’s only daughter without his consent.
The preacher cleared his throat and said, “Your names?”
It took a few moments to get his thoughts together enough to say, “I’m Jesse and this sassy thing is Alexandra.”
She glared at him again before turning to look at the preacher when the man began to speak.
He’d imagined his marriage to Alex a thousand times while laying awake at night. Never once had he pictured it like this. The church full of family members was missing, as was the music and party afterward. And Alex. He glanced over at her. She was still wearing his clothes, dirt clinging to the fabric, the new hat a floppy mess on top of her head. There was grass in her hair and a smudge of something on her cheek and she looked nothing like the blushing bride from his dreams.
He regretted the whole thing as he stood there looking at her. She should be wearing yards of white lace and silk and have flowers braided into her hair with her pa walking her down the isle, not standing here mad at him for not giving into her like he usually did.
“Jesse,” the preacher said. “Did you hear me?”
“What? No, sorry. What did you say?”
Alex turned to face him, her hands braced on her hips. “Are you not even paying attention? This was your stupid idea. If you’re going to force me to marry ya you’re going to at least pretend you’re doing it because you want to.”
He bit back a smile. There was the girl who loved to hate him. He could imagine Holden Avery patting him on the back in that moment, wishing him luck while he walked off laughing.
“Uh, right.” The preacher cleared his throat and fumbled with his book. “Jesse, do you take this woman to be your lawful wife?”
