Read Dorothy Garlock - [Tucker Family] for Free Online

shyness and uncertainty.
    Once the sound of laughter had finally died down, John turned to Hannah and said, “I imagine that Owen wasn’t too pleased
     to wait for you.”
    “You know how Owen is,” she answered, shrugging. “Nowadays, there isn’t much that seems to make him happy.”
    As if in answer to the speculations, a man stalked into the dining room, the sound of his heavy footfalls echoing loudly.
    “Speak of the devil.” Hannah chuckled.
    Owen only grunted in answer.
    Charlotte was immediately struck by just how muchOwen resembled Hannah; he had the same dark, thick hair that curled slightly where it hung beneath the brim of his hat, his
     eyes were the same alluring green, and though stubbly whiskers covered his face, it was clear that his features were every
     bit as conversation stopping. While Owen wasn’t anywhere near as large a man as Hale, he was nonetheless broad of shoulder.
     His bare forearms were marbled with the muscles of a man who was no stranger to hard work. Wispy dark hair peeked from the
     top of his unbuttoned work shirt.
    “It was a long wait for you, Owen,” John commented.
    “Couldn’t rightly make Hannah walk all the way from town,” he grumbled. “If I had, I’d never have heard the end of it.”
    “And she wouldn’t have been the only one saying so,” Hale added.
    Suddenly, what should have been clear to Charlotte from her physical observations was laid bare before her: Owen and Hannah
     were possibly twins. But though she had met Owen Williams only seconds before, she was struck by how utterly different his
     personality appeared to be; where his sister was openly friendly, Owen was rude and caustic.
    “Grab yourself some food,” John offered Owen.
    “Maybe a bit later,” he replied with a tip of his hat. “I still have some things to take care of ’fore the sun gets too far
     gone.”
    “Don’t you want to at least meet Charlotte Tucker?”Hannah offered, pulling the ranch’s newest guest forward. “She’s Sawyer’s new teacher.”
    With an expression of both exasperation and boredom, Owen turned to Charlotte; but when their eyes met, something in his face
     changed. Only for an instant, his gaze widened and his mouth softened. If she hadn’t been looking right at him she would undoubtedly
     have missed the change, but she couldn’t help but wonder if it was comparable to her own surprise.
    Unbidden, Charlotte’s heart had begun to pound in her chest. Only a glance had passed between them, but she found him so devastatingly
     handsome, so rugged and strong, so different from the few other men who had entered her life. She couldn’t help but wonder
     about him, if he possessed more than just his looks, and found herself hoping that if she got to know him a bit, she wouldn’t
     be disappointed. Blinking, she looked away, startled at her emotional response, a bit flustered at how she, usually so confident
     and sure of herself, felt on slippery ground. She could only hope that he hadn’t seen the foolishness of her thoughts written
     large on her face.
    “Evenin’.” He nodded. “Nice to meet you.”
    “Pleased to meet you, too,” she answered.
    Without another word, Owen turned on his heel and left the room, and all returned to their conversations. Still, Charlotte
     watched him go, wondering if she had imagined a connection between them, no matter how thin it might have been.
    But just as Owen reached the door he stopped, looked back to where she stood alone watching him, and held her eyes for a moment
     longer. Then he was out the door and into the darkening night, leaving her to wonder about the tumultuous feelings that surged
     through her.

Chapter Four
    O WEN W ILLIAMS WORKED the bristle brush across the tall mare’s back, swept along the length of her side, and brought it down the horse’s long flank.
     Carefully yet forcefully, he repeated his chore. Dipping the brush into a tall pail of water that had been warmed over the
     work stove,