Page 21 of A Montana Fake Marriage

Caleb’s brows lifted. “Everyone? As in, everyone?”

His mother laughed. “Yes, everyone. We’re all going to meet over where you two got married. There will be dancing and food. And all your cousins will be there. So, wash up. Dinner is in thirty minutes.”

Sammie grinned at him and shooed him away.

His mother wasn’t kidding when she’d said everyone was there. A total of twenty-eight adults were crowded around several folding tables and chairs. Kids darted this way and that, all of them the grandchildren of Eli and Jennifer.

Several times, Caleb caught Sammie looking his way. She’d gone off to visit with his cousins. Hallie and Katrina were laughing and joking around with her like they’d been friends for ages.

To see the way Eli had brought his extended family together like this was amazing. Caleb couldn’t help but sit back in awe of it all. One day, he could see his own children darting around this ranch with the others.

The thought gave him pause.

Not even three months ago, he’d told himself he wasn’t ready to start a family. He wasn’t ready to be a dad.

His gaze drifted to Sammie, finding her crouched down and talking to one of Jack’s kids. The boy wasn’t more than four years old. He couldn’t hear what she was saying to him or what he said to her. But Sammie laughed, and the boy handed her a dandelion before running off.

It wasn’t the first time he’d seen her interact with children, but this time, it hit him differently. She was good with kids and she’d probably make a wonderful mother.

Sammie glanced at him at that moment, but her gaze didn’t linger. She was pulled away by something Katrina had said.

Caleb sighed and listened with half an ear to the conversation between his father and his uncle. “There’s an auction coming up.”

“Anything good?”

A grunt.

Someone nudged Caleb, and he turned to find his mother. She nodded toward Sammie. “Go ask her to dance.”

Caleb snorted. “Yeah, right.”

She nudged him again with more force. “You’re newlyweds. This is the time of love and romance—it’s the time you spend together without the distraction of children.”

He huffed. “No one else is dancing.”

“Maybe they would if you did.” She tilted her head, those eyes drilling into him like only a mother could.

Caleb groaned, and she smiled. He handed her his Solo cup. “Fine. But if anyone cracks a joke, you make sure they join us.”

“Deal,” she countered.

He strode over to Sammie, and without giving her a chance to finish whatever it was she was saying to his cousin, he grasped her hand and tugged her.

“Caleb!” she laughed. “What are you doing?”

He slipped his hand around her waist and pulled her close.

Sammie gasped but didn’t pull away. Her eyes met his, flashing with something—fear? Warning? She’d kept her distance since that water fight they’d had. Maybe she didn’t want him to be this close to her.

Well, they didn’t really have a choice.

He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. “My mom thought you’d want to dance.”

“She… did?” Confusion laced her tone.

“Newlyweds,” he ground out. “We’re supposed to be romantic, remember?”

“Oh.” The single syllable almost sounded disappointed, flat. And why wouldn’t she be? Their current situation must weigh on her at times. Why would she want to continue to be trapped just so she could gain access to what should have been hers in the first place?

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