Page 35 of A Montana Fake Marriage

Sammie glanced toward the door and nodded. “Yes, but…”

His gaze locked with hers, and she forced herself to breathe. The last couple of months had felt torturous. She’d found herself doing everything in her power to get closer to him, physically and emotionally. There wasn’t a day when she didn’t make an excuse to sit beside him and curl into a little ball just like a needy kitten.

“Sammie,” he asked quietly, “is everything okay?”

She nodded sharply, and a blush filled her face. “I’m fine. It’s just… can we… would it be okay if we wait for a minute before we go downstairs?”

He frowned. “That doesn’t sound like you’re okay.” He stood and moved toward her.

Sammie stiffened for no other reason than her anxiety was getting the better of her. She lifted her chin when he stood in front of her and as he grasped her upper arms. “Is it your dad?”

Her eyes widened slightly. “What? No.”

“Oh,” he said quietly. “I thought you might be missing him. Or maybe he’d tried calling.”

She snorted. “Christmas was never a huge deal for him. He’d give expensive gifts, sure, but the holiday itself was just another day. I can’t remember anything he’s given me over the years. There wasn’t any thought behind them because some nameless assistant always picked them out.”

“He was the loser in that decision. But you know that, right?” His gaze was steady as she thought about what he’d said.

“I do. Sometimes he wasn’t even there. He’d be too busy working to make time to come home to be with his family. That’s one reason I stopped jumping over hoops for him.” She shrugged, the subject an old song and dance for her.

His brows furrowed, and she could feel the heat intensify so much, she was sure her cheeks were redder than the bows in the wreaths on the huge double front doors.

“He didn’t call, then?” Caleb leaned in just slightly, but his eyes remained fixed on her.

“No, I’d never expect him to call on any special day. Random, out of the blue, unexpected calls work better for him.” She sighed and clenched her fists. The habit was one she still tried to stop, but she always fell back on her childhood method for coping in the moment when the subject of her dad came up.

“If your dad hasn’t stressed you out, then what is it? You seem a little off.”

The lump in her throat refused to budge. She couldn’t bring herself to say everything she wanted to—everything she’d told herself he wouldn’t want to hear. So she forced a nervous smile. “I got you a present.”

Caleb’s lifted brows made it clear he hadn’t expected her to get him anything—a fact that broke her a little inside.

Since that day at the dress shop, Caleb had gone out of his way to help her make a budget and plan for her future. He taught her a little bit about investing, too. She’d learned so much from him in such a short amount of time.

Sammie nibbled on her lower lip. “It’s just… I want to give it to you here, without everyone watching.” That darn blush just wouldn’t leave her alone. The longer she stood before him, the more she felt unnerved by that stare. He was going to hate the gift, and then he was going to laugh about it with his brothers or?—

His finger lifted her chin, and she realized she’d dropped her gaze to stare at the floor when her thoughts had escaped her. “Whatever you want to do.”

She smiled weakly then pulled away from him. “It’s nothing big.”

“Sammie,” he chuckled. “It doesn’t have to be big. That’s not what the holidays are about.”

Shooting him an eyeroll, she didn’t dare correct him. The Christmases she’d experienced as a child were all about those big gifts. But the Christmas they celebrated at Sagebrush Ranch was the opposite from what she could tell.

Last night, presents had littered the space beneath the tree, but not nearly filled the space. She wasn’t expecting that anything there would be for her. Yes, she figured Caleb would get her something, but that would be it.

Sammie retrieved a small box she’d hidden in the closet then hurried back to Caleb. She motioned for him to take a seat on the bed, then she dropped down beside him. When he reached for the box, she held it away from him. “Like I said, it’s not a big deal.”

He gave her that look, the one that could melt her from the inside out. Then he pulled her closer to him, his arm around her shoulder, and pressed a kiss to her temple. “Whatever you decided to get me is more than I deserve. And that, my dear, is a very big deal to me.”

She leaned into that kiss, a whisper of a sigh slipping from her lips. Then she handed him the plain brown box.

He pulled the red ribbon from it and placed it at his side. The first thing he pulled out was a new pair of leather gloves. When he looked at her with surprise, she couldn’t help but explain.

“I noticed the ones you were wearing didn’t fit you right. They were a little loose. I didn’t know if that’s what you like, or if it’s because they were too big. But I ordered these online. They’re your size—since your hands aren’t as large… as everyone else’s…” Her cheeks heated again, and she let out a laugh then made a face. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, Sammie,” he whispered, looking down at the gloves. “You’re right. My gloves don’t fit me right. My mom has always said I could have been a pianist.” He shoved his hand into the first glove and grinned. “It fits perfectly.”

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