Page 38 of A Montana Fake Marriage

Was that the reason he’d dismissed any attraction he had for Sammie in the beginning? Before he’d gone and turned their lives upside down, he’d never considered marrying her for love. He’d never thought she’d want this life.

Now he wasn’t so sure.

And perhaps that was why he was too nervous to bring up his affections. There were two big reasons.

She could turn him down—not share his feelings.

And there was a chance that the second she got her inheritance, then she’d want to return to the life she’d led before. Just because she’d found a way to be happy here didn’t mean she wanted it to stay that way.

There was definitely still a part of her that would always want the finer things. People simply didn’t change that part of themselves.

Where Caleb preferred to save for the future and the possibility of a disaster striking his family, Sammie had never had those concerns. Her parents had enough money that they wouldn’t be able to spend it all if they tried. Caleb didn’t need that much. He just liked the security of knowing he’d be able to weather any storm that crossed his path. The money he’d been saving was more than enough to do that for him.

The sound of feet crunching through the stale snow outside drew his attention, and he turned to find Mack as he entered. He stomped off his feet and shivered. His eyes found his brother’s, and for a moment, they just stared. It was too early for either of them to be up yet.

Then Mack grinned. “Can’t sleep?”

Caleb nodded. “You?”

Mack shrugged. “I’m going to town later today. Don’t want Bo breathing down my neck that I didn’t get my work done before.” He moved farther into the barn. “Do your issues with sleep have something to do with a certain wife of yours?”

Caleb ignored his brother’s prodding. He didn’t feel like talking about Sammie with Mack. His brother had made it more than clear he disagreed with what Caleb and Sammie were doing, but lately, it felt his judgment was directed at the affection Caleb was showing her and not the act of marriage itself.

“You still haven’t told her yet, have you?”

Caleb frowned at his brother, giving him a pointed look. Then he sighed. “What am I supposed to say?” He changed the tone of his voice. “Hey, Sammie, I know I promised that we’d just be friends, and this was nothing except a way to get your inheritance, but I lied.”

Mack snickered. “Well… to be fair, you didn’tlie.”

“I might as well have. I should have known it was going to be near impossible not to have a friendship turn into something else when we’re spending so much time together.”

“You spent loads of time with her before. Since when has that not been a factor?”

Caleb shrugged and headed toward his horse’s stall. If he was lucky, he’d be able to go for a ride before anyone else woke up. He’d wanted to be alone.

“I mean, I get it…” Mack murmured, drawing Caleb’s attention.

“What are you trying to say?” Caleb asked when his brother had made it clear he wasn’t going to continue.

Mack pulled his hat from his head and ran a hand through his hair before returning it. “Before you came home, you were both concerned about school. You wanted to get through that, and you didn’t have any concerns for anything but graduation. But then you move in, and you start playing house… what did you expect would happen? It wasn’t alie,” he repeated. “But it wasn’t exactly a promise you were capable of making. Has she shown any signs that she might be feeling the same?”

Caleb hated the fact that he couldn’t recall if he’d seen anything. He glanced at his brother helplessly. “I have no idea.”

In true brotherly fashion, Mack snorted. “Well, maybe you need to figure that out before you say anything.”

“I thought you were on board with me telling her regardless,” Caleb accused. “What happened to being honest with her?” Caleb didn’t even bother to keep his frustration at bay.

“Honestly? I still think you should. You’re only torturing yourself by keeping your feelings a secret. If you say something, then one way or another, you’ll know. She’ll either feel the same, or she’ll laugh and brush you aside.”

He didn’t like the sound of that. To be brushed aside would hurt more than he wanted to admit. But maybe they could still be friends. His stomach churned with the thought of losing her in any capacity. He didn’t want to lose her friendship, but he also didn’t want to be stuck in it, either. “So, you think I should tell her…” he hedged.

“I don’t see how you could lose anything by it.” Mack shrugged. “Can you see yourself with her for longer than this little arrangement? Can you see her becoming the mother to your children?”

He knew the answer to that without needing to consider.

Yes.

Sammie was someone he wanted to raise a family with. She’d be a wonderful mother.

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