Page 46 of A Montana Fake Marriage

Caleb rubbed his jaw. “Is that really what you want to do? School can be expensive.”

“Honestly, I can’t think of anything I need—or want. I’d like the money to go toward something meaningful. And there’ll be plenty of it. I think it would be like investing in my future.”

Caleb nodded. “Yeah, I can see that.”

Sammie watched him. Waited for him to tell her that there were better ideas. Charities were always a good way to spend money a person didn’t really need.

“I think it’s a great idea.”

“You do?” Her breath caught in her chest, a flicker of hope coming to life within her. “But you said?—”

He nodded, taking both of her hands in his. “It’s your money. I wouldn’t dream of telling you not to do it. But that doesn’t mean I won’t stand back and try to take a look at the bigger picture. You never can tell if you might need to save it for something else.”

His explanation was very much like every other explanation he’d given her on how to budget. If she prepared for the future now, then if something bad happened, she’d have the means to take care of herself. It made her wonder how much Caleb had saved.He’d never talked about finances with her. Every time money came up, he brushed it off.

We have enough for what we need.

Wasn’t that what he always said?

And she didn’t need to go to school. “Are you sure you think it’s a good idea?” she asked hesitantly.

He tilted his head slightly. “Would it make you happy?”

“I know it will.”

“Then do it.” He smiled at her, and all those worries started to fade away.

“And you’re not just saying that?”

He chuckled. “Sammie, if I say something, I mean it. The only drawbacks to going back to school would be your schedule. You’re going to be busy—especially if you’d like to keep working.” Caleb shrugged. “I guess we’d need to figure that out, too. Do you want to keep working?”

She nodded vehemently. “I love it here. I just… want to be of more help.”

He pulled her close again. “You’re perfect the way you are. You don’t need to worry about fulfilling any expectations.”

Sammie didn’t miss the implications of his words. He was telling her that she was safe. Her father wasn’t going to make her feel less because he wasn’t here. She wrapped him in a tight hug. “I don’t know how I got to be so lucky to have you in my life.”

He chuckled. “I hardly call it luck. You practically bought me outright in college when I had nothing.”

She snickered. He wasn’t wrong. She’d spent almost as much money on him as she did herself when they’d gotten close. Sammie pulled back and patted his cheek. “Well, you’re one of my best investments.”

Over the next couple of weeks, Sammie started collecting brochures for different programs that would give her the certifications and the degree she needed to work in the veterinarian field. They varied in location and price, but for the most part, the cost was comparable.

She had them all spread out on the coffee table like she might have had bridal magazines had her wedding been more traditional. There were two in the running as top contenders that she continued to go back to.

None of it would matter, though, if she didn’t get her inheritance.

She hadn’t heard anything from the law office yet, but she’d had her fair share of calls from her father—not that she answered any of them. If her father wanted to speak to her, he could go through their lawyer.

Caleb had insisted.

And for the most part, she’d agreed.

Anytime she’d spoken to her father, he’d put doubts in her head—about herself, about her career, about her future. She just knew that the second he heard about her marriage, he’d do the same thing with Caleb.

As if simply thinking about him was all it took for him to appear, her phone on the table rang. She saw his name on the screen before she even reached for the device.

Her hand hovered over the phone, itching for her to just pick it up and see what he wanted. Was he aware of their marriage? Was he upset with her?

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