Page 52 of A Montana Fake Marriage

Her fears and anxiety ate at her to the point that she couldn’t stand being at the ranch. There was something about being in a place where she didn’t feel she deserved the love and affection of those who resided there. Every time she saw Caleb’s mother or spoke to his cousins, she hated herself more.

It didn’t matter how many times Caleb had insisted that she was perfectly fine—that his family was nothing like her father—she couldn’t bring herself to get past the ache she felt.

That was why she’d borrowed Hallie’s car and gone to town.

She’d needed some time and space to work through what was going on.

Ever since her father had tracked her down, all she could hear were those dreadful words he’d flung at her.

There’s only one reason why someone like him would marry you, you realize that, right?

At first, she’d thought that her father was judging her; that he wanted her to know that someone as handsome and strong as Caleb was better than she was, that her value was nonexistent.

But the more she thought about it, the more she realized her father had always been judgmental of those who had less than him. And she’d finally connected the dots.

People with less always wanted more.

People with plenty always wanted more.

And what would she be bringing to the table that he couldn’t?

More.

The thought had sat in her stomach, sour and all consuming. Whenever Caleb looked at her, all she could do was question the why. What else besides money did she bring to the table? She knew what he could bring.

He was smart. He was strong. He knew how to care for his family. There was not a single doubt in her mind that he would make a good husband and father.

But Sammie?

She didn’t know how to manage her money. Up until a year ago, she hadn’t even had a job. She didn’t know how to be a mother, and she wasn’t even sure she was a good wife.

Sammie leaned her head back in the car and closed her eyes. She’d sat in this car for the better part of a half hour trying to get up the energy to go into the bookstore she’d passed a hundred times.

Normally, she would have already been inside and had an armful of things she wanted to purchase.Normally, there would have been half a dozen bags from other stores in the back seat.

The truth was, Sammie wasn’t the same person she’d been a year ago. She’d lost her ability to just spend money for the heck of it. Everything she picked up and considered purchasing, she’d ask herself if she really needed it.

And the weirdest part was that she didn’t feel like she was missing out on anything. She simply didn’t have any desire for things that would ultimately gather dust.

Perhaps she was growing up.

Sammie heaved a sigh and stared at the bookstore through her front window. Caleb would be proud of her for the self-control she’d managed to gain. Heck, he probably would have told her she earned the chance to splurge a little—because heaven knew he liked to get her a little something here and there.

That’s what made his gifts so special, she’d realized. Caleb would pick something simple, and it would mean so much more to her than anything she would have bought herself.

While she didn’t have any desire to purchase anything, she still didn’t want to go home. She needed to clear her head.

With a huff, she shoved the car door open and headed out into the summer heat. Groups of people and couples wandered in and out of the bookstore. It was busy for a Friday afternoon, or at least it felt that way. The daily temperatures had risen to the high seventies these days, and it was nice to have an excuse to wander a business with air conditioning.

She loved the bookstore more than the other boutique places on the street. It was quiet here, more like a library than anything else. There was a small coffee shop in the center of the store, and the smell of fresh ground coffee filled the space.

Without a second thought, Sammie moved toward the coffee bar and got in line. She wouldn’t be buying a book, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t splurge on a little treat. She’d only been in line for five minutes before she felt his presence.

Sammie didn’t know what it was that tipped her off to her father’s company, but she wasn’t surprised when she turned around and found him standing behind her.

She sucked in sharply, mostly out of shock that he was in Rocky Ridge than anything else. The last time he had reached out to her had been two weeks ago. He’d sent her a message letting her know that she would be getting word from her lawyer regarding her inheritance.

Then nothing.

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