Page 56 of A Montana Fake Marriage

“Caleb?”

He jumped again and looked in Sammie’s direction. “Hmm?”

“You didn’t answer me.”

Caleb wracked his brain for what she’d asked before he’d gotten sidetracked. She wanted to know about his savings. What possible reason did she have for wanting information about the money he had?

Before, he hadn’t given her any indication of his finances because they were going to get a divorce, and there was no reason for her to know. She’d have her money, and he’d keep his.

But what was his reason for holding back that information now?

That gut feeling he had that something was wrong.

He met her gaze again, unable to voice his concerns. They were on tumultuous ground right now. One wrong step, and he could send her running. Caleb swallowed hard at the thought of doing just that, and yet he couldn’t bring himself to give her what she wanted. “I have enough to take care of us.”

Her brows pinched together. “Yeah, you’ve said that before.”

“And I meant it. I’m able to take care of our family—provide for us. It might not be the privileged life you had growing up, but it’s enough. You don’t have to worry about putting food on the table or?—”

“That’s not what I’m trying to figure out, Caleb,” she said with exasperation. “If we’re supposed to be partners in all of this, then don’t you think I should be involved with the nitty gritty of it all?”

He stiffened. “I’m not keeping anything from you.”

She let out a huff, a clear indication she didn’t agree.

“What do you want me to say? You want me to pull up my banking information so you can see the dollar amount? Why is my word not enough?” The words felt hot and bitter coming out of his throat. The thought of sharing even that with her set him on edge. His parents never spoke about finances when he was a kid besides explaining why they were making cuts to what they usually spent money on. It was more or less a taboo subject. He’d never been comfortable telling anyone what he had—not even his parents.

Her attention shifted to him. Those beautiful eyes all but pleaded with him to tell her anything she could use to make herself feel better. Instead, she murmured, “What if I didn’t get my inheritance?”

Caleb didn’t know what he’d expected her to say, but it wasn’t that. Was she worried she wasn’t going to get her money? That he wouldn’t be able to do what he’d promised he would?

Sammie let out a sharp breath and shook her head before turning her horse away and nudging it into a gallop.

Shoot! He’d waited too long to respond. He watched her retreating form and couldn’t even bring himself to chase after her. The hesitation he’d had in answering her had nothing to do with wanting to take care of her.

Caleb dug deeper into his heart.

No. His hesitation had everything to do with the confusion revolving around her desire to know the answers to those questions. Why was she so concerned with a dollar amount? Why was she pushing him for information that previously hadn’t mattered?

She deserves to know.

The little voice in his head wouldn’t leave him alone.

They were married.

Okay, it was more than simply being married. They were married, and they planned on being together for the long haul. They might not have gone about their relationship in a conventional way, but he had every intention of doing what he promised.

An uncomfortable heat seared the skin of his neck as it crept into his face. He felt cornered. On top of that, he felt like he’d done something wrong, and he needed to apologize.

But for what?

His hands tightened on his reins, and he dug his heels into his horse’s sides, pushing his horse to chase after her. But by the time he got back, she’d already dismounted and handed her horse off to Mack.

The last person Caleb wanted to see right now was his brother.

Just one look at Mack, and Caleb could see that his brother was well aware of how upset Sammie had been when she’d returned. The stupid smug smile on Mack’s face said it all.

Caleb jumped down from his horse and pointed a finger at his brother. “Not a word.”

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