Page 6 of A Montana Fake Marriage

This was her paradise—her favorite place in the world.

Sammie kicked off her shoes and dug her toes into the white sand, not startled in the least when Caleb came up beside her. For the first time in a year, the smile she wore felt natural. She breathed in the salty air and listened to the waves that crashed against the beach.

Was she spending a chunk of her father’s money to spite him? No. But this was better.

So much better.

“Come on,” Caleb murmured.

She peeked at him out of the corner of her eye. “Where are you going?”

He held out his elbow. “For a walk on the beach.”

She threw back her head and laughed. He knew her so well—probably better than she knew herself. Sammie hadn’t needed to gorge herself on things and fancy meals to feel better. She’d only needed to come to this beach and remember what it felt like to be free.

Sammie looped her hand into the crook of his arm, her shoes dangling from her fingers. She leaned into him, allowing herself this small bit of happiness. When she looked down, she noted that he’d removed his cowboy boots and socks. His jeans were rolled up to his calves, and he still sported his hat.

A smile touched her lips. If they weren’t so different, she might have seriously considered dating him. But back when they’d first met, he’d annoyed her right off the bat—calling her Sammie.

“It’s your initials. SAM. Sarah Ann Michaels. I just added a twist. It suits you. What’s wrong with that?” He’d explained how he came up with nickname and at the beginning she didn’t like it at all. She’d asked him to call her by her given name, but he said it was too formal.

Now she loved his nickname for her. The name suited her far more than Sarah Ann. No, she far preferred Caleb’s name for her. It made her feel special,loved. It was the simple, innocent love between friends. Unconditional, unyielding. And now all her friends called her Sammie, too.

Sammie leaned into him and allowed herself to revel in the sounds of the ocean and the beat of her own heart. In a few weeks, she’d be willingly imprisoning herself at the home where she grew up. Under the roof where her mother had passed from a brain aneurysm. It didn’t matter that she hadn’t experienced any pain—just the thought of returning to that empty house made her feel sick to her stomach. Her hold on Caleb’s arm tightened, and he slowed his steps.

When she looked up at him, she wasn’t surprised to find him watching her with worry lining his face. Sammie forced a smile. “Thanks for bringing me here.”

He gave her a curt nod. That was it. She expected him to say something more, but he didn’t.

About an hour later, they were both seated in the sand. She had her legs sprawled out in front of her with her arms propping her up.

He sat cross-legged at her side, fiddling with the sand before him. “I think we should get married,” he said quietly.

Sammie laughed. “Yeah, and then we’ll run away into the sunset?—”

“I mean it, Sammie.”

She swiveled her head around to look at him, and her heart skipped. “What?”

He turned to face her, propping one leg up and resting his forearm on it. “Think about it. You can’t go back there. Your dad—” He cut himself off and bit down hard. His jaw twitched. “You can’t go home, Sammie. It’s not a good idea.”

“Of course it’s not.” She sat up, her eyes searching his. “But that doesn’t mean?—”

“Just marry me. The email said you only had to be married for a year to ensure it was legitimate. We can divorce after your trust is released.”

She tilted her head, her face scrunched. “Caleb…” she murmured, shaking her head. “We’re not in love.”

“So? I’m not ready to be married.”

Another laugh fell from her lips. “So, you think getting married to me is a good idea? Do you evenhearyourself?”

His voice was firm, harder than before. “I’m not going to let you go back home and have to deal withhimalone.”

The churning in her stomach intensified. “You’re serious.”

Caleb didn’t move. He didn’t waver.

Her eyes darted toward the beach. She couldn’t deny how much she wanted to take him up on his offer. It would be so easy to just do what he said. She wouldn’t have to worry about finding a place to stay. She wouldn’t have to feel like she was being crushed by her father’s unreachable expectations. Slowly, she lifted her eyes to meet his. “You would do that for me?”

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