Page 77 of A Montana Fake Marriage

Caleb stoodoutside of the apartment complex. To say he was surprised was a drastic understatement. He’d sat outside the restaurant until he saw Sammie emerge. She hadn’t been alone. When she’d followed Lacey to get into her car, his jaw had dropped.

He thought Lacey was fake. She always flirted with the guys to get better tips, and most of the girls in town hated it.

Leave it to Sammie to find a friendship with one of the biggest gossip targets in town.

The drive to Lacey’s apartment wasn’t too bad, and now that he was so close to speaking to Sammie again, he was second guessing his decision to follow her. What would she say when he knocked on her door?

He sucked in a deep breath, his chest expanding with effort. As long as she didn’t slam the door in his face, he had a chance. He had to believe that.

Caleb pressed forward, heading to the apartment he’d seen them enter. Each step felt like he was moving toward the end—the end of his life as he knew it. He couldn’t recall a single moment in his life that was as terrifying as the one he currently was experiencing.

The knock sounded hollow to his ears. Three raps, and he took a step backward. The manilla packet in his hand was heavy, threatening to slip from his fingers. His heart thrummed so fast, he probably could pass out right then and there from the anticipation alone.

She was here.

She’d stayed.

No, she hadn’t stayed with him, but she’d stayed in Rocky Ridge, and that had to mean something.

The door opened, revealing Lacey Tipton. Her eyes swept over him before her lips curled into a smirk. She folded her arms and tapped her perfectly manicured nails atop them. “If it isn’t Caleb Reese.” She tilted her head. “I was wondering when you’d show up.”

“You… what?” He attempted to peek past her into the apartment. “What are you talking about?”

She shifted when he did, and her grin spread wider. “Granted, it did take you a little longer to show your face than I had predicted, but I guess what matters is that you’re here.”

He brushed off what she was saying. He didn’t have the time to decipher what it meant. Caleb was here to see Sammie, and he needed to do so before he lost his nerve. “Is she here? Can I see her?”

Lacey’s eyes danced with amusement. “Of course you can. Just…” She glanced over her shoulder briefly before leaning forward and lowering her voice. “If you hurt her, you’re going to have to deal with me.”

Caleb froze and looked at her like he was seeing a stranger. He didn’t know her, not really. But her statement had him reeling, nevertheless. “Okay…” he drawled. Never mind that he had been Sammie’s friend before anyone in town even knew she existed. He wasn’t going to hurt her. He’d give her exactly what she wanted. He just needed to speak to her first.

The woman blocking his way stepped aside and allowed him to enter. The apartment was small. It didn’t take long for him to realize that Sammie was sleeping on the couch. She didn’t have her own space.

His heart twinged with pain. She could have still had her own bed at home. If he hadn’t pushed her away, she would have had a better home. She chose living here rather than staying with him. What did that say about their relationship?

Hope was quickly dwindling. He didn’t know what he was going to do if she turned him away.

Caleb swallowed hard, fiddling with the paperwork in his hands. Lacey moved toward the back of the apartment, then slipped through a door that likely led to the bedroom. There were hushed voices. Then a louder, younger voice. “Who’s Caleb?” It could only belong to a child. The kid was hushed, and there was more muffled speaking.

Then she appeared.

Sammie hovered in the doorway, her eyes guarded. She didn’t move toward him at first. Rather, her eyes scanned him from head to toe, lingering on the paperwork in his hands. Then they widened. She strode toward him and reached for the paperwork. “Why do you still have that? I thought it was submitted. I told my father—” She stopped abruptly when he held the paperwork outof reach. Her eyes darted to his and stayed there, swimming in hurt and confusion.

“We have to talk,” Caleb rasped. “Can we… go outside?” The last thing he wanted was for Lacey to eavesdrop.

The hesitation hurt just as much as the accusation he’d caught briefly in her gaze when she’d caught sight of the documents. Then she nodded.

Caleb reached for the door and pulled it open, allowing her to exit first.

They stayed near the door. He didn’t want to make her feel cornered or trapped by him. Caleb fidgeted. Where to start? There were so many things he wanted to say, but the most important thing seemed to be an explanation.

“I know you were concerned that I was only interested in you for your money, but that couldn’t have been further from the truth.” Caleb rubbed the back of his neck and peeked at her, heat licking up the back of his neck. “The truth is, I have plenty of money in savings. It’s a good chunk of money to get me ready for retirement.” He almost mentioned that it was enough to get the both of them prepared for retirement, but they might not be married after this conversation.

Her only reaction was a lift of her brows.

He blew out a frustrated breath. “You have to understand. I don’t feel comfortable discussing money—not like you have been. I don’t like talking about what I have because… well, my parents never spoke about it. When I was a kid, my grandpa lost everything, and when he came to stay with us, I noticed a change. We went from buying the name brand groceries and clothing to buying things at second-hand shops and usingcoupons like it was a religion. It affected me more than I care to admit. But whenever I asked my folks if we were going to be okay, they just assured me we would. There was no talk about financial planning. They didn’t share any of that information with their kids.”

Sammie’s features softened, but she didn’t speak.

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