Page 16 of A Montana Fake Marriage (Sagebrush Ranch Sweethearts #1)

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Sammie stared out at the fields surrounding Sagebrush Ranch but didn’t see any of its beauty. The rolling hills didn’t call to her like they used to—something different was drawing her in. She could still hear Caleb’s whispered confession.

He loved her.

Sammie shook her head even as a smile overtook her face. She hadn’t thought it would be this difficult to accept him saying such a thing to her. And yet they’d been alone. He hadn’t been putting on a show for anyone.

She glanced toward where the cousins’ place had been built. That’s what everyone called it—wranglers and family members alike. She couldn’t see much of the buildings with the main house in the way, but she could imagine she did.

Caleb wasn’t there, of course. He was out in one of the pastures with someone checking on the cattle. Apparently, feed occasionally had to be adjusted based on the seasons. The nutrients or amount of food might need to be adjusted when the cattle were let out in harsher weather conditions.

He’d been rather busy the last few days.

Usually, when he came home for dinner, they were both exhausted.

And lately, they’d opted to turn in early.

It didn’t offer much time for talking—not that she knew what to say to him.

Did she love him? A big part of her wanted to say yes.

But there were so many unknowns—especially when it came to her father.

Hadn’t her mother claimed she loved him and vice versa?

If that was love, then what were the affections she had for Caleb?

She’d started the conversation a thousand times in her head.

Each and every time she did, it sounded ridiculous.

There was no way to spin it so she could tell him she’d heard him confess his feelings.

There was no way she could use that conversation to help her admit that she thought she might feel the same.

Sammie groaned, reminding herself that she had work to do.

The cold was biting into her. Winter felt like it was stretching on forever.

It didn’t matter that there had been snow on the ground for nearly three months out here in Montana, she didn’t think she’d get used to it even if she lived here for decades.

Getting distracted while she was supposed to be working wasn’t going to get her inside and by the fire anytime soon.

Sammie reached into the bucket she carried and grabbed a fistful of feed for the chickens before she entered the coop.

The birds flocked around her, feathers rustling.

Their excited clucks brought a smile to her face.

Even if Caleb pretended that he’d never said he loved her, even if she’d dreamed that it had happened, she could still find happiness here in Montana.

Working with the animals had done a lot to soothe her troubled heart.

Making friends with Katrina and Hallie had also helped.

Just the thought of her father had her happy heart faltering. It was that easy to recall the mean things he’d said to her, making her feel less than worthy of love and affection—even from someone as wonderful as Caleb.

What if he realized that she wasn’t worth it?

Her heart constricted, and she did her best to shove the thought away. They’d practically been living together for nine months. How could he not know exactly who she was? If he was telling her he loved her when no one else was around, then it must be true, right?

Love.

She deserved to be loved in a way that made her happy. Caleb was too good for her, but if he wanted to choose her, then she was determined to let him.

That determination followed her through the rest of the morning and into the afternoon. The more she thought about him and the life they could have together, the happier she became. Her insecurities started to fade away, despite her knowing she might be getting her hopes up for nothing.

Sammie was in the pen with the goats, shoveling it clean, when she caught sight of Caleb. He paused by the entrance to the barn, and their eyes met. For the last couple of days, it wasn’t uncommon for him to look at her like that, and it always sent her heart racing.

A weak smile graced her lips, but she didn’t call out to him, didn’t go to him.

There was a voice in her head telling her she was waiting too long.

Caleb could be slipping away from her, and if she wanted to stop him, she needed to tell him how she felt.

She couldn’t just wait around for him to come to his senses and tell her while she was conscious.

Sammie gave him a little wave, while in her head she told herself she was going to have a very important conversation with him tonight. She didn’t care if they were both exhausted from their work. If they wanted to take their shot, they might as well do it now.

His grin widened, and he winked at her.

She might have giggled like a love-sick teenager, but she wasn’t going to admit to it.

During her lunch break, she was just as distracted as ever. While she sat at the kitchen table in the main house with Katrina, she wondered what her new friend would think if she understood the real reason the two of them got married.

Sammie glanced at Katrina several times as she spoke to her husband.

It was clear Simon adored her. It wasn’t clear how long they’d been married—even harder to guess at.

Sammie would have thought they’d been together a long time based on the pregnancy.

But the way Simon would touch her, smile at her, compliment her—it almost felt like they were newlyweds.

They sure acted more like newlyweds than Sammie did with Caleb.

Simon got to his feet and kissed Katrina’s brow. “I’m heading out. See you at dinner.” They let their clasped hands linger before he slid his from her grasp.

Katrina glanced at Sammie and grinned. “Sorry about the PDA.”

Sammie shook her head. “It’s totally fine. You guys love each other. I get it.”

Her friend rested her cheek on her hand. Her eyes twinkled. “I still remember what it was like to be a newlywed like you and Caleb.” She sighed. “I miss it.”

Sammie snorted, and Katrina gave her a mildly bewildered look. Sammie blushed. “Sorry. It’s just that the two of you look like you’re still in that newlywed stage.”

A soft, knowing smile touched Katrina’s lips. “I guess you make a good point.” She studied Sammie then, making her fidget. “Is everything okay?”

Sammie stiffened, her fidgeting forgotten. “Of course, why do you ask?”

“You seem… distracted.” Her eyes widened, and she leaned forward. “You’re not pregnant, are you?”

There was no way for Sammie to keep the gasp contained.

“Heavens, no.” She laughed at the surprise on Katrina’s face—probably due to her own reaction.

“I don’t think we’re ready for that sort of life-changing event.

We’re still…” She nibbled the inside of her cheek and looked away.

“We’re still trying to figure out how the two of us work.

” It was the closest she’d come to admitting that she wasn’t actually in a relationship with Caleb.

“It will come with time,” Katrina murmured.

“I suppose you’re right.” Sammie glanced at her friend out of the corner of her eye.

They were alone now. It wouldn’t take much effort at all to confess what was really happening between herself and Caleb.

Heaven knew she could use some guidance from someone who might understand Caleb in a different way.

She opened her mouth, taking a deep breath as she did, but then the words died on her throat as a pair of hands came around her eyes.

She gasped, and her hands immediately flew to capture those which had taken her off guard.

“Surprise.” Warm breath tickled her ear and her neck, sending pleasureful shockwaves through her body.

Sammie pried his hands away. The first thing she saw was a smirk on Katrina’s face.

It was that knowing look that Sammie had gotten used to since moving to Sagebrush.

Katrina wasn’t anything if not a romantic.

She’d commented before that she thought it was sweet Caleb had befriended her before falling for her.

Sammie turned, her eyes snagging on Caleb as he took the seat beside her. His arm draped around the back of her chair, and he glanced to his cousin. “What are the two of you chatting about?”

Katrina glanced at Sammie, but her smile didn’t waver. “I think Sammie might be a little distracted lately. But too much work and not enough play can do that to a person. You two should go out. Have some fun before spring rears its ugly head and Bo really runs you ragged.”

Sammie could feel Caleb’s eyes on her, but she refused to meet them. He’d grown still—not so much that Katrina might notice, but enough that she could sense it.

“You need a night out?” Caleb asked.

He’d probably asked it so she would look into his eyes, and he’d be able to gauge whether or not to be worried about her. Why did he have to be so in tune with her? It wasn’t fair.

Sammie focused on her food and shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s too cold to do anything besides stay in, anyway.”

Katrina scoffed. “I’m sure you could find a place to go dancing. See a movie. Go to dinner. Even wandering through town all bundled up?—”

Caleb interrupted her. “I think you’re forgetting that Sammie grew up in Alabama. They don’t typically get the lower temps we do here.” He reached for her hand and laced his fingers with hers.

She shifted her focus to where he held her hand, and she marveled at how perfectly they seemed to fit. This was what she’d always wanted, wasn’t it? When she thought about her future husband, she hadn’t wanted someone like her father. She’d wanted someone who made her feel special—worth loving.

That’s exactly what Caleb brough to the table.

Katrina pushed away from the table with a grin. “Well, I’m going to head out. I have some errands to run before I get back to work. I’ll catch you two later.”

Alone with Caleb, Sammie suddenly lost her nerve. She wanted to tell him right now, but it was hardly the time. He had to get back to work, as did she. If she opened up that conversation, she had a feeling they wouldn’t be able to finish it before their breaks were over.

She glanced up at him with a smile. “I didn’t know you were going to have lunch with me. You’re usually busy.”

He shrugged. “I saw you come in here for lunch, and I thought I’d join you. Katrina’s right. We’ve been a little too busy lately. I’ve missed you.”

Her breath caught at his words. She didn’t dare hope that there was a deeper meaning behind them.

Caleb’s thumb traced over the back of her hand. He hadn’t released her yet. His touch was soft, teasing. Her skin flushed, and her pulse reacted to his nearness. She took in a slow, shuddering breath and lifted her eyes to meet his.

She’d heard him tell her he loved her. It might have felt too good to be true the other day, but today, she felt the truth of it in the way he watched her and the way he touched her.

It was more than that, though. Caleb had protected her from things she hadn’t realized were a threat to her happiness.

He’d stood in the path of destruction her father had set out for her.

He sheltered her from his harsh words. He gave up his life for a year, just to make sure she’d be taken care of financially.

If that wasn’t love, then she didn’t want it.

A weak smile tugged at her lips as her heart flitted against her ribcage. She opened her mouth, but then Mack entered the kitchen. He glanced at the two of them.

“Afternoon,” he grunted, pulling his hat from his head. He tore his gloves from his hands and moved to the fridge. “Any good leftovers?”

Sammie blushed. She’d nearly told Caleb everything in front of an audience. Part of her wanted to pull her hand free from Caleb and cover her face to hide the embarrassment that no one would understand. But a bigger part of her wanted to cling to his touch as long as possible.

“I think there’s some lasagna,” Caleb said, his eyes never leaving Sammie’s. Something burned in his gaze, making her blush hotter. “Can you tell Bo that Sammie and I had something we needed to do? Have one of the other guys take care of the rest of Sammie’s chores, would you?”

Mack’s only evidence of surprise came in the glance over his shoulder, but then he nodded. “Sure.”

Sammie’s mouth dropped open, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask what he was doing. He pulled her to her feet and tugged her away from the table. “What about my lunch—” she finally stammered.

Caleb glanced down at her nearly empty plate then swiped it from the table and deposited it on the counter before he removed her from the house. He strode so fast that she nearly couldn’t keep up with him.

They sped across the yard toward the cousins’ homes.

“Caleb!” she murmured breathlessly. “What are you doing?”

He glanced at her once, no sign of amusement in his eyes.

Her heart beat faster. He wasn’t going to tell her that he wanted this arrangement to end early, was he?

She didn’t think she could bear the heartache—not after she’d finally come to accept that her heart was the one making the decisions lately.

Her nervous laugh did nothing to assuage the nerves racing through her body.

If he was going to take her somewhere she wouldn’t make a scene so he could break things off with her, he’d have to do so after she confessed her feelings.

He was going to have to look her in the eye after she told him she loved him before she’d allow him to turn her away.

All the way up the stairs, her heart pounded more erratically than it had in her whole life. Caleb pulled them into their bedroom, then released her hand to shut the door behind him. The second he turned to face her, she blurted, “I think I’m in love with you.”