Page 28 of Marrying the Billboard Cowboy

Her brow furrowed, a silent question lingering in her gaze, but she respected his unspoken boundary, turning her attention back to the hymnal with a nod.

Zeke’s appreciation for her understanding mingled with a twinge of guilt. He’d hoped for a service filled with praise and reflection, not the dredging up of old wounds. But as the pastor stepped up to the pulpit and the congregation hushed in reverence, Zeke found a measure of peace in the shared act of worship.

His gaze fell to their joined hands, the way her thumb had stilled over his skin, and he willed himself to focus on the warmth there instead of the chill from the conversation. They stood together in the hush of the church, united yet each alone with their thoughts until the musicians signaled the start of the service.

With Kaitlyn beside him, her resilience quietly inspiring, Zeke tried to allow the strains of the opening song to wash over him, carrying away the bitter remnants of the past. But his mind was caught in an undercurrent of memories. Images of his ex-girlfriend flickered behind his eyes. The sting, the gut-wrenching twist when he had uncovered her true intentions.

The betrayal still gnawed at him. He had wanted love, the kind where two souls knit together, facing life’s trials with unshakeable unity.

But that idea of love was a mirage anyway.

Amidst this somber reflection, Kaitlyn shifted slightly, her knee brushing against his. The contact sparked a contrast in his heart, and for a moment, vulnerability seeped through his walls. This woman had come into his life like the first breath of spring after a relentless winter. She’d weathered her own tempests, yet here she was beside him, embodying loyalty and strength wrapped in a gentle grace that defied her trials.

He glanced sidelong at her, watching the soft light from the stained-glass windows dance across her features. Her eyes were closed, lashes casting delicate shadows on her cheeks, and in that instant, he saw the gift that she was to his weary soul.

And in that sacred space, surrounded by the echo of prayers and praises, Ezekiel Reynolds bowed his head and offered a silent prayer of thanks—for second chances, for the woman beside him, and for the divine hand that had woven their lives together in the most unexpected of patterns.

Outside, Zeke felt the cool breeze brush against his stubbled cheek. Zeke reached out and found Kaitlyn’s hand again, gently helping her down the stairs as Stetson ran ahead of them, tugging on his grandmother’s hand.

“Thank you,” she murmured, her voice barely rising above the chatter of families and friends congregating on the church steps.

“Thank you,” he corrected. She kept saying thank you to him, but he should be the one thanking her. She’d taken all the risk. Left behind everything she knew to come to him. And whatever wounds he was still nursing, he could already tell she was slowly knitting those back together.

He nodded, unable to articulate the full breadth of his emotions. How could he, when words seemed so inadequate compared to the vastness of what he felt? When they had agreed to friendship only, nothing more. Instead, he led her down the steps and toward the parking lot. “Would you go on a ride with me today?”

Their trail ride began at the edge of Redemption Ridge Ranch, where the land stretched out before them, a canvas of rolling hills and tranquil pastures. Stetson had waved good-bye with a grin, his energy already focused on the adventures Grandma Connie had promised him. Alone now, Zeke andKaitlyn mounted their horses, the steady rhythm of hooves against the earth grounding Zeke in the present moment.

The trail wove through stands of aspen trees, their bare branches etched like fine lace against the azure sky. Zeke watched Kaitlyn, observed how the tension eased from her shoulders with every mile they covered. The silence between them was comfortable, filled with the shared appreciation for the beauty around them.

“It’s beautiful.” Kaitlyn’s voice broke the stillness, drawing Zeke back from his reverie.

“More than words can say,” he replied, gazing out over the expanse of creation, feeling a profound connection to this land, and to this woman beside him.

“Sometimes, I think about how different things were before...before this,” she continued, her eyes reflecting the vast Colorado sky. “I never imagined ending up here, but I’m grateful. Grateful for you. You gave us a second chance.”

The crisp air nipped at Zeke’s cheeks as they made their way down the winding trail, the rhythmic thud of hooves a soothing counterpoint to the quiet rustling of the aspen leaves.

“Next Saturday is the Christmas Barn Dance,” he announced, breaking the silence that had fallen between them, a playful glint lighting his eyes. “Will you come with me and show off some of your dance moves?”

A blush crept onto her cheeks, and a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “I’m not sure you’re ready for my dance moves, Zeke Reynolds,” she teased back, the hint of sass in her voice making his lips twitch.

He wondered how much more dry wit would spill from her lips as she grew even more comfortable with him and her place here.

“Is that a challenge from my wife?” Zeke raised an eyebrow. His gaze lingered on her mouth, the setting sun casting a warm glow over her face.

“Maybe,” Kaitlyn replied, her dark eyes dancing with mirth. But then, as if sensing the shift in his thoughts, the proximity of their bodies on horseback suddenly seemed to press upon her awareness. She shifted ever so slightly away from him, the subtle motion speaking volumes.

Zeke caught the withdrawal, a silent reminder of the invisible barriers still standing between them. He respected those boundaries, knowing her trust was a fragile gift that needed time to strengthen.

Instead of leaning in closer, as his instincts urged, he let out a gentle chuckle, steering the conversation back to safer waters. “Well, I accept,” he declared, adding with mock solemnity. “Prepare to be out-danced, ma’am.”

“Out-danced? We’ll see about that.” Her laughter, light and free, mingled with the wind, lifting the weight of unspoken words from his chest.

They continued along the trail, side by side but no longer touching. As the horses’ hooves kicked up dust that sparkled in the fading daylight, Zeke pondered the delicate balance of their relationship. He had an awful lot of more-than-friendly thoughts about his strictly-platonic wife.

The problem was that she was only here for what he could offer her. He couldn’t give her his heart, only to have it thrown back in his face. He couldn’t handle that again. He’d gone into this relationship with his eyes open, knowing that what Kaitlyn wanted was the financial stability he offered.

She didn’t want his love.

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