Page 39 of Marrying the Billboard Cowboy

“Kaitlyn, there’s something….” The words felt like boulders, heavy and hard to maneuver. He shifted on his chair, suddenly conscious of the expanse of night surrounding them, the vastness echoing his sense of exposure.

She turned to him, dark eyes reflecting the fire’s glow. “What is it?”

He cleared his throat, the rasp loud in his own ears. “You and me…” He gestured vaguely between them, as if he could pluck the answer from the air.

“Us?” Her head tilted slightly, a frown creasing her forehead.

“Yeah, us.” He paused, struggling with the admission that clawed for release. “I know I promised you friendship and security…” The words trailed off, leaving an uncomfortable silence hanging between them.

Kaitlyn’s expression softened, her eyes searching his. “Zeke, I won’t pretend that security isn’t important. After everything, stability for me and my son is... well, it’s everything. But that’s not why I’m here with you right now.”

“Then why?” The question fell from him like a plea, raw and unguarded.

“Because when you look at me, I feel seen. Not as a project or a woman to be pitied, but as me.” Her hand reached out, hesitating just shy of his arm before she seemed to gather courage and let her fingers brush against him. “And that kiss... it wasn’t about security, Zeke. It was about wanting you.”

His heart thumped against his ribcage, a mix of relief and lingering uncertainty. Could he trust this moment? Trust when she said she wanted him, not the ranch or his money?

“I don’t know how to do this.” His confession was a whisper against the backdrop of the crackling fire. “What if… What if you change your mind? I’m not an easy guy to love. I’m stubborn. I really suck with feelings and words and… all that junk.”

Kaitlyn drew her knees up, wrapping her arms around them as her laughter eased the tension in his chest. “Easy isn’t exactly something I’m accustomed to, Zeke.” Her voice was soft, threaded with the resolve that had carried her through life’s storms. “I don’t need pretty words. And you already know I can match you for stubbornness.”

His chuckle was dry, an echo of the protective walls he had built around himself. He moved closer again, drawn by the honesty in her gaze. “I guess we’ll just have to figure it out together, won’t we?”

Her fingers slid into his, a silent agreement that spoke louder than words. Her smile was a soft glow in the night, offering warmth that seeped into his bones. There was risk in this—risk in letting her see the vulnerable man beneath the protector’sexterior. Zeke was finally realizing that some risks were worth taking.

18

The wind whispered through the streets of Redemption, carrying the scent of pine and the distant laughter of families preparing for Christmas. Kaitlyn, wrapped in a threadbare coat that had seen better days, stepped inside Second Chances.

The second-hand store had clothes, toys, home goods, and even furniture. Hopefully, no one in Zeke’s family would mind thrifted gifts. She barely had enough saved up as it was. She trailed her fingertips over a soft green sweater in Second Chances. The sweater would be perfect for Cassie.

“Stetson would love this,” she murmured to herself, her gaze landing on a set of wooden toy horses, their manes carved with meticulous care. She could already see her son’s dark eyes lighting up, his small but energetic frame hopping with excitement. Kaitlyn wanted nothing more than to give Stetson the world, or at least a Christmas he’d remember fondly amid the tumult of their lives.

With each potential gift she considered, Kaitlyn’s thoughts drifted to Zeke—deliberate, grumpy yet tender-hearted—whoseprotective nature had unexpectedly cocooned her and Stetson since they arrived at Redemption Ridge Ranch.

She lingered before a display of cookbooks. Her fingers brushed against a leather-bound volume titled “Flavors of the West,” and she smiled, picturing Zeke frowning in concentration, stubble beard moving as he muttered instructions to himself.

As she turned the corner into another aisle, Kaitlyn’s breath hitched. A shadow loomed, casting an ominous silhouette against the festive decorations. He was built like a wall, exuding danger in the way he occupied space.

“Kaitlyn McCallum,” he drawled, his voice a snarl wrapped in velvet. “Time’s up.”

Her heart pounded against her ribs, threatening to burst. This was her worst nightmare realized, confronting her in a place where she had begun to taste the sweetness of safety and belonging. How had he found her? The man in front of her was no stranger, despite the way she wished she could go back in time. She’d never take his stupid deal in the first place.

“Please,” she implored, “it’s almost Christmas. Can’t it wait?”

“Money don’t celebrate holidays,” he countered coldly, his eyes devoid of any festive cheer. His bulk shifted, effectively trapping her between the shelves and his immovable form.

“Look, I’ll get it to you. Just need a little more time,” she insisted, her resilience flickering like a candle in a storm. Kaitlyn knew there was no reasoning with him, yet she clung to hope, a lifeline in the swift current pulling her down.

“Time’s one thing you don’t have, sweetheart,” he sneered, the threat implicit in his tone. “You owe me fifteen grand.”

“What? I only borrowed five!”

“Interest ain’t cheap,” he sneered. “And since I had to come all the way out here to the middle of nowhere, your rate went up.So you better get me my money or your precious little boy won’t have a very merry Christmas. Got it?”

The stark reality of his words hit Kaitlyn with the force of a winter gale. She imagined Stetson’s dark eyes wide with terror, and her own determined to shield him from this monster at all costs. A chill ran down her spine, and she could almost feel Stetson’s fear, as though her own terror had forged a telepathic link to her child. Her mind raced, desperate for an escape, for the safety of Zeke’s broad shoulders and the surety of his protection.

“I’ll give you until Christmas Eve,” he added, as if granting a twisted form of holiday cheer.

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