Page 16 of Marrying the Billboard Cowboy

He shrugged off his jacket, hanging it beside the door.

Kaitlyn’s heart skipped as she watched him, a surge of warmth flushing her cheeks. “That’s very kind of you. Thank you.” Her words came out hushed, almost lost in the sound of his boots on the floor.

“Don’t mention it.” Zeke’s reply was just as subdued, his eyes avoiding hers as he busied himself with plugging in the night-light.

She checked on Stetson one more time, introducing him to his new stuffy.

“I’m going to name him Inky,” he said softly, brushing the horse’s fur against his cheek. “Good night, Mommy.”

“Good night, sweet boy. See you in the morning.”

He clutched the small horse tight in his small fist. The boy’s breathing soon evened out. Kaitlyn lingered by his side, tracing the curve of his cheek with a finger, then reluctantly joined Zeke in the main room.

They settled into an awkward silence on opposite sides of the couch, a chasm of unspoken words stretching between them. Kaitlyn’s palms grew damp as she rehearsed what she needed to say, the apology coiling tight in her throat.

“I...” She cleared her throat, forcing herself to meet his gaze. “I should’ve told you about Stetson sooner. I understand if you’re having second thoughts about...all of this.”

The words hung heavy in the air, and for a long moment, Zeke didn’t respond. His eyes, dark and unreadable in the firelight, held hers with an intensity that made her heart race.

“Life’s full of surprises,” he said at last, breaking the quiet without looking up from the flames. “Sometimes they’re just...little cowboys we didn’t expect.”

Kaitlyn’s heart clenched at the gentle humor lacing his words, an attempt to lighten the gravity of her revelation. Yet, despite the kindness in his voice, she couldn’t quite shake the feeling that there was more he wasn’t saying. This man, who could command a kitchen and handle horses with an assertive touch, seemed to guard his own emotions like the most precious of secrets.

“Zeke,” she ventured, her voice hardly above a whisper, “are you sure you’re all right with this? With Stetson and me being here? We can go back…”

He turned from the fire then, and their eyes met, his expression unreadable as the shadows danced across his face. “I made a commitment,” he said, his tone firm but not unkind. “I intend to keep it.”

She searched his face for a sign, any indication of warmth or regret, but found none. His features were etched in a stoiccalm that offered no clues to the thoughts churning beneath. It struck her how little she knew about the inner workings of Zeke Reynolds, how the man before her was both her future husband and a stranger.

“Okay,” she breathed out, nodding slowly, more to reassure herself than him. The space between them felt charged with an energy she couldn’t define, a mix of hope and hesitation that mirrored her own tangled feelings.

“Get some sleep,” he suggested, standing and stretching his broad shoulders. “Big day tomorrow.”

His words were simple, but they carried the weight of acceptance, easing the knot of fear that had tightened in her chest. A tentative smile tugged at the corners of her lips, grateful and relieved. She wondered what secrets he was keeping. But based on everything she’d seen so far, she could certainly have chosen worse for a desperate bridal bid.

“Thank you,” she said.

“No more secrets, okay?” These words left no room for argument.

She nodded, her eyes widening. “Yes. Of course.” Guilt twinged her conscience as she thought about the debts she carried. But that wasn’t the same. That was her problem to solve.

The silence stretched between them, a vast expanse that Kaitlyn yearned to cross with words but found herself unable to navigate. She wrapped her arms around herself, the warmth of the fire doing little to dispel the cold uncertainty that settled in her bones. She prayed silently for guidance, for a sign that this path was the one God meant for her to walk. But tonight, faith was a flickering flame, wrestling with doubt in the dark corners of her heart.

The thought of becoming Zeke’s wife in less than a day sent a tremor through her slender frame. She could sense the weight of his gaze.

She searched his face, seeking any hint of reluctance. But his expression was unreadable, as always, like the distant mountains standing firm against the horizon. Yet, there was a steadiness in his stance, a resolve in his voice that spoke of commitment, however sudden it might seem.

“I’ll be back in the morning to pick you and Stetson up.”

She watched him turn to leave, the lines of his back speaking of a protective strength she’d come to notice. And despite the whirlwind of fears, Kaitlyn felt a glimmer of peace threading through the uncertainty. This was a good man. Too good for her, probably.

He wanted no more secrets, but every time she’d broken down and told people the truth, they’d abandoned her.

She’d do whatever it took to make sure he didn’t regret their agreement. She could be a good partner to him. She had to be. Because after getting a taste of his attention and the possibility of life out here in the luxury of the ranch, she wasn’t sure her heart could take going back to cold showers at the shelter or long nights listening to fifty other women toss and turn on the squeaky cots.

9

Zeke stepped away from the warmth of the cabin, his breath visible in the porch light. The untamed land of Redemption Ridge Ranch stretched out before him, a testament to generations of hard work and devotion. But as Zeke gazed across the sprawling acres, the weight of expectation pressed down on him like the heavy Colorado snows.

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