Marrying the Billboard Cowboy (Christmas in Redemption Ridge)

Chapter 9

9

Z eke 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.

“God, am I doing the right thing?” he whispered, a silent prayer carried off by the wind.

He wrestled with the tangle of fears knotted inside him. Marriage was no small commitment, and every step toward Kaitlyn felt like walking on a frozen lake, unsure if the ice would hold. She needed stability for her son, and he could offer that... but love? That was a luxury neither of them was looking for.

Zeke’s boots crunched over the stiff grass as he made his way back to the main house, each step heavier than the last. He entered through the side door, stepping into the familiar embrace of scents—leather, wood, and the faintest hint of cinnamon.

“Evening, Zeke.”

“Hey, Dad,” Zeke replied, mustering a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. He loved his dad, practically worshipped the man as a child. But as Zeke had become an adult, the pressure of his father’s expectations had become harder and harder to bear.

“Didn’t see you around the ranch much today.” The statement seemed innocent, but Zeke felt the unasked questions in every word.

“Had some stuff to do in town,” he replied, his mind flicking back to the woman and child tucked into his bed.

Barry’s expression tightened, lines of disapproval etched deep into his weathered face. “What kind of things? And why are you at the house this late anyway?”

“Not that you aren’t always welcome,” his mom interjected, silencing her husband with a look. “We’re just curious. You can talk to us, Ezekiel.”

A cynical laugh escaped his lips before he could stop it. “Is that so?”

His dad’s eyebrows dipped. “Is this about cooking again? You know how I feel about that.”

Zeke’s shoulders tightened, preparing to rehash the same argument they’d had a hundred times.

“Cooking is fine as a hobby, but the ranch?” He swept an arm wide, encompassing the expanse of their land. “This is real life, Zeke. Your granddad built this place up from nothing, and I’ll be darned if I let it fall to outsiders because my own son won’t step up.”

“Being a chef isn’t just a hobby to me,” Zeke countered, frustration simmering beneath his calm exterior. “It’s my calling. Just like ranching is yours.”

Redemption Ridge Ranch wasn’t the only thing the Reynolds family owned. All across Colorado were ranches owned and operated by the Reynolds ranching empire. All of it was way more than Zeke ever wanted to deal with.

His father’s jaw worked silently, the unspoken words hanging between them, heavy as the winter quilts stored in the cedar chests. Zeke knew the argument wasn’t finished.

“You’re so stubborn,” Dad finally said with a sigh.

“Wonder who I get that from,” Zeke muttered in reply.

“Just remember, family and land are forever, son. Don’t throw away what’s been given to you.”

“I’m not throwing anything away, Dad,” Zeke insisted, though doubt whispered in the corners of his heart. “I’m just choosing a different path.”

Zeke watched his father retreat up the stairs, feeling the invisible cord that tied him to this place stretch taut. He couldn’t escape the sense of duty that came with his name, but neither could he deny the passion that came alive in the heat of the kitchen.

Marrying Kaitlyn was the key to it all. As soon as that marriage license was signed, Zeke became one-third owner of Redemption Ridge Ranch. Along with Cassie, his sister. Between the two of them, they’d have the majority, and Cassie wouldn’t have any problem releasing Zeke from his role as Ranch Manager. In fact, Zeke had been slowly handing over as much responsibility as he could to Cassie’s husband, Jason.

With their dad relegated to minority owner, he’d have no choice but to let Zeke step down. The number of times Zeke had considered leaving anyway, without his ownership intact, would surprise everyone. But he loved the ranch. It was in his blood as much as his father’s. But managing it just wasn’t what he wanted to do every day.

And pretty soon, he wouldn’t have to.

His mother raised an eyebrow at him. “What are you doing here so late?”

He ran a hand through his hair. “I have a friend from Denver staying in my cabin, so I’m just going to sleep upstairs.”

“A friend, huh?” The hopeful look on his mother’s face made him consider telling her everything. But it needed to wait.

“Good night, Mom,” he said with a half-smile.

“Good night. I love you,” she said softly.

After a restless night in his childhood bed, Zeke returned to his cabin. The morning sun cast long shadows across the floorboards of Zeke’s bedroom as he buttoned up his best shirt, the fabric stiff and unfamiliar against his skin. He’d gotten up and slipped out of the main house before his parents could corner him and his mother could ask more questions.

Today was about control, about seizing the reins of his own life. His father’s words from the night before echoed in his mind, a relentless drumbeat urging him to conform, just like they had his whole life. But as each button slipped through its hole, Zeke felt a quiet rebellion take root. He could handle ranching, but his true dreams lay in the delicate dance of flames under a pan, in the aroma of spices mingling in a perfect symphony. He was never quite as at peace as he was when he was cooking.

“Zeke?” Kaitlyn’s voice, soft and tentative, called him back to the present.

He turned to see her standing in the doorway, a simple blue dress hugging her slender frame, her brown hair pulled back from her face. She looked every bit the bride, albeit one with uncertainty etched into the dark pools of her eyes.

“Ready?” he asked, offering a small smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

Kaitlyn nodded, her gaze locked with his. “As I’ll ever be.”

With each step toward the courthouse, Zeke felt the weight of his decision anchoring him. They were two souls bound by necessity, but even that bond held power. In this union, he might not be claiming true love. But he was claiming an ally.

Inside, the corridors of the courthouse stretched on, cold and sterile. Their shoes clicked in unison, a staccato rhythm against the hard floors. Stetson walked between them, his hair combed neatly, though his jeans were wrinkled.

“Zeke,” Kaitlyn whispered, breaking the silence between them. Her hand reached out behind Stetson’s shoulders, fingers brushing against his. It was a simple touch, yet it sent warmth spreading through his chest.

He squeezed her hand gently. “We’re in this together,” Zeke replied, his voice steady despite the storm of emotions brewing within.

Together, they continued down the hallway, stepping into the chamber that would seal their fates. The judge awaited, a silent witness to the crossroads of their lives. As they stood side by side, ready to speak the words that would bind them, Zeke felt a strange calm settle over him.

This was right. This was his choice. And as he glanced at Kaitlyn, her own determination mirroring his, Zeke knew that no matter the challenges ahead, they would face them as one.

His hands felt clammy as he held onto the gold bands, the cool metal a stark contrast to his warm skin. Kaitlyn’s voice quivered ever so slightly as she recited her vows, words of commitment that echoed in the high-ceilinged chamber.

“I, Kaitlyn, take you, Ezekiel, to be my lawfully wedded husband,” she spoke, her voice gaining strength with each phrase.

Zeke cleared his throat when his turn arrived, his fingertips brushing against hers as they exchanged rings. “I, Ezekiel, take you, Kaitlyn, to be my lawfully wedded wife.” His voice, usually so sure and casual, now carried a weight he had never known before. Vows he had once viewed as mere formalities now resonated deep within him.

The judge looked between them, his expression solemn yet kind. “By the power vested in me by the state of Colorado, I now pronounce you husband and wife.” He paused, offering a small smile. “You may kiss your bride.”

A rush of emotions flooded Zeke at the declaration. Relief washed over him first, relief that the decision was made, that there was no turning back from this path he had chosen. Happiness bubbled up next, surprising in its intensity, warming him from the inside as he realized the significance of the moment. But amidst it all, uncertainty lingered, a nagging question at the back of his mind—was he ready for the lifelong journey he had just embarked upon?

He blinked away the sudden moisture threatening to cloud his vision, focusing on the woman who now bore his ring. They had taken a leap of faith together, stepping into an uncertain future with nothing but trust to guide them. And in that trust, Zeke found a strange sense of peace. Perhaps this was what it meant to walk by faith, not by sight. Enough light for the step he was on.

It was not the life he had envisioned, nor the one his father had planned for him, but it was his—a life of his own making.

The silence of the courthouse chamber settled like a soft blanket around them. The judge’s last words echoed off the walls. Zeke turned to Kaitlyn, his broad shoulders squaring as he prepared to bridge the gap between their separate lives.

He leaned in, close enough to see the flecks of green in her dark eyes, to feel her tremulous breath against his cheek. Their gazes locked, and something passed between them. In Kaitlyn’s eyes, Zeke saw hope shimmering through layers of past pain, her vulnerability barely veiled by the strength that had carried her to this moment.

Their lips met, and the world narrowed down to the soft pressure, the gentle yielding. It was a kiss of promises and beginnings, tender as the first snowfall back at Redemption Ridge Ranch. Zeke’s heart, which he kept safely guarded behind a gruff exterior, swelled with an emotion he couldn’t quite name.

The warmth of Kaitlyn’s lips lingered against his, a softness that defied the hardships she’d faced. Zeke’s heart thrummed in his chest. The faint scent of her shampoo—a floral note clinging to her brown hair—drifted up to him. His hands trembled slightly as they found the small of her back. Kaitlyn’s own fingers traced the line of his broad shoulders.

The kiss, meant to be a simple seal upon their vows, became a discovery. The taste of her, sweet and tentative, stirred something within Zeke he hadn’t anticipated. Despite his resolve to hold her at a distance, he felt the urge to pull her closer, to deepen their connection.

Kaitlyn’s breath hitched gently at his increased intensity, her own surprise mirroring his, yet she didn’t pull away. Instead, her body yielded to his hold, her presence melding with his as if two halves of a long-fractured whole were seeking to mend.

Time seemed to pause, and Zeke found himself savoring the sensation of Kaitlyn’s touch, the way her pulse fluttered against his skin. This wasn’t the script of a man who had vowed to keep his emotions guarded, nor the careful plans of a woman seeking nothing more than security for her child.

Zeke’s initial resistance crumbled, replaced by a burgeoning desire to protect, to cherish, to honor this woman in ways beyond mere obligation. He caught another precious glimpse of the vulnerability and longing she so fiercely guarded. She was so strong, and loved so fiercely.

As he pulled back, Zeke held her gaze.

Stetson’s voice broke the silence. “Mr. Zeke?”

“Marvel,” he murmured, not quite ready to break the magic of the moment. His voice was a low rumble, thrumming with the same undercurrent of solemnity that the vows had carried moments before.

“Zeke,” she breathed out, her shy smile carrying the hint of that sass that intrigued him. Curiosity colored her face, most likely at his strange declaration. The nickname had slipped out, the realization of her tenacity loosening his tongue.

“Mr. Zeke?” Stetson said again, and a tugging on his blazer brought his eyes downward.

“Yeah, buddy?” he said, clearing the gravel in his throat.

“Are you my daddy now?”

Zeke’s eyes flew back to Kaitlyn’s. Her expression was unreadable, the thin column of her neck tightening with a swallow.

Carefully, he lowered to a knee in front of Stetson. “What would you think about that?” he asked the small boy.

Stetson shrugged, but a smile spread across his lightly freckled cheeks. “I guess it’d be okay.”

The tension exploded out of him at Stetson’s nonchalant answer, and Zeke let out a huge laugh as he ruffled the boy’s hair.

“Yeah. I think that’d be okay too.”