Marrying the Billboard Cowboy (Christmas in Redemption Ridge)

Chapter 16

16

K aitlyn listened with a smile on her face. The remnants of laughter and fiddles seemed to echo in Stetson’s voice as he recounted the whirl of dancers and the strumming of guitars at the barn dance. His small hands animated his tales.

“And Grandma gave me four cookies!” he confessed with a gleeful mischievousness.

“Sounds like you had a blast.” Zeke’s deep voice rumbled with a warmth that wrapped around her and their small huddle at the kitchen counter.

“Can you tuck me in tonight, Zeke?” Stetson’s question, innocent and hopeful, pierced Kaitlyn’s heart.

Zeke looked to her for approval, and she gave a small nod, though her throat was tight with emotion.

“Of course, I can, partner.” Zeke’s hand ran through the boy’s dark hair, a gesture so instinctive and tender it made Kaitlyn catch her breath.

“Good night, Mom.” Stetson grinned.

She leaned over the counter and kissed his forehead. “Night, sweet boy.”

She had always been the one to chase away the shadows of the night with bedtime stories and soft lullabies. But witnessing the bond between Stetson and Zeke, Kaitlyn felt an unfamiliar cocktail of emotions—jealousy at being passed over, yet profound gratitude that her son had found such a father figure in this man.

She retreated to the bedroom she shared with Zeke but tucked herself around the edge of the doorway to listen.

From her hidden vantage point, she watched her husband lift Stetson into his arms, the boy’s head resting on Zeke’s broad shoulder. They moved toward the couch, the gentle cadence of their footsteps a soothing rhythm in the quiet house.

“Mommy was really happy tonight.” Stetson’s voice floated from the living room, now just a tender murmur.

“Your mom is one of the strongest women I’ve ever met,” Zeke replied, his tone hushed and reverent. “She’s building a good life for you both here on Redemption Ridge.”

Kaitlyn leaned closer to the doorframe, the rough wood pressing into her palm. She strained to capture every nuance of their conversation, hanging on the words that colored the canvas of their future.

“Did you have fun dancing with her?” The curiosity in Stetson’s voice was tinged with something deeper, a hope she could hear behind the words.

“Your mom’s a great dancer.” Zeke chuckled softly, the sound rich with unspoken emotions. “Now, let’s get you settled for the night.”

Rustling sheets and the faint creak of the couch whispered through the crack in the door. Kaitlyn imagined Zeke’s strong hands pulling the blankets up, tucking the edges with care.

“Good night, Stetson,” Zeke murmured.

The room was quiet now, the excitement of the day fading away as Stetson settled into bed.

“Zeke?”

Stetson’s small voice broke through the silence, and Zeke’s footsteps paused.

“Yeah, little man?”

“Are we going to stay here forever?” Stetson’s question hung heavy in the air, revealing a depth beyond his years. His voice fell to a whisper with his next words. “You kissed Mommy at the dance.”

Her heart skipped a beat, a mix of fear and longing flooding her chest. She listened as Zeke moved back toward the couch. A quick peek around the doorframe showed him sitting on the arm with a hand running down his face as if trying to gather his thoughts.

She withdrew from the doorway, her breath uneven, and pressed her back against the cool wall. The longing to hear him say something, anything, about what transpired between them tangled with her fear. What if she allowed herself to fall completely, only to be left alone once more?

Kaitlyn closed her eyes, summoning the image of Zeke’s face, the way his jaw tightened when he was deep in thought, the slight crinkle at the corner of his eyes when he smiled. Did those signs hint at a depth of emotion he hadn’t yet found words for? Was there a possibility that beneath his calm exterior, his heart raced just as hers did now?

A sigh escaped her lips—a soundless prayer released into the stillness of the house. In the quiet of her own mind, she grappled with hope and hesitation, each vying for dominance. She couldn’t deny the pull toward Zeke, this man who had inadvertently become her shelter in the storm. And yet, to trust again, to truly let go—it required a leap of faith that seemed as daunting as stepping out into the void.

“Stet...” He paused, choosing his words carefully. “I love having you and your mom here. And yes, I kissed her because she means a lot to me.”

What did it mean? He wanted them here, yes, but for how long? Her history, a tapestry woven with threads of loss and desertion, seemed to clash with the pattern emerging before her eyes. A life with Zeke—steady, solid Zeke with his stubble beard and sun-streaked hair—seemed too daring a dream. Yet the yearning unfurled within her, tender and terrifying in its intensity.

“I truly hope we’ll be a family forever, Stet,” Zeke said softly. “That’s what I’m praying for.”

Kaitlyn’s heart surged at the idea that closed-off, gruff but impossibly sweet Zeke had been praying for them. For her.

“Like when Miss Liberty talks about hope in Sunday School?” Stetson’s voice was muffled by his pillow, but his curiosity rang clear.

“Exactly like that. We have to trust in God’s plan for us, buddy. No matter what happens, I want you to know that I’ll always be here for you both. Now, how about we say our prayers and get some sleep?”

Stetson nodded, his eyelids already drooping with the promise of dreams. She peered around the corner to watch as Zeke leaned over, placing a tender kiss on the boy’s forehead before whispering a prayer for blessings and protection.

“Good night, Stetson,” he murmured. Her heart overflowed with hope that felt as vast as the night sky stretching beyond Redemption Ridge Ranch’s walls.

“Night, Zeke.”

As Zeke stepped into the bedroom, closing the door with a soft snick, their eyes met in the dimness. Kaitlyn remained motionless, her heart beating a staccato rhythm against her ribs. The genuine affection she had witnessed between her son and the cowboy in front of her had left moisture stinging behind her eyes. She had long ago given up the hope that Stetson might have a real father.

Or herself a real husband. The memory of their kiss lingered, a phantom touch that set her nerves alight.

The moonlight cast a gentle glow through the window of the bedroom, painting silver streaks on the quilt as Kaitlyn pulled it back. The atmosphere in the room had shifted, and she sensed Zeke’s mood. Broad shoulders slightly hunched, the usual confidence in his step replaced by a quiet hesitance.

“Is everything okay?” Kaitlyn’s voice barely rose above a whisper, yet it filled the space between them with her concern.

Zeke paused. He let out a slow breath, unspoken thoughts visible in the set of his chin. He climbed into bed beside her, the mattress dipping under his frame. For a long while, he stared at the ceiling, his jaw working silently.

“It’s been a long night,” he finally said, his voice betraying a vulnerability she hadn’t heard before. “I want to–“ He swallowed hard, and the stubble shadowing his jaw seeming more pronounced under the moonlight. “It’s complicated. With Jenny.”

Her heart stuttered, the confession slicing through the quiet hope she’d been nursing. She held her breath, not daring to interrupt. Did he still have feelings for her? Was she keeping Zeke trapped in a marriage when he wanted someone else? The kiss had been before Jenny showed up. Perhaps he regretted everything.

“I was ready to propose,” he continued, each word measured and deliberate. “Had the ring and all. But then I overheard her talking to a friend…” The quilt shifted as his hand balled into a fist against it. “She said being a rich rancher’s wife would be worth putting up with a boring husband and disgusting animals.”

The words hung in the air, heavy with betrayal. Kaitlyn’s gaze stayed fixed on Zeke’s profile, the pain etched in the lines of his face. He turned to look at her, dark eyes seeking something she wasn’t sure she could give. Understanding? Forgiveness for another’s cruelty?

“Boring husband and disgusting animals,” Kaitlyn repeated softly, her own experiences of abandonment resonating with his hurt. This man who found solace in the rhythm of ranch life, in the honest labor of caring for creatures great and small—how that one phrase must have cut him to the core.

“Yeah,” Zeke murmured, the single word laced with the residue of disappointment.

It was clear now, the protective barrier he’d built around himself, the gruff exterior that kept others at arm’s length. He’d been guarding more than just his heart; he’d been protecting a dream that had shattered before it could fully form.

“Zeke,” Kaitlyn said, reaching out tentatively until her fingers brushed his. Her touch was light but filled with an intent to heal, to bridge the gap loneliness had wedged between them. “I’m sorry she couldn’t see the beauty in this life. And that she couldn’t see the incredible man you are.”

Zeke held his breath, the weight of his confession hanging heavy in the stillness of the bedroom. “I just... it’s like I’m standing on the edge of this cliff. And I don’t know if there’s...there’s gonna be something—or someone—to catch me if I fall.”

Kaitlyn’s heart clenched, empathizing with his fear, her own insecurities echoing his. She shifted closer, the rustle of the sheets a soft whisper in the quiet room. Her fingers hovered, trembling slightly as they neared the solid warmth of his arm. Gently, she let her hand rest against him, the fabric of his shirt rough under her palm.

Without another word, he shifted, closing the distance between them. His arms wrapped around her slight frame, pulling her against the solid reassurance of his chest. Kaitlyn didn’t need to hear more; Zeke’s trust in confiding in her was a gift she would cherish, a step toward healing they both desperately needed.

His presence, so close and real, seeped into her like warmth on the coldest winter’s night. The rhythm of his breathing was steady against the chaos of her fears.

In his embrace, Kaitlyn felt her breath slow, her body instinctively relaxing into the curve of Zeke’s arm. His heartbeat was a steady drum against her ear, a testament to the life they could share. His strength enveloped her, not just the physical kind seen in the broad set of his shoulders, but the kind etched into the very essence of his being – steadfast, unwavering.

She could feel the whisper of his breath, the rise and fall of his chest synchronizing with hers, lulling her into a state where fear seemed distant, nothing more than a memory from another life.

“Zeke,” she murmured, her voice a silken thread pulling them closer in the darkness.

She could imagine mornings waking up to the aroma of his cooking, evenings spent by the fire while Stetson played at their feet. Laughter would fill their home, weaving through the rooms like sunlight through the open windows. And above all, there would be love—steady, enduring, unyielding.

“Zeke,” she began again, her voice steady despite the leap her heart took, “I think I’m ready to trust in this, in what we have. To trust in you. I’m standing on the same cliff. But I’m ready to jump.”

His response was not in words but in the gentle pressure of his lips atop her head, a benediction that sealed her whispered confession. In that moment, Kaitlyn understood that trust wasn’t just about letting go of her fears—it was about embracing hope, about choosing to believe in the promise of tomorrow.

And as sleep beckoned, wrapping its soothing arms around her, Kaitlyn allowed herself to drift, tethered securely to this new reality by the steady heartbeat beneath her ear.