Rescue his Heart: Love in the Mountains Novella Series, #3

By Suzanne Cass

When Molly is asked to guide Nathaniel on a day-ride into the Snowy Mountains, he reveals a secret tragedy that will bring them closer together. But neither of them expect to be caught up in a desperate search and rescue attempt for a missing girl.

Country girl, Molly has a dream. She's working hard to buy back her family property after it was repossessed by the bank. But she's running out of time, and she has no patience for a businessman on a break from the city. 

But Nathaniel is not all that he seems. He hasn't ridden a horse since a tragedy thirteen years ago and he decides to finally confront his fears, getting back in the saddle. While out enjoying the views of the highlands they get news of a girl gone missing, near to where they are riding. The news brings Nathaniel's worst fears flooding back, as memories of a similar search that ended in tragedy haunt him. He becomes determined to find the girl as a means of redemption.

Can Molly help Nathaniel put his demons to rest? Or will he abandon her and go back to his safe, solitary existence in the city?

**A novelette of approximately 19,000 words.**

Get Rescue his Heart today and discover how love finds us, even in the strangest places.

Each book in the Love in the Mountains Novella Series follows the journey of a separate couple's love story from different perspectives in the same storyline of a mountain rescue, and can be read as a STANDALONE:

* Rain on a Tin Roof

* Lost and Found

* Rescue his Heart

• Language: English
• Publisher: Suzanne Cass
• Release date: May 31, 2019
• ISBN: 9781386527398

Suzanne Cass

Suzanne Cass has always had a fascination with the tough resilience of people who live in our amazing red-dirt country of Australia. Much of her adolescence was spent working as a jillaroo in the Snowy Mountains, forming her love of enigmatic, outback heroes in wild, passionate, dangerous stories. When not writing about the characters inhabiting her head, Suzanne can be found roaming the Perth beaches with her border collie, or encouraging her two sons from the sidelines as they play their respective sports. Her debut novel, Island Redemption won the Romance Writers of Australia award for best unpublished romance novel of 2016. Chasing Bullets is her second published book. For more action romance info and upcoming release dates, free books, or to sign up for the latest newsletter: VISIT HER WEBSITE INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK

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RESCUE HIS HEART

Suzanne Cass

Copyright © 2019 Rescue his Heart Suzanne Cass

All rights reserved.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without permission in writing from the publisher.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All events in this book are a figment of Suzanne’s imagination.

Find out more about this author and upcoming events

at: wwwsuzannecass.com

NATHANIEL

‘HAVE A GREAT time,’ Nathaniel called, watching Paul mount the steps into the small white bus.

Paul glanced back over his shoulder. ‘Are you sure about this?’ The man’s normally jovial face was marred by a frown. ‘It’s our last day here. The conditions are going to be perfect for skiing. You should come with us.’

‘Nah, I’ll be fine.’ Nathaniel edged away from the concern on his colleague’s face. ‘You guys have a blast, I’ll see you this evening, when you get back.’ The words, this is something I really need to do, hovered on his lips, but he held them back.

‘Okay, if you’re sure.’ Paul gave him one more piercing glance before he finally turned and disappeared into the dark interior of the bus. Simone and Karly waved mitten’d hands at him through the back windows of the bus. Karly even blew him a kiss and Nathaniel hid a grimace. She still wasn’t getting the hint. Perhaps he needed to be more forthright with her before things got out of hand. He watched as Paul, wrapped in his bulky ski gear, took a seat next to his other workmate, Tony. Then the bus crunched into gear and roared off down the long gravel driveway. Nathaniel watched as it became smaller and smaller, then turned onto the highway and sped off. None of his workmates knew much about his past. Which was the way he wanted it. He certainly hadn’t told them about the ranch where he grew up. Or about Celia. Not even his closest friends back in Sydney knew about that. He was good at hedging around questions about his past, usually distracting them by talking about his time spent in New York instead.

With a heavy tread, Nathaniel turned back toward the farmhouse. It was an old colonial homestead, double-story and lovingly restored, with a curved iron roof and large open verandas running most of the way around. Karly had found the farm stay, called Raneleigh Station, offering B&B type accommodation for their trip into the mountains. Nathaniel hadn’t thought much about it at the time, this three-day skiing trip up in the mountains was supposed to be a team-building thing. An annual break to help their small office bond together. Property development was a high-stress job, and the boss, Dominic decided they all needed to get away and take a few days’ time-out. Nathaniel had jumped at the chance to get out of the city. He got on well with everyone on his team and the company had paid for the trip, so he couldn’t complain.

But what he hadn’t considered until they pulled up to the homestead two days ago, was that Raneleigh was also a working farm. Complete with a thousand head of sheep as well as a stable full of horses. The farm stay ran horse safaris into the mountains in the summer, and also offered guests day-rides whenever the fancy took them. Even in the middle of winter.

Skirting the corner of the large house, Nathaniel wound his way down a path through a rose garden. In summer the roses might’ve been beautiful, but at the moment they were bare brown sticks reaching for the sky. Nathaniel puffed out a steamy breath. It was cold, and he was glad of his thick, waterproof coat, knit-hat, woolen gloves and boots. The mountains reared up in the distance, their tops white with snow. But here in the lower hills, brown paddocks, scattered with an occasional patch of dirty snow stretched out before him.

At the edge of the garden, the stables came into view, a clay path leading him up the slight incline toward the low huddle of buildings surrounded by wooden yards. At the sight, his heartbeat quickened. How long had it been since he last set foot inside a horse yard? Nathaniel counted back and was shocked when he came up with the number. Thirteen years. Was it really that long since he left the ranch? His home in Montana.

Nathaniel’s stride slackened as he got closer. He was almost level with the first horse yard now and the familiar smell drifted to him on the brisk breeze. Hay and manure. Horse sweat and dust. They were once such comforting smells, reminding him of home. Why was he doing this again? Why was he torturing himself? He should just turn around and go skiing, stop this madness and get back to his safe, secure life.

A head appeared over the top rail of the yard, warm brown eyes regarding him with equanimity. The horse snorted, moved toward Nathaniel and lowered his head. Almost without thought, Nathaniel removed his glove and his hand came up to stroke the soft hair of the horse’s nose. Warm breath gusted over his fingers and rubbery lips explored his palm. When the horse found no treat hidden in Nathaniel’s hand, he lowered his head even further, shoving his forehead against Nathaniel’s palm.

Nathaniel laughed. ‘Is that the spot then?’ he murmured as he scratched the animal right between the eyes. Never letting his