Rescuing the Cowboy's Heart: Small-Town Sweethearts, #5

By Aileen Fish

Trevor Frost has decided it's time to find a bride. After watching his brothers marry some pretty amazing women, he sees what's missing in his life. And he knows just how to find her—a trip to the tropics like the other Frost men did.

Nicole Clark was excited to be meeting the man she'd gotten to know online, but when he cancels on their trip to St. Croix, she'll just enjoy her vacation without a man. But a guy who sings the old romantic standards, claims to have an inner leprechaun and looks like every male fantasy date rolled into one does his best to see that she's not alone and having fun. He seems too good to be true until his moody side appears. Why can't she just walk away and forget him?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Aileen Fish
• Release date: Oct 6, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223433460

Book preview

Chapter One

Trevor Frost sat back in his chair, dropping his napkin on his empty plate. His sister-in-law, Tara, had insisted on a new family tradition which he’d come to enjoy—family dinner on Sundays. She cooked for them all, his father, youngest brother Ryan, Tanner, Matt and his fiancé Marni, and Dylan, Tara’s husband. And Trevor, of course. Full, hearty meals they loved, American food without trendy changes. It suited them.

Dad sat at the head of the table, his skin tan and wrinkled from all those years on horseback working their land. Ryan was the only one of the men to not have the deep smile lines beneath his eyes, and it wasn’t due to lack of smiles. The guy never stopped grinning. Give him another five years and he’d be a wizened crone with the rest of them.

Matt and Marni sat side by side opposite Dylan and Tara, close enough to each other he often wondered how they managed to not drop every other bite they ate. He never thought he’d see Matt turn into a lovesick puppy, but Marni had done that to him. Dylan hadn’t changed much on the outside, but those who loved him could see how happy he was, and the inner calm he’d developed after meeting Tara.

This was all new to Trevor, this happy in love thing. His mom had left them when Ryan was just a little kid, and they’d grown up with the housekeeper as a mother figure. She was great, and as loving as a mom, but there was no relationship between her and Dad so the boys hadn’t learned what being a couple looked like.

Trevor still didn’t know. But if his brothers could figure it out, certainly he could. How hard could it be? He’d succeeded at everything he put himself to over the years, so finding love should be easy. With so many female friends you’d think he’d have done it years ago, but he hadn’t been ready. Or none of them was the one.

He needed to reach out beyond White Oak to find a wife, and he knew just where to start. Waiting for a break in the conversation, he announced, I’m getting married.

Dad’s fork hit his plate with a chatter. Ryan choked on his soda. Tara and Marni simply stared at him with wide eyes and raised eyebrows.

You didn’t think we should maybe meet her before the wedding? Dad asked.

I plan to do that. Trevor eyed each of his siblings on the opposite side of the table. Just as soon as I propose.

Tara winked at Marni. I think you ought to give her a chance to meet the Frosts before she agrees to become one.

Duly noted.

Ryan cleared the last of his soda from his windpipe before speaking. You haven’t met her? Is she some online hookup?

Match, Marni corrected. Online match, and technically we didn’t meet until we were at the beach. Well, okay, we met at Hope and Chase’s wedding, but it wasn’t until—

They know, hon, Matt said, interrupting.

We weren’t hooking up, Marni added for emphasis.

Sorry. Ryan ducked his head and shoveled in a mouthful of potato salad.

Dylan tossed his napkin on the table and slid his chair back slightly as if to make room for a full stomach. So, have you met her or not?

Not. Yet. I booked a week at the same resort Matt and Marni went to when they didn’t ‘hook up.’ He grinned at Marni and she smiled back, her cheeks a flattering pink.

Don’t expect to find a girl as sweet and pretty as Marni, Dad said with a fond smile at his future daughter-in-law. She’s one of a kind.

Nodding, Trevor looked at each of the two women. I’ll be lucky if I can find a woman as perfect as these two, but I’ll put my heart into it and I won’t stop until I succeed.

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During a lull in calls, emergency dispatcher Nicole Clark and her best-friend-slash-coworker Lauren DiBenadetto sat quietly in the aftermath of a tense incident involving a school bus on the highway. Thankfully no one was killed, but a few families would be visiting their loved ones in the hospital, from the sounds of things.

Nicole meditated for a moment, said a prayer for the quick recovery of all the victims, and took a deep cleansing breath. Then she moved past the calls. Three more days.

I’m so jealous, Lauren said. St. Croix.

Some of the reviews on the travel sites mention damage after the hurricane, but the hotel is refurbished, and enough of the places I’d want to visit should be fine, too. Nicole pounded her hands on her desk as excitement bubbled. It’s going to be so fun!

And you get to meet Sam, too, in case you’ve forgotten.

Heat rose up her neck at not mentioning him first. Of course I haven’t, but I’ve always wanted to go to the US Virgin Islands. I gave up mani-pedis for years to afford this. She’d given up a lot more, but with her dream goal in mind, it was easy to be frugal.

Combining her ideal vacation with meeting Sam Willis, whom she’d met online, made the trip twice as exciting to think about. They’d messaged, emailed and chatted for a few months before graduating to face-to-face phone calls. And more phone calls. She sighed. He was so handsome, his light brown hair undercut on the sides and longer and side-swept on top a la David Beckham, and piercing blue eyes. She was dying to find out if he wore colored contacts or if those were natural. She wouldn’t call him vain, but he obviously took a lot of pride in his looks.

Sometimes