Promotional Post: Along the Way Home by Christi Corbett

Kate Davis is intrigued when her father reveals his dream of starting a horse ranch in Oregon Territory. Settlers out west value a strong woman, and though she manages the financials of her father’s mercantile her competence earns her ridicule, not respect, from Virginia’s elite society. Jake Fitzpatrick, an experienced trail guide, wants land out west to raise cattle and crops. But dreams require money and he’s eating dandelion greens for dinner. So when a wealthy businessman offers double wages to guide his family across the Oregon Trail, Jake accepts with one stipulation—he is in complete control. Departure day finds Kate clinging to her possessions as Jake demands she abandon all he deems frivolous, including her deceased mother’s heirlooms. Jake stands firm, refusing to let the whims of a headstrong woman jeopardize the wages he so desperately needs—even a beautiful one with fiery green eyes and a temper to match. Trail life is a battle of wills between them until tragedy strikes, leaving Jake with an honor-bound promise to protect her from harm and Kate with a monumental choice—go back to everything she’s ever known or toward everything she’s ever wanted?

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  Jake is the trail guide hired to lead the naive Davis family across the Oregon Trail. In this excerpt he’s just won the battle with the father, Elijah, about bringing fewer supplies on the trail. Now, it’s time to convince Kate—Elijah’s twenty-two year old beautiful yet headstrong daughter—it’s time to leave items behind. Kate, meanwhile, has spent weeks carefully packing her valuable heirlooms and has no intention of taking orders from a mere saddle tramp.

"Could you come here, please?" Jake called, and then watched in amusement as Kate sauntered over. 

"Can I help you?" Her tone left no doubt a different reply simmered beneath powdered skin and a lifetime of practiced decorum. 

"I'm culling useless items from these wagons." He pointed to a nearby stack of trunks. "I assume these are yours?" 

"You assume correctly." 

"Well, Katie, since we're taking—" 

She interrupted him with a quiet, yet somehow haughty, cough. "My family and friends call me Kate." 

"Very well. Kate, since we're taking—" 

"You can call me Katherine." 

The hint of a smile behind her brusque words intrigued him, but he continued on as if she hadn't spoken. 

"—one wagon, there isn't room for useless things." He motioned to the smallest trunk. "You can bring this one." 

"Absolutely not," she declared with a look that betrayed her indignation. "We'll take both wagons, all my trunks, and anything else I desire." 

"No, we won't." 

"Where's my father?" she demanded. 

"Selling the other wagon." 

Her eyes widened and he saw fear lurking in their green depths. "You're lying." 

"I'm not a liar and take offense when called one." A flash of regret crossed her face and he knew the point had been made. "You need to begin deciding what stays behind. We don't have all day." 

"What are you going to do?" she stammered. 

Jake took an apple from his pocket, enjoying her astonishment. "Eat my breakfast while you repack." 

"I will do no such thing." 

Ignoring her, he pointed to a mirror. "We'll begin with this. You can't take it." 

Her jaw dropped. "My mother brought it over from England. I wouldn't expect you to know a valuable piece, but it's worth more than you could ever dream." 

"Yep." He bit off a chunk and began chewing noisily. "It stays." 

"No." 

"Yes," he said firmly. "It will break the first week." 

"Fine." Her pert chin raised a notch. "Are we done?" 

He shook his head. "We're just getting started. I haven't even taken the canvas off the other wagon yet." He grasped the handle of a nearby trunk, lifted it a few inches, and then let it drop. "What's in here?" 

Her lips flattened into a tight line of frustration. "Books." 

"They're too heavy and serve no purpose. Pick a few and leave the rest." 

"You aren't being paid to decide what we bring." 

Everyone had their limits, and this woman was testing his. "I have the final say on what stays and goes. And I say this trunk of books—" he tapped it with his toe "—stays." 

"Don't touch my things with your filthy boots." He might as well have kicked a newborn foal for the look of revulsion she wore. 

He nodded to another trunk. "What's in here?" 

"Dresses." 

"There's no fancy balls where you're going. Choose three and call it good." 

She gasped. "I couldn't possibly bring only three." 

Taking another bite of apple, he focused on another trunk. "That one?" 

Her eyes narrowed with contempt. "China." 

"Nope. We'll use metal on the trail. How about this one?" 

"I don't know," she muttered through clenched teeth.

"Check." 

Swishing her skirt out of the way, she knelt down, fiddled with the lock, and opened the lid. Her eyes met his in unspoken challenge. "My trousseau." 

"You can make more once you arrive," he said indifferently. "Though I doubt you'll ever have the need." 

"How dare you!" Crimson anger stained her cheeks and warned him to tread lightly. After all, her father had agreed to pay him a life-altering amount of money and it wouldn't do to lose the job on the first day. He took a breath and let it out slow. 

"I've made this trip four times, carrying only saddle bags. Suited me fine." 

"Yes, but you obviously have no appreciation for the finer things in life." 

Untrue, but Jake had no interest in debating his background. "And you're about to get a hard lesson in what's important for survival. Let me assure you it isn't books and dresses, princess."

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In Along the Way Home, author Christi Corbett unfurls an unforgettable epic romance inside of an epic Western adventure. Beautifully crafted, this debut novel is a tender journey of the heart as well as a treacherous journey of many miles. Along the Way Home is a squeaky-clean historical romance with authentic period details and deep emotion. Much danger, risk, courage and compassion will make you long for more books from this talented author. As heartwarming as Christy." Eve Paludan, author of Taking Back Tara (Ranch Lovers Romance series)

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About Christi: I’m addicted to coffee, sticky notes, and the Oxford Comma. I live in a small town in Oregon with my husband and our twins. Our home’s location was especially inspiring as I wrote Along the Way Home because the view from the back door is a hill travelers looked upon years ago as they explored the Oregon Territory and beyond. My debut novel, Along the Way Home, is a “sweet” historical romance about a family and their trail guide’s adventures on the 1843 Oregon Trail. It releases in ebook format on June 11, 2013 and in print sometime in July of 2013. It will be available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Astraea Press (my publisher) and wherever ebooks are sold.

Social Media Links: When I’m not writing I love chatting with readers and writers alike. You can find me in one of the following locations:

Email: christicorbett@gmail.com
Blog: http://christicorbett.wordpress
Twitter: @ChristiCorbett
Facebook: Christi Corbett—Author