Fiction-Romance/Historical/Western
Whimsical Publications,
LLC/paperback, 274 pages
March 2010
$13.95
ISBN-13: 978-1-936167-07-4
Whimsical Publications,
LLC/paperback, 274 pages
March 2010
$13.95
ISBN-13: 978-1-936167-07-4
The war was over. The town of Esser Crossing ebbed closer to a slow death while Jodi Parker and Hunter Johnson
fought desperately with one last chance to save it, and themselves.
Two unlikely people came together against their own will and struggled to carve a new empire. Swollen rivers and
Jayhawkers were the least of their troubles on a cattle drive to Kansas, when both carried secrets that could easily
destroy them. He had to prove himself, she had to live with her own decisions.
A cruel destiny threw them together. Only a true and lasting love could save them…
fought desperately with one last chance to save it, and themselves.
Two unlikely people came together against their own will and struggled to carve a new empire. Swollen rivers and
Jayhawkers were the least of their troubles on a cattle drive to Kansas, when both carried secrets that could easily
destroy them. He had to prove himself, she had to live with her own decisions.
A cruel destiny threw them together. Only a true and lasting love could save them…
“What's your name?” He sat up in the hay, not paying her much attention as he continued to drink his coffee.
“Jodi Parker.”
“Frank Parker's kid?” He frowned for a minute, as though thinking about what that might mean.
“That's correct,” With new dawning, she realized for the first time that she and this misfit man had one thing in common,
and that was for sure, her name wasn't any better than his in this state.
His expression grew serious. He straightened himself. Raking his hair back, he set his hat on his head. “How many men
you got?”
Jodi relaxed and faced him again, shocked by his sudden interest. “Six.”
“That's not enough. How many head of cattle you got?”
“Got a thousand two-year-olds, and 1,500 three and four-year-olds.” She met his cold-eyed gaze. “Not counting the
yearlings.”
“Yearlings,” he scoffed. “They'll have to be put to sleep; they just cause trouble along the way. And Remuda?”
“About fifty.”
“Not enough.”
Exasperated, Jodi fumed; holding her temper in was painful. “It's all we got!” she huffed, angered by his lack of
understanding. “The soldiers came and took some of our best until we got wise and hid them out. Wasn't enough to take
our men and boys, they had to have our horses and cattle too.”
“Yeah, the unfortunate war…” Hunter nodded and got to his feet, pacing the small space. Disgust lingered in his dark,
brooding eyes.
There was a silence as he seemed to size her up. “I'll get us four more men, and we can pick some horses up on the
way. What's the pay?”
“Hundred a month.” She was groping for answers to his fast line questions.
“Abilene or Baxter Springs?” His eyes never left hers.
“Abilene…less trouble that way. One of the soldiers came back from the war said Missouri wasn't too friendly to cattle
drives from Texas because of the Tick Fever.” Jodi let down a few defenses since he was talking cow talk now. She felt
she could deal with him on this level. He wasn't a greenhorn, that was for sure. He had asked every right question.
“He's right about that.” Hunter shuffled and stood straight. He stared into her eyes till she nearly backed away. Never
had a man looked at her the way he was. “You'd be stuck in Missouri if they even let you through the state line. They are
quarantining them these days, passing laws to keep us out, like we can prevent the disease.”
Jodi eyed him closely. Despite her dread of being here and her personal feeling towards this man, she knew instinctively
that he was a cow man, and suddenly understood why Clem had sent her here. Perhaps he was the only man for this job.
“Fair enough. When you want to leave?” Hunter flopped back down on the hay, his glance scrutinizing her.
Jodi realized he was accepting and felt a small relief run through her. She wouldn't give him the pleasure of knowing it,
though. “Meet you at Round Rock in four days.”
“I'll be there then.”
“So will I.” She stood up to leave and saw him staring at her intently again.
He was tall, lean, and dangerous looking, but his expression was entirely sober. She had expected to find a drunk.
Instead, she found a man who was completely sober and ready to accept her offer.
It shocked her that he was sober. She certainly hadn't expected that. But to live in a place like this…what manner of man
was he?
“You won't be there,” he bellowed. “I'll meet your men there.” He said it like a command.
“I'll be there.” Meeting the steel flint of his gaze steadily, she squared her shoulders.
She realized she was in for a battle, and was prepared.
“No ma'am, you won't.”
“Look.” She moved to face him again. If he'd had been a bear, she wouldn't have cared. She knew being a woman in the
cattle business was a hard pair of boots to fill, but she had filled them since her folks had gone to war, and she aimed to
keep on doing it. “I just lost my foreman. He got thrown and broke his back. He'll be laid up for a long time. He can't sit
the saddle. And no one's taking that herd north without me, understood? This town…what's left of it, is de-pending on
me to get that herd through. It could mean the life or death of this entire town.”
She was facing him like some gunslinger.
Admiration, or surprise, flickered in his eyes. She couldn't be sure which, not knowing the man. When he smiled, his face
dimpled, making her more aware of him. She felt that smile to her toes.
“Jodi Parker.”
“Frank Parker's kid?” He frowned for a minute, as though thinking about what that might mean.
“That's correct,” With new dawning, she realized for the first time that she and this misfit man had one thing in common,
and that was for sure, her name wasn't any better than his in this state.
His expression grew serious. He straightened himself. Raking his hair back, he set his hat on his head. “How many men
you got?”
Jodi relaxed and faced him again, shocked by his sudden interest. “Six.”
“That's not enough. How many head of cattle you got?”
“Got a thousand two-year-olds, and 1,500 three and four-year-olds.” She met his cold-eyed gaze. “Not counting the
yearlings.”
“Yearlings,” he scoffed. “They'll have to be put to sleep; they just cause trouble along the way. And Remuda?”
“About fifty.”
“Not enough.”
Exasperated, Jodi fumed; holding her temper in was painful. “It's all we got!” she huffed, angered by his lack of
understanding. “The soldiers came and took some of our best until we got wise and hid them out. Wasn't enough to take
our men and boys, they had to have our horses and cattle too.”
“Yeah, the unfortunate war…” Hunter nodded and got to his feet, pacing the small space. Disgust lingered in his dark,
brooding eyes.
There was a silence as he seemed to size her up. “I'll get us four more men, and we can pick some horses up on the
way. What's the pay?”
“Hundred a month.” She was groping for answers to his fast line questions.
“Abilene or Baxter Springs?” His eyes never left hers.
“Abilene…less trouble that way. One of the soldiers came back from the war said Missouri wasn't too friendly to cattle
drives from Texas because of the Tick Fever.” Jodi let down a few defenses since he was talking cow talk now. She felt
she could deal with him on this level. He wasn't a greenhorn, that was for sure. He had asked every right question.
“He's right about that.” Hunter shuffled and stood straight. He stared into her eyes till she nearly backed away. Never
had a man looked at her the way he was. “You'd be stuck in Missouri if they even let you through the state line. They are
quarantining them these days, passing laws to keep us out, like we can prevent the disease.”
Jodi eyed him closely. Despite her dread of being here and her personal feeling towards this man, she knew instinctively
that he was a cow man, and suddenly understood why Clem had sent her here. Perhaps he was the only man for this job.
“Fair enough. When you want to leave?” Hunter flopped back down on the hay, his glance scrutinizing her.
Jodi realized he was accepting and felt a small relief run through her. She wouldn't give him the pleasure of knowing it,
though. “Meet you at Round Rock in four days.”
“I'll be there then.”
“So will I.” She stood up to leave and saw him staring at her intently again.
He was tall, lean, and dangerous looking, but his expression was entirely sober. She had expected to find a drunk.
Instead, she found a man who was completely sober and ready to accept her offer.
It shocked her that he was sober. She certainly hadn't expected that. But to live in a place like this…what manner of man
was he?
“You won't be there,” he bellowed. “I'll meet your men there.” He said it like a command.
“I'll be there.” Meeting the steel flint of his gaze steadily, she squared her shoulders.
She realized she was in for a battle, and was prepared.
“No ma'am, you won't.”
“Look.” She moved to face him again. If he'd had been a bear, she wouldn't have cared. She knew being a woman in the
cattle business was a hard pair of boots to fill, but she had filled them since her folks had gone to war, and she aimed to
keep on doing it. “I just lost my foreman. He got thrown and broke his back. He'll be laid up for a long time. He can't sit
the saddle. And no one's taking that herd north without me, understood? This town…what's left of it, is de-pending on
me to get that herd through. It could mean the life or death of this entire town.”
She was facing him like some gunslinger.
Admiration, or surprise, flickered in his eyes. She couldn't be sure which, not knowing the man. When he smiled, his face
dimpled, making her more aware of him. She felt that smile to her toes.
| Reviews for Jodi's Journey |
| Excerpt for Jodi's Journey |
Comment/review = A Must Read for western romance fans
Rita Hestand mixes all of these elements and conflicts into a historically factual, emotionally packed account of a
cattle-drive. But she doesn't stop there. We get to know Jodi and Hunt personally and care deeply for them as well as for
many of the hands on this journey with them. Personal fears and intense concerns are mingled among a sometimes
tender, often tumultuous romance throughout the book.
One of the very best books Ms. Hestand has offered. A truly artistic creation that will touch everyone's heart.
Amazon review by: Rebecca J Vickery
Rated: 5 stars
Rita Hestand mixes all of these elements and conflicts into a historically factual, emotionally packed account of a
cattle-drive. But she doesn't stop there. We get to know Jodi and Hunt personally and care deeply for them as well as for
many of the hands on this journey with them. Personal fears and intense concerns are mingled among a sometimes
tender, often tumultuous romance throughout the book.
One of the very best books Ms. Hestand has offered. A truly artistic creation that will touch everyone's heart.
Amazon review by: Rebecca J Vickery
Rated: 5 stars
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