Arianna Miller tosses her luggage and her hopes into her Subaru and sets out to prove her talent—by decorating a Victorian mansion thirty miles from nowhere. She needs a fresh start and a break from painful memories. However, she is soon haunted by reminders of her past and endangered by foreboding mysteries.Christopher Flemming is determined to stop his father's crime spree, which began in nineteenth century London and now threatens present day Colorado. He must find and destroy the time-traveling machine that brought them forward in time. More importantly, he needs to save Arianna.
Because of Christopher's blurred focus, Arianna finds her attraction to him untenable. She wants to help him, but he refuses to reveal his connection to the mansion.
Everything changes when Arianna stumbles onto the time machine before Christopher does. Will her future end up in the past?
Jeanie Davis is an Arizona transplant—twenty-four years and counting. She loves peach ice cream, shopping, a clean house…oh, and chocolate, of course. She has traveled extensively—from Fiji to Africa and Europe to Costa Rica—but prefers being at home creating new adventures on her computer. Her four daughters have left her nest empty, but they return often with grandchildren who bring real fun and adventure to her life. And thankfully, Jeanie's awesome husband, Rick, loves to join in on all her escapades.
A good romance will always capture Jeanie's attention; add suspense or historical ties and she's totally hooked. She's the author of a time-traveling adventure, Time Twist—the first of a romantic/suspense series with a twist of paranormal; an historical fiction novel, As Ever Yours, based on the lives of her grandparents, and a children's Christmas book, I Don't Know Why I Did It.
Jeanie is passionate about writing, and she always has a new story to delve into or an older one to revise. She began by writing poetry and music, which she still enjoys, but now novels have moved to the forefront of her avocational pursuits.
When she's not spoiling her grandchildren, Jeanie spends her free time curled up with a good book or typing away on her most recent mystery, adventure or romance.
Excerpt:
Darkness had fallen. She turned on lights as she passed from one room to the next. First, she inspected the main level, taking her time to make every detail precise. Other than some packaging materials scattered on the floor in the theater room, so far everything looked good. “Theater room,” Ari snarled. “Four years ago, you didn’t even know what a television was, Mr. Somers.” She gathered the trash and took it out to the garage.
When she entered the study, a dark foreboding sensation enshrouded her like a cloak. Shadows seemed to follow her as she moved. Taking a breath, she gave herself a mental shake.
Of course she felt this way—this house was haunted—not by spirits that once were, but by the evil spirit of one moving in. She shivered.
A door banged shut. Ari jumped a few inches off the ground and spun around. Everything appeared normal.
She wished she had cell phone service. Deep breath. Deep breath.
A creaking noise sounded like it came from above her. She stood frozen. This feels so familiar, she thought. However, this time I’m supposed to be here doing my job, so there’s no reason to be frightened. The realization gave her enough courage to press forward.
Arianna headed up the stairs to inspect the game room and bedrooms. It was fully dark. She hadn’t been to the upper level since the sun had set. Her heart rattled in her chest as she flipped the first light-switch, tamping down a childish fear that someone might jump out at every turn. The house, so quiet, felt eerie. Even the rain had stopped, ending the gentle pitter-patter she’d listened to throughout the day.
Clouds moved around the moon, generating ghostlike shadows in the activity room. Her flesh crawled with anxiety. She’d been pleased the Somers allowed for a game room in their Victorian mansion. At least there would be some entertainment for Joshua and Sarah. Guilt attempted once more to worm its way into her conscience. Helping them was imperative. She whispered a silent prayer for Christopher. Last she’d heard, he still waited for the analysis results. Everything hinged on those tests.
Moving to the air-hockey table, she lifted one of the pucks and twirled it in her hand, wondering if Josh or Sarah would know what do to with it. The disc slipped from her fingers, slamming onto the table. The noise made her jump, sending her nerves back to high alert.
She hurried on to the master bedroom. Once more she thought she heard something, stopped, and held perfectly still, listening. “Hello, is anyone there?”
Silence.
Shivering, she moved on. The master bath and closets all looked good. Wait; there it was again, a rustling noise. She paused, anxiety working its way through her nerves. She wondered if a window could be open, then realized that with the rain and her stern warnings nobody would have dared open a window. She proceeded quickly through the spare rooms.
Next came Joshua’s bedroom. The baseball and glove were the only things out of place. With trepidation, she put them away. Was it her imagination, or had the ball quivered in her fingers? She shook her head. I’m making myself crazy. Her eyes landed on the family picture by Joshua’s bed. Her thoughts nearly stole away with memories of her discussion with Christopher, when another noise pulled her from her ruminations.
I know that wasn’t my imagination. Her heart beat too loudly now to hear anything else. Mentally retracing her steps, she was certain she’d locked up after the last of the workers had left the house. “Hello?” She tried to make her voice firm, but it faltered.
No response.
Only Sarah’s room remained unchecked. She’d been turning the upstairs lights on as she’d inspected each room and off again when she’d left it. Sarah’s light was on. Besides a few beams illuminating the main level, only Sarah’s room remained lit. As Ari cautiously crept down the hall, the light cast a moving shadow on the wall, which chafed at her already tattered nerves. The extra adrenaline urged her to pick up the pace forward. She nearly sprinted the final feet to Sarah’s room.
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