Introduction

Handsome home organizer Ted has a double dilemma. As a devoted husband, he's struggling to resist the charm and seductive flirtations of Janet, a divorced client. Circumstances keep bringing her back into his life, fueling his wife's suspicions and inciting threats from Janet's jealous ex-husband. Ted must also deal with the ire of James Smith, a demanding client who is convinced his eccentric father died leaving something of great value hidden in his cluttered and mysterious Victorian mansion. Together , Ted and Janet interpret clues that lead to two surprising discoveries--one that captures the imagination of the city, and one that determines their fate.

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Excerpt

Chapter 1

Floundering.

The word kept popping into Ted McCormick’s head as he drove down Pine Street, watching for a green Queen Anne house with black shutters. His wife was right. He’s been floundering since they moved to Albany almost two years ago. Mary remained supportive and understanding, but that morning she told him she’s getting impatient. His crisis in Chicago is now history, she reminded him, and he’s capable of so much more. It’s time he expanded his one-man business or found a job. He agreed, but didn’t admit that he wasn’t ready.

Something else was troubling him at the moment, and it wasn’t the potential project at the Queen Anne house. At noon he was due at Janet Blake’s house. Today was the third consecutive Wednesday he would be working for her. Most of his customers were women—friendly and appreciative women—but he always kept his distance, maintaining a businesslike relationship. Until he met Janet. Her lively personality and girlish spirit were whittling away his sense of propriety. He was eager to see her, and that bothered him.

He couldn’t stop thinking about the brief incident in her walk-in closet. After installing several shelves behind the door for organizing her shoes, he asked her to come in to view his work. He should have stepped out and allowed her to enter alone. They were too close together in a small, enclosed room, close enough for him to enjoy the sweet fragrance of her long, wavy, auburn hair. She might feel vulnerable, since they were alone in her house.

“Oh, this is great, Ted!” She smiled and congratulated him with a pat on his upper arm. She rested her hand on his shoulder as she looked back at the shelves. “What a great use of space! No more stumbling on my shoes every time I walk in here. Thanks so much!”

She turned to him again, her pretty brown eyes fixed on his in a way that conveyed more than gratitude. She was still touching him, but reduced her broad smile to a coy grin. He warmed from an undeniable sexual tension. He fought a foolish urge to slip his arms around her narrow waist and pull her body against his, anticipating that she wouldn’t object. He had to get out.

“You’re welcome,” he said, feeling like he was the vulnerable one, not her. “Now let’s get rid of all the bags and boxes I tossed out of here.”

Had she flirted with him, or was her touch an innocent gesture of genuine appreciation from a very expressive person? Ted was never skillful at reading what women were up to. He was raised to treat women with respect and courtesy, and he tried not to make assumptions. Most of his early sexual experiences were initiated by aggressive girls, but once it was clear what they wanted, he didn’t hold back. This was different. He was happily married, going on 12 years, and wouldn’t dream of cheating on his wife. He wasn’t going to let Janet Blake get to him.

Deep in thought, Ted almost forgot what he was looking for. Pine Street was lined with towering oaks and maples, and the canapé of branches added to the darkness of the overcast day. Most of the hundred-year-old homes were white clapboard and set back from the street on narrow lots. Except one. It snapped him out of his trance.

“Wow,” he said aloud. “What a brute!”

The house was a classic Queen Anne, slightly elevated on what must have been a triple lot. The lawn and shrubbery were neglected and the house hadn’t felt fresh paint in years, but the structure was still grand. The steep gables and ornamental brick chimneys magnified its height, and the cone-shaped hood of a turret on the left side of the house stretched above the main roofline. A huge stone porch wrapped halfway around the house, with a series of double columns supporting a sizable second-floor porch with thick balustrades.

This could be a monstrous project, Ted thought as he parked his SUV at the curb. The man who had called him, a Mr. Smith, had been tight-lipped. He asked Ted to meet him at this address, provided an understated description of the exterior, and hung up.

Ted approached the mansion from the bumpy driveway that was paved with old bricks, many of them missing or buried beneath dirt. A shiny new Cadillac parked close to the aging house was an odd contrast, except it was as black as a hearse.

The wooden steps to the front porch creaked under his work shoes. All the curtains were closed. If it weren’t for the car in the driveway, Ted would guess the house was abandoned. His apprehensions intensified when the imposing oak door was pulled open and a burly man stood glaring at him from inside the shadowy entrance. view abbreviated excerpt only...

Discussion Questions

From the author:

1. What messages about relationships is the author trying to convey?

2. Were you able to predict the outcome for Ted, Janet and Mary? How do you feel about it?

3. Did you like or dislike what Ben Smith did with his money? Why or why not?

4. Did anything in the book motivate you to organize your home or eliminate clutter?

Weblinks

»	Official web site for Another Man's Treasure
»	Author James V. O'Connor's web site

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