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“I can give you some tips of things you can do to stage this place and make it more attractive to potential buyers.”
    “I don’t know,” George hedged. “Perhaps Connor here might want to see the house first.”
    No, she wasn’t losing them.
    She’d already lost them.
    Damn it.
    “He seems like a very professional young man,” Sheila added.
    It wasn’t what she said as much as the confident tone in which she said it that clicked. Juliana finally understood the problem—they were going to be more comfortable with a guy working on the listing.
    Small-town Illinois. Forever stuck in the 1950s.
    Catching Connor’s sympathetic gaze, she almost excused herself and bolted for the door. She would pause long enough to give him a whack upside the head for interfering. Why did he have to show up and ruin things?
    She should go ahead and leave. The Ryans wanted Connor. He was going to get the listing for…
    For whom?
    Although he was trying to get this listing, she didn’t know what firm he worked for. He wasn’t wearing a hideous blue blazer. He hadn’t mentioned representing any firm. He hadn’t even given George a business card.
    Could Connor be flying solo, too?
    A brilliant idea quickly bubbled to the surface, although she had no idea whether it would work. A little far-fetched, but at this point what did she have to lose? The listing was already going to Connor. Why shouldn’t she try to snatch back a part of it for herself?
    Juliana gambled her future on him understanding what she was about to do—not only understanding but agreeing. Using her best confident tone, she launched her new plan. “Didn’t I tell you? No, it appears I didn’t. No wonder you’re both looking so confused.” She took a few steps to get nearer to Connor and then flashed the clients a confident smile. “Goodness, I should have told you when I first got here. Mr. Wilson is my partner.”
    “Partner?” George glanced down at the business card he still held. “He’s your partner? This only has your name on it. Juliana Kelley. Kelley Realty.”
    “I can explain that,” she insisted, scrambling for a reason that didn’t sound like the lie it would be.
    “Well, then.” Connor cocked his head, the only sign he even heard what she’d said. The guy had a poker face that could win every pot. “Why don’t you go ahead and explain away?”
    Thankfully, she heard no anger in his tone. If she judged it correctly, he was amused.
    She tried not to stammer, a problem she tended to develop whenever anxiety got the better of her. “Mr. Wilson and I just formed the partnership yesterday. I haven’t had time to print up new business cards.”
    George still appeared skeptical. “He’s with Kelley Realty?”
    “It’s
Wilson
-Kelley Realty,” Connor corrected. His eyes dared her to contradict him.
    So she did. “Actually, it’s Kelley-Wilson Realty. We agreed on it back when we formed the partnership at the Ramada.”
    “Sounds a little fishy to me.” George rubbed the back of his neck.
    “Nothing fishy, George. Honestly,” Connor reassured. “We’re not accustomed to working with each other yet. Too used to being single rather than part of a duo.”
    Good God, he was going along with the ruse.
    Or was it a ruse?
    Maybe this could really work.
    Only in a romance novel…
    But she was willing to give it a try.
    “We’ve never had to check with each other before visits like this before,” she said.
    “We got our signals crossed,” he added. “That’s all.”
    “Well, then…” George smiled at him then at her. “If he’s with you…”
    She gave him a decisive nod. “Oh, yes, sir. He sure is.”
    He thrust a hand out to Connor. “Then you two can sell our house for us.”
    * * *
    Connor shook George Ryan’s hand, although he wasn’t quite sure whether he should be grateful to Juliana or pissed at her.
    What in the hell was going through her mind to dream up a partnership and spring it on him like a trap? He didn’t