The Executive's Valentine Seduction / Valente Must Marry. Maxine Sullivan

expect a snake.

      Relief ballooned inside me. “Sara, there’s no reason to be scared. It’s just one of those lizards that are always getting into the house.”

      At the sound of my voice, the gecko disappeared the rest of the way beneath the sink. I found out a moment later that he wasn’t the only one startled. I came out of the bathroom with a smile that vanished as soon as I saw the expression of the woman who’d been considering the house.

      “Always getting in?” she asked, her face pasty.

      “Cool,” her son said.

      “Well, not always,” I amended, “but Florida does have a lot of lizards. They’re, um, good for eating the bugs.”

      Her eyes darted from side to side, as if she expected giant winged insects to swoop down and carry her off. “The bugs?”

      Somehow I got the impression these nice folks weren’t going to be making an offer this afternoon. Maybe now would be the time to see if I could send her on her way with a lovely parting purchase of earrings and matching pendant. But I never got the chance to ask because the doorbell rang.

      If it was another real-estate agent, I was going to smack him in the head with his own cell phone…just as a gentle reminder to call ahead next time. But it was more likely to be one of the neighbors who had RSVPed that she might attend late. I opened the door with a cheerful, welcoming, “Hi!” and almost passed out on the spot.

      My mother-in-law beamed at me. “Chahlie, deah!”