“Fun,” Liv said with a grim look as she and Kincaid headed out of the kitchen and returned to the living room.

Valerie stepped into the room from the foyer, clad in all violet—her self-designated signature color—and a well-dressed couple followed behind her. Val’s blue eyes went wide, and she put a hand to her chest as she spotted Kincaid and Liv standing there. “Well, I’ll be,” she said dramatically. “Kincaid Breslin. I didn’t know the house was being shown already. You gave me quite the scare.”

Kincaid put on a beaming smile and whipped out her own version of southern-style hostility. “Well, honey, our car is parked right outside. I’m sure you saw it.”

“Oh, is that yours?” she mused. “It looked so dusty, I thought it was abandoned.”

Kincaid’s teeth clenched as she held her smile. “You know how it is. I stay so busy, I just haven’t had time to bring it in for a wash. Clients come first.”

“Of course.” Valerie’s red lips twitched. “Well, we won’t get in your way. I’m just going to show the Nicholsons around.” She glanced at the couple. “Isn’t this place so special?”

“I don’t know. It’s pretty run-down,” Kincaid said with a dismissive shrug.

Valerie’s lips pursed. “Oh, it’s just the surface that needs a little polishing. Jason here is an architect. He could make this place into a showpiece, couldn’t you, Jason?”

The man was scanning the space with analytical eyes. He nodded. “I could. The size is perfect.” He glanced at his wife, who was snapping a photo with her phone. “Sweetheart, we could strip out everything and start fresh, maintain the look outside. Go modern minimalist on the inside. White walls. Black and gray furniture. It would be so open and airy.”

Modern minimalist? Something died inside Kincaid. “You can’t be serious,” she blurted out.

The man’s attention swung Kincaid’s way, and he sent her an affronted look. “Excuse me?”

Liv made a choked sound next to her, but Kincaid couldn’t hold her tongue. “I’m just saying, if you want modern, get a loft in Austin or go grab one of the lots in Wilder and build from scratch. Why would you want to turn this into something it’s not?”

“Because we could turn it into something better.” His chin lifted a fraction, like a little kid putting his little foot down.

“But this has character.” Kincaid crossed her arms, ready to argue.

“Oh, Kincaid, you’re too much,” Valerie said with faux lightness, the tension showing in the lines around her eyes. “She’s just messing with you, Jason. Better watch her, y’all. She’s a wily one. She’ll steal something from right under your nose. Just like that.” Valerie snapped her fingers, the sharp sound echoing in the cavernous room.

“She probably has a client who wants it, and she’s just trying to scare you off. But we don’t scare easily.” She gave Jason a wink. “Let’s continue the tour, shall we?” Valerie pretended like Kincaid and Liv weren’t there as she passed them on her way to the kitchen. The Nicholsons and a cloud of Valerie’s lavender perfume followed. “Eight bedrooms. A mudroom. Beautiful yard out back with a pond.”