Page 25 of Bear's Heart

“How do you know so much about it?”

“The realtor asked me for a quote on how much a new roof would cost, and he decided to go with my bid.We start work Monday.”

“Is the house going on the market then?”

“The owner can’t afford for the house to just sit there, so she’s open to a yearlong lease, or a purchase offer.”

The long lease would appeal to Bear.“Is anyone living there now?”

“No.It’s been vacant for months, and there’s been no offer.”

“Priced too high?”

“Not for the neighborhood, but for the condition.It’s the ugly house on the street, and it wouldn’t take a lot for the seller to spruce up the front, but she’s only going to pay for the roof and that’s it.”

“Is the roof that bad?”

“It’s why there’s been so much water damage.”

“Has that been addressed?”

“No, but we will be next week.Should be sunny and dry for the next month.We’ll get the roof off and replace all the rotted wood, beams, and so on.”

“That bad?”

“Let’s just say someone decided it was cheaper, and easier, to put buckets under leaks than to fix the problem.”

“Does the interior smell funky?”

“Fortunately, no.But the interior is going to need fresh paint, and some decent furniture—and fixtures—would help.”

Josie glanced at the clock on her laptop.“I’d like to swing by and see the house.Do I need to call the realtor?”

“Nope.I have a key.”

“I need to finish these numbers for Neil, but I could probably be there after lunch.Would one or one thirty work for you?”

“I’m just working down the street so call when you’re close and I’ll drive over and meet you.”Rye rattled off the address and then said goodbye.

Josie set her phone down and leaned back in her chair, looking across the office, taking in the window, the framed awards on the wall, and the conference desk and chairs on the opposite side for team meetings.

Marietta wouldn’t be a bad place for Bear.In fact, it’d be a really good place for him.He’d be close to downtown, right in the thick of things.The house didn’t sound very appealing at the moment, but if the bones were there, and basic accessibility, she could do some quick touchups and inexpensively improve the aesthetics.

Maybe this was what he needed.Not just a place to be during the remodel of his house, but society.Company.Activity.

*

Two hours later,Josie stood outside an uninspiring beige house, with the same faded beige trim.The house had probably been built between the 1940s and 1950s.A home without bells and whistles and fancy detail.She suspected this house had replaced an older turn of the century home, or maybe someone had subdivided their lot and built this to fill the lot.

Rye had been right about the lack of curb appeal, but curb appeal was one of the easiest things to fix, in her opinion.Plants would help.Maybe some window boxes.Nothing was green in the front, and the long sloping ramp needed paint as much as the windows.But the driveway’s asphalt had been recently repaved, and the sidewalk to the front door only had a minor crack.

Rye pulled up in his truck as she was still taking inventory.

He parked in front of the house next to the curb and stepped out.“She’s not much to look at,” he said.“But it’s solid, and except for the roof, and replacing the damaged drywall and wood in the back bedroom where the leak was, the house has possibilities.”

“Kitchen and bath, too?”

“Let’s just let you walk through.”He unlocked the front door, pushed it open, and Josie followed him inside.

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