Page 29 of Bear's Heart

“And have nothing to show for it after a year.”She hesitated.“I don’t know your financial situation, but if you were able to get someone to lease the ranch property, could you afford to buy the house?Perhaps finance the Farrell Building and get a mortgage for the house?Or, depending on your situation, buy the house for cash and it might be easier to get a better mortgage for the commercial space.

“How did you become so knowledgable?And practical?”

“I’ve loved houses since I was a little girl, and then I spent far too much time eavesdropping on Mom and Dad’s depressing conversations about money, and the lack of it.”She smiled grimly.“But I learned a lot, and I’m a big believer in smart, stylish,affordabledesign.”

“Which fits my budget.So, are you in?Want the job?”

“Yes.”She showed him her fingers, which were crossed.“Provided my advisor says yes, and I can’t imagine she wouldn’t.”

“Keep me posted,” he said.

“You, too.I’ll be dying to know how all of this plays out.”

*

In the end,it was Rye who called and told Josie that Cormac had accepted Bear’s offer for the Farrell Building after a minimal back and forth, and that Bear was also the proud owner of a 1948 house a block from the grand Bramble House.

“You mean, he’s leased the house?”she asked, confused by Rye’s wording.

“No, Bear bought it, and because he was paying cash, he got a great deal.As well as the new roof the previous owner had just paid for.”

“That is pretty sweet,” she agreed, still trying to process her brother’s news though.“So just to be clear… Bear got both properties?”

“Yes.In the same week.”

For a moment, she couldn’t think of anything to say.When Bear took action, he took action.

“Are you still there?”Rye asked.

“I’m just stunned.A couple weeks ago, Bear didn’t know where he was going to open his first location, or where he’d be living, and now he’s invested in the Marietta community.”

“I think it’s a good place for him,” Rye said.

“I do, too.Now, I just need to get that final approval and I can get to work on both projects.You do know that Bear asked me to oversee the design for both.”

“I’m not surprised.He obviously respects you.”

Josie blushed, her face hot.She was glad her brother couldn’t see.“The feeling’s mutual,” she said lightly.

“You know, if you’re going to be working a lot in Marietta, and it sounds like you will, you’re always welcome to stay over with Ansley and me.We’d love to see more of you.”

“I’d love to.It’d be fun to get to know Marietta better.”

“I have a feeling you’ll soon know the town a lot better.”

After hanging up, Josie flopped back on her little loveseat in the little sitting area of her studio.So, Bear was now the proud owner of a house and a very desirable commercial building—well, eventually it’d be desirable.Neither place was exactly a dream at the moment, but she could see his vision and she was excited to work with him on both.

As well as excited to spend more time with him.

She loved being around him, and even though she’d tried so hard to analyze her feelings, she couldn’t.Why was she so invested?There was no reason for her to care this much.

She didn’t know if it was the fact that he was a legend in Montana or that he’d been a world-class athlete before he’d been hurt.

She didn’t know if it was because he was incredibly attractive, truly one of the most beautiful men she’d ever seen in real life, or because he’d once had so much and now, he was confronted by permanent limitations, never mind other people’s narrow opinions.

She suspected it was a little of everything, because she did find his situation tragic.The knowledge that he’d been so badly hurt, and was fighting so hard to reclaim his life, touched her, moved her.

Her mother would say it’s because Josie had such a tender heart, but it was more than that.

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