Page 27 of Bear's Heart

“If you’re free.Otherwise, we can make it work for another time this week—”

“No, today is good.I can be there in less than an hour.”

“I’ll text you the address.”

She sent the address and then messaged her brother.“Bear is on his way, I’ll let you know what he thinks.”

*

Bear had beenpoker-faced throughout the brief house tour.He obviously didn’t love it, but he also didn’t come out and say he hated it, either.He just maintained that blank, impossible to read expression.

“Well?”she said as they returned to the living room.“Thoughts?”

“How far is Bozeman from here?”

“Thirty to forty, depending on where you’re going—and snow and traffic.But if conditions are good, thirty.”

He nodded thoughtfully.“And why would I want to live in Marietta?”

“Because there are people nearby.And fun things to do here.”She paused.“Have you looked at any commercial spaces here?”

“Not yet, but I did see something that looked interesting.The building is owned by Cormac Sheenan, brother to my friend, Dillion.”

She lifted a brow.“That could be promising.When are you going to see it?”

“Soon, I hope.”

“Why not today?”

“I don’t have an appointment.”

“That might not be an issue.Call and see if someone can show you around.Why not?Tell them you’re here now.”

Bear’s lips twitched as he fought a smile.“Do you ever rest?”

Josie thought a moment and then, grinning, she shook her head.“No.”

He laughed and pulled out his phone.“At least you’re honest.”

*

The Farrell Buildingwas one of the older properties in downtown Marietta, just off Main Street, behind the sheriff’s department.The building, one hundred years old, featured red brick and sturdy stone masonry, along with a decorative cornice with the number 1910, proclaiming its age.The large two-story building had served many functions over the past century, with retail and sales on the first floor, and apartments and offices for Montana’s growing business class on the second floor.

Unfortunately, a fire gutted most of the second floor in the Farrell Building ten years ago, and Cormac Sheenan had cleared out the debris when he bought it but hadn’t done much else.He was there to walk Beae and Josie around the ground floor as the realtor wasn’t available, but he seemed eager to see the Farrell Building be put to good use again.

“I bought the Farrell eight years ago,” he said.“It was my intention to use this as an extension for my media business, but there were some delays, and then Covid, and by the time the world had returned to a normal, I discovered that my company didn’t need all the office space we’d initially thought was so essential.”

“Your employees liked working from home?”Josie guessed.

“Loved it,” he answered with a laugh.“But then, I did, too.”

“And so the building has just sat here for years?”Bear asked as they returned to the entrance, which had probably once been stately glass doors but were now boarded over like the other narrow windows on the side facing the street.The opposite side of the interior had no windows as it was snugly attached to another larger, turn-of-the-century building.

Cormac nodded.“I own the whole block, but the office building next door is currently leased for another five years.”

“Good, because I only need the one building,” Bear said, “and this is pretty perfect, but it’s going to come down to the terms.”

“I understand.”Cormac hesitated.“Put an offer in, and let’s see what we can do.I’d like this to work.I support what you want to do.”

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