Page 65 of Bear's Heart

“Probably because it’s good for wheelchairs.”She leaned over and pushed aside the beige and white pattern, revealing a cobalt blue vinyl.“You can do something really bold in here.You don’t have to do hospital beige.”

“I don’t think an all-blue floor would be appealing.And I’m not sure I’d like it with red brick.”He looked to see what else she had spread on the ground.“That looks like something in my old gym.”

“It’s rubber flooring, which is the preferred flooring in gyms.”She picked up a big square and handed it to him.“The material absorbs well, which is great for preventing falls, and you could do different color blocks, which would visually expand the space and make it more stylish, depending on the color patterns you choose.”

“I sense an objection.”

“Installation is time consuming, so your labor is expensive.It will smell rubbery in here for the first couple of months after installation.”

“Or years,” Bear muttered.

She nodded.“But on the plus side, rubber is good for ramps, and spaces that get wet.Come wintertime with rain and snow, your rubber floor will have better traction than other flooring materials.”

“Everyone that comes through those doors will be in a wheelchair, and they’ll be rolling through everything that’s on the ground—snow, mud, slush, gravel, dirt.”

“Which is why the rubber flooring would be a good choice, and you have quite a few solid colors to pick from.”She reached for a brochure and opened it, showing him the fifteen options.“I’d probably do a mix of colors, charcoal, capri blue, maybe pearl and one other color.Your entrance and path through the facility could be one color, and then you could highlight work out areas with two other colors.With the height of the ceiling, and the red brick, and sky lights having some visual interest on the floor—in my mind—would look best and keep the facility from looking institutional.”

Bear shuddered.“God only knows I’ve had enough of that.”

“And everyone else that comes here to work out.”Josie folded the brochure.“Have you thought about a catchy name for your business?I struggle to explain what you’re doing when I talk to people.Facility sounds like you sort mail and gym makes me think of guys and girls flexing in front of a mirror and taking selfies in between sets.”

“I know.I’m leaning toward spinal cord injured people might recognize—Training Facility for SC Injuries, or Exo Gym for SC Injuries.I don’t like any of them but I’m sure we’ll figure it out.”

Sixty minutes later, they were done meeting with Rye and his various contractors.Bear and Josie left the Farrell Building, stepping out into the late afternoon light and sighing at the quiet.

“That was noisy in there,” she said.

“Masonry saws are notoriously loud, but that was a lot.Once they’re done opening up the storage room to the rest of the building, it should get quieter.”

“Now you just need your skylights.”

“Oh—I got a text on that.Hang on.”Bear retrieved his phone, scrolled through messages.“Here it is.The skylights have been found.They’re in Marietta.”He looked up at her, amused.“Marietta, South Dakota.”

“You’re kidding me!”

“At least they’ve been found and are being shipped here tomorrow.We should have them by the end of the week.”

“Agreed.”

They crossed the street heading toward Main reaching Bear’s truck first.“I have a Zoom call in a half hour.What are you going to do now?Errands, or head back to the house?”

“I’m going to stop by the gallery—Ansley has a check for me—and then I can pick up dinner.How does French dip sound for tonight?”

“Wonderful.”

“Since you have that Zoom, I’ll probably hang out with Ansley for a bit before ordering.How long do you think you’ll be on the call?”

“I should be done by six.”

“Perfect.I’ll be home with dinner then.”

At the gallery, Josie couldn’t believe the check Ansley handed to her.It was a significant amount of money.

“This is crazy,” Josie said, looking at the check and then her sister-in-law.“This is way too much money.”

“Not at all.You’ve earned it.I don’t know how you do it, but you make the pictures fly off the wall.”

“I do nothing.I just point to your work and your talent is obvious.Your work sells itself.”

---