Page 31 of Bear's Heart

She shrugged.“But I can try.”

Swallowing hard, Josie pushed away the memory and rolled off the little couch in her studio apartment.The memory had made her sad.Maybe sad wasn’t the right word.Maybe she just felt… conflicted.She knew she was a little bit different from others, but it was a good thing.Not everyone was supposed to be the same.

Chapter Seven

It was agood week for Bear.Cormac apparently was as eager to sell the building as Bear was to buy it, with Cormac accepting Bear’s first offer, agreeing with alacrity to the proposed thirty-day closing.Now that Bear had his desired commercial space, and his house, he was free to move into his new home in Marietta anytime, and the big brick building would be his at the end of the month giving him time to get plans drawn and permits filed.Finally, he was moving forward, and his plan to have a facility for SCI people wasn’t just a dream but soon to be a reality.

A huge weight felt as if it had been lifted off Bear’s shoulders and for the first time in months, he slept well, and woke up refreshed.

The days passed quickly, filled with appointments and meetings, not just with Rye and his subcontractors, but with city officials and a local venture capitalist—introduced to Bear by Cormac Sheenan—who was intrigued by Bear’s idea.

He was hoping to get Josie involved soon.She was finishing up her midterms for her two summer school courses and then promised to turn her attention to Bear’s projects, as she’d just gotten approval from her advisor who seemed as thrilled by the two design opportunities as Josie was.It probably helped that she was doing the design work for Bear Braden Anderson, everyone’s favorite local legend.

She told him that on Friday when she drove to Marietta to meet him at the house.He had the keys now and was hoping to move in sooner than later, but Josie wanted him to wait until they got the big stuff done.

“You don’t want to live in the middle of a remodel,” she reminded him, “even if it’s a small one.Wait to move in until we at least get your bathroom done, because they’re going to tear out the floor and plumbing and retile it.It’s going to look nice when they’re done—it’ll be a proper wet room with tiles on most of the walls.I know Rye will do his best to manage his subs, but the tile saw is noisy, and small spaces can be particularly chaotic.You didn’t want people in your way in Clyde Park, and it’ll be even worse here.Everyone will be on top of each other.”

“True,” Bear agreed.“I’m just ready to be out of the ranch house.”

Josie nodded sympathetically.Now that she knew Savannah was such a part of the house, she understood his motivation for getting out sooner than later.“We’re tackling the bathroom first.With luck you can be in within ten days.Maybe two weeks.”

*

Returning to herapartment that evening, Josie discovered an envelope had been slipped under her door.Inside, she picked up the envelope and drew out the typed letter.

Her apartment lease, as well as the larger apartment next door, would not be renewed at the end of August.The owner had plans for the building and after three years of applying for permits and jumping through the planning commissioner’s hoops, the owner had gotten permission to turn the two upstairs apartments, and the attic above, into a rooftop bar.

Josie supposed this was good news for Bozeman’s business district, too, but it wasn’t good for her, or her neighbor.Her neighbor was a pilot with Montana Air and rarely around, but Josie was around, and she’d liked her spot in downtown Bozeman.It had been nice to walk to everything, from class to shops to her favorite coffee spot two blocks over.

She could always move home, but that didn’t appeal.She’d loved her independence, and being on her own had made her realize how sensitive she was to the family drama.Her dad was doing better than he had in Eureka, but he still had his moods and down days.

She could possibly live with her brother but that didn’t have much appeal, either.She loved Rye, but he was so protective—overly protective—and she didn’t want to have to be explaining to him where she was going every time she left the house.It was one thing to stay over now and again, and another to make Rye and Ansley’s home hers.

Josie pulled out her laptop and began checking for available apartments in Bozeman.Most one-bedroom apartments ranged from $1,900-3,000 depending on how new and luxurious the complex was.But she didn’t need a complex with a pool and gym and community center.It wasn’t as if she’d be showing up for Saturday barbecues or Hump Day Happy Hour on Wednesday.

After some searching, she did find an apartment in an older complex for $1,200 a month.It wasn’t big, but it had everything she needed, meaning a kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, and a tiny living-dining space just big enough for a card table and her loveseat.

Josie put in a call to the phone number on the listing to see if the unit was still available, but her call went to voice mail.She left a message asking if unit 4A was still available.

She was still scrolling through Bozeman housing listings when her phone rang, and she reached for it hoping it was the apartment manager but wasn’t disappointed when she saw it was Bear.

They talked a lot, and they were both so open with each other, that when Bear asked her what she was doing, she didn’t think twice about blurting out her situation, and how she was bummed to lose her current spot but already searching for a new one.

“You can have one of the bedrooms at my new place,” he said.“If you’re going to be working so hard on my projects—”

“Theoretically they are also my projects.”

“Precisely.You might as well live where you work.Although I can also see why you’d prefer Bozeman.It’s closer to your family and friends.”

“I’d be closer to Rye in Marietta,” she said thoughtfully, “and it’d be fun to see more of Ansley.But wouldn’t it be… awkward?”

“How so?”

Josie hesitated, and frowned, not sure how to explain.“I’ve never lived with anyone except my family.”

“No roommates during college?”

“No.I’ve been in a studio apartment this past year, and when I wanted to, I headed to my parents’ house.”

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