Bear of Interest by Unknown

  placed a whoopee cushion under it.
    Cole sat anyway, glad his ass hadn’t been fried. Cole saw three photos sitting on Brady’s desk: one of Jenna, one of him and Jenna’s wedding in Vegas—the real lavish one was going to be held once the baby had been born—and the last one of the cute Sophie, who was his Spirit Child.
    Cole moved around on the chair, thinking a whoopee cushion would have been sort of funny. He hadn’t realized he’d been smiling until Brady got off the phone and commented on it.
    “I gather by the grin on your face you’re up to something,” he said.
    “Me, no, I come here bearing you the opportunity to purchase some of the best artwork for your condos and townhouses.”
    Cole placed the portfolio on his desk, almost knocking over Brady’s coffee mug with the words father to be written across it. Brady caught it just in time.
    “Don’t tell me you’ve taken up painting?” asked Brady. “If those are anything like the garbage you created in art class at school, there’s only one place I’d hang them and that’s inside my toilet.”
    Oh, he was still as witty as ever. Cole unzipped the portfolio and began to pull out the paintings.
    “Not my own work but that of Sam Hardy, who you met the other evening at the Starlight Café. I said I’d bring them in to show you, as we’re old friends.”
    “Yes, that joke wasn’t lost on me,” said Brady. “So you didn’t trust her to come in here on her own with them? You do know I’m a happily married man now and that also unlike some people I know, this bear doesn’t encroach on another’s property.”
    “I was more worried that you wouldn’t give her what these were worth, rather than you trying to fuck her.”
    Brady picked the first one up. Flathead Lake.
    “She does have talent,” said Brady.
    “She’s also beautiful,” said Cole.
    “Not as beautiful as Jenna,” he said, swinging the photo of her around for Cole to see.
    You always have to go the one-upmanship route don’t you Brady Walsh?
    “To each his own,” said Cole.
    “So are you and she an item?” asked Brady.
    “I guess you’d call it that.”
    “Even copying me by getting yourself a human girlfriend. Nothing original about you is there, MacDonald?”
    Cole wasn’t going to get into argument with him because today his goal was to sell him Sammy’s work.
    “So I’m thinking local artist painting scenes of local landmarks would be ideal for the condos.”
    Brady pulled out another one. This time it was a wolf.
    “Does she have any paintings of bears?” asked Brady.
    “Not that I know of.”
    “I’d like some bear portraits to hang on the walls.”
    “I can ask her to try some of those next.”
    “Yes, I think these would be perfect for what I have in mind. Lucy said we should go with local artwork so these fit the bill. “$100 for each of them. I mean I still need to pay to get them framed so that’s more than fair.”
    “Just because you hate my guts doesn’t mean you have to insult Sammy by low balling her.”
    “Remember the golden rule of business. When you’re buying, start low, when you’re selling, start high.”
    “Thank you for that piece of business advice so as I’m selling these are all $500 each.”
    Brady laughed and pushed them away. Cole was going to call his bluff. He took the paintings and slipped them back into the portfolio and then stood.
    He was about to turn his back and leave when Brady stopped him. “$400 each.”
    Cole turned around. “$500 and that’s my final offer.”
    “Okay, but not because of any negotiations on your part. I like her work a lot. Tell her if she can paint bears I’d pay even more for those.”
    Cole smiled and hoped that Brady didn’t see him this time around.
    Brady pulled out his checkbook as Cole placed the paintings on his desk and zipped up the portfolio. Brady tore off the check and handed it to him. He couldn’t wait to tell Sammy the good news.
    ****
    “So are you going to let