A Masterpiece Of Our Love (The Masterpiece Trilogy Book 1)

by Nikki Lynn Barrett

  "I love you too. Come here. Let me show you something." Taking his hand, Becca led him down a short hallway to a closed door. She opened it. This was her bedroom. A big pegboard on the far wall caught his attention immediately. His heart warmed at the display. She'd made a board for all the keychains and keepsakes he'd picked up for her throughout the years.

  "I knew you loved these souvenirs, but I had no idea you made such a beautiful display." He moved closer to it, touching the pieces and remembering how he had carefully searched for the best thing to send to her every time. He never visited a new place without taking a piece back for Becca to treasure.

  "Putting them out always helped me. I looked at them and thought of you. I figured one day, I'd be able to get over my fear and go pick out keepsakes of my own."

  "Our thoughts seem to always revolve around each other." Hunter fingered one of the first keychains he'd brought her. It was from Niagra Falls. He sucked in a breath at the way she'd given everything it's own special place. Becca had put a lot of thought into this. He tore his gaze away from the board and noticed on her nightstand three frames. One was of her eight year old self with her family. It must have been not too long before the crash. Her parents were in the back, with big, happy smiles on their faces as the two girls were seated in front of them. Sweet, innocent kids that had their whole lives ahead of them until everything changed.

  The second picture caught him off-guard. She had a picture of him on that nightstand. He stood by the water as the sun was setting and he'd smiled for the camera. He hated photos and rarely smiled for them, but Becca always had a way of getting him to smile for a picture. That one was from the last year they'd been together.

  The thing was, he knew only very special things went on that nightstand. She'd always had a thing about keeping the things she held dear close to her where she rested her head at night. He had no idea he was on that list. The third picture was of her graduation, where she stood proudly with an excited smile on her face. Her aunt stood beside her with a wide, proud smile of her own. He'd been the one to take that picture.

  Touched, Hunter sat at the edge of the bed, staring at the photos.

  "That's one of my favorite pictures of you. I remember that day well. We were laughing and playing some silly alphabet game. You were trying to keep my mind off of waiting for a phone call about the job I have now. We laughed so hard our stomaches hurt. I had a different picture of you up before, but I had to put this one close by," Becca said softly, sitting on the bed beside him. It was the day they almost kissed. Yeah, he remembered that day well, too.

  He held her, staring at her sweet face in awe. "I'm honored that you've made such a display and that I'm on your keepsake stand beside your bed. I had no idea I was there."

  "You're one of my favorite people in the world. You always have been, Hunter. You took the time to fight for me. You could have walked away after we were found and never looked back. Instead, you always made time to bond with a girl that had it all stacked against her."

  "Angel, you might have had things stacked against you, but look how strong you are." Hunter kissed her lips. "There's no way I could have walked away from you."

  "I really think you standing up for me helped. In a world full of people that were supposed to have my best interests at heart, you were the one that always did. From so far away, you were my advocate. Don't think I don't know how many times you called around, looking for ways to help me shine and succeed. There was a doctor that took all your words to heart and ended up telling me about it. Not only was I shocked that a doctor listened with true interest to a young man's thoughts, but the fact that you took the time to make sure someone helped me and pushed me to keep going when you couldn't be there physically to do it, that's something I'll never forget. You say you owe me, but I think I owe you."

  "I think they listened because you reacted so strongly to me being there. I don't know why or how, but you did. I think maybe we need to call it even and just love each other." Hunter kissed her again. "I'm sure one way or another, without even realizing it, we'll continue to save each other."

  Because that's what they'd always done. They saved one another.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Something smelled wonderful! Becca cracked open an eyelid, studying her surroundings. She didn't remember anything from Hunter's room last night. After they left her apartment, they had lunch, hit the road and made a few stops. They didn't arrive at his place until very late. She'd been so out of it. Now that it was daylight, she took in the view of the room. Simple, but warm. The large bed she was in sat in the middle. Long drapes hung over what was must have been a window or even a patio door. He had a dresser on the opposite wall of the bed and a computer desk.

  "Good morning!" Hunter sailed into the room carrying a tray. That explained the good smell that she woke up to. He'd brought her breakfast in bed. He'd already dressed and looked like he started his day a long time ago.

  "Hunter!" she gasped, smiling. He set the tray in her lap, then leaned in for a sweet, satisfying kiss.

  "Yes?" he grinned.

  "You're spoiling me!"

  "Nah, I'm not spoiling you. Just a lot of love." He cupped her face. "Yup, you feel real. I can't believe you're really here with me."

  Becca took her first bite of the breakfast. It was pancakes, which he knew she loved. He even had blueberry syrup and a fresh cup of coffee. She'd never had breakfast in bed before. After a few bites, she glanced up at him. "Not eating?"

  "I already had my morning fuel. I've been up for a few hours, dealing with some stuff." His grin was sexy and mysterious. What had he been up to?

  "What time is it?"

  "Almost ten."

  She gasped. She rarely ever slept this late. "Goodness. I can't believe I slept so long."

  "My internal alarm clock doesn't let me sleep like that. I did stay in bed longer than I normally do, only to hold you and look at you."

  "You and your fascination with watching me sleep," she laughed, taking a sip of the coffee. Whoa!

  "Whoops. Too strong?" Hunter laughed at her reaction. "I don't just watch you sleep. My mind was full of thoughts this morning."

  "A little bit, but it's fine. Thank you so much. What a surprise to wake up to."

  She finished up the last of it and Hunter promptly took the tray from her, jumping to his feet. "I brought your bags in. They're all there by the closet door. Whenever you're ready, I'll show you the house. Shara will by by later, I'm sure."

  "I can't wait to get the tour. I promise I'll be quick." She pushed the blankets off and set her feet on the hardwood floor.

  "Take your time, angel. There's no rush." Hunter blew a kiss at her before leaving the room.

  She padded across the floor to her bags. She pulled out a pair of black shorts and a teal top. She found her sandals by the bags. Hunter must have slipped them off her feet last night. Becca pulled out her toiletry bag and walked into the adjoining bathroom.

  Wow. What a huge shower stall. She took in her surroundings. Hunter had always been fairly organized. His bedroom and bathroom reflected that. Everything had a place.

  She ran a brush through her thick tangles and pulled her hair back. She touched up her face with a light amount of makeup, and glanced at her reflection before being satisfied.

  Just as she put her little bag back in the suitcase, someone knocked on the door. Becca laughed at the thought of Hunter knocking on his own bedroom door, but she loved his consideration. Not that he hadn't seen her naked before, but things were still new and unusual for them. He seemed unsure when it was okay to invade her privacy.

  She pulled the door open. "You don't need to knock on your own door, you know," she informed him.

  "It's yours too, for the summer. That is, if you want to share a room and a bed with me. You're welcome to your own room if you want it."

  Becca flew into his arms. "I've gotten used to sharing a space with you. I love the idea of laying down next to you at night."
/>   "Hey, did you notice?" He asked, pointing at something by the bed.

  When she turned around, she let out a gasp. Hunter had taken the photo she'd packed, the one of her and her family, and had placed it on the nightstand by the side of the bed she'd slept on. "No! I didn't see that!" She fought back a wave of emotion. "Thank you. That means the world to me."

  "I want you to have all your comforts," he said softly before landing another kiss on her lips. "Come on, there's a few other surprises in store along the grand tour." He winked at her and took her hand, leading her away from the bedroom.

  Oh? More surprises? Much as she knew he wouldn't admit it, Hunter was spoiling her big time.

  "We're going to start from the beginning."

  Her first impression was right. Hunter had a spacious house. Nothing over the top, but it had plenty of room and beautiful features. She gasped when she first noticed a row of paintings she'd given him. He hadn't been kidding.

  His eyes danced with happiness as he turned to her. Before he said anything, he winked. "Told you. I meant it. I have your work proudly displayed. I'm glad you finally got to see it. Though I guess I could have taken pictures and sent them to you, but you're here now. By the way, I need a new piece to hang up." He nudged her. "Hint, hint."

  Becca laughed as her stomach fluttered. "Hint taken, but I didn't bring that many of my supplies. I only have what I brought along to the island."

  His smile widened. "Come here." She didn't have time to process what he was up to before Hunter led her back upstairs. "The tour continues." He opened a door on the far end of the hall and gestured for her to go in.

  "Hunter! When did you do this?"

  The beautiful room was filled with supplies. A simple, elegant room with a chaise lounge on one side, an Oriental rug covering the hardwood and everything she could ever want to work with. There was a window seat overlooking the spacious backyard.

  "Do you like it?" he asked, sounding hopeful.

  "Like it? I'm in awe!" Becca spun around, taking in the sights. This was really for her? "I'm stunned."

  "The day before we left, I called Shara and had her order as much as she could. I set it up this morning. This is all yours. I hope to see a few masterpieces created in here." Hunter crossed the room to the middle where she stood and pulled her in his arms.

  "I love you. You amaze me. I never imagined-." Her voice broke, full of emotion and surprise. God, she loved this man. He went totally out of his way to surprise her and at the same time, show her how much he believed in her dreams. "What was this room before?"

  Hunter shrugged. "Just a spare room. I never had much else to put in here. This is one of the rooms with a door leading out on the balcony, too. Want to see the view?"

  "Yes!" She was all too eager.

  A cool wind greeted them as they stepped onto the balcony. He had a beautifully landscaped backyard. Simple, yet magical. A large tree grew tall in the middle of the yard. That's when she noticed something on it. She squinted in the bright sunlight, realizing what she had her eyes set on.

  A wooden swing hung from the tree, just like the one on the island.

  "You are too much, Hunter Beckman," she whispered, threading her fingers through his.

  "I don't want to be too much. I want to be just right. I don't know how I'm going to be able to let you go home at the end of the summer."

  Becca leaned against him, staring down at the yard below. She didn't want to think about summer's end. It wouldn't be easy at all this time, to walk away from Hunter. This year had changed everything, but she had her contract with the school and it wouldn't be right to break it now. Hunter had so much going on here, and this house ... how would they manage? Do long distance for a year until school ended? They weren't that far from each other, but he couldn't just take off all the time with a child in tow.

  "Bec? What's wrong?" Hunter tipped her chin upward. His eyes shone with concern and love.

  "You mentioned end of the summer and it makes me wonder what we'll do," she admitted.

  "I know one thing I'll do. Miss you like crazy. But you know what? If we want us to work, we'll make it. I'll make you a deal. How about we don't bring up the summer's end and enjoy our time now? We'll talk more about it closer to that time. I don't want our parting to overshadow the time we have now. Sound fair?" he asked softly, brushing her hair away from her face.

  "It's a deal," Becca replied. She kissed him. "And to seal the deal, there's a kiss."

  "Hmm. Might have to strike deals more often." Hunter slid a sexy grin her way. "Come on, I'll show you Sienna's room."

  Sienna's room was fit for a little princess. Becca fell in love with it right away. Just by the general set up, she had the perfect idea of what her mural would be about. "If this is barely done up, I'd never know it. Hunter, her room is beautiful. I bet she loves to play in here." Becca touched a soft purple blanket that lay across the toddler bed.

  "She doesn't like to sleep in here alone," he commented. "When she's home with me, I end up crashing on the floor right next to her. I know it's not a good idea, but I don't get enough time with her anymore, so I do what I can."

  Becca's heart went out to him. An image of Hunter curled up on the floor next to his baby girl melted her heart. She hadn't seen him in action with his little girl yet, but she knew Hunter was the best and most loving father.

  "So now that you've seen most of the house, I'll show you the rest and then we can decide how we want to spend our first day here together." Hunter's grin spread and he tugged on her hand. He leaned in for a kiss. Just as he went to deepen it, his phone rang. He pulled back and frowned. "And so it starts. I could ignore it. We could-"

  Becca gestured at his phone. "Go on, answer. I'm sure there's plenty of things that need to be done now that you're back." She sent him a reassuring smile.

  "You really are an angel." Hunter pulled the phone from his pocket to answer.

  *****

  All he wanted to do was have some peace before the calls started to come in. Hunter didn't recognize the number. "Hello?" he answered.

  "Hunter Beckman? Sienna's father?" A female's voice on the other end asked tentatively.

  "This is he." His heart skipped a beat. Who would be calling, asking if he was Sienna's dad?

  "My name is Marrilee Burgess. I'm Sienna's regular sitter. I'm not sure if I should be calling you, considering what Eva has told me about you, but..."

  "What Eva has told you about me? What is that supposed to mean?" Hunter cut her off. He should have just let her finish talking, but her words ticked him off.

  "Look, never mind. I just- Eva left Sienna with me last night. She was supposed to come back just a few hours later and she hasn't. I've called her phone and no answer. Sienna has what I think is an ear infection and she's pretty upset. I decided to look up your information. You're her father. You need to come and take action for your child."

  "I don't know what the hell my ex-wife has told you, but I am very much involved in my daughter's life and welfare. How dare you implicate otherwise. There's two sides to every story. I'd like your address and I'll come pick up my daughter," Hunter snapped. Eva had gone too far this time. What had she told others? That he was nonexistent in his child's life? What the hell was her game? He grabbed a crayon and a piece of construction paper and wrote the woman's information down. "I'll be there in fifteen minutes." He hung up quickly. "I'm so sick of her games!" He frowned, staring at Becca. "I've got to go get her. I had this whole day thought out..."

  Becca hugged him. "Shh. Don't say another word. Go get Sienna, sweetie. Don't worry about our plans. Your daughter needs you."

  Hunter breathed deeply into her hair, holding her close. "I love you so much. Will you come with me? This sitter is insinuating a lot of things and I need to control my anger."

  "Of course I'll go with you," she said softly, cupping his face.

  "I've said this more than once, but I'm going to say it again. I'm really glad you're here. This is just the
start of the hell I'm going through with my ex. I just- I don't want you to-"

  Becca pressed her lips to his, silencing him. "Not another apology. I knew everything when I said yes. I'm here with you and for you."

  Hunter barely said a word on the drive, and Becca never pushed him. In his mind he played over how this conversation would go with this Marrilee person. Damn Eva and her lies. To say he wasn't a part of Sienna's life? Okay, well, he didn't know if that's what she'd said, but the way the woman passed judgment at him, it sure as hell seemed like it.

  The house he pulled up in front of was small and nice. He'd already climbed out of the car and started for the door when it opened. The woman standing on the porch watched him with a hard stare. Becca hurried to catch up with him.

  "Marrilee?" he asked, looking her over. She had green eyes that wouldn't stop staring at him as if he were the worst person in the world. Her auburn hair was pulled in a ponytail. She stood with a firm stance, feet spaced apart and her arms crossed over her chest. "I'm Hunter, and this is Becca."

  "That's me." She held the same standoffish tone she had with him on the phone, never really acknowledging their introduction. "Come on in. Sienna's laying down in the playpen, but she's pretty fussy. She's been rubbing her ear and she's running a bit of a fever." She stepped inside.

  Hunter took Becca's hand and they walked in together. "Where did Eva go, do you know? Why would she leave Sienna with you and then not come back when she said she would?" The woman's living room had a warm vibe. Soft colors on the walls. Photos of people set in patterns. A decent sized TV on one wall.

  "This isn't the first time she's done it, honestly," Marrilee admitted. "I've been more worried about Sienna's wellbeing for a couple months."

  "So what made you decide to contact me now and not before?" Hunter's voice rose. Months? Was this woman kidding? How long would she have let this shit go on? What more did he need to do to be kept in the loop? The damn courts granted Eva main custody during their divorce. He'd been crushed and concerned. He had to do what he could to win this battle. Eva was not suitable to take care of Sienna on her own apparently.