A Forever Masterpiece (The Masterpiece Trilogy Book 3) Read online

  Blurb

  Becca and Hunter plan a future without knowing their past...

  Few people know the entire truth about Becca and Hunter's connection. Even fewer are living. One is in hiding, and another is closer than they think. They're still no closer to knowing everything. Hunter gets a piece of his old life back, while Becca still longs for all the answers.

  One terrifying night brings consequences...

  Someone doesn't want them to find the answers and will go to dire lengths to keep the past hidden. The question is, who? With so many people involved, which one of them would go to the extreme to make sure they never know?

  The hunter becomes the hunted...

  With the one person who started the whole thing in hiding, everyone is desperate to find her and gain the truth or keep her silent forever. It's only a matter of time...

  The final installment of the Masterpiece Trilogy is full of triumph, mystery, romance, and so much more. Prepare for the twists and turns as Becca and Hunter make their way to forever.

  A Forever Masterpiece

  By

  Nikki Lynn Barrett

  Copyright June 2015, Nikki Lynn Barrett, First Version.

  Acknowledgements

  As I wrote the final words of this conclusion, I kept thinking about all the amazing people who have been behind me throughout this journey. When I started A Masterpiece Of Our Love, I never meant for it to be a trilogy, but these two had so much more story to tell. And readers have embraced them so much and wanted more.

  Thank you once again to Robert, for your hard work and dedication, and for handing out signed copies of the first book to people you know. Having you by my side during this journey has been wonderful. Thanks for giving it your all.

  To my family for your continued support. I recently got to go to my hometown and received so much love over my stories- THANK you for that. SO much! Not every author gets so much back up from their family and I'm lucky that I do. Much love!

  To Melinda and Crystal, who have been with me since the beginning and still beg for more. Yes, I'm still afraid of your pitch forks, but you keep me going.

  To Kim King for being a big Hunter lover. Your inspiration pictures are on my desktop, and I love your devotion to Hunter. You got the bus with him now.

  To the Crazy Lady Stalkers- Best support system ever! You all rock!

  To my street team for keeping me on my toes as well. I love everything you do for me.

  Thank you to my Passionate Kisses sisters. We sure got lucky to be able to work together for two amazing boxed sets. Here's to successes all around!

  To the readers for embracing Hunter and Becca. These two are special to me and I love that you love them! I can't do this without you.

  Dedication

  This book is dedicated in loving memory to my Grandma Motta. She left us in 2008, but your memory and love of reading still has a major place in my heart.

  Praise for books by Nikki Lynn Barrett

  A Masterpiece Of Our Love

  The author does an amazing job that you just have to know what next. If you want to read about two amazing people who stole my heart be sure to pick this up. A warning is in need though. you will want the next book now as I do. I can't wait for the next one. - Racing To Read

  This book was very well written. I love it when authors actually tie up the loose ends with the story, but yet continue the plot. Ms. Barrett was able to keep doing that so well. The plot turned just as I thought the book was coming to an end. I never saw that coming. - Kristy's Reviews & Random Thoughts

  I was intrigued by this book because it seemed to suggest something more than a simple love story. I was not disappointed when I read it. - Fiona's Book Reviews

  A Masterpiece of Our Love is one part mystery and one part romance, with strong characters I couldn't help but love and a wonderfully unique foundation for the story. It's everything I normally read romance novels for, but it has an entirely different twist that makes it so much more. - FicCentral

  Baby Stetson

  What a fun and beautiful read! Just what I expect from Nikki! - RomanceBookworm Reviews

  This was a very well written book with great characters and a great story. It had a very good balance of romance, suspense and action. It is a page turner, with a good plot that keeps you guessing about all the characters true stories and their motives. - The TBR Pile

  The Melody In My Head

  I really love these characters and this town. It was a pleasure seeing the characters I got to know in the first book and where they were at in their life now. - Racing To Read

  I can compare Mrs. Barrett to some of my favorite authors that I grew up reading. I wish I could give it more then 5 stars! - Kristy's Reviews & Random Thoughts

  The Key To My Heart

  This is the ultimate love story. Nikki Lynn Barrett gives us characters to love in all of her books. - Kathyisareader.com

  As a reader who enjoys a good series I have to say I have eagerly been waiting for the next book in the Love and Music series by Nikki Lynn Barrett. In every book we see not only friends, family but a love through music that is impossible to not love. - Melena's Reviews

  Chapter One

  Hunter Beckman stared at the property and house on 1123 W. Rainwood Drive, never believing he'd be here again. Today, he stood in front of the house he grew up in when his family was still alive.

  A house changes in twenty years, but standing in front of this one now, Hunter had a flood of memories rush back. Thanks to Joe, he finally had an opportunity to step inside his childhood home. The people living in it last moved out about four months ago, and it sat empty ever since. Joe contacted the real estate agent and set up a visit.

  "Wow," he whispered. He couldn't move from the spot on the sidewalk yet, still awestruck by the house. So his recollection of the place wasn't that far off when he'd picked the house in Virginia. The large porch spread the entire length of the front side of the house. It must have had a fresh coat of paint recently, because the white was very bright and not aged.

  From beside him, Becca squeezed his hand. "It's beautiful." Her tone held a hint of sadness. Hunter couldn't blame her. They were no closer to finding anything else about her biological family, and now here they were in the town that everything happened in. Knowing Becca, she wouldn't say a thing, because she wouldn't want to bring down his excitement. But what Becca felt, he did too. He ached for her. There were times he didn't have the words to express the pain he felt from their lack of knowledge to her past.

  "I've got the keys. Let's go see the inside when you're ready." Joe jingled them in his hand. Hunter watched his reaction. He had the same haunted expression Hunter felt.

  "I'm ready." Consumed with emotion, he took a step forward. Once on the front porch, memories surrounded him. Hunter remembered on the nice fall days, Mom let him do his homework outside instead of at the kitchen table. She'd been one to enjoy the crisp air of fall and found any reason to spend time outdoors. In the far left corner, he'd played tic-tac-toe using chalk with his dad. Mom used to get annoyed, but the two always washed off the porch, which satisfied her.

  All of these things he hadn't remembered, or some he hadn't thought about in years, flooded back to him now. His chest tightened. He missed them so much. A house full of love and cherished memories now stood empty because of a choice made almost thirty years ago. A choice that led to a lot of heartache and tragedy, but in the same instance, eventually brought him the best love in the world.

  Becca. His heart. His soul. His soon-to-be wife.

  As Joe pushed the key in the lock and ope
ned the door, Hunter pulled her close. "I can't believe this is happening." I just wish I could give you what I'm getting right now. A chance to remember, a chance to reflect in a place that had once been his home. Would they ever be able to understand, or would there always be speculation from what few people could tell them? It was only their versions of the story, but no one had anything to fall back on. No names, and no identities. No easy clear cut way to find Becca's family and get the reasons for why a little boy would bring a baby to another family, begging for help.

  Her smile, while genuine, didn't reach her eyes. She leaned in for a kiss before they moved inside.

  The living room was huge. Vaulted ceilings, with a view of the upstairs. Dark cherry hardwood floors. Now that was definitely new. His gaze landed on the stairs. They were so damn similar to how he'd seen them in flashbacks months ago.

  He planned on scoping out the entire house, but there was a room he wanted to see first. It was the one he'd spent the most time in when living here. His bedroom.

  Without a word, he climbed the stairs. One by one, memories continued to find him. Family pictures used to hang on the wall leading upstairs. While the walls were painted a bright white, they'd been more of a peach color before. Somehow, he was certain of these things.

  Becca and Joe followed him as Hunter continued.

  The room on the left had been his. He stopped in front of the closed door and reached for the doorknob, but didn't open it yet.

  A tightness formed in his chest. One hand still on the knob, he covered his mouth with the other. Hot breaths filled the gap between his slightly cupped hand and his lips. Why did an empty room terrify him so much? He thought it would be easy to open the door and walk inside, but he continued to hold back.

  "Hunter?" Becca stood behind him now. She rested a hand on his shoulder.

  "It's a little overwhelming," he said softly, after dropping his hand to his side. More than a little, actually. "I wanted memories, but I didn't expect them to hit me like this. This was my room."

  Behind them, Joe coughed. Hunter took a chance and looked his way, surprised to find tears in the old man's eyes. Well, he may not know how much Joe could be trusted, but one thing was for sure. Joe missed his parents, too. Hunter knew it by the haunted expression on his face. He hoped his old friend's heart was strong enough to endure today's intense feelings.

  Ready or not, here I come. He twisted the knob and pushed open the door. Hunter's breath hitched as he stepped inside the room. Like the rest of the house, the floor had the dark cherry hardwood. He stood in the middle of the room and slowly turned 360 degrees, as he remembered where his things had been in place. He moved to the corner of the room, the one that had a window on each wall. "My bed was here." Then he slowly moved along the wall, passing the first window that provided a view of the backyard. "My desk here." He pointed to the small wall space between the edge of the room and the closet door.

  His old room. Wow. After twenty years, he didn't expect to be standing here right now. With shaky legs, he moved to stare out the second window. If he recalled correctly ... yep, it was still there. From this window, he had a view of the old park and the basketball court. It had been his favorite place to hang out in the neighborhood.

  "It's still there." He closed his eyes, placing a hand on the cool surface of the glass. He'd give anything to have his dad by his side for one more game. He blew out a shaky breath.

  "We had some good times in this house, didn't we?" Joe had moved to the left side of Hunter, so when he spoke, it startled him.

  He opened his eyes and stared his old family friend in the face. "Yeah, we did. I'm amazed at how much I'm remembering just by being here. It's weird."

  Joe nodded. "I can imagine." Then he left the room. As Joe moved further away from the room, the sound of his cane thumping along the floor grew quieter. He probably wanted to take a look around, himself. Hunter wasn't the only one who needed this. Joe lost, too.

  Needing to lighten the mood before his heart broke even more, Hunter took Becca's hands in his. He gave her a light, mischievous smile. "You know, I never did get to bring a girl in my room to kiss her." Not at twelve. He hadn't been interested in girls that way, really. Not yet.

  Had Becca been in his room when his parents brought her home? Did they bring her here, even for a while? They had to have before bringing her to the Langes. Hunter tried to picture what baby Becca looked like. Had he been curious about a tiny baby all of a sudden in the house? Did they try to keep her hidden, even from their four year old son? So many questions, and not enough answers.

  "So what you're saying is you wanted to take an innocent girl up to your room and seduce her," Becca said coyly, fluttering her eyelashes at him. "I don't know. I'm not that kind of girl. You'll have to really work your way to get a kiss from me."

  Hunter chuckled, loving that she played along. He pulled her closer, sliding his arms around her waist. "Hard to get, eh? I think I can win you over. I've got the skills."

  She tilted her head to the side. "Oh? This I need to see."

  He leaned over and kissed her neck, trailing all the way to her jaw. "You know you want to kiss me. I'm one of your painting inspirations." He blew air on the nape of her neck. Her fingers dug into his back. "Come on, give a man his wish. Do I have to beg?"

  Becca jerked her head back and grinned. "No, but it's not a bad idea. However, since you're my future husband, I think I can bend the innocent rules a little."

  "Remind me to not claim how innocent I think you are in the near future," he growled. Oh, but he loved her and the way she played hard to get.

  "Told you I'd find a way to show you I'm not," Becca whispered before wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him close for a sweet, tantalizing kiss. At first, they started slow and steady, almost like the very first time they kissed. He knew it was part of the act, but damn did it ever turn him on. Then, when Becca deepened the kiss, Hunter soared over the edge. She pulled away, her lips moist and puffy. "So, how was your first kiss with a girl in your bedroom?"

  "Needs practice." He winked, totally waiting for her to smack him. He'd deserve it, too.

  She twirled away from him. "Just need experience," Becca teased.

  Hunter tugged on her hand, bringing her back against his body. "I get a lifetime of experience with you." He held up her hand with the ring on it. "This here is proof." He'd been slightly spontaneous asking her to marry him a month ago, but ever since the close call in Rhode Island, it put things into perspective for the both of them. He'd made a promise to himself when he first gave in to his feelings for Becca that he'd wait until things were right, even though he knew in his heart she was the one for him. They sure had a rocky summer, and while the worst of it was over, the road ahead of them still had bumps.

  But she'd said yes without any hesitance. Somehow, even knowing how many wrong choices he'd made, asking Becca at that moment had been the right one.

  He'd been learning to cope with his PTSD the last few months. Still a long way from 'normal', but things were headed in the right direction. The nightmares were few and far in between. He'd learned the triggers about the flashbacks and, for the most part, could keep them at bay. Occasionally, he had a few moments of disassociating, but nothing ever to the extreme case that landed him in a hospital.

  Becca had been monitored, but she never did develop PTSD. Strange how two people went through so much of the same thing and come out of it differently. Good. He sure as hell never wanted her to go through the things he'd been and sometimes still went through. He'd take all the pain and horror for them both so that Becca could be free of this kind of thing.

  Becca smiled. "I can't wait."

  He couldn't either. They were to be married in the spring. Near the ocean, of course. Actually, not too far off from where he'd proposed.

  "Let's go see the rest of the house." Distracting himself with kissing Becca in his old room helped ease the pain from being here without his parents. He also had a hanker
ing to head down to his old park and check it out. Maybe he would. After all, he probably wouldn't come back. This was good closure, to be able to bring back some memories of where he grew up before life changed.

  Hunter walked hand in hand with Becca through the rest of the house mainly in silence. He'd stop, close his eyes, and picture things the way they were. He had flashes of his mom cooking in the kitchen and Dad working on something in the living room as he tapped a pen repeatedly on things. Some images were so vivid he could almost reach out and touch them.

  He found Joe in the middle of the living room, gripping his cane. "You ever wish things were different?"

  Hunter thought about it for a second. "Yes and no. I wish everyone lived, but then if things didn't happen, I wouldn't have Becca. I just hate that we had to lose so much in order to gain something so special." His voice cracked. "Thank you for the chance to come here, Joe. I really needed it."

  "I did, too."

  A sense of peace washed over him. He'd spent a good early part of his life in this house with parents who loved him. In fact, they loved so much they made a sacrifice to help save someone in need. Hunter still didn't know a hundred percent how to accept what his parents did with the Langes, but until they had all the answers, he probably never would. All he could do now was continue to give Becca his love and keep searching.

  Hunter let out a sigh as he left the house. Becca slid her arms around him as they waited for Joe to lock the door.