A Masterpiece Unraveled (The Masterpiece Trilogy Book 2) Read Online Free
Author: Nikki Lynn Barrett
nothing fancy and we'll still be able to get to sleep early for the drive in the morning. Please?" He hoped she wouldn't decline as she had been time after time again. Ever since the night of the fund raiser, Becca didn't venture out as much. Maybe she was afraid of doing what she did that night, even though she tried hard not to speak of it. She didn't hurt anyone, but it showed just how spooked Becca was of Carrie's unknown whereabouts. He was too, but it had to be worse for her.
Becca hesitated, just as he thought she would, but her answer surprised him. "Okay."
Almost an hour later, after both of them showered and cleaned up, they were in the car en route to dinner. Hunter stole a glance over at Becca, noticing how tight she held her purse with both hands as she stared out the window. Her skin had turned almost a pure white.
The realization of how bad off Becca was hit him in the face. Everything seemed to scare her, but she tried to keep it all in. This wasn't good. Maybe he'd ask Rissi if she'd be able to come back with them for a few days so Becca had a friend here as well. Someone she isn't afraid of.
Hunter focused back on the road, making every attempt to keep that thought out of his mind. He didn't have the right to be so upset about Becca's fear of everyone, especially him, because he'd caused some of that fear. Whether accidental, he'd been a part of it.
How could he help her? Some days, he couldn't even help himself! If something didn't change soon, their relationship would go down the path of disaster with no chance of getting back. It would take plenty of work on both of their parts to get past their fears and anxieties.
He didn't want to lose her.
*****
Why did she agree to this? Becca tried to ignore the fact that Hunter kept watching her. Getting out of the house seemed like a good idea at first, but in actuality, the whole thing made her want to run back in.
I'm being a baby. This is ridiculous.
She was afraid of her own shadow and didn't want the world to know it. One meltdown was enough. No matter how hard she tried, the night she grabbed that poor unsuspecting woman thinking it was Carrie scared the heck out of her. She definitely didn't want any of this getting back to Vermont. If her grandmother heard about it...
No. She wasn't going to think about those things again. It didn't matter what they thought. It shouldn't! Her grandparents always looked at her in a negative light, no matter how she tried. They couldn't threaten her any more, and if they did try, it wouldn't matter. They couldn't do a thing but badger her. If that was the least of her concerns from them, so be it.
Sucking in a sharp breath, Becca unclenched her tight fists around her purse strap and put on her brave face once again, or at least tried to. This facade was already crumbling. Hunter knew it, too.
She was so lost in her own world, Becca had no idea Hunter had stopped the car. She blinked, taking in her surroundings. They were in the parking lot of a restaurant. The first thing she thought when looking at the burgundy building was how the color stood out so much. Interesting. Maybe because it was right off the highway, the owners wanted it to be seen right off the bat. It needed a new paint job. Not because of the color though, because it really had a great scheme. If it had just a touch up and maybe another color to bring out the burgundy, it would work. It reminded her of the fall season, when leaves turned that shade.
"Bec?" Hunter's voice was low and full of concern.
She'd been so caught up in the stupid color of the building, for a moment she forgot Hunter was in the car with her.
"We can go back home if you want. I never realized how hard it was for you to go out anywhere right now." Pain flashed in his eyes.
"I don't want anyone to know."
He touched her shoulder, watching her carefully. "You can't hide from me, angel. I see everything you're dealing with. I just didn't know how bad off it is."
His eyes
Becca hesitated, just as he thought she would, but her answer surprised him. "Okay."
Almost an hour later, after both of them showered and cleaned up, they were in the car en route to dinner. Hunter stole a glance over at Becca, noticing how tight she held her purse with both hands as she stared out the window. Her skin had turned almost a pure white.
The realization of how bad off Becca was hit him in the face. Everything seemed to scare her, but she tried to keep it all in. This wasn't good. Maybe he'd ask Rissi if she'd be able to come back with them for a few days so Becca had a friend here as well. Someone she isn't afraid of.
Hunter focused back on the road, making every attempt to keep that thought out of his mind. He didn't have the right to be so upset about Becca's fear of everyone, especially him, because he'd caused some of that fear. Whether accidental, he'd been a part of it.
How could he help her? Some days, he couldn't even help himself! If something didn't change soon, their relationship would go down the path of disaster with no chance of getting back. It would take plenty of work on both of their parts to get past their fears and anxieties.
He didn't want to lose her.
*****
Why did she agree to this? Becca tried to ignore the fact that Hunter kept watching her. Getting out of the house seemed like a good idea at first, but in actuality, the whole thing made her want to run back in.
I'm being a baby. This is ridiculous.
She was afraid of her own shadow and didn't want the world to know it. One meltdown was enough. No matter how hard she tried, the night she grabbed that poor unsuspecting woman thinking it was Carrie scared the heck out of her. She definitely didn't want any of this getting back to Vermont. If her grandmother heard about it...
No. She wasn't going to think about those things again. It didn't matter what they thought. It shouldn't! Her grandparents always looked at her in a negative light, no matter how she tried. They couldn't threaten her any more, and if they did try, it wouldn't matter. They couldn't do a thing but badger her. If that was the least of her concerns from them, so be it.
Sucking in a sharp breath, Becca unclenched her tight fists around her purse strap and put on her brave face once again, or at least tried to. This facade was already crumbling. Hunter knew it, too.
She was so lost in her own world, Becca had no idea Hunter had stopped the car. She blinked, taking in her surroundings. They were in the parking lot of a restaurant. The first thing she thought when looking at the burgundy building was how the color stood out so much. Interesting. Maybe because it was right off the highway, the owners wanted it to be seen right off the bat. It needed a new paint job. Not because of the color though, because it really had a great scheme. If it had just a touch up and maybe another color to bring out the burgundy, it would work. It reminded her of the fall season, when leaves turned that shade.
"Bec?" Hunter's voice was low and full of concern.
She'd been so caught up in the stupid color of the building, for a moment she forgot Hunter was in the car with her.
"We can go back home if you want. I never realized how hard it was for you to go out anywhere right now." Pain flashed in his eyes.
"I don't want anyone to know."
He touched her shoulder, watching her carefully. "You can't hide from me, angel. I see everything you're dealing with. I just didn't know how bad off it is."
His eyes
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