A Forever Masterpiece (The Masterpiece Trilogy Book 3) (26 page)

Hunter told him the woman's name. Jed promised he'd find something out and call later. With another forty minutes left for lunch, Hunter called Jesse.

"Hello?" The man's uncertain voice came over the line.

"It's Hunter. I umm, talked to someone who suggested that Becca and your mom do the maternity test. I know you said she's in bad shape, but this might be the best way to get this done."

A long hesitance followed. He thought Jesse hung up.

"Look, I know this is happening fast. You just connected with Becca last night. If what you're saying is true, then we'd want nothing more than to reunite your family. Becca and I are both cautious because of the constant secrets. I'm sorry if this is too forward," Hunter explained.

"No, I get your reasoning. I want it, too. I'm just hesitant about getting Mom's hopes up in case there's that slight chance I'm wrong. I don't think I am, but you never know."

"Becca's resemblance to your mom is uncanny," Hunter admitted. "I sure hope you're telling the truth about everything. She doesn't need any more let downs."

"You're not gonna believe me right away, I know. Not after the way I did things. You'll see in time. I don't want her to hurt. I want to know my sister. I thought after at least seeing her once, I could move on and let her live her life. At first, when I saw her in Vermont, I didn't know your story. I had no idea her past was exposed that way. I figured I wouldn't open up any wounds. Did she- do you know if she had a good life before the crash?"

"The few memories Becca has of the Langes are good. The way she arrived in their lives is unconventional, but they loved her."

"That's good." Jesse's voice hitched. "I hated not knowing all these years."

"Becca is a wonderful person to know. She's a special woman." Hunter shifted in his seat.

"Glad to know she found a good, protective guy like you, even if I do fear you coming to kick my ass."

"If you're being honest and you don't hurt my best friend, I won't. Unless Becca says otherwise, you're more than welcome in her life. I sure won't stop you. I think once the initial shock wears down, she's going to have more questions."

"I know, and I'll prepare for them. As I said last night, I have a letter to her from Mom. Let me try to figure this out. I don't want to scare Mom, but I want to get this done so we can get the assurance we need to bring my family together- what's left of it, anyway."

"If you only wanted to see her and know she's okay, why did you come to Virginia?"

A sigh, then another hush fell over the line. "I wanted to know what happened. With your plane and Carrie."

"Her name is Sylvia, actually," Hunter automatically corrected.

"Whatever her name is. I looked up your name a few weeks after my mom asked about Ariana again, almost daily. When the story came up after searching your name, I wanted to know why she went after Becca. I needed to see that you were also a good person. Hell, looking up your last name was a long shot. I didn't expect that you two would be so connected, but Beckman was all I had to go on." A deep sigh followed. "The few times I initially saw you and Becca in Vermont, you were fighting. And honestly? The fresh start away from Maryland was good for me. I go back a lot for my mom, but there aren't good memories for me there."

"I love her, Jesse." Hunter didn't know why he felt the need to be defensive. He owed this man no explanation, but the memories of those days a few months ago still got to him whenever they were brought up. "The things you saw ... those were at our worst moments."

"I know you do. I can see that. Guess I had a hard time trusting, too. I spent the first months of Becca's life protecting her, so I guess it came natural to want to know someone else is looking out for her. Sounds like the people she lived with after the crash weren't great?"

Hunter thought of the elder Langes. "No. I mean, sure she was taken care of, but the way they treated her, then some of the things I've uncovered recently, and the older man with secrets they tried to push in her life really make me wonder about them."

"Sometimes the system is a little better than supposed family." Jesse's words matched Hunter's thoughts. He'd said the same thing at one time.

"Yeah. Who would have thought? I was moved around from place to place. I never allowed attachments." Except Becca. She'd been the only one, even when he kept her at arms length, too.

"Same way for me. I never did get to move back with my mom. She was never the same since. They split my family up. Since hardly anyone knew she had a baby, no one ever questioned Becca's whereabouts. Doesn't sound like a good thing, but it was safer that way."

"But it taunts you. Makes your mind crazy, and you wished things were different." Yeah, Hunter knew the feeling way too well.

"Hell yeah. I hate this PTSD. Even knowing what it is, I can't get the haunting thoughts out of my head. Look, I gotta go. I've got a job to get to. I'll ... let me think on this and get back to you. I'd love to see Becca again really soon."

"I think she'd like that. To warn you, there's a lot going on. Finding her family isn't the only things we've been dealing with."

"I know. You've already told us some of the stories. At first I wondered if someone found out about her and told my father, but it looks like you have a separate enemy. What the hell is wrong with people?"

"Wish I knew. I'd better get back to work soon, too. Let me know what you come up with, okay?"

"I will," Jesse promised before they hung up.

Hunter's concentration all day wasn't easy, but he had to do his best.

Today was the day Becca, Shara, and Beverly were supposed to be discussing wedding menus. Once again, everything else overshadowed the upcoming happy day. They sat around the dining room table with scattered papers, magazines, recipes, and notebooks, but their conversation at the moment didn't include wedding plans. Instead, they were filled in about the startling discovery about the man claiming to be Becca's brother.

"Well holy shit." Shara cringed and eyed Beverly. "Sorry."

Beverly waved it off. Both women stared at Becca in shock and awe.

"He's been around for months?" Shara exclaimed. "
Months
, and just now telling you what he knows? He may not have if you weren't stuck in the elevator with him!"

"I know. But then, if you think about it, look what he had to do all those years ago. Don't get me wrong, I'm not happy about the way he's been lingering and dodging things, but if anyone was in his shoes, what would you do?" Becca couldn't believe she'd just stuck up for the man, but she knew Jesse's predicament had never been easy. There was no right way to go about this. Plenty of wrong ways, but what would she want him to do? Walk up and say,
"Hey, I'm your brother, and I took you away from danger."
What if she hadn't known about not being Anne and Rusty's child? Yeah, she could easily see why Jesse hesitated.

"What does Hunter say? Hasn't he been talking to this guy?"

Becca folded her hands over a magazine. "He's upset, no doubt. You know Hunter and his trust, but he believes him. Still not taking his word for it without any type of proof, but he's taking it better than I imagined. Jesse handed over a series of photos last night. I looked at the one with his mom, and I got goosebumps. It's like I was looking at myself in a sepia type photo."

"How are you feeling about everything, honey?" Beverly reached across the table for Becca's hand. "You've had so much in the way of news."

Becca sighed and leaned back. "I finally decided you all are right to worry. I told Hunter last night I'm going to talk to someone about everything."

"Does that include the self-defense..."

She nodded before Shara could say it. "
Everything.
I just want to move on, but I can't until this all has been dealt with. So far lately, it hasn't put a strain on my relationship with Hunter, but it did a few months ago. You all saw that. I'm not about to let it happen again just because I think I can take it all on."

"Good job, Becca," Shara said softly.

Beverly agreed. "Maybe with the weight of your uncertain family history off your shoulders, it'll help."

"I'm hoping so. I can learn to forgive things- like Vince, my grandparents, and even what Joe told us. It's going to take time, but it's long overdue."

"Sorry I'm late!" Hunter called, following the sound of the front door opening.

"It's okay! We created the menu. All the things you dislike," Shara called out teasingly.

"I think not," Hunter grumbled as he entered the dining room. He kissed Becca's cheek as he moved to sit beside her. He scooted his chair in. "So what do you really have in mind?"

"Actually, we haven't even started," Becca admitted. "We've been talking about Jesse."

"I talked to him today after I called Jed. He's trying to come up with the best solution and will get back to me. Now, I think we should stick to our plan. Let's concentrate on our day." Hunter leaned forward to kiss her again.

"Plan?" Beverly scrunched her nose, glancing between the two of them.

Hunter slid his arm around Becca's shoulders. "We're trying to give ourselves a sense of normal. We've both wanted it for months, so we decided that we're going to do our best to find things to do together and to really put our wedding front and center. We're both pretty tired of drama and everything else."

Beverly nodded. "That sounds fair." She picked up a magazine. "Then let's get to it. I do love planning a wedding, and I am happy you're letting me in on your plans, considering."

Hours later, Becca and Hunter said goodbye to Beverly and Shara, after finally making great progress on their wedding plans. Hunter snaked his arms around Becca's waist and held her close. "We're a few months away from being Mr. and Mrs," he whispered before kissing her. "Every time we get a chance to make wedding plans, it makes it more real. I get to marry you. Whatever life throws at me, I know it's all going to work in the end, because here you are, looking at me with love. It'll never get old. Never. I vow to make the best of our lives. That gives me an idea."

Becca giggled, especially when he inched his face close to hers and tickled her smooth skin with his prickly stubble. "What's your idea?"

"Writing our own vows. What do you think?"

She was terrible with words sometimes, but the idea of listening to Hunter's own vows to her on their wedding day sounded perfect. He always had a way of saying the right things. "I love the idea. Let's do it."

Hunter's smile melted her heart. "I have one more thing for you. I was going to save this for a Christmas present, but I'll find something else to give you."

"Hunter..." There he went again, spoiling her just because.

"Come on. Let me get them." He suggested she sit as he ran upstairs.

Becca waited with anticipation for his return. When he came back down a few minutes later, Becca studied him. He had one hand behind his back. What in the world? Without a word, Hunter handed her an envelope. His eyes sparkled.

"Open it," he urged, sitting beside her.

Becca let out a small laugh. "I'm never going to get used to this. You just giving me things for no reason."

"There's always a reason. I love you." Hunter gently nudged her.

Tearing open the envelope, Becca pulled out two rectangular items. Tickets? A concert maybe? Then she gasped. "You-" She stared down at them, then back at Hunter's face.

"You and I have a trip this summer. Well, I left them open ended, but I was thinking about the summer."

Hawaii. He'd bought tickets for them to fly there. Becca thought back to a few months ago when she mentioned she'd love to swim with the dolphins. And here today, he did this.

"I love it. I'd love to go in the summer," she whispered, setting the tickets down on the table before she threw her arms around him. "Thank you!"

Hunter hugged her back. "You're welcome, but no need to thank me, angel. I do have a question though, speaking of summer. With what happened last year and everything since ... we need to think about our annual trip to Mount Desert Island. It's months away, I know, but it's been on my mind for a few weeks."

Becca sat back, startled by Hunter's question. She hadn't thought about it, to be honest. They went there every year to honor memories. This last year changed so much for them.

"You don't have to answer now, but it's something to think about. You said last year was your last time, but I don't know if it was because I didn't show before."

Becca never got to reply. Hunter's phone rang, and he answered. "Oh, hey Jesse. You did?"

She listened to Hunter's portion of the conversation, trying to make heads or tails of what they were discussing.

"We can do it sooner than that. I understand. No, don't worry about the cost. We'll take care of it. We want to know just as much. I can ask my friend if he'd fly us down there. Hell, I'll go Saturday morning and come back Sunday evening, but let me check with him and Becca. You know what? You're welcome to come over here tonight. We'll talk more about it." Hunter rattled off their address. "Sure, bring them. Might be a good idea. Okay, see you soon."

Becca's stomach flip flopped as Hunter hung up the phone. "What's going on?"

Hunter took her hands in his. "Good and bad news. Good news is Jesse can get us the sample we need to do the test, but he prefers to be there."

"What's the bad news?"

"It's in Maryland, of course, and he thought if we were able to get the results that day, he would introduce you to your- his ... you know what I mean. He doesn't want to introduce you to her until they know for sure."

She sighed. "Maryland."

"I know. It brings back memories."

"Yeah, it does, but I can't avoid them forever. I'm supposed to talk through this, remember? This weekend? Are you serious?" Becca squeaked. Her pulse quickened.

"I can see if Jed will go out there and get the sample with Jesse. Or I could go, or both. We wouldn't have results for a few days. If we get the samples this weekend, then maybe by next week, we'll know."