Dark Masterpiece (Serendipity Series 3) (31 page)

Traevyn sighed as he saw Evie. Seth looked up
at him and gave him an understanding smile. “Traevyn,” he said, “I
can honestly say it has been a pleasure.”

Traevyn looked down at Seth, his heart
warming at the boy’s words. “Seth Austin,” he said, “I owe you more
than I could ever express.”

A knowing look passed between them and Seth
smirked, nodding a little. “You’re a good man, Traevyn,” he said,
embracing the older man.

Traevyn smiled and returned the embrace. “I’m
very happy I got the chance to know you,” he said.

Seth frowned and pulled away. “Come on, don’t
act like you’ll never see me again. We’re going to be a family,
after all.” He winked and flashed a mischievous grin.

Traevyn chuckled and followed Seth toward
the car, toward Evie. She went into his arms without hesitation,
hiding her face against his chest and wrapping her arms fiercely
around his waist. He twisted his lips into a sad smile and sighed.
He could tell she was crying. He touched her hair. “Walk with me
for a moment?” he queried.

She nodded and he led her down the path she
had used many mornings. He kept his arm around her as they walked,
kept her close to his body. His heart felt like it was ripping in
half, but he knew he needed to be strong for her. She had done so
much for him. The least he could do was let her go off to her last
year of school without making her feel guilty for his being
sad.

He stopped once they were far enough away to
feel isolated under a large eucalyptus tree. The fog swirled around
them and he turned her to face him. “Evie,” he murmured, “I don’t
want you to be sad.”

She snorted and looked up at him like he had
just lost his mind.

He tucked her hair behind her ear. “For
thirty years I have waited for you. I can handle one more
year.”

She looked down and shook
her head. “I don’t know if
I
can.”

“You can,” he assured her. “I will come and
see you on winter break.”

“And you’ll call?”

He smiled. She sounded so small and sad. His
heart twisted. “Every day,” he whispered. “Darling, I have
something for you.” He had been holding the leather journal with
the Celtic knot on it and he opened it. “I wrote you
something.”

She looked up at him, waiting, her heart
aching in her chest. She felt like she had found paradise only to
have it ripped from her. She couldn’t bear it.

“
Wandering fields, following wisps
,”
Traevyn began,

“
Of faces once remembered.

Holding on to that which

I no longer see.

It has such a hold on me.

Internal grip, cold,

Woven eternal,

My heart, scarred,

Thick with callous

Yet still, it bleeds,

Pieces missing, scattered.

Somewhere in the wake of my

Unlettered existence

You found me, lost in myself,

Showed me designs of a better person,

Soothed the pains of my damaged past.

Reluctant, hesitant, unbelieving in the

Perfection of you, I gathered myself.

Slowly, you tug at the roots

That bind my heart in the past,

Cauterize the pain that I may feel it no
more.

Patiently, you wait for me.

I love you with an appreciation

I find hard to express.

I may be doubled over in pain,

As you excise my demons,

But these wounds heal.

The pain excruciating, but temporary.

You dress the wounds with your tears of
joy,

Your smile covers over the

Discomfort and your kiss dulls the pain.

I live because of you.

I love because you do.

Within you, I find all the pieces

That have been lost to me.

Together we put them back in place.

Together, I become a part of you,

As you do me.

One heart, two souls,

One love.”

He finished and looked at her, his eyes
filled with emotion that he couldn’t hide. Tears were streaking
down her cheeks and he reached gentle fingers out to wipe them.

Evie shook her head. “I changed my mind. I
don’t need a bachelor’s degree. Or, wait,” her eyes brightened,
“I’ll just transfer! Cal Poly’s in San Luis Obispo!”

He arched an eyebrow. “You planning to
commute six hours a day? That’s more trouble than it’s worth.
Besides, you already registered for this semester.”

She frowned. “It would be worth it if I
could stay with you,” she murmured. She felt stupid for acting so
needy, but she was terrified that if she left he would find someone
better than her. She hated herself for her insecurity, but she’d
never felt beautiful and had never been able to attract the
attention of any man she’d liked. The men she’d liked in the past
had been normal guys. Traevyn was extraordinary. She had a hard
time believing that a bunch of normal guys had looked over her, but
the most amazing man ever created wanted her.

“Have some faith in me, Evie,” he said,
bringing his mouth close to her ear. “There is no one but you.”

Her eyes widened. Geez, was she that
transparent? She sighed in defeat and leaned her forehead against
his shoulder. She closed her eyes as his arms came around her,
enveloping her in warmth.

“I want you to take this
journal,” he said. “I made it for you. There is one poem or song
for every week you are away from me. Read one every Monday; start
your week off with love from me.” He pulled back and arched an
eyebrow. “Do
not
cheat and read ahead.”

She smiled at him.

He held the book just out of her reach. “I
want your word on that. I’ll know if you cheat.”

She put her hands on her hips. “How will you
know?” she challenged.

“Because I can read your thoughts.” He
grinned and slipped his arm around her waist.

“Oh yeah?”

He nodded and brought his lips to hover over
hers, close enough to taunt her with his breath. “For instance, you
desperately want to kiss me right now,” he whispered. He slowly ran
his tongue along her bottom lip, causing her to draw in a shaky
breath. He smirked. “Don’t you?”

She grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled
him to her, fastening her lips to his. His arms went around her,
pulling her up against his body and she went plaint in his embrace.
He kissed her until she was dizzy, until her senses were filled
with only him.

“Traevyn,” she gasped in between kisses,
“I’m beginning to rethink this whole making love to you thing.”

He pulled away with a curious frown. “You
mean right here in broad daylight against a tree with your brother
up the road?”

She laughed at the picture he painted. “Not a
good place for firsts?” she teased.

He wrinkled his nose and shook his head. He
stepped back, handing her the journal. “Take this,” he said. “Don’t
cheat.”

She grinned.

“I will be with you every day. I will call
you every night.” He stepped close to her again in the sensual way
that made her heart race. “And every dream you have will be haunted
by me.” He kissed her again, slowly, languidly, as if trying to
memorize the feel and taste of her. “Know I love you. Believe I
love you. We will be together again soon.”

She nodded and clutched the journal close to
her heart.

Traevyn smiled softly and put his arm around
her shoulders. “Come on, angel,” he murmured. “You need to go.”

She sighed and followed him back up to the
car, dragging her feet the entire way.

Seth was waiting patiently. He approached
Evie with an understanding smile. “Hey Sis, let me drive okay?”

Evie nodded and handed him the car keys,
knowing she would be in no condition to drive once they pulled
away.

Seth took the keys and got in the car, giving
Traevyn and Evie as much privacy as he could.

Traevyn kissed Evie one more time, then broke
away, his emotion apparent as he drew in a shaky breath. “Get in
the car, Evie,” he whispered. “Just go before I make you stay. This
is killing me slowly.”

She looked up into his mesmerizing green
eyes and whispered, “I love you.”

He took her face in his hands and stared
intently into her eyes as if trying to drive home his point. “And I
love you. Please call me when you get home. Let me know you’re
safe.”

“I will.”

He pulled her to him, gave her a quick kiss,
then turned away. “Go,” he rasped.

Evie bit her bottom lip and forced herself
to get in the car. She hated the way the door slammed with a note
of finality. She hated the way the engine started and, most of all,
she hated watching Traevyn as he stood in the doorway, watching as
they drove away, the wind tugging at his hair. Alone and stoic, the
way she had found him…

She burst into tears and sobbed like a baby
all the way back to the main road. She felt ridiculous, but she
didn’t care. Her heart hurt. That was the only thing she knew for
sure. Her heart hurt so badly she thought she would die.

Seth reached out and began to rub Evie’s neck
gently. “Evie, you need to breathe,” he said. “You’re going to make
yourself sick.”

She glanced over at him, briefly wondering
who he was and what he had done with her brother. What pod person
had replaced Seth Austin over the summer?

“Traevyn loves you,” he continued. “You guys
will be fine. December’s not that far away.”

“But we just left him there all alone!” she
cried. “And what if—”

“What if what?” he interrupted. “Don’t be
stupid, Evie. He loves you. He’ll be fine. Traevyn was a lot worse
off before you found him and he managed to survive. I’m sure he’ll
survive now, and I really don’t think he’s the shopping around type
of guy.” He gave her a pointed look. “He barely had contact with
the outside world for three years. You think he’s going to go out
and find a girl because he’s lonely? You, of all people, know him
better than that.”

She sniffed. “I know. It’s just…” She
sighed. “I’m just sad, Seth. I guess I’m trying to find reasons to
justify it, but I’m just sad.”

He smiled a little. “Then be sad. You’re
leaving the man you love. You don’t need a reason. That’s reason
enough. Here.” He turned the radio to a soft rock station. “We’ll
even listen to sappy love songs so you can wallow properly.”

She laughed, then sighed and leaned over to
rest her head on Seth’s shoulder. Right about then, he felt like a
pretty good support beam, much to her amazement.

His smile broadened. “Thanks, Evie,” he
said.

“For what?”

“For the best summer of my life.”

* * * *

Evie was not in the mood to go to class, as
was evident by her appearance. She was in a pair of plaid pajama
pants and a black tank top, and she’d shoved a black beanie on over
her pigtails. She’d somehow managed to force her way through
Sociology and Italian and now she was on her way to Advanced Art.
She gave a dismal sigh, moping all the way down the hall.

The first day of a new
semester was always the worst. It was the day reality hit with
blinding force and she realized that summer really was over. The
only good part of her day had been the song of the week she’d read
that morning in Traevyn’s journal. It had been
Kiss From a Rose
by Seal and the
words had warmed her heart. For a moment, it had almost been as
good as having him there with her.

With a yawn, Evie trudged into class and
flopped into a seat. Her book bag was already near to bursting with
all the junk her professors had given her. Syllabuses and supply
lists. All of the stuff she hated. Man, graduation couldn’t come
fast enough to suit her.

People filed in and soon Professor Roth
entered, looking way too perky for the first Monday of the
semester.

“Hello everyone!” he greeted. “It’s good to
see you all again! Hopefully your summers went well.”

Evie sighed again, this one even more dismal
than the first.

“I have something exciting to share with you
all,” he said. “Over the summer Evie got to be an apprentice for
Traevyn Whitelaw at his home in Big Sur.”

Evie arched an eyebrow as everyone seemed to
stare at her. Great. She smiled tremulously.

“No way!” someone shouted.

“What’s he like?” someone else asked.

“Hold on, hold on,” Professor Roth
interrupted with a chuckle. “We’ll get there. As I was saying, Evie
was able to spend her summer with Mr. Whitelaw and he has sent a
letter for me to read to the class, along with a painting he’d like
for me to display.”

Dread started to work its way through her.
Something about all of this did not feel good to her.

“‘To all art students,’” Professor Roth
began after unfolding a piece of paper. “‘I am writing this so that
you may know that you have genius among you. I recently had the
great pleasure of taking Miss Evelina Austin as my apprentice. Not
only is she a brilliant artist, but she is a great inspiration, as
I am sure many of you may already know. Her work is fresh and raw,
portraying human emotion and depth excellently. I am honored to
have had the opportunity to work with her and I know she will go
very far. I say this without bias and speak only from a
professional standpoint.’” Professor Roth paused for a moment to
shoot a proud grin Evie’s direction. “‘I have sent this painting
because my life has been changed by Miss Austin’s radiant light and
I wish to show you what she has inspired. She is truly an
extraordinary person and a unique talent.

‘Please, if you would, take
down that hideous monstrosity in the foyer and replace it with this
painting. I don’t care how famous
Innerworkings of a Creative Soul
is.
None of you really have a clue what it’s about and it is outdated.
Replace it with this painting, for it is a much more current
reflection of me. Sincerely, Traevyn Whitelaw.’”