Free Dark Masterpiece (Serendipity Series 3) by Brieanna Robertson Page A

finished.”
    She blinked in bewilderment. “A—All right.”
Her? Finish his own work? How could she even hope to create
anything that would complement his extraordinary talent? She was an
amateur and he was a master.
    He leaned back on his elbows with a sigh;
Evie looked away from the drawing and over at him. “Are you happy
you came with us? Or are you just humoring me?”
    He met her eyes and his lips turned up into
a small smile. “I am glad I came. It’s very nice out here.
Peaceful. The ocean brings such peace to me.” He turned his gaze
back to the setting sun. “Evie, thank you for inviting me… And
changing your plans to make me comfortable. It was very thoughtful
of you.” His dark brows drew together. “May I ask you a
question?”
    She pulled her knees up to her chest and
rested her chin on them. “Go ahead.”
    “Why do you pursue me the way you do?”
    She frowned. “Pursue you?”
    He nodded. “I was anything but polite to you
on your arrival and have been nothing short of a complete ogre. Why
do you still seek to include me? To talk to me? To give me your
kindness?”
    Evie blinked. “Well, because, Traevyn…” She
shrugged helplessly. “I’m living in your home. It’s not in my
nature to be rude even if it’s in yours.” She gave him a teasing
smile, then sobered and shook her head. “You really are my favorite
artist. I’ve always been drawn to your work. When Professor Roth
told me about the opportunity to be your apprentice, I was excited
to think I’d finally get to see what the man behind the art was
like. I’m coming to realize that you are just as intriguing and
complex as your work. So, I guess you could say I’m drawn to you as
well.”
    He sat up and met her eyes again with a kind
of befuddled wonder.
    Evie blushed and looked down. “Sorry, that
kind of sounded like I was hitting on you. I wasn’t.” She tucked
her hair behind her ears in her telltale nervous gesture.
    He smiled at her obvious embarrassment.
“You’re drawn to my work, you say?”
    She nodded. “I always have
been. The first time I saw your work was when I went to the Museum
of Modern Art in New York. My senior art class went there for this
end of the year trip in high school. I saw your painting Escape Into Fantasy and
I thought it was the most beautiful thing I had ever
seen.”
    Traevyn swallowed painfully. That painting
had been of his wife. Her golden hair had taken up most of the
canvas like an aura, and her deep blue eyes had been beckoning,
inviting. That seemed like a lifetime ago…
    “I bought a bunch of your postcards in the
gift shop,” Evie continued with a giggle. “After that point I kept
up constantly with your work. I have all of your prints and your
art books.”
    He smiled wryly. “I spawned a fan off of
that one painting?”
    “Well, not just that one.
It was Innerworkings of a Creative
Soul that really got me hooked. It was
such a contrast to the other painting. A lot of your early work had
so much vibrance and color, where the work you’ve done within the
past three years is so much darker. I admire your
diversity.”
    He shrugged and a lump formed in his throat.
“It’s not talent. I paint what I feel. Simple as that. My life
changed, therefore, my work changed.”
    She seemed to notice the bitterness his voice
carried. “Does it really bother you that I try to be your friend?
If it does, I’ll leave you alone. I just…” She worried her bottom
lip with her teeth and shrugged.
    He sighed. Sometimes he really wondered what
was going on inside the woman’s head. He thought of her
interpretation of his painting. She was so astute. So astute it was
frightening. At times he swore she could read him like an open book
and he prided himself on being able to remain aloof and stoic. He
didn’t exactly know how to handle her unique ability. It made him
uncomfortable and piqued his curiosity all at the same time.
    “No Evie, it doesn’t bother me,” he
murmured. “Do not