Free A Forever Masterpiece (The Masterpiece Trilogy Book 3) by Nikki Lynn Barrett Page A

touched the floor. Shoes with a small heel would keep her from tripping on the dress itself. Perfect. Totally perfect. The image staring back at her took her breath away.
    "Becca, it's beautiful. Simply stunning!" Rissi squealed.
    "Yes, I think this is the dress." Beverly circled her, studying the dress from all angles. "Do you like it?"
    "Hunter is going to lose it seeing you float down the aisle in this," Shara said.
    Becca turned again. It was a long dress, but something about it called to her. "I love it. I want this dress." When she reached for the price tag, Rissi jumped up and swatted her hand.
    "No looking!" Rissi scolded. "You don't need to see the price. Hunter said whatever you want."
    "But I don't want him to be surprised when he sees the bill," Becca protested.
    "He insisted whatever you wanted, and we're sticking with it," Rissi said firmly. "Come on. If this is it, don't let anything hold you back."
    "I feel like a fairy tale princess, minus the crown." Becca turned the other way, still amazed that the reflection in the mirror was only her.
    "I can fix that." Beverly promptly darted off, returning moments later with an elegant headpiece that resembled a small tiara. She gently set it perfectly in Becca's hair. "There. A beautiful princess."
    "Hunter is going to flip!" Shara squealed. "I can keep the dress at my place when you get it so he doesn't see."
    Thinking of how he found her painting this morning, Becca agreed. She should have moved it. It had been a quick thought the other day when she'd been working and heard footsteps. The painting had been forgotten about, which was what she'd wanted in the first place. Becca found it hard to part with her art, even with things she wasn't sure of, so hiding it seemed appropriate until she could decide if she ever wanted to show the piece.
    "This is the dress." Becca smoothed a ripple in it once more, loving the way the soft material felt on her skin. She'd tried on ten different dresses before this, and she knew in her heart this was what she'd wear to marry Hunter.
    "That's the one you're getting?" The saleswoman approached again. She'd been cautiously walking around them after Shara told her off earlier.
    Becca nodded. "It is." Now all she had to do was change back from her fairy tale image to her normal self. Rissi and Beverly helped her with the dress in the changing room while Shara took care of payment. As Hunter's assistant, she had permission to run Hunter's card. They'd all insisted, so that Becca wouldn't balk at the price. She would never get used to being pampered so much by Hunter. No matter what, she always had him. Brought together by heartache, they'd come out ahead in the long run.

Chapter Six
    "Have you considered resuming your role as a pilot?" Dr. Ryan asked Hunter at his next appointment. He'd planned on talking about Becca, but apparently the doctor had other ideas.
    Hunter snapped to full attention. "I haven't thought of it. That's kind of the last thing on my mind right now," he admitted.
    Dark eyes bore into his. "You've come a long way. Don't you want to get all aspects of your life back?"
    "Of course I do. I don't know if I'm ready to get behind the pilot's seat on a plane, though." Hunter's pulse quickened at the thought. No, he needed more time! "Besides, can I even fly any more? Doesn't my PTSD disqualify me?"
    "Not necessarily. Ask Todd, but I think as long as you have your symptoms under control and are taking your prescriptions, you can still fly." He flipped through a book. "So, go ahead and tell me about your trip to Maryland. Did you get what you needed from revisiting your childhood home?"
    Hunter sighed. Here went nothing. "Well, yes and no. I was amazed by the memories I unlocked in my mind just by walking around the house. I felt like I was there again without so much time passing. I even connected with my childhood best friend. How do I forget so much of my past like that?"
    "In extreme cases like yours, especially with all