Shuttered Affections (Cornerstone #1)

by Folsom, Rene

  “Uh, I really don’t know,” I said as I shook my head and grimaced. “Honestly? I completely clam up around him. I’m usually so much stronger and push people away with my sarcastic humor. But, just his presence makes my heart flutter like a hummingbird’s wings. And, I think he senses my reaction to him, because it seems like he tries to get a rise out of me. I’m not sure whether to be nervous or elated.”

  “Well, this is exciting! He’s only, like, twenty-seven or twenty-eight… not much older than you. And he’s very cute. He seems to have shown an interest in you, that’s for sure,” she brusquely stated as she flashed a brief smile.

  “But, he’s my damn teacher, Mad! Not only will he get in some serious trouble, but what will people think?” I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest. “I take great pride in my work and my grades. The last thing I need is people thinking I’m earning my grades by sleeping with the professor.”

  “Of course, you can’t make your interests public, Jules. You’re going to have to stay quiet about it all. I think he’ll be smart enough to know that…” she trailed off and paused for a moment before continuing. “Of course, his attraction was pretty damn obvious yesterday.”

  “Oh. My. God. Was it really that obvious? Could you tell how he flustered me? Was I that transparent?” My questions rattled out of my mouth with a nervous fervor. I hoped my attraction wasn’t common knowledge amongst everyone. I’d never live it down.

  “No, you actually played it really cool. I was proud of you. Worried though, because I knew you had to stay behind. I almost didn’t want to leave you there, but I had a live model in my drawing class and couldn’t miss it.”

  “Oh, so that’s why you asked me if I was okay? Well, you don’t have to worry about me. He is actually pretty aggressive when it comes to words, but was nothing but a gentleman even though we were alone for over an hour,” I reassured her. We sat in silence for a few moments. I wondered what she was thinking and tried to come up with a way to change the subject.

  “Ooh! You would not believe what he came up with for my spring project!” I exclaimed as I completely turned toward her in my seat. “He spent a good twenty minutes rearranging all of my prints around until he managed to situate nine prints together to make an astonishing-looking abstract collection. I have a few more prints I want to play around with to possibly make it a twelve piece. But, it is truly amazing how he had an eye for the details.”

  “I had a feeling he would be a really good teacher. No one can replace Mr. Barnes, but I was sincerely hoping this new guy would be a decent substitution at least,” Maddy said with a small smile on her face.

  I decided I needed to talk to someone about him. So, I braved up and began to spill. “So, if you promise not to tell anyone, would you like to know more about him? About… us?” I asked with one eyebrow cocked and a sly smile on my face.

  “Of course! Tell me all the juicy details please, and don’t leave anything out!”

  “Okay, well…” I hesitated, unsure of where to start. “He calls me ‘Angel’ and he emailed me last night to find out what my usual lab schedule is. He also wants to take me to a certain property not too far from here, possibly this weekend. He said since I enjoy infrared photography, it would be a great place for me to poke around. And, he likes to get close. Unnervingly close. Not in a bad way. He doesn’t make me nervous like I’m worried I’m in danger. He makes me feel nervous, like… first-kiss-nervous. Oh, and he said he wants me to call him Aiden when we’re alone,” I added with a smile.

  “Well, I’ll-be-damned! The professor has a crush on Miss Petersen!” she said with a huge grin.

  “I think you have that the other way around, Maddy. I’ve been crushing on him since he stole my parking spot yesterday morning,” I mumbled, grinning wildly, while looking out the window at the beautiful day.

  “What? He stole parking?” she asked with confusion.

  “Oh, I left that part out,” I said as I chuckled lightly. “That’s why I was late for class yesterday morning. I was waiting for some chick to pull out of her spot and he just zipped in with his little bitty car and snaked it from me. I was so pissed. I rolled my window down and nearly fell out on my face as I yelled at him. But when he turned around and just shrugged and smiled at me, he took my breath away. Once he was gone and out of my sight, I was absolutely furious. But, I figured I would never see him again. Little did I know he would be the one standing in front of the class. He took me completely off guard.”

  “Well, if that ain’t romantic, I don’t know what is,” she said with a sarcastic lilt to her laugh. “Wait. Don’t teachers get special parking?”

  “That’s what I thought too. But he said the dumb-ass administrators forgot to assign him parking and he didn’t want to be late for his first class. I got over it,” I shrugged with a contrite look on my face.

  I looked at our surroundings again and noticed we were getting off the highway. Then I remembered Aiden’s recommendations.

  “I almost forgot. Aiden said the first building we come to on the main drag that has a cow on their sign has a beautiful butterfly garden out back we should check out.”

  She snorted. “Well, isn’t he resourceful?”

  Sure enough, only a minute later, we were pulling up in front of an old antique store with a small picture of a cow on a hand-carved sign hanging from the porch rafters.

  Just as I was about to get out of the car, my phone rang.

  “It’s my boss, Mad. Go on without me. I’ll catch up in a sec,” I explained with a wave of my hand.

  Lib called to ask me if I could fill in for her early today. As much as I wanted to work in the ceramics studio, I could really use the extra cash. So, I agreed I would go in at the same time as Sid instead.

  I hung up and quickly sent a text to Sid, letting her know of the schedule change so we could ride together.

  Sticking my phone in my back pocket and slinging my camera over my shoulder, I quickly made my way to the backside of the shop.

  I definitely wasn’t prepared for what was on the other side.

  Chapter 8

  “I didn’t blame them. I would’ve lived there if I could.”

  A rather large, lush landscape of various tropical trees and plants surrounded my friend.

  Maddy just stood there in awe, turning in circles as butterflies fluttered around her.

  There was a small creek that ran parallel to the back of the building with a cute, little wooden bridge to aid people in crossing over.

  To the far back left were what I assumed to be a man-made pond and waterfall, with koi and other various fish swimming freely. All kinds of wildlife, like birds, turtles, frogs, and more were just milling around like this was their home.

  I didn’t blame them. I would’ve lived there if I could.

  Maddy immediately began snapping photos of all the wildlife, which was what she enjoyed to do. Meanwhile, I just canvassed the area with my eyes, focusing on all the unique, yet simple, things that mingled with the plants.

  So many antiques were strategically placed around, acting as support for various plants and vines. In one area, there was even an old ford pickup truck. The bed served as a storage area for bags of potting soil and fertilizer, while the hood was gone and the engine block was filled with various plants, overgrowing the front end like it belonged as part of the earth.

  While Maddy haphazardly snapped photo after photo, I decided it might be best if we got permission to photograph the property first.

  I made my way back around to the front entrance and walked inside.

  A small bell chimed as I opened the door. The place smelled just like an antique shop should. Musty air mixed with various woods and lacquers filled my nostrils and almost made me sneeze. A little wiggle of my nose quickly relieved me of my discomfort as I walked in further to find the owner.

  “Welcome, dear. My name is Pat. What can I do for you?” A gray-haired, older lady asked politely as she dried her hands with a dishtowel.
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  “Good morning, Pat. My name is Julia,” I said as I held out my hand to offer her a polite handshake. “I actually came out here upon recommendation of my photography teacher to view your beautiful garden. I must say, it takes my breath away. I had no idea such paradise was hiding in this little town. I’ve always loved this area for its abundant nature, but your garden is by far the most amazing thing I’ve seen in these parts.”

  “Why thank you, dear. You’re a sweet one, aren’t you?” she said with a sincere smile as she shook my hand. “Who is your teacher, if I may ask?”

  “Oh, he is the new photography professor out at the community college. Mr. Aiden Stone,” I said, with his name coming out sounding more like a question than a statement.

  “Ahh, yes. Handsome little devil, he is,” she stated matter-of-factly with a crinkle in her eyes and a smile on her face. “I’m so glad he chose to share the knowledge of my lovely garden. My husband, Roy, and I just love to spend time out there and slowly made it our own throughout the years. We welcome any visitors who wish to enjoy it with us.”

  Wow. This was such a sweet, old lady. She made my heart melt with every word.

  “Thank you for being so welcoming, Pat. You and your husband truly have a gift for gardening,” I said as I gestured in the direction of the back door.

  “Thank you, dear. The trick is to nurture plants that are native to this area. With a little care, they will flourish on their own and invite many of their animal and insect friends along for the fun.” She spoke with such passion and delight—it almost made me envy her.

  “That sounds like excellent advice. I was wondering—would you mind if I took some photographs of your grounds while I’m here?” I asked, holding up my camera as if it were evidence. “Not only for my class, but now that I’ve seen how lovely this place is and all the beautiful antiques you offer as well, I would love to feature your shop and gardens on my blog.”

  “I don’t know much about technology dear, but you are more than welcome to take photos of whatever you like. I welcome anyone who wishes to share their joy of nature with me and I also welcome any exposure you see fit,” she said kindly.

  “Thank you! Oh, this place is such a treasure. I will be right back with my digital camera,” I said, almost ready to turn and bolt to the car.

  “But what is that you have hanging on you, dear?” she asked with confusion.

  “Oh, this is my black and white film camera for my fine art photography class. But I also have a digital photography class and would love to take some color photos as well. Some of the colorful beauty in the gardens should not be wasted on black and white,” I said with a smile.

  “You are so correct, my dear. Now run along! I’d love to see what you come up with,” she replied with both hands shooing me out the door.

  As I began to leave, I spotted a beautifully framed mirror that hung on a wall near the door. Its intricate metal frame looked like it could be brass and the mirror was in mint condition. I just stood there, staring at myself in awe. Not in awe at myself, but in awe of this beautiful, antique mirror.

  “You like it, dear?” I heard Pat’s question from behind me, making me jump slightly.

  “Oh, yes. It’s very beautiful, and in such good condition. How much is it?” I asked as I turned to face her.

  “That one there is definitely an original. It’s so unique. I haven’t been able to find another one like it. I had a couple in here several months ago wanting to redo their master bathroom. The wife fell in love with this beauty, but because they had two sinks, they also wanted two matching mirrors. I wasn’t able to sell it without a match, which is a pity because it is priced at $600.”

  My heart fell and my shoulders sagged. Damn. There was no way I could afford that.

  “Oh, that’s too bad they couldn’t buy it. It would be a perfect addition to a sink vanity,” I said, trying not to show my disappointment. I think I failed.

  “I can see that you love it, dear,” she said as she placed her hand on my shoulder. I could see her face through the mirror and feigned a polite smile. “I wish I could just give it to you to see your face light up like it did when you first saw it. But, alas, I paid over $300 for it myself and would need to make at least a 25% profit.”

  Now I felt bad. I didn’t want her to feel like she owed me anything. If anything, I owed her. “Please, don’t feel any obligation toward me. Being a college student, I know I cannot afford beautiful antiques such as these. I do love the mirror, but I never anticipated being able to own it anyway,” I said softly.

  “I would still love to take some photos and feature your place. Is that okay?”

  “Well, of course, my dear. By all means. Enjoy yourself. And tell your friend she can enjoy herself too,” Pat said with a wink. She must have noticed Maddy out back already. Then she turned and went into the back room she first appeared from.

  As I gathered my digital camera from the car and walked around back, Maddy nearly mauled me and exclaimed, “Where have you been? This place is absolutely breathtaking!”

  “I was just asking the owner if it was okay that we took photos. I didn’t want to overstep my boundaries,” I explained quickly.

  “Oh, shit, Julia. This place took me by such surprise, I totally forgot about asking,” she said as she wiped her brow with her fingers in frustration.

  “It’s okay, Maddy. The owner, Pat… she’s a really sweet, old lady. She said she loves and welcomes any visitors who share a love of nature with her. I also told her I would feature her shop and gardens on my blog.”

  “It’s a good thing you’re skilled with all that technical stuff, ‘cause God knows I’m not. I tell ya…” she trailed off, rolling her eyes.

  “I also grabbed my digital so I can take a few color shots for the blog,” I mentioned, while patting the digital camera at my side.

  As I began taking infrared shots of all the various antiques around the gardens, I also took digital shots and even a few from my phone so I could upload them to the web right away.

  Lastly, I took some digital photos of the front and inside. I couldn’t help myself and had to take a few infrared shots of the sun shining through the windowed door, the sun’s glow framing the mirror from the angle I was at.

  Maddy and I traveled around for another hour or so, taking various landscape photos. One in particular I was excited to see developed was one of her standing underneath an extremely large oak tree, right in the center of a huge field. With the infrared, I was confident it would come out good.

  After our morning ventures, we decided to eat lunch at a little café downtown.

  The quaint hole-in-the-wall café was famous for their coffee, but also offered deli sandwiches and desserts. In the dining area, they had various board games so people could sit and play with each other while they enjoyed their lattes and cheesecakes.

  Maddy dropped me back at my apartment shortly after one in the afternoon, which meant I had roughly two hours to get ready for work.

  I looked around the parking lot of our apartment building and frowned when I didn’t see Sid’s car anywhere.

  Chapter 9

  “You’re going to drive the guys wild tonight—you know that, right?”

  As I stepped into the apartment, I glanced at my phone and noticed Sid sent me a response to my text.

  Sorry, J- I am tied up with a hair appointment until right before work. I’m already in my uniform. I’m sorry. We’ll ride together next time.

  I was a bit bummed I wouldn’t have the chance to see or talk to my friend before work again today. I missed her. I knew she had a boyfriend and all, but I needed some serious girl time.

  Just as if something had hit me over the head, my eyes landed on the note from him and a creepy shiver rolled up my spine. Maybe I could quickly get ready for work and get there early so I wouldn’t be alone.

  Quit being a baby, Julia. Geez.

  Well, I figured should at least take precaution and bolted the door.


  After my shower, I made sure to curl my hair and let it dry naturally while I checked my emails.

  I wanted to load the photos of the garden on my blog, but worried I didn’t have enough time for that right now.

  Excitement coursed through my veins when I opened my mail app and saw his name.

  From: ajstone7484@yahoo.com

  To: juleskasey@gmail.com

  Date: Tuesday, March 13 at 10:35 AM

  Subject: A garden fit for an Angel

  Juliana –

  Pat called me and told me you stopped by. She seems to adore you, which is no surprise.

  Pat also said you took great interest in one of her antiques but she quickly realized you looked heartbroken over the price. She wouldn’t divulge what it was that fascinated you. I find her honorability with her customers to be very admirable, but that doesn’t mean my curiosity isn’t piqued.

  So, if I may ask, what do you have great interest in, Angel?

  I hope you and your friend enjoyed the butterfly garden. I’ll have to take you back there again, just to enjoy it together.

  Do you have plans tonight?

  Aiden

  I smiled and hit reply.

  From: juleskasey@gmail.com

  To: ajstone7484@yahoo.com

  Date: Tuesday, March 13 at 2:47 PM

  Subject: Re: A garden fit for an Angel

  Oh, Aiden. Pat is probably the sweetest woman I have ever met! She was so kind and thoughtful. I never expected to be welcomed so warmly when I approached her about photographing her place. I can’t thank you enough for suggesting her shop and gardens to us.

  As far as what interests me, Mr. Stone, I thought that was quite obvious. ;)

  But, I did see a beautiful, antique mirror, which I believe, if my art history has helped me any, is from the early 19th century and may be French. I did not inquire about the history of the mirror because I didn’t want to fall in love with it any more than I had. The price is more than fair, but just too much for me.