Eternal Affections: A Bonus Cornerstone Holiday Novella: Cornerstone, #3

By Rene Folsom

What's a girl to do when she goes from being a pebble in an abusive man's shoes and transforms into a confident woman cherished by two of the most handsome men alive?

She marries the Stone brothers.

Both of them.

Juliana Petersen thinks her trials are finally ending as she begins a new chapter in her life and marries Aiden and Coda Stone. After the wedding of her dreams, she trips over her cloud nine and stumbles through life with one hiccup after another along the way. It comes as no surprise that the Stone brothers will ensure their Angel is cared for, no matter the cost.

This novella is a story full of happily-ever-afters and the tears to go with each and every bump in the road.

*****

IMPORTANT: This book does not stand alone and needs to be read after the first two novels in The Cornerstone Series, starting with the first novel, Shuttered Affections.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rene Folsom
• Release date: Dec 22, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393188544

Book preview

Chapter 1

Julia

I didn’t enter into this decision lightly, nor would the three of us live happily ever after every single moment of our lives.

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What’s a girl to do when she goes from being a pebble in an abusive man’s shoes and transforms into a confident woman cherished by two of the most handsome men alive?

She marries the Stone brothers.

Both of them.

Ididn’t enter into this decision lightly, nor would the three of us live happily ever after every single moment of our lives. But as I walked down the aisle alone, I was confident I’d never feel lonely again with Aiden and Coda by my side. Collectively, they pulled me from beneath my own shattered soul and gently put me back together, making me feel more loved than I had my entire existence.

To say the weeks leading up to the wedding were serene and rather uneventful would be a boldfaced lie. I was surprised more people didn’t elope with all the stress and drama that came with joining two families.

Hell, if it weren’t for Sid, Tanya, Bri, and the rest of the people I held dear, I would’ve jumped on a flight with two Stone brothers in tow and said ‘I DO’ in Vegas. But I wouldn’t do that to them, or to Aiden and Coda, no matter how stressful things got.

About two weeks before Christmas, and also two weeks before our wedding, I was walking from the photography labs in Cornerstone Studios—my Cornerstone Studios—and couldn’t help but recall the day the Stone men proposed in this very room. Well, technically only Coda proposed, but I was about to be married to the two men who saved my life.

The looks on their faces the day I said yes had me grinning from ear to ear at the memory. Still, I couldn’t help but wonder how our lives would get any better than they are now. I had everything I ever wanted, and then some—two men who loved me and my very own art studio. Not a day went by I didn’t thank God for my blessings in life.

I stood there, my eyes passing over the artwork on the walls before landing on the pedestal, the small angel figurine lit directly by the track lights above. The other artwork might come and go as studio members make more to feature, but my precious angel would forever stay in that spot to remind me of my amazing men.

Of course, I also had the perfect diamond on my hand to remind me of how good they were to me. The track lighting in the gallery made the piece of jewelry sparkle like new, even though it’s been over a year and a half since Coda placed it on my finger.

I didn’t even jump when Aiden’s arms snaked around my midsection, his breath touching my neck before he spoke. You’re absolutely gorgeous with that rock shining in your face, he whispered.

Smiling, I turned in his arms and placed a soft kiss on his lips. That’s because it’s a beautiful rock.

It’s only beautiful because it’s on you.

And for what it represents, I added.

Definitely, he affirmed and kissed me again. I honestly could never get enough of his lips.

Just you? I asked, glancing beyond his shoulder. I thought Coda was going to lunch with us.

Aiden nodded. He said he’d have to meet us at the café. He’s running a little behind.

Okay. At least he’s not skipping lunch again. That brief he’s working on has been hell on his stomach.

A laugh exploded from Aiden’s lips as he grabbed my hand in his and tugged. Don’t you worry about the bottomless pit that is Coda. He always finds a way to shove something in his pie hole at one point or another. The cleaning lady at the firm gives him hell every time she has to clean up the crumbs off his desk and out of his keyboard.

I looked over my shoulder to Maddy who was sitting behind the front desk. We’ll be back in about an hour and I’ll take over, Mad.

No rush, she said with a wave. She helped me man the place during the day in the off chance there were any new membership signups or someone had an issue. The studio was a twenty-four-hour come and go kind of place with keypad codes for each individual member, but we still liked to be around during the day, just in case we were needed.

Coda pulled up to the café at the same exact time Aiden whipped his Miata into the parking lot. He hopped down from his Jeep and immediately opened the car door for me, earning a large grin and a heated kiss from yours truly.

Mmmm, he moaned against my lips. I missed you.

Ditto.

The three of us were seated at a table smack dab in the middle of the café, and I idly wondered if Aiden would ask for us to be relocated. He enjoyed his privacy, but he also told me on the way that the three of us needed to talk out some plans for the wedding that seemed to be steamrolling its way through our lives faster than we’d imagined.

He didn’t say a peep though, instead pulling my chair out for me and let me sit. As soon as our waitress took our drink orders and left, I spoke up.

Okay, gentlemen. Since this seems more like a business meeting than lunch with my fiancés, I’d like to ask a question.

Coda chuckled and looked to Aiden, nodding.

Ask anything, Angel, Aiden prompted.

What’s up? My question was simple. Something had to be up with the way these two were acting, and I