Page 4 of Staging Love
"Of course," Jade said. "It's just funny to see it all spelled out so... clinically. Like we're negotiating a business merger instead of pretending to be in love."
"Well, in a way, we are negotiating a merger of sorts. A temporary joining of our lives for mutual benefit."
Jade laughed. "When you put it that way, Ms. Parkes, how could a girl resist? Pecks on the cheek and all."
"Excellent," Camilla said dryly. "No swooning required. Just a little bit of convincing affection. As you can see you’ll be generously compensated for your time and discretion. There’s an NDA attached to the contract. Speaking of which, you're welcome to let your family know where you'llbe if that makes you feel safer. But it's crucial that no one else knows our relationship isn't real. Can you agree to that?"
Jade was quiet for a moment, still looking at the contract. "I looked you up, you know. After you gave me your card."
“That was to be expected. What did you find?”
"You are who you say you are," Jade continued. "Camilla Parkes, Marketing Director of Cupid's Gifts. Your company's been featured in Forbes for your innovative approach to romantic gifting. You graduated summa cum laude from Stanford Business School. You're on the board of several charities. And according to your Instagram, you have a weakness for French pastries and designer shoes."
Camilla took the Scotch the waitress put in front of her and sniffed it before she took a sip. "You've done your homework."
Jade shrugged. "I wanted to make sure I wasn't walking into something... unsavory."
"And your conclusion?"
"It seems safe, so I'll do it."
Camilla felt a wave of relief wash over her. "Fantastic," she said, unable to keep the smile off her face. "I promise, you won’t regret it. You might even have fun.”
As the server walked away, Jade leaned forward and took a sip of her own drink. "So, if I'm going to pretend to be your fiancée, I need to know more about you. The real you, not just what I can find online."
Camilla glanced at her watch, then back at Jade. "Do you have plans for the rest of the evening?"
Jade shook her head. "No, I'm free."
"Then let's start getting to know each other right now," Camilla said. "What do you want to know?"
Jade thought for a moment. "Let's start with the basics. Where did you grow up?"
"Here in LA," Camilla replied. "I currently live in Bel Air. My father started Cupid's Gifts when I was a child, and I grew up watching it become what it is today. Sadly, my father passed away of a heart attack six months ago."
“I’m sorry,” Jade said. And your mother?"
Camilla's expression tightened slightly. "She passed away seven years ago. Cancer."
"Fuck.." Jade winced. “Were you close to them?”
“I was. Closer to my mother probably. My father and I had more of a business type relationship since we worked together, but I admired him,” Camilla said. "What about you? You mentioned Ohio earlier?"
"Yeah, small town. Not much to do there except dream of getting out. I came to LA right after high school, stars in my eyes, ready to be the next big thing." Jade let out a self-deprecating laugh. "Seven years later, and I'm still waiting tables and making coffee between auditions and badly paid theater gigs. I’m not complaining about the theater part, though. I love being on stage."
Camilla nodded. Growing up in LA she’d met many aspiring actresses and Jade was no different to them. She was beautiful, possibly talented, but with so much competition, it was a game of chance. "What made you want to be an actress?"
"I've always loved storytelling and acting. The way you can step into someone else's life, even if just for a little while. I did theater all through school, and it just... it felt right. Like I'd found my place in the world."
"And now? Do you still feel that way?" Camilla asked.
"Most days. But it's hard. The constant rejection, the struggle to pay rent..."
"Is that why you agreed to this arrangement?"
Jade nodded. "Partly. The money will definitely help. But also... I don't know, it seemed like an interesting challenge and let’s face it; it makes for a good story, right?"
As the evening wore on, they continued to talk, sharing stories from their pasts and details about their lives. Camilla learned that Jade had a younger sister back in Ohio, that she was allergic to cats but loved dogs, and that she could quote entire episodes of Friends from memory.
