Page 5 of Staging Love
In turn, Camilla found herself opening up more than she had in years. She told Jade about the pressure of growing up in her father's shadow, about her dreams for the future of Cupid's Gifts, and even about her disastrous attempt at learning to ice-skate last winter.
As last call was announced, she realized with a start that hours had passed.
"I guess we’ll have to call it a night," she said, handing her credit card to the waitress before turning back to Jade. “I'll email you some information about the resort and my family. I’ll also send you a storyline for how we met and fell in love."
“Are you sure you don’t want to leave our backstory to me?” Jade grinned. "After all, I am the actress here - and something tells me your version might be a bit too... corporate."
“Hmm…” Camilla shot her an amused smile. “Okay, why not? Let’s see what you come up with.” She took her copy of the signed contracts and put it in her purse. “Thank you, Jade. It’s a pleasure doing business with you.”
Camilla knew she’d be able to sleep tonight. She’d found a fiancée, the contract was signed, and in just five weeks, she and Jade would be heading to Aspento pull off the performance of a lifetime. Looking at Jade across the table, she felt confident that she'd made the right choice.
Chapter Four
As the black town car pulled up to the private airfield, Camilla glanced over at Jade, who was practically pressing her nose against the window. The early morning sun glinted off the polished exterior of the Gulfstream G650, casting a golden glow across the tarmac.
Jade gasped. "Is that it?"
Camilla arched a brow at her. "I take it from your reaction you've never been on a private jet before?"
"Of course I haven't. I grew up on a farm in Ohio. This is... wow."
Camilla placed a hand on her arm. "You can gawk all you want now, but when we arrive in Aspen, you'll need to act unimpressed. Remember, we're supposed to be in a relationship. My family won't believe we’re engaged if you're starstruck by all of this."
Jade nodded, taking a deep breath to compose herself. "Right, got it. Unimpressed. I can do that."
They approached the jet, where a smartly dressedflight attendant greeted them with a warm smile. "Good morning, Ms. Parkes. Welcome aboard."
“Good morning, Amanda.” Camilla smiled, guiding Jade up the stairs. As they entered the cabin, Jade's breath caught audibly. The interior was a vision of luxury, with cream leather seats, polished wood accents, plush carpeting, and soft lighting created an inviting atmosphere. The spacious cabin held four sets of facing chairs with a table in between, and in the back was a daybed with a large TV.
"Please, make yourselves comfortable," the flight attendant said, gesturing to the seats. "We'll be taking off shortly. Can I offer you anything to drink before we depart?"
"We'll have coffee and a glass of Champagne, thank you. And a light breakfast once we're in the air." Camilla turned to Jade. “Is that okay with you?”
“Uhmm… yeah, of course. This is incredible. I feel like I'm in a movie."
"Well, you are an actress. Consider this your first scene." Camilla took a moment to appreciate Jade's appearance. Her assistant had done an excellent job selecting a wardrobe that perfectly balanced Aspen chic with LA lifestyle. Jade wore a cream-colored cashmere sweater, paired with tailored dark wash jeans. Over this, she had on a camel-colored wool coat with leather trim, and leather ankle boots with a modest heel, perfect for navigating both city streets and mountain resort pathways. "You look nice, by the way," she said. "The clothes suit you. You can keep them, of course."
Jade's eyes widened in surprise. "Really? But they’re almost worth more than you're paying me for the week."
"It's a necessity. Not that there was anything wrong with your style before," Camilla added quickly. "In fact, I quiteliked it. But for this week, you need to look like you can afford to be with me."
“You look pretty great too, and that’s a nice sparkle I bought you,” Jade joked, her eyes lowering to the engagement ring on Camilla’s hand.
“Yeah…” Camilla laughed as she outstretched her manicured hand. “This pretend engagement turned out to be quite costly, but I can always sell it.”
The flight attendant reappeared, this time pushing a cart with two cappuccinos and a bottle of champagne nestled in ice.
"I don't usually indulge in champagne with my breakfast," Camilla said as she took one of the flutes the attendant poured them, "but I thought it might help loosen you up a bit."
Jade accepted the glass with a sheepish smile. "You're right. I'm just not used to... all of this," she gestured vaguely around the cabin. "The wealth, the luxury. It's a little overwhelming. But I promise I'll pull myself together before we get to your family's estate in Aspen."
Camilla nodded, taking a sip of her champagne. "I appreciate that. And I understand it's a lot to take in. Just remember, for the next week, this is your life too. You need to act like it's normal."
"I will," Jade assured her, sipping her champagne. "So, tell me more about your family. You mentioned your uncle owns a chocolate brand?"
"That's right. Uncle Robert's chocolates are sold in high-end department stores and airports across the world. And my aunt Vivian - my father and uncle's sister - is the founder of Vivian's Glow, a successful cosmetics brand."
Jade whistled through her teeth. "Very impressive. You come from quite the entrepreneurial family."
