Page 42 of Staging Love
Jade chuckled. "She didn't believe me at first. Said it sounded like something out of a movie. But then she could tell how happy I was, and... well, she wants to meet you. They both do. They're insisting we come to Ohio."
"Really? They want to meet me? Even after you told them I hired you as my fake fiancée?"
Jade nodded. "Yeah. Mom says she needs to meet the woman who's managed to sweep her daughter off her feet. Her words, not mine," she added with a laugh.
Camilla's heart swelled. The idea of meeting Jade's parents, of being welcomed into her world, filled her with a warmth she couldn't quite describe. "I'd love to meet them," she said softly. "And see where you grew up. There's still so much I don't know about you."
"Well," Jade said, her eyes twinkling, "I guess we'll justhave to change that, won't we?" She leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to Camilla's lips. "But first, dinner. The lasagna won't bake itself."
As Jade turned back to the oven, Camilla watched her once again, marveling at how hard she’d fallen for Jade.
"Hey," she said, a mischievous glint in her eye. "If you keep cooking like this, I might just have to keep you around."
"Oh really? And here I thought it was my stellar singing voice and charm that won you over," Jade shot back at her.
"Well, those certainly don't hurt. But a woman who can make lasagna like that? That's marriage material right there."
Jade laughed as she pointed a finger at her. "Careful, Parkes. A girl could get used to compliments like that." She leaned in, her lips inches from Camilla's. "Though I have to say, your kitchen has some very compelling arguments for sticking around." Just as Camilla tried to kiss her, she pulled back and handed her a knife and a chopping board. "Now, are you going to help me make a salad, or are you just going to stand there looking pretty?"
Chapter Thirty-One
Camilla gazed out the taxi window as they drove away from John Glenn Columbus International Airport, watching the urban landscape gradually give way to rolling countryside. She had never visited Ohio before, having no real reason or desire to venture to the Midwest. But now, with Jade by her side, she was captivated by the winter beauty unfolding before her.
Fields blanketed in snow stretched to the horizon, broken only by the occasional farmhouse or barn. Bare trees lined the roads, their branches etched in frost, creating delicate silhouettes against the pale January sky. As they drove further from the city, Camilla noticed how the land opened up, offering vast vistas.
"It's beautiful," she murmured, her breath fogging the window.
Jade squeezed her hand. "Wait until you see it in spring. The fields turn into a patchwork of green and gold."
Camilla turned to her girlfriend. There was a softness to her features, a quiet contentment. "Are you sure they're okay with me coming?" she asked for what felt like thehundredth time since they'd left Los Angeles. "After everything you told them..."
Jade's laugh was warm and reassuring. "Camilla, I promise you have nothing to worry about. My parents are thrilled to meet you. Yes, they were a bit shocked when I told them how we met, but they're also incredibly excited to meet you."
Camilla nodded, trying to quell the butterflies in her stomach. She was used to high-stakes business meetings and facing down tough negotiators, but somehow the prospect of meeting Jade's parents filled her with a unique kind of anxiety. These were the people who had raised the woman she was falling in love with, and their opinion mattered. Really mattered.
As they turned onto a narrower road, Jade pointed out landmarks from her childhood - the creek where she'd learned to fish, the old oak tree where she'd had her first kiss – from a boy, Camilla learned, the quaint general store that claimed to sell the best coffee in the county. Camilla listened intently, soaking in every detail, imagining a young Jade exploring these spaces.
The taxi slowed as they approached a long gravel driveway. At the end stood a charming two-story farmhouse, its white clapboard siding and wraparound porch picture-perfect against the snowy backdrop. A weathered red barn sat off to the side, and Camilla could make out the shapes of cows in a nearby field. As the car came to a stop, two figures emerged from the house. Jade's parents.
"Ready?" Jade asked.
"No," Camilla joked, but she kissed Jade on the cheek and got out. The cold hit her immediately, and she pulled her coat tighter around herself, grateful for the warm boots she’d packed.
"Jade! Oh, honey, you're home!" A woman who could only be Jade's mother rushed down the porch steps, arms outstretched. She enveloped Jade in a tight hug, and Camilla watched as her girlfriend melted into the embrace, looking for all the world like a little girl coming home after a long time away.
Jade's father followed at a more sedate pace, but his smile was just as warm. He was a tall man with kind eyes, his salt-and-pepper hair peeking out from under a worn baseball cap. When he reached them, he wrapped both Jade and her mother in a bear hug.
Camilla stood to the side, not wanting to intrude on the family reunion. She took the moment to study Jade's parents. Her mother was petite like Jade, with the same blonde hair, though hers was streaked with silver. Her father was broader, with weathered hands that spoke of years of hard work on the farm. Both wore practical, well-worn clothes - jeans, flannel shirts, and sturdy boots.
As the family embrace ended, Jade turned to Camilla. "Mom, Dad, this is Camilla."
Camilla stepped forward, her hand extended. "It's so nice to meet you both. Thank you for having me."
To her surprise, Jade's mother bypassed her outstretched hand and pulled her into a warm hug. "Oh, none of that formal nonsense. We're huggers in this family. I'm Linda, and this is my husband, Frank. We're so happy to finally meet you!"
Frank shook Camilla's hand firmly. "Welcome to Ohio, Camilla. We've heard a lot about you."
"Thank you. All good things, I hope," she said with a nervous laugh.
