Page 9 of Staging Love
“But you like your coffee exactly the same?” Vivian asked.
“No. I normally drink my coffee black,” Jade said, resulting in laughter around the table.
The fabricated tale sounded so natural and believablethat for a moment, even Camilla almost found herself believing it. It was her regular coffee order after all.
"It's true," she chimed in, surprising herself with how easily she fell into the role. "I was so amused by her boldness that we got talking while we waited for out orders. And then she walked with me to the office, and I couldn't resist giving her my number. I'm glad I did."
Jade smiled warmly at her, reaching out to squeeze her hand. The gesture felt surprisingly natural, and Camilla realized she was grinning.
"That's so romantic!" Uncle Robert said.
Theresa, however, looked less convinced. "And how long ago was this?"
"About three years ago," Jade said. "We kept things quiet because it took Camilla a while to come to terms with her sexuality."
Camilla nodded, grateful for Jade's quick thinking. "Yes… I’m lucky that Jade was so patient with me. I didn’t realize I was gay until I met her.”
“I have that effect on women,” Jade joked, resulting in more laughter.
Uncle Robert chuckled. "Well, I'm just glad you found each other. It's about time our Camilla had someone special in her life. When is the wedding?”
“In four months,” Camilla said. “We were planning on keeping it small and private, just a simple wedding in LA, which is why we haven’t sent out invitations yet, but I’d love it if you could all join us.” The words were out before she’d thought them through, and she cursed herself for having missed out on such a crucial part of their preparation. Now she’d have to give them details.
Little Emma gasped. “Can I be a bridesmaid?”
Camilla felt a pang of guilt twist in her stomach. Lying to adults was one thing, but deceiving an innocent child felt much worse. However, she knew she had to maintain the charade.
"Of course you can honey," she said, forcing a smile onto her face.
Emma's face lit up with pure joy. She clapped her hands together and bounced in her seat. "Really? Can I wear a big dress? And flowers in my hair?"
Camilla's guilt intensified, but she kept her expression warm. "Absolutely. We'll make sure you look beautiful."
As Emma continued to chatter excitedly about her role in the wedding, Camilla caught Jade's eye. Her "fiancée" gave her a reassuring smile, but Camilla couldn't shake the feeling that their lie was already spiraling out of control. She took another sip of her wine, wondering how they were going to navigate this unexpected complication.
“So you’ve already set a date?” Theresa asked. “Because we all have full agendas. You need to let us know where and when.
Camilla’s heart rate quickened as Theresa pressed for details. She knew her cousin well enough to realize any vague answer would be immediately fact-checked. Taking a deep breath, she decided to commit to a specific date, hoping it would buy them some time.
"Actually, we've set the date for April 2nd. She caught Jade's eye, silently willing her to play along. "It's a Sunday, which we thought would be perfect for a spring wedding."
Theresa's eyes narrowed slightly, but she pressed on. "And the location? I assume you've booked a venue by now?"
Camilla managed a mysterious smile. "We have, but we're keeping the exact location a surprise for now. It's inLA, though. We wanted something intimate and meaningful to us both."
"A surprise wedding location?" Theresa raised an eyebrow. "That's... unconventional."
"Well, you know me," Camilla replied, forcing a light laugh. "I've always liked to do things my own way. Plus, it adds to the excitement, don't you think?"
She could see Theresa wasn't entirely satisfied with the answer, but before her cousin could ask any more probing questions, Uncle Robert chimed in.
"I think it's a wonderful idea!" he exclaimed. "A bit of mystery keeps things interesting. We'll all be there with bells on, won't we?"
Jade gave Camilla’s knee a reassuring squeeze under the table. Somehow, they'd have to find a way out of this mess, but for now, all they could do was keep the charade going and hope for the best.
Chapter Seven
As Camilla emerged from the en-suite bathroom, freshly showered and wrapped in a plush robe, she found Jade perched on the edge of the king-sized bed, toweling her damp hair. She was wearing a loose-fitting t-shirt that hung just above her thighs, revealing long, toned legs.
