Page 22 of Staging Love
"Of course you have a stylist and a team to do yourChristmas decorations," Jade said, shaking her head in disbelief. "I just assumed you wouldn't have any decorations since we're not at your actual home."
Camilla chuckled. "Oh, this is very much a home for us during the holidays. And Aunt Lara takes the decorating very seriously."
As they made their way through the foyer, carefully sidestepping ladders and piles of garland, they spotted Emma and Jack amidst the chaos. The children were gleefully helping a pair of decorators untangle a massive string of lights, their laughter ringing out above the general din.
"Good morning, you two," Camilla called out. "Having fun?"
Emma looked up, her face beaming. "Camilla! Jade! Come see what we're doing! Mr. Thompson said we could help hang the lights on the big tree in the great room!"
The decorator working with the children smiled warmly. "They've been a great help," he said. "We always love having little assistants."
Jade knelt down next to Emma, examining the lights. "Wow, these are going to look amazing. You're doing a great job."
"What about you?" Camilla asked as Jade stood back up. "What do you usually do for Christmas decorations?"
"Oh, nothing like this," she said with a small laugh. "I rent a tiny one-bedroom apartment, so there's not really room for a tree. But I like to decorate my bedroom – some fairy lights, a few ornaments. It makes it feel cozy at night. My parents go all out though, and I usually spend Christmas with them. They even have a Santa scarecrow." She looked around the foyer again, shaking her head in amazement. "I've never seen anything like this, though. It's incredible."
Camilla followed Jade's gaze, taking in the controlled chaos around them. The stylist was now striding through the foyer, her heels clicking authoritatively on the hardwood floor as she called out instructions.
"We need the Swarovski crystal snowflakes for the chandelier," she announced, barely looking up from her iPad. "And someone please tell me the hand-blown glass icicles have arrived. We can't do the window treatments without them."
A harried-looking assistant scurried after her, jotting down notes and relaying instructions.
"It looks more like a renovation than decorating," Jade said as she watched a team carefully maneuver an enormous fir tree through the front door.
"I know it seems a bit... drastic," she admitted. "But trust me, it'll be worth it once it's all done. Aunt Lara has impeccable taste, and she always manages to create something truly magical."
As they made their way through the house, Camilla realized she hadn't let go of Jade's hand since they'd come downstairs. The memory of their shared shower that morning sent a pleasant shiver down her spine. It all felt so beautiful, exciting, and so right, that she'd barely given it a second thought.
They entered the kitchen, where the smell of freshly brewed coffee and warm pastries provided a comforting contrast to the chaos in the rest of the house. Uncle Robert was seated at the kitchen island, a newspaper spread out before him and a steaming mug in hand.
As they approached, Camilla noticed curious looks from her family members. Aunt Vivian, who was buttering a croissant, paused mid-motion to study them. Even Uncle Robert peered at them over the top of hisreading glasses with an expression Camilla couldn't quite decipher.
A knot of anxiety formed in Camilla's stomach. Did they somehow know more than she thought? Had they discovered that she'd hired an actress to play the role of her fiancée? How? She hadn’t told anyone. Even though there was little acting involved anymore, the revelation would still ruin everything – and though she didn’t care much of what Aunt Vivian and her cousin Theresa thought of her, she did care about her relationship with Uncle Robert and Aunt Lara.
"Good morning, you two," Uncle Robert said, his eyes twinkling with something Camilla couldn't quite place. "Sleep well? Feeling better?"
Camilla felt her cheeks warm. "Yes, thank you," she managed, trying to keep her voice steady.
"You're looking particularly radiant this morning, Camilla," he continued, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “It’s so nice to see you happy.”
It was then that Camilla caught sight of her reflection in the polished surface of the refrigerator. She was grinning like an idiot, her whole face lit up with a joy she couldn't hide if she tried. The knot in her stomach loosened as she realized the truth – they weren't looking at her with suspicion, but with happiness and perhaps surprise at seeing her so clearly content.
"Thank you," she said, her smile growing even wider. "I suppose I'm just excited about the decorations."
Jade gave her a kiss on the cheek, and Camilla leaned into her. She’d become addicted to the physical contact and now she was craving it all the time.
"Well, don't let us keep you," Aunt Vivian said, wavingthem towards the coffee pot. "I'm sure you'll want to see how the decorating is coming along in the rest of the house."
As they fixed their coffees, Camilla reflected on how different everything felt. She'd been dreading this family gathering, nervous about lying to her family. Now, with Jade by her side, she found herself excited about every moment – even the chaos of over-the-top Christmas decorating.
They made their way to the great room, where the enormous fir tree was now standing proudly in the corner. A team of decorators swarmed around it, carefully hanging delicate ornaments and draping strings of lights with precision.
"Oh, wow," Jade breathed, her eyes wide as she took in the scene. "That’s a seriously big tree." Then she frowned and turned to Camilla. “Wait… I don’t have a present for you.”
Camilla laughed and leaned in, lowering her voice to a whisper. “Don’t worry, that’s all taken care of. My assistant got me a present from you and vice versa.”
“Oh…” Jade laughed along. “Of course. You came prepared.” She paused, meeting Camilla’s eyes. “But still, now I wish I could get you something more personal. Now that things have, well… changed.”
