“The dancing candlelight causes shadows to flicker on Dax’s features as he watches me from across the table. He has barely said a word to me since we arrived at the LaClaire Restaurant, just sat staring at me while he ate and drank. When I shared with him the exciting opportunities Curtis had told me about yesterday, he didn’t even congratulate me.

The silence between us is becoming more uncomfortable by the second, but I don’t break it. I chew my steak in silence. The food tastes like paper in my mouth. I cannot understand what changed between us. One moment we were in love and excited about a future together, and the next we can’t find words to say to each other.

I meet his gaze again, watching him watching me. It would make things so much easier if I knew what was going on inside his head, if I could read his thoughts. I would know what to expect, how to react.

Unable to bear it any longer, I speak. “Dax, are we no longer talking to each other? What’s this about really?” I swallow hard. “Great things are happening in my career. Can’t you even pretend to be excited for me?”

The silence stretches without an answer to fill it. When he finally speaks, his voice is like gravel. “We’re going to be married in three months. Don’t you think you should focus on that?”

Last night, after we had a huge fight about the way Dax had talked to me on the phone, he apologized and we made up with passionate sex. Afterwards, wrapped in our own little bubble, we chose a wedding date. We both don’t want to wait too long before getting married.

“What do you mean?” I put down my fork and narrow my eyes.

He shrugs. “I just thought that our wedding is more important than acting.”

“Of course it is. I don’t understand where this is coming from. Acting is my job. And I talked to a wedding planner—”

“You would hand over the planning of our wedding to a stranger? Wouldn’t you want to take care of things yourself?”

“There will still be a lot left for me—for us—to organize. Wedding planning is a lot of work, especially last minute, and I’m going to be really busy in the next couple of weeks.” Annoyance bubbles inside my chest.

“Well, it doesn’t sound to me like you’re as excited about the wedding. Not as excited as you are about acting.”

“Dax,” I pinch the bridge of my nose, “is something wrong? You’re acting a little strange.”

“I don’t know what would make you think that.” He takes a deep drink of wine.

“Come on, let’s stop playing these games. It’s as though you’re no longer interested in my career. I thought you would support me. You were the one who wanted me to come to Hollywood”.”

“I wanted you to come to me. Acting was just a way to get you here.”

I ignore the sour taste at the back of my throat. “I did come to you. I’m here. I’m yours. And we’ll be getting married.”

“For some reason, I don’t feel as though you’re completely mine.”

I drop my fork and throw my hands in the air. “I don’t get what the problem is. What do you want from me, Dax?”

“I want you to quit acting.”

The silence that falls between us is as tense as a rubber band about to snap. When I respond, my heart is pounding hard and my voice is barely audible over the sound of the soft classical music. “I can’t believe you’re asking me to do that.”

“It’s my right. I’m your fiancé. And I feel as though I’m not important to you anymore.”

My anger boils to the surface. “That’s not fair. I support your career every single day. Your work does not make me feel as though I’m less important to you. Why can’t you do the same for me? I thought my career was also important to you.”

“Of course your career is important. But the movie industry is cutthroat and I love you too much to allow the limelight to swallow you whole. You don’t want to end up working day and night for people who don’t give a damn about you.” He pushes his plate aside. “When do you plan on starting to work again anyway?”

“I want to audition for a movie that starts to film soon.”

“That won’t work for us,” he retorts.

“I don’t see why not. We are getting married in three months. I can work around it.”

“How about the honeymoon?”

“We plan on going away for only a week. If I get the role, I’ll insist on taking that week off.” I bite the inside of my cheek, dreading his response.

“I already reserved our honeymoon this morning. We’re going to Bali and I arranged for us to stay longer than that. Two weeks at least.”

“You should have discussed with me. I can’t do two weeks. This is a big movie, Dax. I cannot allow this chance to slip through my fingers. This is my dream we’re talking about.” I look at him in shock, unable to believe what I’m hearing.

“And how about me, huh?” He swipes a hand across his lips. “How do I fit into that dream? I thought I was your future.”

“And you are. But my career is important to me too. I worked too hard to get here.”

“I’m going to say this again.” He raises the second glass of wine. “I need you to stop acting, Emma.” Without taking a drink, he lowers the glass back to the table. It lands so hard that a few drops spill onto the cloth.

I press my napkin to my lips, ignoring the blooming ache in my chest. “I don’t think it’s fair of you to ask me to do that. Why do you want me to quit so badly?”

“Because I have enough money for both of us. Allow me to take care of you.” He reaches across the table and takes my hand, squeezing it, gazing into my eyes.

Some other woman might find it romantic to have her fiancé offer to take care of her, but it terrifies me to be dependent on a man. Especially after what happened to my mother. She had no job or life of her own.

I remove my hand from his. “What if it’s not about the money? What if I’m acting because I really love it?”

“Not too long ago, you were satisfied with working as a receptionist in a dead-end town. If it weren’t for me talking you into acting, you’d still be there.” He starts to eat again and doesn’t look up to see how hard his words had hit me. “Now here you are, pretending acting is the one thing you’ve always wanted to do.”

My jaw is tight when I glare at him. “You got it all wrong, Dax. I was not satisfied spending the rest of my life in what you call a dead-end town. Before you came along, I was preparing to leave.”

“But did you plan on becoming an actress?”

“Maybe not.” I clench my teeth. “Maybe my desire for acting really did come about when I met you. Maybe you were the one who made me realize this is something I’ve always wanted to do. I don’t see what’s wrong with that. People discover their dreams in different ways. Mine just happened to be through you.” I toss the napkin onto the table. “Don’t ask me to quit my dream. I won’t do it.”

“You have no idea how tough this industry is.” He gazes up again, his face tight. “Come on, you had a little fun for a while. But now it’s time for you to face reality. You’re not strong enough for this industry. It will crush you. Can you not see that I’m only trying to protect you?”

He tries to touch my hand, but I move it away. He’s taken aback only for a moment, then he wipes his mouth and rises from the table.

“I have an important meeting to go to. I need you to make a decision. I hope it will be the right one.” He clears his throat. “And by the way, I’m taking you to Vienna in three days to celebrate our engagement.”

“Don’t worry, Dax.” I’m trembling with rage now. “I will make the right decision. The right decision for me. I will audition for Dancing Lights and every other movie that interests me. You should make a decision on whether you will support me or not. If you won’t, I don’t see where we go from here.”

My insides tighten as I wait for a response that doesn’t come fast enough. He just stands there, rigid, glaring at me. For a moment I forget who he is. He looks like a stranger.

His hands clench and unclench at his sides. I’m desperate to look away from his intense gaze, but I also don’t want to seem as though I’m backing away from my decision. This is my life and he’s the man I love but he has to respect my career.

“Won’t you say anything?” I ask even though I’m afraid of his response.

“What do you expect me to say? You already made a decision?”

“Are you prepared to support me?”

“You already know where I stand.” With that he steps away from the table to pay for our dinner. Then he walks out of the restaurant.

When he’s gone, I stay at the table a while longer, still fuming and hurt. Then I catch my breath and leave as well, determined, excited, but also fearful at the same time.