Page 26 of Secrets in the Deep

A long pause passed before he spoke. “You got the part.”

He knew? How did he know? “I did.”

“You turned it down.”

Had her mother told him? “Yeah.”

“Why?”

She swallowed, casting her focus around the kitchen without really seeing, as she tried to piece her words together in a way he’d understand.

But it took too long.

Anger cut across his features. It was so unfamiliar, she almost didn’t recognize him. “You wanted this. It’s the biggest role you’ve ever been offered, and it could ignite your career.”

Not could—would. It would shoot her straight into stardom. She knew that. She’d still said no. “Ryan, you have to know why I turned it down. I’d never see you. I’d be away for nine monthsfor filming. We barely see each other as it is! Our schedules would never align.”

He looked as if she’d hit him. “You’re doing this for me?”

“For us.”

“No. You’re not throwing away your future for me, Emily.”

“I’m not throwing it away. I’m prioritizing our relationship. I love you. I want to be with you as much as I can, and if that means staying here in California and taking smaller roles so that I can be home between your missions, then that’s what I want to do.”

“No.” He stormed around her.

“What do you mean, no? It’s not your choice.”

“You’re taking that role.”

“I’m not.”

He spun back toward her. “We’ve only been dating for five months.”

“Exactly. We’ve only been dating for five months.” She stepped closer, setting her palms on his chest, needing him to understand. “And I already know…I choose you.”

“It’s the wrong choice.”

She almost flinched as she pulled her hands back. “Fine. But it’s still my choice.”

“This role, this career, it’s all you’ve ever wanted.”

“Until you.” He’d changed everything. Rearranged her plans. Her dreams. Made her reach for something different. Something deeper. Something that felt so much more worth holding on to.

“I’m not letting you throw away your future for me.”

“I’m not throwing away anything.” What the hell was going on? Shouldn’t he be happy? She saw a future withhim. Her career meant nothing if she didn’t have him. Didn’t he know that?

“A life with me isn’t stable. I disappear for months at a time…fuck, some guys don’t come back.”

This time she did flinch.

“This is your chance,” he continued, as if he thought he could actually change her mind. “You are not turning it down so that you can sit around and wait for a guy who might not even come home.”

“Stop it, Ryan.”

“I’m not going to be the mistake you wake up to in ten years and realize you gave it up for the wrong reason.”