‘That’s great, Nia! I’m so proud of you!’ I stand up and give her a hug.

‘But I have a hunch that you knew this already. And I’m assuming that you’re throwing a party for me to celebrate this?’ she asks as she quickly surveys the table and the surroundings.

‘It’s also my birthday tomorrow, Nia. Didn’t it occur to you that the party could be for us to celebrate that?’ I try to sound a little stern, but I end up winking at her.

‘Oh! I’m so sorry, babe! Happy birthday, in advance! I’m such a dumbhead. The shoot was so hectic. Ugh! I didn’t even remember to drink water every thirty minutes. And now see how dead my skin looks.’

All this while, even though she’s been talking to me, Nia continues to look straight into her cell phone’s front camera.

‘You look pretty to me.’ I smile.

‘That’s why I love you.’ She pouts prettily and sits down across the table from me.

‘But have you thought about our future together? Maybe we should start planning for something more long-term?’ I nudge her, holding her hand in mine.

‘Oh, don’t worry about that. Once my skincare brand takes off, we’ll be swimming in money! Plus, I’ll make sure you feature in all my posts.’ She’s clearly misunderstood my words.

‘It’s not just about our careers or the money, Nia. I guess I’ve made enough money already. I look forward to other things now, like stability. I want us to build a life together.’ I try to steer the conversation in the right direction.

‘Relax, babe. Money is stability. With my influence and your business mindset, we’ll be unstoppable.’

‘I just wish you’d see beyond fame and fortune. Like having a loving family, with pets and kids of course.’ I refuse to back down.

‘Hold on, are you hinting at marriage?’ She finally looks up from her phone and asks the right question.

‘Oh yes, I am. When do you think would be a better time? We’re doing great in our individual careers. If we get married, we’ll have each other to come back home to!’ I hold her hand tightly.

‘Umm … Let’s take it slow, babe. Maybe, we can move in together first?’ Nia sinks back into the chair and loosens her hand from my grasp.

‘Nia, to be honest, I’ve invested a lot of time and energy in trying things out with many women before I met you. But I guess you’re the one I want to spend the rest of my life with, and I’m sure about it.’

That’s the thing about me. I don’t circle around stuff. I’m very direct and to-the-point when I want something.