For $86.42.
I stared at my phone, waiting for the punchline. Maybe it was a joke? Maybe he’d sent it to the wrong person?
Then another message came through.
“Had a great time last night. I believe in fairness. I covered dinner, so you can just reimburse your half. Looking forward to date #2.”
My stomach dropped.
This was the same man who dramatically slid his card across the table and said, “A man pays on the first date.” The same man who refused to let me touch my wallet. The same man who made a whole speech about chivalry.
Now he wanted itemized reimbursement.
I opened the request details. He had split everything exactly down the middle — appetizer, entrees, tax, tip. Even the dessert he insisted we share.
I typed, deleted, retyped.
Finally, I replied:
“I offered to pay my half last night. You said no.”
Three dots appeared.
“Well, I didn’t want to embarrass you in public. But relationships should be equal.”
Embarrass me?
I felt the roses on my kitchen counter suddenly look ridiculous. Like props from a performance.
