“Uh… no.” I shake my head.I just want to wrap up this damn date so I can get out of here!“I’m just full after my meal.”
“But you didn’t even finish it.”
I give him an awkward smile and pat my stomach. “I have a small appetite.”
“Huh.” He nods, wiping his mouth with the napkin. “Well, do you want to just grab the check and go, then?”
Yes!!!
“Sure.” I bob my head, forcing a smile.
Sutton raises his hand, clicking his fingers to get the waiter’s attention.
Irritations sizzles through me, and I can’t even explain why.
“Check, please.” Sutton points at our table, and the waiter nods.
And once again, I’m transported back seven years to that little ice cream parlor in Colorado Springs. To a sweet boy who had to scrape pennies together in order to buy us a sundae. Wesat for over two hours in that booth, laughing and talking and drinking water, because we couldn’t afford anything more than the ice cream.
He sang me little ditties. It felt like everything I said sparked a song lyric, and I loved every second of it.
Unlike this painful monstrosity.
Seriously.
Why the hell did I ask for Sutton’s number?
Because you didn’t realize that he was a self-absorbed money man. You interacted with him for like five minutes.
“Here you go, sir.” The waiter hands the check to Sutton.
“Thank you.” He grins up at him, then scans the bill before glancing at me. “So, do you want to split this, or are you paying… you know, since you asked me out.”
My lips part, this weird sinking sensation coursing through my body, pulling my stomach down to my knees and lodging my heart in my intestines.
What the fuck?
“Uh…” I blink, trying to get my head around this shit. He’s just sat there telling me how good he is with his money. How rich he is. How his investments are all doing so well. And he can’t even fork out for dinner?
On a first date?
Not to be old-fashioned, but seriously?
I guess I am the kind of girl who wants a little chivalry in her life. The kind of girl who wants to go out with a man who will fucking pay for dinner! Or at leastofferto pay!
Snatching the check off him, I rise from the table and murmur, “I’ll pay.”
I should be saying we should split the bill, but I’m so desperate to get out of this that I don’t want to take the time to work out the math.
I’ll just pay.
I’ll use up what’s left of this week’s paycheck on this shitty date, and then I never have to see Sutton “I’m the king of my own fucking universe” again.
“Did you enjoy your meal?” the lovely lady behind the counter asks as I swipe my debit card.
“The food was delicious, thank you.” I smile at her.
Sutton appears behind me, pulling on his jacket and grabbing a mint out of the glass on the counter.
