Would YOU Pay? Woman Brings 23 Family Members on First Date (3 of 3)

Gasps rippled down the table. Her uncle muttered something about manners. Grandma clutched her pearls. I stood, placed enough cash for my water on the tray, and tucked the rest of the bill back under her manicured hand.

“If this was about love, you wouldn’t need a receipt,” I added, turning toward the door.

She called after me, her voice sharp, but I kept walking. The night air hit my face like freedom. For the first time all evening, I could breathe.

Some dates end with dessert. Others end with a kiss. Mine ended with twenty-three people staring at the door I’d just walked out of—and me realizing that sometimes the smartest investment is knowing when not to pay.