But that’s not all.
He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small gift box tied with a light blue ribbon.
“What is this?” I asked.
“Just something small. Open it,” he nodded.
Inside was an elegant silver keyring engraved with the letter “K”. It was delicate and unique, worthy of consideration.
“Something special for you,” he said. “I asked Mia what you’d like.”
Honestly, I was impressed. Flowers and a small gift on the first date? This man clearly wanted to show he was someone important. He was either interested or a master of first impressions.
“That’s very kind of you,” I said. “Thank you.”
Eric continued his routine of chivalry without interruption. He opened the door, pulled out my chair, and maintained eye contact with me throughout our conversation.
“What made you accept this agreement?” he asked after we had ordered our food.
“Mia can be very persuasive,” I said, laughing. “Besides, she and Chris vouched for you, which is rare.”
“They make a great couple,” he agreed.
“Chris and I have known each other since college. He’s always been a good guy.”
From that moment on, the conversation flowed naturally.
We discovered common interests in true crime podcasts and documentaries about strange subcultures.
More information on the next page.
Just as an example.
He was telling funny anecdotes about his job as a marketing manager, and I found myself thinking this might be the best first date of my life.
When the bill arrived, I looked for my wallet.
“Absolutely not,” Eric said.
“The man pays on the first date.”
His tone surprised me a little. It was not only gallant, but firm, almost as if he were reciting an unbreakable rule.
I paused for half a second and then shouted, “Okay, if you insist. Thank you.”
I wasn’t going to argue over a free meal, especially after such a pleasant evening. We left together and he asked if he could call me soon.
“I would like to,” I replied.
He hugged me to say goodbye (a perfect combination of kindness and interest without being rude).
The next morning, I woke up to a notification from Eric. My sleepy brain was expecting a sweet “I had a great time,” but instead I saw an attachment.
I made myself a coffee and went back to bed. Out of curiosity, I opened it, hoping to find a picture of a restaurant or something equally innocuous.
At the top, in bold, with professional typography:
Invoice date: an outstanding amount.
