My Date Ordered a $150 Lobster Dinner on Our First Date and Then Refused to Pay – Moments Later, Karma Struck Her Right There in Front of Me

When I matched with Chloe, she stood out immediately.

She was confident, pretty, and quick to answer with something wittier than what I sent. She teased me about my profile picture, me holding a fish, looking way too serious for a Saturday morning.

She messaged:

“Big catch or midlife crisis?”

I replied: “Can’t it be both?”

And that was that.

When I matched with Chloe, she stood out immediately.

***

A few days of back-and-forth, and Chloe suggested dinner.

“Let’s do something a little special. Life’s short… we need to enjoy it.”

I remember pausing before I replied. I had been on dates before where “a little special” turned into a game of chicken with the bill, or they would escape to the bathroom and never return.

But this time, I wanted to be upfront.

I needed to know that my time and energy were not going to be wasted.

A few days of back-and-forth and Chloe suggested dinner.

So, I texted Chloe: “Hey, just so we’re clear, I usually split the bill on a first date. Makes it easier, and that way, we’d be on the same page.”

She replied in less than a minute: “That’s fair! No worries at all.”

It felt settled.

“Okay, Evan,” I told myself. “Maybe we’ve found a good one.”

***

Chloe picked the place, a sleek seafood restaurant downtown. It was all dim lighting and soft jazz, and it was the kind of spot where the menu does not have prices until you squint.