“Oh,” Mia said, surprised. “You didn’t have to—”
“I called earlier,” I said calmly. “Asked them to split it ahead of time. Just wanted to avoid any confusion.”
She blinked, then blushed. “You could’ve told me.”
“I did,” I said softly. “A few times.”
She looked down, then nodded. “You’re right. I just didn’t listen.”
The moment grew quiet—honest, not tense.
“I guess I assumed we’d do what we always do,” she said. “I didn’t think about how that might feel for you.”
“It’s okay,” I said. “I just wanted to enjoy our time without stressing.”
She smiled. “Fair enough. Next time, tacos?”
“Tacos sound perfect.”
We laughed again, and the heaviness lifted.
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