When my brother set me up with Andy, I didn’t expect much. But from the moment he arrived — wildflowers in hand, smile sincere — I thought maybe I’d misjudged blind dates. Dinner flowed effortlessly; he was polite, funny, and refreshingly present. When he offered to drive me home, I hesitated, then agreed — and the night ended as smoothly as it began. I actually went to bed smiling, thinking I’d met someone real.
The illusion shattered the next morning when a PayPal notification buzzed on my phone: an invoice. Gas, parking, “car wear-and-tear,” even a “cleaning fee.” I burst out laughing and sent him a sarcastic tip before blocking him. Later, I learned this wasn’t his first “business date.” But instead of bitterness, I found humor — and a lesson. Love isn’t transactional. True kindness can’t be itemized, and real connection never comes with a receipt.
