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“What does that mean?”
He hesitated.
Then his expression softened in a way that almost looked pleased.
“You handled yourself well in there.”
“You didn’t start yelling. You paid your part and stayed calm.”
He was saying it like a compliment.
“What does that mean?”
“Bryce, what are you talking about?”
He gave a small shrug.
“I wanted to know how you’d react.”
For a moment, the traffic behind us seemed louder.
“You wanted to know how I’d react to what?”
“Pressure.”
“Bryce, what are you talking about?”
I stared at him.
“You planned that?”
“I wouldn’t say planned.”
“Then what would you call it?”
Bryce exhaled. “I wanted to know whether you’d make a big deal out of paying.”
I took a step back.
“You planned that?”
“You could’ve spent dinner finding that out.”
His forehead creased.
“We did spend dinner together.”
“You spent dinner asking questions you already had answers you wanted to hear.”
“That’s not fair.”
“You barely let me talk, Bryce. Then you insulted me at the end to see how I’d react.”
“We did spend dinner together.”
“I didn’t create a problem.”
“You called me a foodie call in front of strangers.”
Bryce shook his head. “You’re making it sound worse than it was.”
That told me enough.
He still thought the test itself made sense.
I shook my head.
“I didn’t create a problem.”
“I came here to meet you. I didn’t agree to be evaluated.”
“Everybody evaluates people on dates.”
“Sure. But I didn’t invent a situation to see whether you’d fail it.”
Bryce’s jaw shifted.
“You’re acting like I did something horrible.”
“I’m saying this isn’t normal, Bryce. And I don’t want another date.”
“I didn’t agree to be evaluated.”
Then, incredibly, he smiled again. Smaller this time, almost reassuring.
“Jessie, you’re taking this the wrong way. You passed.”
I honestly thought I’d misheard him.
“What?”
“You passed,” he repeated. “That’s what I’m trying to tell you. You didn’t make a scene. You paid your part. You weren’t entitled about it.”
“What?”
He genuinely believed that should make me feel better.
I wasn’t embarrassed anymore.
I was done.
“You did that on purpose?”
His smile weakened.
“I needed to know.”
I was done.
“You insulted me to see what I’d do?”
Bryce exhaled.
“Come on, Jessie. I said you passed.”
“I came here for dinner. I didn’t agree to be tested.”
“So you’re just leaving?”
“Yes.”
“I didn’t agree to be tested.”
I walked around him, got into my car, and locked the door.
My hands didn’t start shaking until I was alone.
I opened our messages and started typing.
“I have a good job. I never expected you to pay. You completely misunderstood me.”
I read it.
Then I deleted every word.
“You completely misunderstood me.”
Then I called Phoebe.
She answered on the second ring.
“How was the date?”