The restaurant buzzed around them—dim lighting, candlelit tables, clinking silverware, and a low hum of conversation. The four of them had scored a cozy corner booth, half tucked in and half perched on chairs. It was one of those trendy spots with marble tabletops and tiny portions that cost way too much.

Lena sat beside her boyfriend, Caleb, legs crossed beneath the table, half-focused on the cocktail menu. Across from them, their friends Jordan and Mia were sharing an appetizer, a little too fast, like they were both starving or in competition.

The waiter had just stepped away after taking drink orders when Caleb leaned toward Lena, lowering his voice so only she could hear.

“Hey,” he murmured, lips brushing the shell of her ear, “I forgot my wallet. You’re gonna have to cover me tonight.”

Lena blinked, then glanced over at him. “Oh. That’s fine,” she said without a trace of annoyance. “You want me to pay for both of us together or split the check and just cover yours?”

He grinned, clearly testing her, but she was calm, already reaching for her phone like she was prepping a mental note to Zelle him later. “No biggie. I got you.”

“Seriously?” he asked, almost surprised by how chill she was about it.

“Of course,” she whispered with a little smile. “You always take care of me. I can cover dinner.”

He reached under the table and gave her hand a grateful squeeze.

Across from them, Jordan cleared his throat and leaned back, arms stretched over the top of the booth like he was about to deliver a TED Talk.

“Actually…” he started casually, “I forgot my wallet too.”

Mia didn’t even look up from her menu. “No, you didn’t.”

“I’m serious. I think I left it in the car.”

“Jordan.”

“I did! You’ll have to spot me.”

That made her pause. She lowered the menu slowly. “You really didn’t bring your wallet?”

He gave a helpless shrug. “I thought you had it covered. You always say my money is your money.”

Mia blinked once, her face still calm. “Yeah. Your money is our money.”

“Right—so…”

“But my money?” she asked, raising a brow. “That’s my money.”

Jordan laughed like she was joking.

She wasn’t.

“Oh, c’mon. Lena’s covering Caleb’s,” he tried, gesturing across the table. “It’s not a big deal.”

“She offered,” Mia said tightly. “That’s called generosity. What you’re doing is called assuming. And broke behavior.”

Caleb quietly raised his water glass to his lips, shoulders shaking with silent laughter. Lena politely looked down at her napkin, trying not to grin.

“I just figured—”

“You figured wrong,” Mia cut in.

Jordan looked at Caleb, pleading with his eyes, Dude, back me up. But Caleb only leaned back, entirely too relaxed, one arm draped behind Lena.

“You should’ve told her ahead of time,” he said mildly, pretending to inspect the wine list.

“Exactly,” Mia said. “And for the record? I paid for groceries this week, I paid the electric bill, and I just filled your gas tank. My wallet’s in my purse—but it’s closed.”