Date with an internet interest last night.
Have I blogged about him before?
He is tall, cute and blonde, 30, works for a local government office... glasses... I don't think I mentioned him actually.

Last date was fun but he doesn't have any qualities that stick out massively (or at least not that I could tell from a first meeting). I shall call him Gemini Boy, after his star sign.

He is bubbly and interesting, but (yet again) a bit square. Maybe the more I indulge my inner kinkster the less interesting will everyone I meet appear!?

Anyway, the first date was fun, we had coffee, then dinner, interesting conversation (he was a bit shy at first but soon loosened up) and then he didn't get in touch for ages.
Turns out he never received the email I sent him after we met up, and he is off on holiday soon so we decided to get together one more time before he leaves.

He'd tried to book a restaurant which was unfortunately fully booked, so then it was up to me to come up with an alternative.
Based on the location we met, I immediately thought of a posh and pricey place I'd been to once before, but I warned him: "It's a bit pricey" to which he replied "that's fine".

In my book, that means I shouldn't worry about the cost, he'd take care of it.
He also suggested a few other places which I was open to, but then he said we should go to this expensive restaurant.

It really is nice and very lovely, and I picked a mid-range dish. Mine cost £15 and his £21. Plus rice, veg and a starter, things started to add up. I dithered about whether to pick a cocktail or not, and he encouraged me: "Go on, you can have anything you like". Hm. Again, I expected him to foot the bill after this, or I may have stuck with water!

So we had a cocktail each, at around £10.

More nice conversation, a bit flirty as you'd expect between two Gemini, just your classic anecdotes of friends & family, getting-to-know-you stuff.

Then we are told our table is needed, and the waitress brings the bill. Usually, the guy would whisk it out of my eye line and discreetly open it to check the amount and slip his card or cash inside, then handing it back to the waitress or leaving it closed on the table.

On this occasion, Gemini boy opened the wallet with the bill on the table between us, leaving it right in the middle and expecting me to take a good look.
"Uh-oh..." I thought, as I spotted the three-digit amount. Before the dot.

He didn't dig his wallet out straightaway which I took as an ominous sign. The waitress hovered. I said: "Told you it was pricey.."

And I got my bag from under the table. Daunted by the £60 about to hit my deflated current account (there was also that issue with the parking clamp Tennis Boy received when he helped me put up some furniture.... and my own car insurance...) I still suggested we split the bill, as it was what he seemed to expect.

And he happily accepted! I dithered about which card to subject to this torture and settled on a credit card- maybe next month I will be a bit more financially stable and this dinner will be OK. But come on, £60 for a mid-week dinner is extremely extravagant on a secretary's salary. Everyone would agree.

Anyhew, I thought I'd keep on my happy face and leave my wallet firmly buried in the bottom of my bag for the rest of the night.

Waitress returned with the bill split almost in the middle, and I ended up with the slightly larger amount. Darn. 10p but still, it hurt!

Needless to say, I didn't feel flash enough to add a tip on top of the service charge and felt slightly deflated.

Here's the thing: he has a good, meaning managerial job, free travel, lives in central London and asked me on the date. Happily accepting that this place was "pricey". I should have said: "it's too pricey for me, I couldn't afford to eat there. Not unless it was maybe someone's birthday who I've known longer than two dates". Or something like that.

That'll teach me.
And him, as he didn't get a kiss goodnight - and had to pay for the next round of drinks.

Although he is nice a couple of my friends are now discouraging me from seeing him again. Might as well wait if he gets in touch when he returns, I already text him I'd also like to see him again, but preferable at a location unlikely to bankrupt me.