The restaurant was no longer simply an expensive choice.
The bill was no longer simply an awkward misunderstanding.
The proposal was no longer simply something that had not happened.
Every part of the night had been constructed around hidden rules that only one person understood.
That was what disturbed her most.
Financial compatibility is a legitimate concern before marriage. In fact, it is one of the subjects couples should discuss seriously before making a permanent commitment. People can love each other deeply and still discover that they have completely incompatible attitudes toward spending, saving, debt, or shared responsibility.
Testing those attitudes secretly, however, is very different from discussing them openly.
A genuine financial conversation might begin with each partner explaining how they grew up thinking about money. One person may come from a household where every expense was divided precisely. Another may have been raised believing that whoever extends an
