It’s the end of a great evening. The check arrives. Both people glance at it, then at each other, and suddenly, that easy conversation over dinner turns into a silent social standoff. Who should pay?

After 76 first dates, I stopped trying to optimize for love and learned to enjoy the experience of meeting someone new.

First dates present a delicate balance of excitement and nervousness, where conversation choices can determine whether sparks fly or fizzle out entirely. Understanding key patterns for navigating ...