I checked the menu. “Yeah. Do you want one?”
“Sure,” she replied. “How much is it?”
“Don’t worry about it,” I said.
Meara and Sam looked at each other. Sam reached into her purse anyway. “I’ll give you ten.” She held out a bill.
“No,” I said.
“You have to let us pay,” Meara argued.
“No, it’s on me,” I replied.
Meara sighed, looking distressed. “I’ll take a chicken wrap. But I’d like to pay.”
“You can get the next time,” I told her.
For some reason, it made me feel better to pay for lunch. I didn’t know why I was being so forceful about money, except that she’d brought me cookies, so I felt like I needed to return the favor. I didn’t want her to be out of pocket either. I knew the interns didn’t make that much. Placing the order, I arranged for the receptionist to let us all know when it arrived.