I went on a dinner date with a guy who was older than my dad, and I genuinely can’t believe I did it.

I (f24) live in a small town. One night at my local watering hole, my best friend and I were drinking, and an older man (m61) admired me from afar. He came over and started chatting, and I was immediately hesitant when he told me his age. He persisted in trying to find me on social media, texting, and calling for months. I eventually caved in due to boredom and loneliness, and we agreed to meet for dinner.<br><br>As I waited for him to arrive, I felt an overwhelming sense of guilt, as if I was betraying my friends, family, and half of the world. I tried to bail out, but he persisted, even going so far as to leave his house to pick me up before I could cancel. I finally relented and agreed to give it a chance.<br><br>We enjoyed our dinner together, getting to know each other and sharing laughter. At dusk, we took a stroll along the shore, and as the night fell, we kissed under the stars. Despite the odd looks from passersby, I found myself feeling carefree and connected with him. I had sex with him, went on another date, and we even kissed in public once. However, I know that my friends and family would be shocked and that we are from different worlds. I am still grappling with the complexity of this experience.<br><br>Edit: I live in a small town, in a country with a 30% poverty level. I’m in a very tough financial situation, I live with my parents and we’re struggling to feed ourselves. He offered to help me with that, and I didn’t turn him down even though I probably shouldn’t. If I would tell my parents, I’m sure they would want me to take the money. I am planning to tell them not to tell anyone, and break up with him.