Something so odd happened today that I thought it deserved its own AIBU.
I have a lovely friend of many years. I live in London, she lives up north, so we see each other a few times a year. She's been dating this man for about a year now - it's been a slow start because they were both travelling/working a lot in the start, but the relationship seems to have gained momentum recently.
They are visiting London and staying for a long weekend ,and today was the first time I met him. I took a half a day off work to meet them, and we went straight for lunch. He seemed nice, chatty and quite funny, and he insisted on paying for the whole lunch as I was "an old friend" of his now too. I agreed, slightly reluctantly.
We went for a walk in a nice neighbourhood, and eventually stopped for a coffee at a patisserie. When we walked in he announced I could get anything I liked and he would "treat us". I said, firmly, that I would pay for myself this time but thanks. As we left, I realised he had paid while I was in the loo between ordering and our coffees coming. I though he was trying a bit hard, but then something truly bizarre happened. I was appraising the cakes as we were getting our coats and leaving and he insisted (loudly, people were turning to look) that I take home a few cakes. He said he would buy a few for them too, for breakfast the next day. He kept saying that a particular cake looked really nice, "don't worry, I'll get it for you" and I kept saying no, thank you, I was ok. But he was getting quite loud, it was a small space and eventually I said, Fine, more to get him to shut up so we could leave. I pointed at a small chocolate cake, and he went to the till, got 3 small cake boxes, paid and handed me one.
We then went for a stroll on the high street, looking at shops. My friend wanted to buy a present for her niece, so we went into an absurdly expensive children's clothing store (He paid, of course) and when he saw me picking up and looking at something (I don't even remember what, I was really just waiting for my friend to choose) he was by my side like a flash asking if I wanted it for my DC. I almost dropped the garment. It felt like an uncomfortable afternoon, and I missed not being able to chat to my friend freely - I felt like she was quieter than normal. I made a very specific effort to not touch anything else at subsequent shops.
But now, I'm home after a glass of wine with them (he paid, of course - I was totally worn out and just let him) and I've opened the cake box. Inside is the cake HE noted looked good - not the chocolate cake I chose. I texted a very nonchalant message to my friend, basically asking if maybe our boxes got mixed up, and she texted me back saying "No, XXXX thought that one looked really good and thought you should have it". I know it's only a cake, but what kind of a freak changes someone's order behind their back? Or am I overreacting? I feel like this is a total red flag, right?