A Lie About Coffee Preferences

I'm in an open relationship and it's generally pretty smooth sailing between my partner Alex and me. We've both agreed that while we love each other, we also enjoy the freedom to pursue other connections when it feels right for us. Recently, I started dating a new person, someone who is very understanding of our dynamics and has been respectful and kind from day one. Here's where things got tricky: this new person, let's call her Mia, loves coffee and talks about it all the time. We've bonded over shared appreciation for certain blends and the culture around coffee shops. Meanwhile, Alex knows that I don't actually love coffee as much as Mia does, I can appreciate a good cup, but it's not my main vice like it is hers. So here's where the lie comes in: when we went out for our usual date on Friday night, Alex asked me about Mia and coffee. They wanted to know if Mia had mentioned any of her favorite spots or new finds she discovered since meeting us both. I froze for a moment, thinking about how much Mia talks about coffee. In that moment of hesitation, I lied. I told Alex that Mia and I hadn't really talked about it at all because we were so busy getting to know each other otherwise. I'm not sure why I lied, maybe it's just my insecurities flaring up or wanting to spare Alex from having another shared interest with someone new in their lives. Either way, it feels like a small but significant lie that's eating at me. The truth is so much simpler: Mia and I do enjoy talking about coffee, we share this commonality, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Now I feel guilty for even telling such a tiny untruth, especially in an otherwise open relationship. It makes me question why I even told the lie when being honest would have been better from the start. This small moment has made me reflect on whether I’m comfortable in this dynamic or if there's more I need to work through with my feelings about myself and my partners. This is such a petty thing to feel bad about, but here it is, a confession of one lie that might be trivial to most people, but feels significant to me.