I knew about Antoinette well before she knew about me. I had been working for her uncle for a few years when one day he decided to tell me about this niece of his. This was in November of 2017, five months before Antoinette and I would share the first of many phone calls. He told me he had her business card if I was interested. But with a three month China trip pending, it was not the time to try to start a relationship. Nonetheless, the seed was planted. I spent the first three months of 2018 living in Shanghai and traveling through Asia. I loved the experience but was glad it was coming to an end at the beginning of April. When I returned to New Jersey and reunited with my work friends, the main topic of conversation was my relationship status. When was I going to find a nice girl? To suppress the harassment, I asked Joe about that niece of his and whether or not she was still single. “Let me find out,” he said without missing a beat. Sure enough, Antoinette was single. Both of us thought that 2018 would be a year to focus on self and personal development. Neither of us was really looking for a relationship, but Joe was playing matchmaker. He gave me Antoinette’s business card and said she was expecting a phone call and to set up a date by the end of the week. What was I getting into? And damn this girl is demanding. Apparently the request for a phone call and a date were both of Joe’s fabrication. But hey, it got me to call her. That Friday night I called Antoinette for the first of what would become many phone conversations. She picked up thinking I was the real estate agent that was working with her on finding an apartment. When she realized that wasn’t the case, she quickly told me she had to go teach a wine class and couldn’t talk now. She said she’d call me back, but I had my doubts. After the wine class was over, my future wife called me back. We talked for over an hour and set up what would be our last first date.