Like any good modern love story, ours started on Bumble. But really, it started before that. A few months before we matched, we met in passing. Ashley was at a winter craft market in November, picking out Christmas gifts for friends and family, when she saw a booth being run by handsome man. He had a few dozen wire tree sculptures for sale and was chatting up every customer who came into his booth. Being antisocial, Ashley avoided going into the booth. Fast forward to a rainy February evening a few months later, Ashley and JB were sitting at a booth in Papi’s when they came to the realization they’d already “met” in passing. Their strings of fate were entwined long before they knew it. That date ended with a kiss in the rain and the promise of so much more.

JB has a way of surprising Ashley, despite Ashley’s overwhelming curiosity and desire to spoil surprises. Already a pro at hiding Christmas presents from her, he hid the ring on top of a bookcase. Too high for Ashley to see, and in an unused room, Ashley never found it. It stayed there for almost a full year. On the night of their two year anniversary, they went back to Papi’s for dinner. Ashley was on call for work and suspected nothing as they crossed the street to head back to the car. It wasn’t until JB paused on the sidewalk and started talking about the spot beings their first kiss that Ashley clued in to what was happening. The yes was inevitable, but she still cried a lot.