We're getting married!

On a hot Friday afternoon, September 25, 2015, the first weekend the Mecca Bar reopened after remodeling and Cooper's 10-year high school reunion, I was waitressing when Cooper came in for a drink after work with a few friends. They all sat out on the patio, and I served them a round. As the afternoon faded and nightlife started, Cooper made his way inside. He parked himself at the very end of the bar—right in my way. Keep in mind, the bar was packed shoulder to shoulder, and I was trying to work. He stood there with this big, charming, shit-eating grin on his face, telling me how his parents owned a dance studio (they don’t). Then he asked me, "Can I make you breakfast?" While he didn’t get to make me breakfast that next morning, he did stand at the end of the bar for the rest of the weekend—and the whole next weekend too. Cooper finally asked me out for a "proper" date on October 9, 2015. And where do you take a 19-year-old? You take her bowling! After that, Cooper maintained his spot at the end of the bar. When my shift was ending and he was ready to go, he would play the jukebox and sing "Take Me Home Tonight."

Nine years, two kids, a home, and a whole lot of real life already lived—we went on a much-needed date for sushi, sake, and conversation. Later, we found ourselves back at the Mecca, where it was loud, crowded, and no one paid us any mind. After a few beers and some flirtatious banter, Cooper took my left hand. Out of the blue, I realized he was slipping a ring onto my finger. I know he said something—because I remember saying yes—but it's all a little fuzzy.