A Love Story Eight Years in the Making (and somehow starting four years late) The Missed Years — 2012 to 2016 Penn College wasn’t big. It was the kind of campus where you recognized people by their backpacks, their walk, or the way they held their coffee. And yet, somehow, for four entire years, Delaney and Anthony never met. Not in class. Not in the dining hall. Not at parties. Not even in passing. They joke now that they probably wouldn’t have liked each other back then — and honestly, they’re probably right. Timing is everything, and theirs wasn’t ready yet. 2017 — The Night Everything Shifted Fast‑forward to one night at Clarendon Grill, a 90s rock bar that lived loud, died young, and played absolute bangers. Delaney and Adrianna were there — like they were almost every weekend — being groupies for the band, dancing, singing, and soaking in the chaos. But this night felt different. There was something in the air. During the band’s break, the crowd parted and Delaney spotted a familiar face: AJ. The girls went over, and AJ mentioned he was there with work friends and a few people who also went to Penn College. That’s when Delaney saw another familiar face across the room and said, “That guy went to Penn College.” Little did they know they had spent four years on the same tiny campus without ever crossing paths. AJ introduced them. And that was it. The rest is history. They spent the night dancing and singing until Anthony was drenched in sweat. When the lights came on, they exchanged numbers — the modern version of fate sealing the deal. The First Date — A Rotating Sushi Odyssey Over the next month, they texted constantly. Delaney went to a friend’s wedding and sent Anthony Snapchats all night. He replied, “I make a great wedding date.” Delaney made a mental note. Eventually, they planned a first date at a rotating sushi bar — because Anthony “didn’t like sushi,” and Delaney obviously needed to fix that. Delaney was fashionably late. Anthony was… very late. He had typed “rotating sushi” into Google Maps and didn’t realize there were multiple locations. “He didn’t think there were that many revolving sushi bars.” The sushi was mediocre. The conversation was fine. But afterward, they walked the mall for hours — slow, unhurried, and unexpectedly easy. And because it was a Saturday night, they ended up right back where it all began: Clarendon Grill. The Wedding Proposition — Waynesboro or Bust They kept texting but didn’t plan a second date. Then Delaney remembered Anthony’s bold claim about being a great wedding date. So she took her shot. She asked if he’d come to a wedding with her — which included: Driving to Waynesboro Meeting her parents Hanging out alone while she made cupcakes Shockingly, he agreed. When they arrived, Lori and Harold came home from the country club with Debi and Greg — three sheets to the wind. Delaney was mortified. Anthony was trapped (Delaney had driven). And yet… he fit right in. The wedding was a blast. And they’ve been together ever since. The Early Years — Chaos, Cats, and Cross‑Country Moves Six months later, Delaney moved in with Anthony. Crazy? Maybe. Perfect? Absolutely. Then came Nashville — a new city, a new chapter, and a home of their own. Music, food, friends, memories. A season that shaped them. After nearly five years, they moved back to the DMV with three cats and a jungle’s worth of plants. Year six: they bought a house. Year seven: they got chickens… and got engaged. 2026 is their year.