We're Getting Married!

Our love story started like any typical story does... at the inaugural Chili Cook-Off Planning Committee meeting. We were recruited (heavily encouraged) to support the annual cook-off. At this time we did not have any idea who each other were as we both worked in very different parts of the company. That was until the day of the meeting where our paths finally crossed. Liera's Perspective: When Brian walked in, my initial reaction was "Okayyyyyy". He walked in late (per usual) and very stylish I must say... Not something I typically see working around engineers all day (haha). We didn't exchange any words... I thought his quietness was a little odd (LOL)... After the meeting, I immediately texted my friend who was sitting next to me, asking her, "Who was that?".... Starting my little crush on Brian. I didn't see him until the actual cook-off where we did not talk. I'm not going to lie, they put us to work at that cook-off (haha). Being the Iowan that I am, I baked cinnamon rolls as an entry for best side dish (I was in it to win it... Obviously). Towards the end of the event, they announced that I won Best Side Dish, meaning I took home some Rockies tickets.... As I'm talking with my girl Abby, Brian walks up... I'm not going to lie, I was a little nervous. The butterflies were flying... I remember him asking me, "Who are you taking to the game?"... I FROZE... So I asked him "Huh?" pretending like I didn't hear... buying enough time to collect myself lol. That's when he asked again.... Prompting a nervous laugh and a shoulder shrug.... When I got back to my desk, I drafted the infamous IM (That I'm sure Brian will mention below hahaha). Brian's Perspective: I was tied up in a meeting that morning, causing me to be late to the planning. Then DAMN... "WHO IS THAT?" Nah, play it cool. I tried to offer my assistance to the "subcommittee" she was on... no response, apparently they had it allllll figured out. Then the day of the cook-off, I saw her again; looking just as good as the first day I laid eyes on her...... "Play it Cool". We didn't talk at all during the cook-off until... "The Best Side Dish goes to Liera", meaning she won tickets to a Rockies game. So, after the event, I came up to her and asked who she was taking to the game... Again, no response... So I double-downed and asked her the question again. She played it cool, acting like she didn't want to go with me (eye roll). But by the time I got back to my desk, an IM popped up saying "That extra ticket has your name on it, if you want it". Ironically enough, we didn't end up going the game as we were both on work travel. We did go on our first date a couple of weeks after that... Where we talked for 8 hours about everything under the sun... from family and our upbringings all the way to who had better taste in music.... We both left that table feeling a sense of comfortability, neither of us had ever experienced. As we look back we always joke that it felt as though we had met before.