I started working at Olon Ricerca in January of 2019 and met Richard in the round of introductions on my first day, but we rarely interacted for the first several months that I worked there. Sometime in July I was walking down the hall past his shared office and heard a commotion as he and his office mates were unboxing their newly purchased couch. Someone poked their head into the hall and asked for my opinion (which I was only too happy to give) on what color rug to buy to "pull the room together". Richard offered me a coffee from their shared Nespresso machine and I helped them pick out a rug. Soon after that, I was stopping by for a cup of coffee and a chat with Richard almost every day. In August, Richard "stole" a white claw from the company luau and hid it in his desk to give me because he knew I liked them, and that's when I started to suspect he might like me. Of course, it still took another 3 months and eventually me just TELLING him to ask me on a date for us to have our first date, but the rest, as they say, is history.

Well it didn't happen in Vegas...or my birthday party...or Christmas...or New Years...but when it did happen, it was better than anything I could have imagined, and I had no idea it was coming. During our weekend getaway at a charming cabin near Mohican with our closest friends, we couldn't shake off the feeling that our Airbnb host might have sinister plans for us. As it turned out, he was more concerned about his pond's fish than any plot against us. On Sunday, as most of the group departed, Richard and I extended our stay with A and DiAndra, embarking on a quest for a brewery visit and some wine. Much to our surprise, securing wine in Butler County, OH on a Sunday proved to be an impossible feat, yet our determination led us to try three different locations. Despite the oddity, we embraced the adventure, reveling in the joy of our shared escapades. Returning to the cabin, I began preparing dinner when D, A, and Richard insisted on one final trip to the dock to feed the fish, claiming it had to be at that very moment because "sunset is when they're the most active." Upon reaching the dock, everyone urged me to be the one to feed the fish, but Richard persistently tried to hold my hand. Confused, I finally blurted out, 'WHAT ARE YOU DOING?' It was then that I noticed he had something in his hand. Without waiting for him to finish his sentence, I eagerly said yes. Richard stood up so hastily that D scolded him for disrupting their attempt to capture the perfect picture. After a quick snapshot and some laughs about the chaotic moment, we went inside, where dinner, dancing, and celebration ensued. This is when it was revealed to me that the hunt for wine had actually been for champagne, but we didn't let that stop us from toasting to the occasion.