Are you familiar with the Orange Peel Theory? It’s the idea that small, simple acts of care, like peeling an orange, say more about love than big gestures. Within the first minute of meeting Hadyn at Castaways Park, she pulled an orange out of her bag and started peeling it. She was clearly starving after a long day at work and still offered me the first slice. I took it out of politeness, thinking, who is this granola girl handing me a slightly warm, bag orange? Looking back, it was so perfectly Hadyn, and a moment I will never forget. Our first date was in July 2020. I was still on high alert about COVID, but we shared a (probably contaminated) orange and sat way closer than six feet. We even ended up kissing at the end of the date. The chemistry was immediate. We looked deep into each other’s eyes, and she leaned in and whispered, “You have COVID now.” A true menace. After the initial shock, I loved the bold joke and her laugh at my reaction. After that, we were basically inseparable, instant best friends, learning every corner of each other’s lives. Quarantining together, adventuring outdoors, and spending endless hours at the beach. Almost six years later, we have built a beautiful life together full of love, ambition, and adventure. Our September wedding will make us officially “husband and wife,” but nothing will really change. We will keep showing up for each other and peeling each other’s oranges.