Countdown 'til Our Forever is ON!

It was the Paul Limmer Track Meet at Mepham High School. Nicole was a freshman, of course not participating in the meet due to an ankle injury. Rob was a junior and was tagging along to meet up with a few friends. There was an instant attraction between the two when they met at the half yard line on the football field, and they spent the rest of the afternoon together cracking jokes as Nicole's mother (volunteering at the meet) kept a distant yet close eye. After the track meet, Rob helped Nicole clean up trash under the bleachers, where she of course smashed her head on a metal beam. Rob comforted her with a big, warm embrace... and asked her clumsy self on a date. They went to the movies and began dating!

Nicole and Rob dated in high school for around 10 months and then parted ways. They remained friendly and would run into each other through common friend groups, at local bars, etc. Sometimes one of them would even intentionally run into the other and pretend it was coincidence. They attended Rangers games, grabbed drinks, had a meal here and there, would even share a kiss... but only "as friends." Then... COVID. Rob saw that Nicole moved back home to Long Island and reached out to see if she needed a friend, hoping to rekindle their friendship. He invited her to his 28th birthday party and she decided it was the perfect opportunity to feel things out. After some drinks and a conversation they both can't fully remember, they planned a first date for that following Thursday. Except Rob didn't remember at all. And he took her to a local bar for beers and appetizers, where he discovered he had finally landed the first date. The rest is history!

Rob had the last weekend in August held on their calendars for months, for some quality 1:1 time (1:1:1 if you count their puppy Rosie) and to close out the summer on a great note. He planned a date at a seafood restaurant Nicole had been asking to go on a date to, he planned a walk around Argyle Park and brunch at a new restaurant in Babylon Village, and he kept Sunday for sleeping in and relaxing by the pool. Nicole had a hunch, so just to be safe she booked a hair appointment and got her nails done. Except the Friday night dinner at the fancy restaurant came and went - great food, great company, no ring. Saturday morning came around and it was the most casual morning, quite possibly of their entire relationship. They slept in through the rain, watched videos together on their phones, did some cleaning around the apartment, and eventually got dressed for their brunch date. When they arrived at Argyle Park for their walk, however, Rob took Nicole down by the waterfall, told her how much he loves her and he wants to be this happy forever, and got down on one knee. Nicole, of course, screamed YES!