I got a text from my soon-to-be mother-in-law, Sheryl. I’d been friends with Sheryl and Mitch (Dan’s parents) for a decade, and I was watching their pets while they were out of town. She reached out to arrange a time to pick them up, and soon our conversation drifted toward her wanting to set me up with her son. I declined, laughing it off and saying, “I’m done with men.” A few minutes later, she texted, “Oh, too late! I already sent him your contact info, so when you get a text from a number you don’t know, it’s Dan.” Not pushy at all, right? A couple of hours later, I got a text from Dan, and we ended up chatting on and off that evening, even making plans to meet for drinks the next day at Front 43 in Lansing. I had been clear that I wasn’t looking for a relationship, and he was fine with just hanging out as friends from time to time. When Monday came, I was both nervous and excited to meet him, especially after our enjoyable conversation the night before. We spent a few hours together, having drinks and sharing stories, and by the end, I knew I wanted to see him again. He had this calming effect on me, and he was by far the most relaxed person I’d ever met. His dedication to his career and employees impressed me, and he made me laugh and feel completely at ease. Because of travel and work schedules, we didn’t get the chance to meet again for another month, but from that day on, we texted daily and got to know each other better. I love the way our story started and continues to grow.