While we *technically* met on the loading dock of Kaiser Oakland, we much prefer our second encounter as the first page of our love story. Ellis’ younger brother, Dominic, worked at the same company as Sara. Ellis came to the holiday party with another coworker who had the intention of introducing us. After hitting it off maybe a little too well, Sara realized it was time to send her own date to the party home. Ellis and Sara spent the rest of the night talking and left the party to have a night cap of their own. A few days later, we went on our first date in Walnut Creek, CA. Coincidentally, one of the surgeons that Sara worked with was also on a date at the same restaurant. He and his wife came and sat with us, and the first date jitters were quickly felt by having to admit to the surgeon that this was, indeed, a first date. After a brief interrogation, we were left to enjoy the rest of our meal. As Ellis went to pay the bill, the server informed us that the surgeon had taken care of it himself. While Ellis has paid for *most* dates going forward, he will never be able to claim that he paid for our first date.