We met at The Horseshoe Tavern in Morristown on St. Patrick’s Day 2022 — the kind of night you expect green beer, not your future fiancé. Somewhere between the music and the crowd, we caught each other’s eyes. I didn’t think much of it… but he was apparently plotting how he could possibly get my number without abandoning the people he came with. Of course, the bar got busier, we drifted apart, and he figured that was the end of it. But fate (and my Uber) had other plans. As I stepped outside to wait for my ride, there he was — conveniently “getting fresh air.” Without a second thought, I walked right up to him and asked if he liked to hike. (He looked like an outdoorsman, and I did need a new hiking buddy.) He said yes, we exchanged a few words and our numbers, and off I went. For weeks, he invited me on walks in the woods… and for weeks I politely declined. (Hiking with a stranger? I wasn’t that adventurous yet, lol.) Instead, we spent hours on the phone — talking about mountains and music, our dreams for the future, and laughing nonstop. He was quirky, charming, and effortlessly easy to talk to. By June, phone calls weren’t cutting it. I wanted to actually see him. So one random Thursday afternoon, I asked him to grab a drink — and the rest was history. We spent the entire Fourth of July weekend together after that first date. On our third date, he taught me how to swing a golf club (I was a natural, obviously), and we decided it would be our forever hobby — something we’d do together until we’re old and gray. From that point on, we never wanted to be without each other. And with every moment, our love and our bond only grew stronger.