So there I was on a random March afternoon watching tv and contemplating my lack of weekend plans. My phone dings and it’s Stephanie, my unofficial Cincinnati social director, inviting me to join her for music and drinks at Jag’s. She quickly follows with news that her boyfriend has invited someone else to meet us. It was a set-up. An unexpected blind date. Ever the optimist I prepared myself for an evening of fun. Upon arrival I learn that this man has not arrived. Now we have a failed setup. I was displeased. The nerve. The audacity. The temerity. The unmitigated gall to stand me up. But alas, this unknown man soon appeared on a cell phone near me pleading his case. As fate would have it, he knew my name, my high school, my favorite sport; in fact, he knew me. It was none other than Kyle Phillips from Gahanna Lincoln High School. A classmate, a former crush and the man who stood me up – one in the same. From one moment to the other we talked and talked. We caught up on life over the last twenty years. We had a shared history, similar humor, a love for Marvel, sports, comedy and movies. His life had been filled with two wonderfully quirky children (7 yr old Mikiya and 10 yr old Kevin) plus an ex-wife. Mine with work and world travels. We dated from a distance – Columbus to Cincinnati, Ohio. And a global pandemic saw us deciding to quarantine in his Columbus apartment. For the last four years we’ve grown, I developed a new love for video games and anime, he began traveling more and found a secret love for crime shows. We taught his kids to play spades, he joined my family reunion in Texas, we’ve traded holidays in Columbus and Cleveland. I even wore a version of blue at The Ohio State vs. University of Michigan game at Ann Arbor. (The Buckeyes haven’t beat Michigan since. I apologize. I feel partially responsible) And it all culminated in our engagement on the boardwalk in Miami Florida outside The Edition hotel. Thank you for reading our story and joining us on this next adventure. The celebration of our families joining, my agreement to watch anime with Kyle and the kids, his agreement to watch Hallmark and do laundry. Thank you to our friends and family for supporting, guiding, laughing and poking us along the way.