Rachel, celebrating a dear friend's birthday and Steven, on a night out with the boys, met by chance at a Rob Garza show in SF. Going their separate ways most of the night, they caught each other's eyes again as Steven was on his way out at coat check. "I'm not leaving," he clarified to Rachel, "just getting my coat". That was only the beginning.

Rachel has been throwing an overnight joint birthday party with her close friends for 8 years. Steven joined her house band learning to play her trombone on Year 6. On Year 8, before their encore, Steven turned, took the mic, and began saying the kindest words about the trumpet player, Rachel. She knew what was happening, but couldn't believe it because Steven and Rachel have been unbelievably busy 1. buying a house in another state, 2. planning this party, 3. with band practices an hour away 4. traveling for Thanksgiving, and 5. both overworked at work. Somehow Steven made just enough time to make Rachel a decoy gift—a partially done photo album of all her friends and family. He gave it to her on her birthday the evening before while packing the RV up for the 8th annual birthday party. Apparently, the day she saw him "working from home" was the day he zoomed to the jeweler and within an hour picked a ring from the heart and came straight back home to not miss a beat.