On January 1, 2019, the year started with sunshine, sea breeze, and a little unexpected magic. Danielle and her mom, Kori, decided to spend the quiet New Year’s Day riding their bikes around the island, stopping in at a few favorite spots with a beautiful view of the ocean. Their last stop was Wanna Wanna Inn Beach Bar & Grill. They walked up to the bar and found two seats in the corner. As they passed, Danielle made eye contact with the bartender, Jeff, and thought, “Well…he is very handsome.” Jeff had actually seen Danielle a few weeks back when she came in with a couple of girlfriends for an IPA. So, when she walked again with Kori, he noticed right away. Jeff asked what they were drinking, they ordered, and while Jeff and Danielle didn’t say much to each other, there was plenty of eye contact and shy smiles. At one point Kori leaned over and whispered, “Danielle, he is so nice, and I’ve heard nothing but good things about him from everyone on the island.” Danielle blushed, rolled her eyes, but still didn’t make a move. When they went to close their tab, Jeff simply said that “Kori and her daughter don’t pay,” and just like that, they were on their bikes and heading home—but Danielle couldn’t stop thinking about the handsome bartender, who had just casually eliminated their bill and her composure. A week or two later, with a little encouragement from her mom, Danielle went back to Wanna Wanna on her own after a late shift, trying to act cool and not at all nervous. Jeff was slowly closing up the bar, alone. Danielle sat down, ordered a drink, and they talked and laughed for about an hour. Not wanting to keep him from closing any longer, Danielle asked for her check, hoping she could sneak her number onto the receipt (smooth move)—but once again, Jeff wouldn’t let her pay. Frustrated that her smooth execution required requesting office supplies, she laughed and said, “Thank you, but can I at least have a piece of receipt paper and a pen?” Jeff smiled, handed them over, and she wrote down her number. Jeff later told Danielle he really had no idea what she was doing. She wished him a good night and left, trying to act completely fine with what had just happened (she was not fine, ask her mom). The next morning, there was a text from Jeff. They spent 2019 getting to know each other, sharing beach days, taking their dogs to run in the dunes, and plenty more visits to Wanna Wanna. When 2020 arrived and quarantine began, they realized they were already spending most of their time together anyway—so they decided to quarantine together. After the original “two weeks to flatten the curve” came and went, they kept spending time together and never really stopped. They’ve been together ever since, and they can’t wait to celebrate the next chapter of their story with their friends and family—back where it all began, by the water on South Padre Island.