By chance - or maybe fate - Sam and Leigha met at their favorite place: the beach. Sam had been friends with Leigha’s sister, Whitney, for years but had never known she had an older sister. That all changed on July 21, 2019, at Whitney’s birthday beach get-together, when Anna and Pat dragged Sam along too - This was a common trio! Leigha, running late with the red wagon and kids in tow, showed up with a Dunkin’ iced coffee and Sam couldn't help but realize what a scene she was arriving on the beach looking like a one armed paper hanger. Sam was already sitting with the group in the goofiest beach chair ever—complete with a built-in sunroof, flip-up table, it was a sight. And then there was his laugh. If you’ve ever heard Sam laugh, you know exactly what they mean. Leigha was instantly intrigued. Out in the water, Sam played catch with the kids and Uncle Dan. While Uncle Dan chucked the ball at everyone, Sam was much more gentle, tossing it to Leigha so she had a chance to actually catch it. The hours passed quickly and everyone started packing up. As the sun was starting to set, Leigha tried to get people to stay because she insisted this time of the day on the beach, was the best part of the day. Whit and Dan headed off to their traditional birthday dinner at Petey’s, Anna and Pat took off, and then there was Sam. "I agree! This is the best part of the day!" So Sam decided to stay. At some point, Leigha started teasing Sam about his beach chair (because, honestly, it was a sight), but he just laughed along—always the happy camper. And just like that, they found themselves making dinner together that night...well..Sam made dinner! HA. And little did they know, he would be the chef for many nights after that. The best part? Sam forgot his beach chair at Leigha’s mom’s house, where she was house-sitting for the weekend. So naturally, he had to come back the next day to pick it up. And wouldn’t you know —he showed up with more rosé and a full charcuterie board, to pick up his "beach chair." Safe to say, Sam knew exactly what he was doing. And the truth is, Leigha knew too. From that very first day, something felt different—like this was the start of something neither of them had ever experienced before. And they were both right. The rest is history! FUN FACT: Both Sam and Leigha's parents met on the beach too!