On May 27th, 2014 José stopped by the Lindeblad School of Music to drop off his resumé. He was on summer break from teaching at the college and was interested in taking on a few private piano students. As José puts it "In I walked and there was Maggie! She was wearing a blue dress and I thought, 'Wow, this girl is so pretty!'" It wasn't until December, 2014 that Maggie and José started working together and José's "few private piano students" turned into a quite a few and soon they were seeing each other almost every day. Maggie was struck by his kind & courteous heart and José loved that Maggie had a solution for his every question. After attending a colleague's wedding in June, 2016 it was clear that their relationship had potential for something deeper. That summer Maggie was catching up with a dear friend and talked about this inclination she was having to pursue a relationship with her co-worker José, to which her friend advised, "No way, José!" Ignoring her friends advice, when José finally asked her out, Maggie said, "Yes way!"

One of Maggie and José's favorite ways to spend their time is traveling together and experiencing different cultures. After about a year of talking about the intrigue of Cuba, José planned a surprise trip over Memorial Day weekend. Wanting everything to go perfectly, José researched every possible option for the ideal Cuban proposal. The two landed in Havana the weekend of a sub-tropical storm, dumping unseasonable rain all over the Island. It was clear, the oceanside beach proposal accompanied by Spanish poetry or the sunset stroll along the Malecon were no longer options. Inspite of his meticulous study and preparation, José was going to have to improvise. It was their last night in Havana, May 27th. The two dined on lobster, tucked away on a balcony over-looking the breathtaking, decaying skyline, contemplating the beauty and potential in their view. They left their table and the restaurant for one last excursion. As they exited, Maggie & José found themselves alone at the landing of a beautiful staircase in a room full of glowing chandeliers and ornate columns. José claims he heard a voice in his head, "Do it now!" So he told Maggie not to move, got down on one knee, and asked Maggie to marry him. To which she replied, "Absolutely!"