Alejandro and Marina met in college when she was an RA and he was the self-proclaimed "Soft Rascal" of PHC. For Alejandro, meeting Marina was love at first sight. For Marina, meeting Alejandro was a serendipitous happenstance, as she had three more Spanish courses that she needed to pass before graduation, and he just so happened to be fluent and willing to tutor her. Unsurprisingly, those lessons led to sincere friendship, and they quickly became big fans of each other. Alejandro asked her out during the summer of 2019 after knowing each other for a couple of years, but she thought their friendship was too valuable to risk. The summer of 2020, Alejandro was pursuing law enforcement when he ran into Marina at work...which led to four months of watching the Bachelor together weekly while eating cheese and baguettes. Alejandro knew in his heart then that Marina was the girl for him and bought her a candle that Christmas. Marina told a friend that she had a crush on Alejandro because he had the best laugh and such a positive attitude about challenging life circumstances (he was having truly dreadful car problems at the time but always seemed to look on the bright side). She thought he was the kind of person who would make life better just by his outlook when things got hard. But by 2021, Marina was still foolishly worried about ruining their friendship. Alejandro decided it would never work out and pledged himself to the police academy. Marina finished the season of the Bachelor on her own, and Alejandro went back to eating baguettes by himself. In 2022, the tragic loss of one of their dearest mutual friends caused them to again spend considerable time together. Marina learned through that terrible season that she had been right about one thing: Alejandro was the kind of person you want by your side when things go wrong, because he was always there to listen with kindness, laugh through pain, and be a true friend even when he's hurting, too. Marina gained a new appreciation for what she'd known all along -- that Alejandro was the best, most loyal and genuine person she knew, and she had been wrong about them being totally nothing more than just friends. With the help of some strategically planted girlish gossip (thanks to Mikael Good, Georgia Durning, and Caity Durning), Alejandro heard through the grapevine that Marina had maybe changed her mind about the whole friendzone thing. Luckily for Marina, Alejandro's resolve to get over her hadn't worked after all those years. On July 17, 2022, Alejandro asked her to date him at a beautiful creek in the forest. And to give you a glimpse into how patient this man is, he told her she could take all the time she needed to figure out her answer. Marina told him that she thought she had taken plenty of time already. :) On June 17, 2023, Alejandro took her back to that same creek and asked her to marry him! And if that isn't the most wholesome thing you've ever heard, I don't know what is. Early in their relationship, Marina asked Alejandro what advice he'd give to someone "playing the long game." His first response was to "try again next year," but his second was to "love her gently." Marina wants people to know that Alejandro has always loved her gently. He is the kindest, most loyal and loving man she's ever met. He has consistently shown her true devotion, especially when she didn't deserve it. She knows he will always love her even when she is hard to love, and she is so honored and blessed to call him her lover forever. Alejandro wants people to know that he had never met a more delightful girl. From the first moment until now Marina has captivated him with her saucy wit and girlish charm. With her he regards every instance, whether mundane or momentous, as a gift from the Lord. To him there is no woman more lovely to call helper. Marina is his balm on bad days and his sunshine always. He is forever thankful that his efforts were not in vain all those years ago.