Like all great love stories, ours began… in a place where dating was strongly discouraged: our first job out of college. We both started our careers at Aerotek—Mia in Fairfax and Austin in Arlington (conveniently, where Mia's roommate also worked). After months of working from home during COVID, we finally ventured out for some social time. One sunny October afternoon at a group happy hour in Arlington, VA, Mia and Austin met in person for the first time. It was at that very table where a playful conversation changed everything. Someone jokingly asked, “Guess who’s dating?” Without missing a beat, Mia gasped dramatically and said, “Oh my gosh, how did you know Austin and I are dating?” It was totally a joke... until it wasn’t. Just as the laughter died down, the server came to take our orders. Mia ordered six oysters, and Austin, carrying on the bit, chimed in, “Babe, make it twelve.” That little moment had everyone still questioning the legitimacy of this “relationship,” but for us, something clicked. From that happy hour on, we found more and more reasons to spend time together, whether it was getting to know each other over dinner or taking long walks (safely distanced from office gossip, of course). Just two months later, we made it really official when we adopted our sweet chocolate lab, Tucker, and became puppy parents together before we even hit the 100-day mark. Bold move? Maybe. The best one? Absolutely. What started as a joke around a happy hour table turned into a love story filled with laughter, teamwork, and a lot of puppy kisses.