Like most modern-day relationships, Jake and I matched on the trusty app called Hinge. What wasn’t normal was that we were each other’s very first date off the app. Neither of us had gone out with anyone else. He commented on my photo saying I had a beautiful smile, and we ended up texting non-stop for the next 24 hours. Jake was adamant about meeting in person—despite the fact that we had barely known each other a day. I decided to go for it but made sure all my friends knew exactly where I was going. Because, you know… stranger danger. It was a Friday evening, and I picked a brewery in downtown KC, thinking it would be crowded—perfect for meeting a stranger without getting murdered. I put on my cutest outfit, hopped on the streetcar, and got there a little early. I grabbed a beer, found a seat, and waited. Our meeting time came and went. Still no Jake. Then he texted saying he was stuck behind a huge motorcycle gang, which was apparently why he was late. Great first impression, right? A few minutes later he drove past the brewery, spotted me, and gave me the biggest, goofiest wave I’ve ever seen through the car window. My immediate thought: What did I get myself into? But alas, our date finally began. He was easy to talk to—and honestly, pretty cute. The brewery closed at 10 p.m., but we weren’t ready for the night to end, so we wandered across the street to another bar. I even sent my friends a photo of his back at the bar… you know, just in case they needed to provide evidence to the police. We kept chatting, but it was getting too loud, so Jake suggested checking out Jim’s Alley Bar down the street. I agreed, not knowing the “alley” part was literal. He led me down a dark, sketchy alley, and that’s when I really thought, Yep, this is how I die. Earlier I’d told him I had pepper spray, but let’s be honest—one flex of his bicep and my Dateline story would’ve been over. Then he opened a random door, and suddenly… there was the bar. I silently thanked the universe that I wasn’t about to be on national television and decided I definitely deserved a free drink. All jokes aside, Jake ended up being the best first date I had ever been on. He paid for all my drinks, walked on the street side of the sidewalk (and made me switch if I wasn’t), drove me home at the end of the night, tried his best to understand my whole sibling dynamic, and made me feel like the most special girl in the world. So… can you guess if we went on a second date? 💕