Patricia: It all started in 2022, mid-pandemic, “online dating.” I always felt my husband would be in the DMV area, so naturally, I set my location there. Strategic? Absolutely. One day, Paul sent me a rose on Hinge. A rose! Intrigued, I clicked on his profile: witty, confident, and undeniably handsome. I thought, “Let’s see where this goes.” Paul: From the first moment I saw Patricia, she simply felt different. Her personality was powerful yet subtle, and her joy struck me in such an impactful way. Her smile (that smile) was disarming, her energy magnetic, and there was an honesty in how she showed up as a woman that made me feel comfortable being myself. Our first conversations (and there were many) felt like we were picking up something that began years prior. It was easy. Familiar. Real. Patricia: Cue the awkward pause. “Actually, I’m in Miami,” I confessed. The silence on the other end was deafening. Then Paul said, “Wait, so you’ve been location catfishing me this whole time?!” And just like that, I became his official “location catfish.” Paul: Pat’s reply caught me off guard, and despite my slight disappointment, we kept a strong bond and connection. Patricia was caring, witty, funny, and always had something clever to say – constantly making jokes about how I speak (particularly my vocabulary). She lovingly pokes fun, and always knew how to get pass my seemingly stern exterior. Patricia: Because he totally does! But I loved it. Paul called me “Miss Pat,” which was so sweet, and we’d banter endlessly about everything—food, culture, and whose island had the better cuisine. (Spoiler: it’s Haiti.) Paul: That is a highly debatable point for another time. But as much as I enjoyed our friendship, I had my rule: no long-distance relationships. We agreed to stay just friends, though by month five or six, an observant man knows where a woman’s heart lies… and I knew she was ready to meet in person, but I was not. Patricia: Let me tell you, I was in my feelings. Then, in December, Paul texted, “Want to have brunch?” He had a layover in Miami on his way to Jamaica. And let’s be real, that layover wasn’t a coincidence. Paul: Obviously, the long layover was intentional. If you know me, I rarely fly by the seat of my pants. The thing is, when a man is ready, he’s ready. Meeting Pat for the first time sealed it for me. She was an even more beautiful soul in person! Shorter than I expected, but all of the earnest and loving woman I came to know from a distance. Patricia: And tall! I thought, “Wow, okay, Paul!” He took my hands at brunch and said, “Miss Pat, let’s pray.” Right then, I knew this wasn’t just a regular meal—it felt special. Paul: Brunch with her felt effortless; there was peace in being with Pat, which I’ve longed for. When I got to Jamaica, I kept thinking about our first encounter. We kept in touch the entire time, and even if I tried to ignore it, it was clear that my feelings for her were more profound than I had thought. Patricia: By that point, I knew he was kidding himself. One night, he asked, “What do you want from me?” I told him exactly what I wanted, and he said he was floored. Paul: Patricia’s response will forever remain one of our most endearing private moments, and it was a pivotal turning point in our relationship. As Pat always does, she flipped the question on me, and I answered unabatedly and honestly. Patricia, in her sentimental way, said, “Did we just write our vows? Patricia: In March 2024, we made it official. From a “rosy” encounter on Hinge to brunch in Miami to daily calls across borders, our story proves that love can blossom—even with a bit of location catfishing. Paul: Love can find you in the most unexpected places, and during a pandemic, despite the distance, God brought us together when we both lost the desire to keep "looking." The friendship we built is the foundation of the love we share today and remains the fuel that keeps the joy of our relationship burning.

On March 16, 2024, Paul and my friends pulled off the perfect surprise engagement. Their plan involved a ruse that we were all headed to a friend's birthday brunch, complete with an all-white dress code and all the other "distractions" to throw me off. Jo complimented me on my outfit when we arrived and insisted on taking pictures. As I posed, my friends began walking in one by one, each handing me a rose. The moment I saw Laura, I knew exactly what was happening. My heart raced as Paul stepped forward, smiling, and asked the question I'd been dreaming of. Without hesitation, I said yes! It was a day filled with love and laughter and the beginning of our forever.