Everyone has a journey; ours started on the beach in Grand Cayman. ----- Nikki’s co-worker slash gay bestie, Josh, won an incentive trip through WeWork’s partnership with TriNet. She was his lucky plus one for a few free days in the Caribbean on one of her favorite islands. Joe was attending his fifth President’s Club sales trip with TriNet, where he is VP of Sales, assuming just another work trip to celebrate the company’s top sales leaders. They were all-so-soon to be way luckier than expected. A welcome reception the first night of the trip - and coincidentally Nikki’s father’s birthday - found everyone shoes off in the sand for cocktails and a Caribbean buffet. When Joe walked over to the group where Josh and Nikki were standing, “the king of ice breakers”; she’s allergic to cheesy cliches. But, somehow the conversation wasn’t uncomfortable and they were both intrigued by each other. She first noticed his knack for conversation and his intense blue eyes. He was enamored with her passion and experience in travel writing. The next morning, a knock on the door woke Nikki. When she answered, it was Joe who had two bouquets in his hands - one for Nikki, and one for Josh. And that’s how he won over friend number one. The next three days were nothing short of magical, culminating in a surprise birthday celebration for Nikki. At the airport, Joe said he had his three children next weekend but would come to New York to visit the following weekend. His conviction was refreshing, but still, Nikki would believe it when he was actually on the plane. Sure enough, there he was, in New York City, two Fridays after they met. None of what they originally felt had dissipated, and still hasn’t over the last two years.

Joe and Nikki were in Raleigh, North Carolina to visit family and see Ed Sheeran for Labor Day Weekend. On their final night, they had what Nikki thought were just dinner plans. But as soon as they walked down the restaurant's stairs, she saw an aisle of ombre pink and white rose petals. A guitarist started playing "Do You Realize" by Flaming Lips. She immediately started crying as Joe led her down the candle-lit, photo-lined aisle that displayed memories together and with their most treasured family and friends. She thought, "this must be it. He's done really nice things, but this is more than that. This has to be it." Then, Joe knelt down and took Nikki's hand. He said something thoughtfully written about chapters in lives and wanting to write every chapter together, but all she could think was, "I hope he wrote this down because I can't process anything he's saying". (He did and she cried again when she read it.) She answered him with a "yes please" and he slid the most amazing ring on her finger. Although with all the tears welled-up in her eyes, she couldn't see much more than the sparkle. They embraced, and cried, and then out of the corner of her eye, Nikki saw her mom, sister, and six-months pregnant best friend appear. Followed by her sister's boyfriend, best friend's husband and baby, and Joshua, who introduced them in Grand Cayman! Plus, the family in Raleigh who she thought she was just meeting for dinner. Delicious Mediterranean food followed at a meticulously set table. It was basically a wedding, and Nikki still doesn't know how the man who can't check himself into a flight could pull off the best moment of her life without her suspecting the slightest thing.