It was early 2020. Peter had just relocated back to the Boston area from New York and Nathalie was living in Newton. Their first date was at Lolita in Back Bay. Each of them didn't know what they were in for. Peter failed to initially disclose he wasn't actually living in the city yet (he was still living at his parents’ house up in Andover). Nathalie had an extensive list of “must haves” she was looking for in a partner, including a minimum height requirement of 6 feet. Peter was 5’9”. Nevertheless, they hit it off enough to go out a few more times and then the world shut down. This allowed them to get to know each other in creative ways, such as walking through parks, going on picnics, doing puzzles, and checking out all the local ice cream shops. As the world reopened, they got to meet each other's families and friends, travel together, and grow closer. The rest is history.

Peter had devised a master plan. Through a family friend who’s a jeweler, he was able to land the perfect ring for Nathalie. He prided himself on accomplishing this without asking anybody; he simply listened and picked up on the breadcrumbs Nathalie had been leaving over time. The next question was where. It’s no secret Maine is Nathalie’s special place, and they had a trip planned to Acadia National Park. Peter thought surprising her at the top of Cadillac Mountain would be the move - all he had to do was execute it. That morning, Peter removed the ring from his suitcase and transferred it to the outer pocket of his hiking backpack (hiding it in a small paper bag). Shortly after, Nathalie opened said pocket to look for chapstick. She asked what the bag was but quickly moved past it. A few minutes later when Peter went to brush his teeth, he found Nathalie in front of the mirror putting on makeup. He was convinced his cover was blown. He spent the rest of the morning trying to misdirect her, asking questions like “where do you think the most popular spots in New England are to propose?” Eventually, they got to the top of the mountain and Peter told Nathalie he had to go to the bathroom. He popped behind some brush and moved the ring from the bag into his pocket. Moments later, they walked to a landing that had a beautiful panoramic view. Peter thought “this is it”. Before he knew it, Nathalie asked some strangers for a photo and handed them her phone. As Peter walked by them, he whispered “I’m going to propose”. After taking a normal picture, Peter distracted Nathalie by pointing and saying “look! A bunny!”, well aware of her love for rabbits. In the split second she turned away, he got on one knee to pop the question. She was so shocked she almost forgot to say yes.