Preface All the best romance novels portray lovers doomed by external circumstance and fate. Ours is an unlikely love story set against the backdrop of a global pandemic. For our metaphor, we have chosen “voyage.” Voyage requires charting unknown territory together, implies courage and growth, allows for shared goals, and reinforces that each chapter is part of a larger journey. Also, we love cruising together! Chapter 1 Ashley and Jordan both attended Shaker High School in Latham, New York. Ashley was the Class of 2014, Jordan the Class of 2013. Their brothers, Mitchell and Cameron, played Pop Warner football together while their fathers, Aaron and Lou, were both coaches on the team. Jordan went off to college in South Florida and Ashley to Westchester, NY. They both graduated with their MBA's and moved to big cities to start their lives. Jordan moved to Boston for a sales job while Ashley moved to the Big Apple, her lifelong goal. The pandemic hit and life as we knew it instantly changed. While sitting in quarantine, Jordan began to ponder what life would be like post-pandemic. He considered moving to the Big Apple. Naturally, prospecting on a dating app, Hinge, was step #1. The two matched and had their first date over Zoom. Ashley sat in her NYC apartment and Jordan in his childhood bedroom. Chapter 2 The great romantic navigator, Grover Washington, Jr. once said, “We look for love, no time for tears, wasted water’s all that is.” Piece by piece, Ashley and Jordan assembled a puzzle destined to be finished. Like ships passing in the night, they had grown up a few steps from one another but had never crossed paths. They shared the same school dances, football games, hallways, and local restaurants. Yet, in a serendipitous and unexpected way, it took covid to bring them together. Chapter 3 Today, Jordan and Ashley have been together for five years and live in New York City with their spunky mini poodle, Bo. Though they share one roof, they've each found their own corners of the city. You can find Jordan playing pickleball in all five boroughs or hosting board game night, while Ashley is usually training for her next triathlon or volunteering with the ASPCA. Together, they love to cruise, try new restaurants, and explore the beautiful New England coast. Their dream is to one day own property on Cape Cod. As Grover would say, good things come to those who wait, not for those who wait too late. The couple looks forward to this next chapter and welcoming you all aboard as they continue their voyage! Chapter 4 To be determined.