Rusty has to been known to tell people that Candace was mail-ordered from abroad (or at least from Massachusetts), so let’s dive into the actual story to clear up any rumors before the big day. In late May 2021, Candace was spending the weekend in Portland at her friend and former roommate from college, Lindsey’s house, as was typical and without knowing what the plans were. It turned out Lindsey and her then fiancee Matt were planning to go to the grand opening party for Freeport Diesel & Marine, which Candace didn’t want to go to. After attempting and failing to find any friends in Maine that were free to hang out and not going to the party, Candace reluctantly accepted her fate and tagged along. While there, Candace was talking to friends about the latest guy she was talking to and had gone a couple dates with from Boston but wasn’t sure he was “the one.” Their friend Sophia randomly asked Candace if she ever talked to Rusty and motioned over to where he was sitting. Candace said, “No, why would I do that?” At some point Sophia asked Rusty the same question about Candace, and he was probably less rude in his response. The grand opening party turned into a Bruins-watching party at their friends Sam and Dom’s house. Later that night, Candace and Rusty locked eyes by the fire, Rusty said some super cheesy things to make her laugh and gushed about how beautiful he thought she was (yes, alcohol was involved). When Lindsey and Matt were leaving for the night, they tried adamantly to get Candace to go with them, but Candace insisted she stay to keep talking with Rusty by the fire and inevitably missed the ride back to Portland. The next morning, Candace and Rusty both woke up sprawled out around Sam and Dom’s couch to their then 3-year-old son, Colby, who scolded them for being in “his spot” (to watch Sunday morning cartoons). Candace had to rely on Rusty for a ride back to Lindsey’s, which he said he was happy to do after he swung by his new house in New Gloucester — to which Candace wondered, “Where the hell is that?” Candace sent several texts to her friends Lindsey and Jenny that she was probably getting kidnapped, but eventually made it back to Portland safe and sound. It was Memorial Day weekend and Rusty was taking a boat full of people over to Chebeague for the annual softball game. He tried to entice Candace to join him but it was raining out and a boat ride / softball game in the rain with people she didn’t know sounded less than fun. Fast forward to later that night, the weekend was ending and Candace drove back to Boston. Rusty wasted no time in reaching out to ask if she was free to join him at a Bruins play-off game the next night. Smooth move. Who would say no to that? The seats were good and the Bruins won! After a few more times between Boston and Maine on dates and hanging out with their mutual friend group (RIP to Samuel’s), things got kind of serious (or at least, as serious as Rusty can be). Rusty had a house-warming party where Candace met some of his family and more friends. That night, Rusty officially asked her to be his girlfriend. She said yes, (and also finally told the guy in Boston she had been seeing that she was officially off the market.) Six months later, Candace finally met the first love of Rusty’s life: Charlotte, and they hit they it off. In 2022, Candace applied for a new position managing a child care program in downtown Portland, got the job and moved to that once very foreign sounding place “in the middle of nowhere” where: New Gloucester, Maine. In 2023, Rusty and Candace picked up their sweet, cuddly chocolate lab, Biscuit, they formed friendships with their neighbors all around them on their little dirt road making it seem much more like home, and the rest was history!