It was a wild and hectic day in the emergency room. Angelique looked up from her desk and noticed Derek standing before her. She commented about how busy it was and how she was looking forward to going paddle boarding on her day off. This piqued Derek's interest. Derek asked for recommendations on where to paddle board and for her name. Angelique responded and asked for his name, then gave recommendations, and they carried about their day, not seeing each other again. A month later, in a different area of the ER, Angelique looked up from her desk and saw Derek standing there again. Before Derek could say anything, Angelique asked if he had gone to the spot she had recommended. She then asked, "Do you remember my name?'' He looked around the room momentarily, then said, "Yes, it is Angelique." Angelique was very impressed until she realized he read her name from the whiteboard on the wall. Angelique was only ok with this response because she had to use his name tag to remember his. They laughed about not remembering each other's names and how impressed she was by his quick thinking about using the whiteboard. Angelique commented about going to a hot spring on her next day off, which again piqued Derek's interest. They chatted for a bit, then parted ways. Once again, a month passed without seeing each other when Derek spotted Angelique in the cafeteria. Without hesitation, Derek said, "Can I have your number so you can send me recommendations on where to paddle board?" It was then that the conversation began. They met for paddle boarding, enjoyed time on the water, and learned about each other. After paddle boarding, they tried what felt like every taco spot near the area to get dinner together, but it did not happen. One evening, Derek asked Angelique if she wanted to get dinner, which she did. They met at a place near the river, listened to live music, and ate pizza until midnight. As Derek walked Angelique to her car, he asked, "Do you have your paddle board?''. Angelique did, but Derek did not. She said they could just share hers! They blew up her paddle board and climbed down in the sand to the water. They both got on her paddle board in the Sacramento River at midnight. There was a full moon in the sky; without it, there would have been no light. As they were finished paddle boarding, they sat on the board along the shore, and Derek wrapped his arms around her. It was then Angelique knew they were on a date. Years later, One... two.... three dogs later and many adventures along the way, they are still as in love as they were under that full moon on that paddle board on their first date.

On a chilly October day, Derek asked Angelique if she wanted to camp overnight at the very first campsite they had visited together. Naturally, she was excited to go, especially since it was at a hot spring—one of her favorite places. Derek mentioned that he wanted to take pictures of the fall scenery with the dogs and asked her to bring something nice to wear. Angelique, a little suspicious, was used to Derek's spontaneous ideas and eventually dismissed any concerns. They packed up their dogs and supplies and set off. The day unfolded beautifully, with a scenic hike to a waterfall followed by a relaxing soak in the hot spring. When they reached their campsite for the night, Derek asked Angelique to set up the tent and change into her nicer outfit, as he planned to prepare a special dinner by the fire. This request felt odd, but she shrugged it off and changed. When Angelique emerged from the tent, Derek told her to close her eyes and guided her to a table he had set up. As she sat down, the familiar strains of "Perfect" by Ed Sheeran began to play. Derek told her to open her eyes, and there, kneeling before her, was Derek with a ring in hand. Behind him, their car was decorated with a large "Marry me?" sign, surrounded by photos of the two of them and the adventures they had shared along the way. Stunned, Angelique watched as Derek asked her to marry him.