It was July 7, 2025... a couple days after Dan and Shelby both swiped right on hinge. They decide to meet at J Alexander's in Northbrook for a drink at the bar. They grab a drink, and enjoying each others company, decide to stay for a second drink. Not ready to stop talking, they go for dinner the next night and realize, hey - we think we really like each other! Fast forward 9 months, where they continue dating, fall in love, and move in together... It's April 3, 2026. Dan and Shelby are going for their typical Friday night dinner at J Alexander's. They sit at the bar and order a drink. Everything is normal, until Dan pulls out a ring box, opens it, sets it on the bar, and says "Not to make a big deal of this, but will you marry me?" Shelby sees the ring and screeches "DAN - GET ON A KNEE!" All of a sudden, they hear Karen, Shelby's mom, screaming behind them "Shelby let him propose in his own time - stop forcing it!" ... She had just walked into the restaurant to pick up their to-go order... at the EXACT time Dan is proposing... (no, this was not planned!). She then sees Shelby and Dan... and sees the ring. "OH!" she says! Meanwhile, Shelby is bawling - and not a pretty cry - a very ugly but happy cry. The engagement is paused while Karen calls Donald, Shelby's dad, who is in the car waiting for her to come out with their food, telling him to come inside. Donald, who does not go inside restaurants for his health, refuses, multiple times. Finally, Shelby yells in the phone "DAD, GET IN HERE AND SEE MY RING!" ... he says "OH! Okay be right there!" 5 minutes later, both parents inside, Shelby ugly crying in joy, champagne in hand gifted from the bartenders - Dan finally got on a knee. Obviously, she said YES! A love story that comes full circle - at the J Alexander's bar.