Susan and Kasey worked together for several years. Susan would check in on Kasey from time to time and Kasey would do the same. When Kasey's niece died, Susan reached out to comfort him. And anytime Susan had a hard time at work, Kasey would email her to offer support and encouragement. When Kasey's department split off to form a new stand-alone organization, he reached out again to make sure they didn't lose touch. Susan sent Kasey her personal email and phone number and told him to call anytime. He called that night. After a brief period of cat and mouse, they connected for a "date" (read: beers by a fire) have been connected ever since.

Kasey knew he would be hard-pressed to keep a secret from Susan, so he'd have to be extra creative. On the annual family vacation, he took Susan to the beach for a walk, and to Susan's, but not Kasey's, surprise, there was a message in a bottle buried in the sand on the beach. Susan realized, after observing her niece's husband taking photographs from a distance, that this was going to be the big moment. They laughed and giggled and after a pause, Kasey reached into his pocket. But he didn't pull anything out. He just kept his hand in his pocket. Susan asked him, "What are you doing?" Kasey responded, "putting my hand in my pocket." And then he casually said, "we should get back up to the house for dinner." So back up to the house they went. Susan tried to hide her disappointment. Kasey played right into it, apologizing, telling her how bad he felt that he had disappointed her. A little while later he told her that he wasn't feeling well and needed to go to bed. Susan protested. It was their first night on vacation. There was music and boat drinks and memories to be made. She didn't want him to go to bed and whispered, "what's wrong? what can I do to make you feel better?" Kasey dropped to one knee and said, "I'd really feel better if you would marry me." After a kiss, a few tears, and a long embrace, she said "yes!"