Long story short, we fell right into each-other’s laps. It was a cold December day and Aaron luckily scored a last minute cancellation appointment with Taylor at her dental office in Newport. During the pandemic, these appointments were like gold. Everyone was trying to get back into the dentist for their cleanings after the world was temporarily shut down. When Taylor walked into the waiting room to summon her next patient, she first noticed the finest mustache she’d ever laid eyes on. Dressed like a beekeeper in scrubs, a lab coat, N95 mask, safety glasses AND a face shield, Aaron still somehow found her wildly attractive. During the appointment there was chat about work, family, and the upcoming holidays. The hour flew by and their next meeting was scheduled for mid summer. Feeling like this would be far too long to go without seeing Taylor again, Aaron asked if the office offered any whitening treatments in an attempt to (quite literally) buy more time. Taylor put the first feeler out by handing over an at-home whitening kit and saying, “There are 10 treatments in here, so you can use the whole box yourself or share with a loved one at home.” Aaron replied that he didn't think his dog Baxter would be interested in whitening his teeth. To this day, the kit remains unopened underneath our bathroom sink. Too bashful and finding it somewhat dicey in a work setting, Aaron couldn’t find the words to ask Taylor for her number on the spot and left the office with his wheels spinning. Fortunately, conversation revealed that we had several mutual friends. One such friend kindly provided Taylor’s phone number to which Aaron sent the message, “Hey Taylor, it's Aaron from your cleaning this morning... my smile has never been brighter". A few days later, there was a first date at Diego’s in Newport. A few weeks later, there was a first kiss after a Christmas Eve breakfast spurred by gifted mistletoe. A few months later, there was a winter weekend getaway in Vermont. On the snowy drive North, or perhaps long before, we both knew that we never wanted our time together to end.

Aaron, Taylor, Baxter, and Winston were all in their respective spots on the couch enjoying an early fall Saturday morning. After patiently waiting for Taylor to finish her coffee, Aaron sprung the news that they’d be leaving at noon on a surprise overnight trip. Everything was prepped and planned to a tee… a cooler fully stocked with favorites including a beautiful hand-crafted charcuterie board, thick ribeye steaks to grill for dinner, Mad Hatter cupcakes for dessert (If you know, you know), and ingredients to craft the perfect cocktails. Upon landing on Rose Island, the launch captain provided an island tour along with the few other guests who were also staying the night. The accommodations were perfect: a private setting in the Foghorn Room overlooking Narragansett Bay and the Newport Bridge. The afternoon flew by in the midst of exploring the island on foot, searching for sea glass, and relaxing on a rocky outcropping beneath our room. In the late afternoon while the lighting was just right, we sat in our beach chairs enjoying the view. The chairs were strategically positioned to keep the ferry dock out of sight so our fishing buddy Rob could stealthily shuttle another good friend, Will, to the island to capture the moment. Their arrival, signaled by an inconspicuous bird call from behind a shed, kicked things into motion. Aaron discretely gave Will the thumbs up behind his back, coaxed Taylor from her chair for a sunset photo, and got down on one knee to ask the big question. We popped champagne with a few of our friends, for whom we were so grateful for being an integral part of the plan. Celebrations continued into the night around a campfire on the beach along with the other island guests. Rose Island will forever hold an important place in our hearts. It was the perfect setting for one of our best shared moments in life, yet.