It was a humid summer night in Washington, DC. Naturally, the best time to throw a crowded house party, or so a co-worker of Rachel’s thought and thank God he did.

Rachel: It was my first non-work outing with my co-workers. The getting ready process involved a few outfit pictures to Gabby for approval and more than a few “Just be cool, Colbert” mental pep talks. I arrived, six pack in hand, to a party far beyond what I was expecting. This wasn’t a low-key group of co-workers getting together for a relaxing night…this was a straight up house party. Think, college keg party but with an actual income. The DJ was setting up in the tiny front room, the kitchen counter was scattered with red solo cups and community bottles of Jack and Tito’s, & the keg was already cooled in a vat of ice on the back porch. After venturing through all of this to the back yard, I found the majority of the EGPAF officers & coordinators gathered. A few more “These are your colleagues” & “Don’t embarrass yourself” mental reminders and the stage was set for a lovely, though mostly unexpected evening. Keep in mind, I had worked for EGPAF for about four months at this point. My co-workers were a social group, often meeting for happy hours, back yard barbeques, and similar house parties at the “famed” Monroe Mansion. Prior to this party, I had only gone to a few happy hours, choosing to instead spend my evenings with Jess, catching up on years of missed bonding that can only happen when there is nothing to do but simply sit together. Just because I had missed the parties didn’t mean I was totally in the dark, I had heard all of the hilarious mishaps and shenanigans…so I really shouldn’t have been totally shocked by the kind of party I walked into. I had heard about Adam, he was the friend who was always down to join the fun, the laid-back guy who pulled the grill back out at almost midnight after someone showed up to the barbeque three hours late, hot dog in hand, the guy who no one said anything other than the best things about. With only a few friends in DC, he was the guy I wanted to meet because who doesn’t want a friend like that?

Adam: The best benefit of living in a house with roommates is “Friends” of friends. That fateful weekend in July, my roommate told me there was a house party that I had to attend. Nothing more, nothing less, just that there would be good booze, cool people, and one of the guys had hired a DJ…so that would be funny. My roommate told me her boyfriend’s co workers were invited, I had met most of the EGPAF people, so I was looking forward to seeing them. As with any Saturday night house party my first mission was: Find the booze. That was easy…very easy. I wasn’t surprised by the booze, I was surprised by the volume. Second Mission: Find people I know. After finding a friend, he ushered me to the backyard, where he told me the rest of our group was congregating. I walked out to find a literal sea of people that immediately welcomed me with a group shout of “Adam!” Let the festivities begin.

Rachel: The party was in full swing and I had managed to relax but still show my co-workers the best side of me. Mid-conversation, the back yard erupts in “Adam!” “You made it!” “Heyyyyy!” I turn to look and realize that whatever cool I had managed to keep was not going to last much longer. The guy walking down the stairs was none other than the amazing guy I wanted to meet but there was no way I could be his friend. He was way too good looking with a genuine smile that made everyone else smile too. I mean, the back yard literally erupted when he arrived, clearly he was a person that made people that happy. Not to mention the dimples that made me take a much longer drink from my beer than I intended. Adam: My roommate was standing in the group closest to the bottom of the stairs, and she introduced me to me the few I didn’t know. One was Rachel. I had a few thoughts when I first met her: a) Wow. b) Unusual party attire…did she mean to come here? c) What a handshake! When meeting people at a party, names usually don’t stick…but Rachel was one I couldn’t get out of my head. As the party went on, and Rachel was eventually pulled away from our group, all I could think was that I needed to talk to her again, I needed more. Rachel: We were introduced, the party continued, and I did the exact opposite of what I had intended to that night. Instead of a chill evening getting to know co-workers and leaving them with a great impression of how together, mature, and clever I am…I nervous drank my way to the side of me that has since been tagged “Raquel.” I will never tell the story of the rest of that night. That’s all you get.

Adam: The next day, all I could think was that I had to figure out a way to see more of her. Refusing to wait until the next communal happy hour or ridiculous house party, I decided to text. Before you say anything, this was 2015, and only psychopaths call first. Texting her was stressful, I couldn’t think of the right thing to say. Did she like me? Did she want to see me again? Was I just some dude that she met at a party? And I was pretty much terrified that she would stop responding with each text. After a few days of the usual getting to know each texts, we agreed on a happy hour meet up…but with just the two of us. Rachel: The evening of the date arrived. We met after work at a place that specializes in Belgian beer and mussels. Jess had her alarm set for an hour after our meeting time to call, ready to fake a pregnancy emergency to give me an out and save this poor guy. Adam: I ended up circling the block a few times because I was way too early and that’s just awkward. I walked into the dimly lit basement bar to see her at the first table. When she turned to look at me, her face lit up and I was met with an onslaught of nerves & butterflies. Rachel: We ordered a couple of beers and started talking. The call from Jess came and went, and we kept talking. Adam: A bit later, we were asked to move to the bar, split a bowl of mussels, and stretched our after-work drinks into a dinner date. I was surprised by how much we had in common, how easy she was talk to, and how much I didn’t want to leave. Rachel: After that, our relationship was as natural and easy as anything I’ve ever known. After that first date, there was never any question about how this would end…that is to say, I hope it never does. Adam: Word.

St. Michael’s has always been our place. It’s a quiet little sailing town on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay that has great food & drinks, and it’s small enough that we don’t have to use the car at all. We go there to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries, or just to get the hell out of DC. After a hectic Christmas, Adam rented a little cabin just off the main drag to we could unwind and get ready for 2018. He had an amazing spread of cheese and wine for us to enjoy in front of the fire while he cooked up some venison stir fry. It was a quiet, perfect night. Around midnight, maybe just before, maybe just after, who knows, they popped some champagne to wrap up the night. Adam then gave Rachel a photo album celebrating their lives together so far, it was full of once in a lifetime moments, funny stories, and most of all, laughter. At the end was a letter, it told of his love and his knowledge that it would last forever. It ended with a question. When Rachel looked up, he was down on one knee. There was no other possible answer, she said “yes.”