Camille glided into an NLP workshop in Marin and Zach approached her. After a short chat, Camille said she was interested in meditation and mindfulness to which Zach responded, "Oh, me too! I just read a book on past lives...that's the same thing, right?!" After she left, Zach walked outside and under his breath, said aloud to himself, "I'm gonna date her." Unfortunately, he didn't have her last name, social media or phone number. Fate did it's thing and they ran into each other again, over an hour's drive away at Taylor Lane Coffee Shop....two days in a row. Zach commenced sweeping Camille off her feet.

After a few dates, Zach left for a trip to New Zealand. After a 17-hour flight, 4-hour ferry ride and 25-mile water taxi, he arrived at a mentor's remote "batch" (aka "vacation home"). He trekked up the mountain, traipsed along a glowworm-lit path and watched the seaplanes flying in and out of the bay. After spending his entire life trying to become free enough to travel abroad on a whim, he had finally made it to the other side of the world....but ironically, all he actually wanted to do was to FaceTime Camille. Torn by the allure of a lifestyle of almost unbridled freedom and the stronger pull of the woman he desired, he looked up towards the heavens and asked his spirit guides for a sign. Just then, he glanced at the bookshelf and saw a copy of Jack Kerouac's book, "On the Road." As he held the book in his hands, he felt guided to close his eyes. He flipped through the pages, shoved his finger into the book and when he opened his eyes to read a passage it read, "Come back to San Francisco. We'll live together. I'll be a good girl for you." It even had Camille's name on the page! So, he did.

On the most beautiful hike in Sonoma County, "Islands in the Sky," Zach nervously texted his buddy who was hiding in the trees with a camera. Understandably, Camille prodded, "What are you doing?! Who are you texting?! We're in nature!" to which Zach replied, "My mom is at the store buying you Christmas presents and is sending me pictures to see if you'll like them. She's checking out right now, sorry." That excuse worked while in reality Zach asked his buddy to make "loud bird noises" to indicate his location. They arrived at the spot and since Camille is always looking for more content, Zach held up his battery-dead phone and pretended to take pictures of her. He told her to do one picture with her looking away from the camera. He said, "Yea, that's it! But really look off into the distance and point towards the sunset." When she turned around, he was on one-knee, smiling from ear-to-ear. She laughed. He asked. She said, "Yes." They hugged. Then smooched. Then his buddy climbed out from the brush, plucked the twigs out of his hair and gave us the charcuterie picnic basket and champagne flutes for our celebratory toast.