Drew and I met in the fall of 2019. He had come to Denver without knowing anyone but quickly made friends at the local Eagles bar. He even found himself a place to live through fellow Eagles fan, Nicole. Nicole, Alley and I became fast friends at the local dog park.

Nicole and Drew’s rental house has a nice backyard so Nicole invited some friends over for a fire with the gas firepit Drew had invested in. Drew and I bonded over a love for Costco and singing some nostalgic songs from our high school days. When I left I gave him my snowbrush because he had moved from a work stint in Atlanta. I had just bought a new one from Costco. I also loved that I could minimize my old one in a meaningful way.

Months later, in January 2020, he asked Nicole or Alley for my number. I invited him as my date to an axe throwing experience a friend had bought me for my 30th birthday. Then the pandemic hit and social events became difficult, but we did have the occasional friend hang out when we felt comfortable. I kept hearing from Drew and was always excited to see him at Nicole's. He would always text me to make sure I had made it home okay.

Unfortunately a loneliness had come over me having been isolated in my tiny Denver apartment and I decided to drive home to NY, at first for three weeks, to be with my family and see my little brother graduate and my best friend get married. But the pandemic didn’t seem to be going away and work told me I could stay, so I did. I started to think it was best for me to be near my family long term. So I planned to fly back to Denver to minimize my apartment.

Of course there was a plan to hang with Nicole, Alley and crew. I hadn’t talked to Drew but I was kinda counting on seeing him. After brunch we met him at a park and again we were drawn to each other. A horrible sadness came over me because I felt like I had made the wrong choice to give up on Denver. Enter drunk girl crying. He and Alley held my hands on the way back to Drew and Nicole’s house. To put it mildly I felt stretched in two different directions.

Even though I knew Drew was interested in me, I kept resisting his efforts. Like a true salesman he kept trying to close the deal and that weekend I knew we would be more than friends.

He’s the sunshine to my rain cloud. He has this way of making everyone feel at home. He loves Philadelphia sports (and betting), traveling (especially bar-hopping), smoking meat and cooking for friends. He’s wicked smart and fun to be around and I am so glad he didn’t give up on me in spite of pandemics and distance and our long list of differences.

I may be worried about where the future will take us but I know he isn’t and that he will continue to do whatever it takes to make me happy.

Gifts