Read about how we first met!
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Jonathan's Version -
Went to bushwhackers with my boy Justin for a mutual friend of Kim and I's birthday. We showed up to our usual table and started in with the celebration. I remember sitting up at our top table looking down at this group of ladies (the birthday party) and seeing Kimberly amongst them. My O my I was at a loss for words. Justin and I took some liquid courage, and I made my way on over. I hadn't been this nervous in a long time. Very rusty on my small talk but deep down I was like, I got this, just wait until I can take her out on the dance floor.
The lesson comes around it just so happens to be my cup of tea, west coast swing. I thought I was going to hit this connection between us out of the park. When I say this woman seemed "almost" completely uninterested; No eye contact, very little talking just checked out that would be an understatement. I thought maybe I was just to so nervous and completely off of my game. I mean she was stunning that evening and clearly way out of my league.
After the lesson I came back up to my table discussed how nervous and beautiful I thought Kimberly was with Justin. Read the room a little and I know she wasn't a regular there so in the birthday party group she at times was just hanging out by herself. So, I thought it would be a good time to try some more small talk, make her feel welcomed and get some dances in. Things definitely got better (from what I can remember). I recall talking to our mutual friends and saying how attractive Kimberly is and how so genuine and kind she came across. They fully encouraged me to seek her out that night and thought it would be a wonderful fit. You always feel much better about someone when you have a close friend vouching for them. I asked her for her number and luckily got the right one (I'm told). I would say as far as first impressions go from the moment I saw her, was ignored by her, held her hand, looked into her eyes I was done for. I am so lucky to have her in my life. Spent years searching for someone as loving, kind and genuine as her. Who loves me more then I knew was possible. I look forward to all of our adventures and memories.
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Kimberly's Version-
I got invited to a friend's birthday party at a country bar called Bushwackers and the chosen theme was to wear white. I had to go shopping for something to wear as I owned scrubs and hoodies which didn't seem appropriate to go out in. I found a white dress, put it on with my cowgirl boots, my kids did a fit check, and I headed out for the evening. I met up with my sister-in-law, said hello to the birthday girl, grabbed a drink and joined the party.
I decided to do the dance lesson which was Westcoast swing; a partner dance that I have never done before. My sister-in-law introduced me to a man who said he would be my partner for the dance lesson and I said yes. Now, mind you, I had never met him before, never knew his name, but do remember seeing him dance from the rare times that I had been at Bushwackers. He was quite a good dancer, and I was a bit intimidated that someone so skilled was going to endure me stepping on their feet for the next hour.
7 O'clock struck and he came over, took my hand, and pulled me out to the dance floor. I listened to the lesson and kept my eyes on the instructor describing the first steps to take all while I could feel Jonathan's stare on me. Now at this point in my life, I was not interested in any sort of engagement, relationship, situationship at all so when people have asked, was it love at first sight? Absolutely not, I wanted nothing to do with this man other than to get through this dance lesson without making a fool of myself. Because wow was he gorgeous and sweet and wanted to dance with me!
"Push, pull, step, step step" I kept my eyes on my feet trying to focus on learning the dance. He asked the typical awkward questions "where are you from?" Do you live close to here?" "How old are you?" Mind you, I was flattered he thought I was 27. After the lesson was done, he grabbed me for a few more dances and he was so great and I had a blast. He stuck around me for a bit, bought me a drink and we had made some more small talk. I politely told him he did not have to feel obligated to hang out with me and he could go back to his friends. He did but asked that I would say goodbye to him before I left for the night. The rest of the evening he would pass by and make eyes at me and smile every time, occasionally stopping for a few more awkward small talk catch phrases.
It got to be past my bedtime, so I said my goodbyes to the birthday party and made my way over to Jonathan to thank him for the dance and to say I was leaving. He asked for my number, and I hesitated and planned on giving him my fake number, but something in me said, what if this turns out to be something amazing? I gave him my number. He asked to walk me to my car, and I declined because what single woman would allow a strange man to walk her to her car in the dark away from people's line of sight. Nope, not me, haha. He made fun of my umbrella and then I left, smiling like I never have before all the way home.