Even though we grew up on opposite sides of the country, our paths first crossed in 2015 in Issaquah, WA, at my apartment. Will had just helped a friend move from Georgia to Washington, and that friend happened to be a college buddy of Sterling’s—my roommate at the time and now a Bridesman of mine. I’ll admit, our initial meeting was brief and hazy, as I had just returned from a night out and called it an early night. Truthfully, I can barely remember it!

Fast forward to 2016, I moved to Georgia, and thanks to Sterling’s college friend, Will and I officially met again. He helped me land a job at a catering company he was working at in Atlanta. Carpooling to work gave us plenty of time to connect, and before long, we became close friends. Over the next couple of years, navigating the same social circles, we shared late-night hangouts, and even worked together at various jobs. Our friendship truly blossomed, and subtle flirting began to weave its way into our interactions.

Then, in 2018, everything changed with a single phone call. Will was driving home when he confessed his feelings for me. Shyly, I admitted that I liked him too. We talked about how much our friendship meant and whether starting a relationship was the right move. Despite our initial hesitations, Will's persistence won me over, and we finally became a couple later that year.

I'll never forget the first time he said, "I love you." It was about a month into our relationship, after a beautiful weekend trip to the beach. We spent our days walking along the boardwalk, watching the sunset, and savoring each other’s company. On the drive back, as we hit some stop-and-go traffic in Atlanta, he turned to me and said, "You know I love you, right?"

I stared at him, surprised, and teased, "We just spent a romantic weekend at the beach, and THIS is when you tell me you love me?" He smiled and replied, "Well, we truly got to know each other here in the car, driving to and from Atlanta. This feels more 'us' than any romantic getaway." I couldn’t help but smile back and say, "I love you too."