It all started in 2010 when I walked into Sarah Street Grill looking for a job while I was in college. Rob happened to be in the office during my interview, and when he was asked if he had any questions for me, he spun around in his chair and said, “Nope… I’m good!”

Later that week, I began my training shifts. During one of my late-night hosting shifts, Rob came out from the kitchen and sat down to talk with me for a while. I noticed he had a Blackberry (I know — total throwback!) just like I did, and as all Blackberry owners did back then, we exchanged BBM codes. Little did I know that simple exchange would become the moment that changed both of our lives.

We started chatting back and forth throughout the days, secretly sending messages while we were both working (even though I definitely wasn’t supposed to be on my phone). He kept asking to hang out, and I kept playing hard to get. After all, he was the Executive Chef, and I was just a server. Eventually, I gave in — and I’m so glad I did!

I quickly learned that the man I saw as just the hardest worker in the kitchen was so much more than that. He was kind, caring, incredibly talented, smart, and a little funny (okay, a lot funny). We became the couple that laughed constantly, learned from each other, and supported one another through everything. He even helped me land my internship with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins — we shared a deep love for hockey, and still do.

After I graduated college, I started working full-time with the Penguins, and life began to pull us in different directions. I accepted a job with another team in a different state, and we eventually went our separate ways. But that wasn’t where our story ended. We stayed in touch, and every time I came home to visit, we somehow always found our way back to each other — even if it was only for a short while. We spent years drifting apart and coming back together — the classic “wrong time” story. But deep down, we always knew there was more to us. It was never really the end.

Fast forward to November 2022 — yes, that’s twelve years later. I sent Rob a text complaining about how terrible the Penguins were playing. He was in Massachusetts visiting Alex and Julie, and on his way home, he asked if he could stop by to see me. Of course, I played hard to get again and said, “We’ll see what I’m doing when you’re on your way,” knowing full well I had no plans and wanted to see him. From the moment we reconnected, something felt different. We communicated differently, the connection felt deeper — it was something neither of us could explain. Maybe it was time apart, maybe it was life experience, or maybe it was just finally the right time. Whatever it was, we both knew we weren’t letting each other go again.

We started spending every day together, and when we couldn’t, we never went more than a day or two without seeing each other. We sold my house, moved in together, and eight months later on November 19th, 2024 Rob took me to our favorite spot, Momento Restaurant, and proposed. Just when I thought the night couldn’t get any better, he had another surprise waiting: my sister Brooke flew up from Nashville, along with my dad, Niki, and my nieces, Jamia and Jayani, all waiting around the corner to jump out and surprise me. I was overwhelmed with tears of joy and happiness!

And the surprises didn’t stop there! When we walked inside, bottles of champagne were waiting for us, and soon after, more and more of our friends began arriving to celebrate. Rob had planned every detail — he even called each of them personally to make it happen. It was everything I had ever dreamed of and made me fall in love with him even more!