For the initial 18 years of our lives, Leah and I slept just 35 miles apart every night, separated only by a few exits on Highway 121. Our paths led us to the University of Arkansas, where that 35-mile gap turned into a couple of hallways between us.

During our freshman year, our dorm rooms were divided by a courtyard. In our sophomore year, we lived in the same building, yet fate didn't bring us together. Looking back, I'm grateful that we didn't cross paths back then. Those who knew me at that time understand why; let's just say I wasn't the kind of man Leah would have considered husband material.

After maturing a bit and becoming an upperclassman, destiny decided it was time for me to meet someone who had been so close to me all my life.

Let me paint the picture for you:

It was a chilly January afternoon and I was working my shift in the kitchen at Grub’s Bar on Dickson Street, fitting the stereotype of a line cook in a dive bar. While flipping burgers, I glanced out of the kitchen service window and saw the most beautiful woman I had ever seen—luckily, a new waitress. Instead of being a gentleman and introducing myself, I turned to the kitchen squad and called dibs...

After a few weeks of working together, I came up with a bold plan to break the ice: I'd ask for her best friend's number, claiming I needed a formal date because Leah was off the market. Surprisingly, Leah may have inadvertently wing-manned too hard and found herself having a little crush on me. It might not have been the most conventional way to get someone's attention, but it worked. Leah and I started to become solid work friends—baby steps, right?

One day, sensing that Leah, newly single, was having a tough day, I hugged my future wife, kissed her on the forehead, and assured her I was there if she needed me. That night, she went home and promptly asked her best friend for my number. How the tables had turned. A few days later, Leah invited me to her 21st birthday party with all her friends. What began as a birthday party quickly turned into our first date. We danced, laughed, and kissed. Since then, we haven't looked back, and my love for her grows stronger every day!