Her side of the story:

I had just moved to Charleston, South Carolina a few days prior to going to the pool one evening after work. When I got there, I was surprised to see that the pool area was nearly empty- only a family of three, and a cute guy who looked to be around my age were there.

Shortly after I arrived, the family exited the pool area leaving only Matt and I. I remember thinking to myself that I didn’t think I’d ever seen anyone my age reading The Wall Street Journal.

I got into the pool and said probably the most awkward comment that could have ever come out of my mouth (“It feels like bath water in here!”). For whatever reason, this propelled Matt to walk over, sit on the edge of the pool (I learned later that he doesn’t actually even like going in pools), and strike up a conversation with me. We have been pretty much inseparable ever since. I can’t wait to marry my best friend!

His side:

It was a humid summer afternoon when I first met Sarah; I had wrapped up a stressful day at work and decided to stroll to the pool, the WSJ in tow.

I was dumbfounded when I noticed a beautiful woman in the pool area; my surprise was justifiable as the Middleton Cove Apartment Complex was generally a community long in the tooth. My first thought was Sarah must be a kindly grandchild visiting her grandparents.

You can imagine my surprise once I realized she also resided at Middleton Cove. We joke now that she started the conversation by stating what was quite evident, "it feels like bath water." Although we joke, I am thankful she started the conversation at all. If she had not, would I have? To this day, she insists she noticed me glancing her way over the top of the newspaper. I was not doing a great job of being tactful.

Perhaps it was an act of God that inspired me to walk down to the pool that balmy afternoon. I remember thinking, "You might as well enjoy some sun before evening." I am convinced that we entered each other's life at precisely the right time and place.