Hitching a ride

Stranded by my boyfriend one night, I was on my way out of work when I bumped into Rob. We worked in different departments, so we rarely saw or talked to each other. With him in college and me in high school, we had little in common at the time.

But everybody liked Rob, so when I found myself sans ride, it was a spontaneous reaction to ask him for a lift home. He immediately replied “Sure,” in that casual tone he’s known for.

On the ride to my parents’ house—which was at least 20 minutes out of his way—I noticed the smell of his cologne, the silver bracelet he wore on his right wrist, the way his lips moved when he talked. And talk we did, the entire trip. It was like connecting with an old friend. I thought, Why haven’t I noticed him before?

Although I had a boyfriend, suddenly all I could think about was spending more time with Rob. More rides home followed, and soon my inattentive boyfriend was out of the picture.


“Can we grab a coffee sometime?” Rob asked one night. I was game, and we exchanged phone numbers. To this day, Rob still has the piece of paper I wrote my number on.

Our first date was December 12, 1998. Eight years later—with so many milestones and experiences behind us as a couple—in December 2006, I was sent to Mexico on a contract. Rob joined me so we could celebrate the anniversary of our first date, as we did every year.

Although we had talked about marriage, we had never made real plans. Secretly, I’d already decided I wanted to exchange vows with this man. So, on the evening of our anniversary, my heart was heavy as dinner came and went without a proposal. By dessert, I had settled for enjoying the sunset and celebrating eight years together.

Our waiter approached with a gleaming, silver tray—the crème brûlée I had ordered for dessert. But before I could blink, he lifted the lid to reveal an engagement ring! It was the most surreal moment of my life.

It’s amazing what life can bring when we learn to enjoy the ride. Rob and I exchanged vows on December 12, 2007—the anniversary of our first date and of our engagement.