Travis + Lindsey
“Travis and I work together. We know, we know, Office Rule #1: never fall for a coworker! We never intended to break that rule, as we never really talked outside of some happy hours for the first year of working together. I thought he was an overconfident, country club kid with perfectly coiffed hair (he requested I use the word coiffed; “it’s not just ‘hair’”). To him, I seemed like an uptight, but beautiful coworker who never had fun or broke the rules (thanks Trav).
In March of 2017, I was asked to travel to El Paso for a client, and upon researching the area, I told my manager I’d be more comfortable if someone came with me. She looked around the office and asked Travis if he wanted to go to Texas as my “bodyguard”. I laughed to myself because, if anything, I’d be the one protecting him!
Being stuck alone together for 12 hour days, we got to know each other over our venti Starbucks drinks. I realized he wasn’t a snobby country clubber, he was actually a genuinely nice and down to Earth guy who just happened to like nicer things. He learned I wasn’t an uptight stickler for rules, I just take my career very seriously. Our last evening in El Paso, we went to one of the only safe-looking restaurants in the area and bonded over giant margaritas. We were sharing our dating horror stories, and I asked him what he was looking for in a woman, mostly so I could set him up with one of my friends. To my surprise, he outlined qualities of my personality exactly, and his relationship goals were identical to mine. Immediately regretting my question, I rushed to change the subject. I realized then that he had a crush and I had to squash it! I could never date a coworker—my career was too important to ruin for a guy!
Two weeks later, the client had another assignment, this time to Dallas. Travis said that they specifically requested the two of us again because we were well trained in the process (I have since gotten out of him that this was a white lie). We had a little more time in the evenings to explore the city together, and had a lot of fun chatting and going to dinner each night. Little did we know, these were essentially our first dates! I officially had a crush on Travis at this point too, and was in major denial.
After returning to Michigan, Travis and I started organizing more frequent happy hours after work and closer to our houses than to the office. Then during one happy hour, I suggested we continue on to another bar, but all of our coworkers wanted to head home. Travis and I were the only ones left and decided we would continue on just the two of us for the night. Towards the end of the evening, we started chatting with a group celebrating a 21st birthday, and the intoxicated birthday girl decided she would play matchmaker. A few drinks in ourselves, we for some reason willingly admitted to her in separate conversations that we both liked one another.
Travis and I shared an Uber on the way back from the bar, since we lived so close. My intent was to be dropped off and for him to continue on to his house. Being the gentleman he is, Travis walked me to my door, and the Uber took off. With the seed planted in his head that I actually did like him too, Travis boldly went in for a kiss, changing our lives forever. We knew that this would either end with us being together forever, or in disaster. It became evident to us right away that this was it. As cliché as it is, when you know, you know.
Fast forward to March of 2018, a year from our first trip to Texas. Travis and I were getting ready for our upcoming vacation, and his mom and sister asked me to go shopping with them. After a long day at the mall, I returned home to find rose petals on the floor, champagne, and our living room transformed into an adorable dinner setup with string lights and homemade Mexican food (commemorating our first trip to Texas). The song “At Last” by Etta James began playing, and Travis walked down the stairs in his best suit. He got down on one knee and forgot what to say for a moment, and I got the nervous giggles. He finally got his speech out and of course I said yes! We are so blessed to have found each other and are so excited to continue this next chapter in our lives together.”
