Alexander vividly remembers seeing Riann for the first time. Sitting at bar seat six, cup of coffee in hand, interviewing for a front of house position. Making another plate of papas bravas was a low priority when there was a pretty blonde with a big smile sitting across the restaurant.

Riann vividly remembers seeing Alexander for the first time. On her first day as a waitress at the diner downtown, her new boss remarks that this line cook of hers had the morning off and jokingly scolds him over his commitment to come in anyway. With a charming grin plastered across his face, he’s too shy to look up from the food he is plating. He came in early because it was Riann’s first day.

It took only a few hours for Alexander to slide Riann a scrap of receipt paper scribbled with “Al” and his phone number.

An ever obvious but never acknowledged workplace crush ensued for the next year. Making sure the other had water during a shift (or something stronger during the particularly hard ones). Giving extra grace for common restaurant mistakes. Playing flirting games during closing, (ask Alexander about the spoonful of mayo he ate one time). Stolen glances across the room, Phone calls as soon as a shift was over to talk about how it went. Holding hands under tables at the post work happy hours. Staying late until there’s just the two left.

And then he asked her out!!!

Love has come easy. Alexander no longer makes the food for Riann to serve to hungry diner guests, but he makes her dinner every night. She still wears a big smile and he still wears that same charming grin. He was just as shy as that very first day when he got down on his knee and asked for forever.

Riann and Alexander are madly in love.