Jenni speaking here: The VERY first time we met each other was at a rock climbing gym. I had been climbing quite a bit at this point, and Steve walked in with a mutual friend and my ex-boyfriend (of like 4 days...so, super fresh). Since hanging out with ex-boyfriends wasn't exactly comfortable, I spent the majority of the evening trying to avoid Steve (and company). Steve on the other hand was intent on meeting me. and spent the majority of the evening casually tailing me and a girlfriend around the gym. After "not-chasing" us for most of the night, Steve finally went up to me and asked if he could get a belay on a route. I (being a MUCH better climber than Steve), said yes, but tied him into a route that was nearly impossible for him to finish. "You probably won't be able to finish it," I told him, "but I guess it could be good practice."
Steve, determined to impress, man-handled his way to the top, and I was actually significantly impressed. After the climbing, the whole group of friends (sans ex-boyfriend) headed to Chipotle, where I discovered that Steve was cuter-than-cute and had a laugh that was pretty amaze-balls.
Upon leaving that night I told a girlfriend "WHO is that guy, and can he hang out with us more often!?"
I didn't know this, but Steve began to consistently drive from where he lived in LA to hang out with my friends in Orange County, in the hopes that we would run into each other. we didn't.
Eight months went by.
Then, our mutual friends got engaged, and had a party to celebrate. Steve was there, and I was there (and recognized Steve, but didn't really remember him). Despite the fact that Steve is pretty shy, he walked in, crossed the room, tapped me on the shoulder and said "Hi Jenni, you look amazing. It's great to see you again."
I was stunned. I remembered Steve kinda, but couldn't place him since it had been so long. And he was SUPER cute, and knew my name, but I couldn't remember meeting him. So I sputtered awkward things and ran away to get a glass of wine. Pulling the bride-to-be aside, I asked "Who is that super cute guy who remembers my name?" (Apparently Steve was standing right behind her and heard all of this).
That night we totally hit it off. And the next night we all went out for drinks for St. Patricks day. I pulled and all-star move of drinking too much and waltzing right up to him and sitting on his lap. Steve got the hint. He asked for my number, and we went out for a proper first date the next night.
I knew he was the one when on that first date he came back from the bar holding two beers and said "I didn't know which one you wanted....so I bought you both."