Charlie and I met for the first time. I remember being a nervous wreck, as well as absolutely exasperated when my button came flying off my shirt. Try sewing on a button when your hands are shaking and you're already running late! The drive to the restaurant seemed like it took an hour instead of minutes.

When I saw him standing and fidgeting near the hostess stand, all I could do was smile and give him a big hug. We'd only been exchanging emails and phone calls for not quite two weeks, but I felt like I'd known him for years. Dinner seemed to fly by, with the highlight being him standing as I came back from the restroom, thereby totally confusing me. I had no clue what he was doing, truthfully. Manners! Gasp! Dinner went so well I broke the internet dating rule and invited him back to my house (Oh hush, I had a roommate, it wasn't that risky!). We sat and talked through a movie, and he even had some tea with me, scoring major points. He didn't leave until after four in the morning.

Follow up:

Charlie was supposed to be a casual date, someone to just hang out with when he was in town once a month or so. He was the safe one of the three dates that weekend.

Little did I know that it would be a different kind of 'safe' with him. It was the kind of safe that allowed me to be utterly unafraid of sharing who I am. The kind of safe where I could completely trust him with my heart, without fear or worry of his intentions, forever.

I canceled Saturday's date and postponed another date on Sunday to see Charlie again. After that second date, I just knew he was the one. It's been a whirlwind of a year, and I certainly didn't anticipate being married within four months of today, but I wouldn't trade any of it.

I love you, Charlie. I wish you were here today.