My groom pushed me into the pool during our wedding reception and laughed while 200 guests watched. My dress, my makeup, and my dignity were ruined in seconds. But when I climbed out of that water, I did something he never expected.I met Theo at a coffee shop. I’d accidentally taken his oat milk latte.He tapped me on the shoulder, grinned, and said, “I think that’s mine.”Instead of apologizing, I laughed.He teased me about laughing at him, and before I knew it, I was giving him my number.He was the kind of person who made a room feel warmer just by walking into it. Easy smile. Quick with a joke. He remembered details about people and had a knack for making you feel special.

I fell for it completely. So did everyone else.I was so nervous the night he met my parents for dinner. Mom had made her pot roast, which she only ever pulled out for important occasions. Dad had worn his good shirt.Theo leaned across the table ten minutes in, looked at both my parents, and said warmly, “I’ve heard so much about you both. Honestly, I feel like I already know the family.”I was so nervous the night he met my parents.My mother laughed. “Well, that’s a good start.” Dad’s eyes narrowed.My father was the kind of man who took his time before deciding what kind of person you were. He’d spent 30 years as a high school principal, and that job had left him with a skill for picking up when people weren’t quite what they seemed.So when he smiled and said, “You’re a smooth talker, son,” I braced myself.Theo just grinned back. “Only when I mean it.”Dad laughed. My mother smiled and nodded slightly at me across the table.