Dreamy Line Cook aka "Josh", and I had talked every night on the phone for at least a week. Although he worked nearby, he actually lived with his brother about 45 minutes away. And he didn't have a car. Or a valid license (LADIES!! THIS IS A RED FLAG!!!). I have never been very judgmental (but did have very low expectations), so this predicament didn't really phase me. I worked around it. So instead of Josh taking me on a first date at a 5 star establishment like Applebee's, we had lunch at the restaurant he worked at......we had lunch because he had to work the dinner shift......
Moving on!
This blossoming relationship was unlike any relationship I had ever experienced before. It was effortless. There were no games. I didn't have to hide my feelings or put on an act in order to make him like me more. I could be myself, tell corny jokes, be clumsy and goofy, and he found it all very charming. He also thought I was the most beautiful girl in the world. I know this because he told me every 5 minutes. Was this love? I had no idea, but I was really into whatever it was.
Prior to dating Josh, I had been burned several times and I decided my daughter, Alexa, was enough for me. I didn't want to get married because it seemed like a bunch of crap. My parents' recent divorce after 30 years of marriage heavily influenced this idea. Being a single mom had made me fiercely independent. Like I said before, I had been enjoying being single and having the freedom to flirt with whomever I chose to.
Meeting Josh threw me for a loop and all my long term relationship theories flew out the window. I felt like he understood me and actually got my sense of humor. We shared the same passions about the artistic aspect of food. My father was a chef, and I'm pretty sure Josh had a litter of kittens when I told him. He was blown away by my knowledge and appreciation of different types of cuisine. He was CRAZY passionate about music and so was I. And he loved coffee. I freaking LOVE coffee. Several nights instead of going out drinking, we grabbed a 12 pack of beers and just sat at my kitchen table and talked about everything under the sun. One of my happiest memories is when we found a panoramic puzzle of the New York City skyline. We bought it together, grabbed some beers, and completed (most of) the puzzle. That night, I fell head over heels. We laughed and laughed and laughed. I don't think I've ever had that much fun doing a puzzle in my entire life. Before I knew it, he was moving in to my apartment.
I know you might be thinking, "Wait a minute, Jen. What about your daughter?"
Well. This had been dangerous territory in the past. When you're under 25 and you have a kid, guess how many guys want to seriously date you? This many ----> 0.
So naturally, I proceeded with trepidation. I asked several times and in several different ways if he was ok with dating someone who had a child. Every time I asked, he assured me that he loved children and hoped to have one of his own someday. He was incredibly taken by Alexa because, well, she's damn cute.
Josh moved in after we had been dating for merely four weeks. I had never been more sure about anything up to this point. I loved waking up next to him everyday. He bought me flowers. He bought me a new coffee maker. I was falling in love hard and fast. Before long, we said it out loud and for the first time in my life, I actually meant it.
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