So, picture this: it’s my second day working at a kombucha shop in Oceanside, and of course, I’m totally relaxed and not freaking out at all. (Okay, maybe I was.) Meanwhile, Marco, fresh from a rock climbing workout at the local gym, strolls in, looking all sweaty and parched. And then—BOOM—our eyes meet. And no, this isn’t a cheesy rom-com moment (well, maybe it is). But It felt like everything froze. I’m talking slow motion, like the world hit pause for a second. It was as if the kombucha gods had decided that today was the day we would meet. Marco orders his kombucha, and we start making small talk. He’s smooth, like way smoother than I was ready for, and then he casually says: “I’d like two more things before I go—another kombucha, and...your phone number.” I’m like, “Wait, what? Did that just happen?” But of course, I’m not one to say no to kombucha or to a guy who clearly knows how to deliver a line. So, I hand him my number, and he strolls out of the shop, leaving me wondering, “did that just happen?” But then—plot twist!—the phone rings. It’s Marco! He’s all flustered and cute, saying he “accidentally” didn’t save my number. Yeah, right. I’m pretty sure he just wanted an excuse to call me (and honestly, I was all for it). Our first date was at Noodles & Company (because, who doesn’t love noodles?). But somehow, by the end of the night, we found ourselves doing something completely ridiculous—bridge jumping into the ocean in the middle of the night. Because why not, right? And that’s how we kicked off this wild ride of a love story. A kombucha, a smooth pick-up line, and a late-night leap into the ocean—that’s how it all started!