Meredith had been working at Skyroam in San Francisco, CA for a year when she was asked to interview a new hire candidate. Meredith had interviewed a few candidates but was not too impressed until she went into the room and found a handsome Frenchman sitting across the table. The interview went well and Nick was hired, and they were excited to be new colleagues. They worked closely together and enjoyed sharing new ideas, collaborating, and having conversations around the coffee machine.

Unbeknownst to each other, both Meredith and Nick had developed crushes on each another during that year, but as colleagues, it was risky. Then COVID hit, and they realized they would not see each other in the office again for a very long time. Meredith went to Easter Brunch at her cousin Susan's house on April 12th, and after chatting with her, and daughters Annabelle and Callie, and husband Doug, Meredith shared her feelings and her predicament. Was he even romantically interested? Would it be irresponsible to see one another considering COVID? The overwhelming advice was to go for it, otherwise no one would ever know! So Meredith sent a WeChat to Nick inviting him to dinner, and he quickly responded with a Yes. The next night they had a cocktail on Meredith's rooftop overlooking San Francisco followed by dinner... and the rest is history!

Throughout 2020, Nick and Meredith spent a lot of time together and with Nick's three kids: Athénaïs, Adrien, and Calista. With COVID, the kids were zoom-schooling online, and Nick and Meredith were both working from home as well. They enjoyed getting out for short hikes at lunch, doing arts & crafts, and going skiing in Tahoe during the winter. In March 2021, Meredith officially moved to Oakland, CA, where the kids threw her a surprise "Welcome Home" party, complete with confetti, a bamboo plant, Skittles, and party hats (and business cards for the newly formed Dupont Party Planning company). Meredith, Nick, and the kids were incredibly happy to be taking the next steps together.

Meredith and Nick took a trip to Yosemite National Park in July 2021, and had planned a hike to see the waterfalls on Saturday morning. It was supposed to get into the 100s later, so they wanted to get an early start to beat the heat and crowds. Nick carried the backpack with water and snacks, and they hiked up to Vernal Falls. After a few photos, they decided they had the time and energy to keep going and head to the higher-up Nevada falls. They made it to the top around noon, and found a quiet place along the river for lunch and a break in the shade. Meredith asked for a snack bar, but Nick pulled out a ring instead and proposed by the riverside. Meredith happily said YES! They were dirty and sweaty, but together doing something that they both love, making it the perfect time and place for an engagement.