What started as a classic story of forbidden love, we met in San Diego at our first job, where our shared employer had strict rules regarding dating in the workplace. Jon started with the company in June of 2017, Maddie showed up for her first day one month later. We were friends immediately. Jon, being the social butterfly he is, had already formed a close group of buddies and took Maddie under his wing. Our friend group always made sure to eat lunch together, which meant Jon and Maddie were regularly spending quality time with one another. During those lunch breaks, we would exchange stories, play games, and get to know each other on a deeply personal level. During work hours, Jon would use any excuse to get up from his desk to talk to his friend, Nick, who conveniently sat next to Maddie. As sly as Jon thought it was, some noticed that he spent more time at Maddie's desk than at his own. As friendships grew tighter, our work family began hanging out after hours. We would plan beach bonfires, bar crawls, and throw birthday parties. Our connection was initially friendly, but grew to become so much more. Our first date accidentally took place at Sandbox Pizza. Maddie enthusiastically invited all the friends to meet up to watch the Seahawks game. Jon knew he did not want to miss the chance to spend more time with her, so like many others, he promised he would be there. One by one the other friends sent messages that they were busy, had something come up, or just would not be able to make it. As Maddie sat watching the game, the only person to follow through on his word was Jon. What had been planned as a group get-together, turned into our first date. After a few hours of one-on-one time, the connection was undeniable. When dinner-time rolled around, Jon jumped at the chance to prove to Maddie that he was worth breaking the rules of the company. Jon served a full course meal including grilled steaks, baked potatoes, salad, and wine, all to show Maddie what he was capable of bringing to the table (literally and figuratively). It was from this day on, that we were committed to each other. From the day we met, to September 21st, it was less than 2 months before the friendship had blossomed into a relationship. Despite, being young and in love, we were forced to lie about our feelings for each other as to preserve our jobs. We were forced to lie to our friends, coworkers and management. We even considered, breaking off the relationship to save our future careers with this company. Even so, that was nothing more than a minor consideration, because we could never accept the thought of giving each other up. Not long after, Jon realized jobs are replaceable, but the love of your life is not. He pursued a career elsewhere, and our love was finally able to flourish, unsuppressed. Since then, we have been inseparable, built a life we are so thankful for, including the shared love for our dog, Dodger. And much like our first date, Jon still cooks dinner for Maddie every night.