Our relationship began during our senior year at Boston College in 2016. Through fate or fortune, the housing lottery had placed us right next door to each other. We met one evening after one of Melissa’s roommates knocked on Ryan’s door looking to introduce her friends to their neighbors. A few weeks later, Melissa baked an apple pie for Ryan and his roommates, and they got to know each other over sharing one of their favorite desserts. After several months of bumping into each other in the elevator and on the way to class, Ryan eventually asked Melissa for coffee. We moved from neighbors to friends to dating as we made the most of our last few months at BC. After graduating, Melissa moved back home to New Jersey and Ryan moved to Portland to start our respective careers in NYC and Maine. We made the most of our time together whether it was traveling back and forth to each other or visiting NYC, Boston, and the Cape. We both returned to Boston in 2018 and moved in together in 2020. Ryan proposed on a sunny April day in the Boston Public Garden, and Melissa couldn’t have been more excited to say yes!