Let's go back to May 2019. I had only been out of a 4 year relationship for a month, and I start getting sporadic DM's on Instagram from @rgtoler. Like.. who is this? We had quite a few mutual friends, and he lived a town over, but I had never heard of the guy. He would reply to my stories every few weeks and try to strike up a conversation, but I wasn't really having it. Going on a date, no matter how casual, just didn't appeal to me at the time. Plus, I judged him SO hard by his Instagram feed. I mean, it's todays instant background check 😂
He hadn't graduated from Virginia Tech too long ago, and he looked like the typical wild frat douche. He was 2 years younger than me, and boys are already behind in maturity, so I figured he might be on a 15 year old's level at best, haha. But I noticed he had a gorgeous long haired German shepherd (Auggie) and he himself was pretty nice to look at so.. lost some points but gained some in other areas.
I open up and chat with him a little more, still on Instagram messages, and he eventually sends me his number and says if I ever want to go get coffee or cheesecake (we both loved 149 Sweets in Abingdon), just let him know. All I said is "okay thanks!" and that was it. I don't really know why the poor guy kept trying, I shut him down all the time 😅 But let me just say, he wasn't pushy! Just gentle friendly reminders every few weeks, lol.
Okay, July 4th rolls around. He's still hinting at going out, I had zero plans, and my work girlfriend convinced me to hang out with him because I didn't have anything to lose. We planned to go get our favorite cheesecake then park and watch the fireworks downtown afterwards. Grayson was sweet during texting, and he was just as sweet in person. And I was NOT convinced. I told myself I wasn't going to fall for this bs 😂 I didn't let him open the truck door for me and I didn't let him pull my chair out for me. I was like - no it's okay I can do it. Geeez Alexis, rude. But, I hadn't really been treated like this before and I had a major guard up!
Then we get to fireworks, and the boy was prepared. He brought blankets to spread out in the bed of his truck plus a cooler filled with like 5 different kinds of drinks. Sweet, yes, but still not impressed. He was also talking my head off, and I could tell he was super nervous, and that was kinda cute. He was nothing like I had imagined. I figured he was going to be so full of himself, but instead I made him nervous? Cute.
After fireworks, he was still looking for things to do to spend more time together, but I was ready to call it a night so he took me home. Mom and Dad asked how it went and all I could say is, "he's just really nice." Haha, he was just so thoughtful and respectful, it was bizarre to me! I remember he rested his hand on my knee while he was driving and then he took it away and said, "is it okay for me to do that?" That was precious!
I definitely didn't get butterflies from that first date, but he was so nervous, I was definitely interested in seeing him again when he was a little more relaxed. For the next few dates, I was analyzing everything about him - looking for red flags, controlling behaviors, douchebag tendencies.. I don't trust anyone, haha. But, I couldn't find a thing.
EIGHT DAYS after our first date, he invites me to his birthday dinner at this fancy restaurant with his family. He told me he knew it was soon, so if it made me uncomfortable and I wanted to pass, he understood. But, that was just too flattering, and as nervous as I was to meet mom, dad, and his two sisters, and with some convincing from my co-workers, I went. So now I'm thinking, does he treat every girl like this, or is it a big deal to meet his family and he's just really in to me?
So basically, after that, the rest is history. I kept my guard up for a few good months, and wasn't letting myself get swept away with his considerate and sweet personality. It's easy for anyone to fake it for a while, but I could see this was truly how he is. Anyone that knows him would vouch for that, too. Everything has been so easy and fun with Grayson since the beginning, that I figured it was one of these too-good-to-be-true situations. Especially because he literally came out of nowhere! But they say that's when you find someone, when you aren't looking.
So now, I get to plan a wedding because this perfect angel of a person wants to marry me! I don't know how he puts up with me, I've been a handful from be beginning, but I appreciate and love him more than anything. Grayson is one of my biggest supporters, has made me feel like the luckiest and most-loved girl from day 1, and I can't wait for the adventures to come! "How he proposed" post will be coming up next!
*Funny followup story of me judging his pictures.. so there's this photo on Grayson's Instagram of him and these 2 girls. It's obviously prom, and they're sitting on a bench with him all cozy. I see it and I'm like, who does he think he is?? Pimp daddy? Geez, barf. Well.. come to find out, those are his sisters. And that photo is also on a giant blanket at his house. Hahahaha. That one still gets me. See below.
