Technically, Mariah met Tucker first. She was his dog trainer, Gabe was their HR consultant, and that was supposed to be the end of it. Conflict of interest and all. To this day, Tucker insists he planned the whole thing, because Mariah had always given him the best toys at daycare, and he decided she was a keeper long before Gabe caught on.

Gabe's opening move was texting Mariah pictures of Doodles up for adoption. When that failed, Bumble got involved. Mariah matched with Gabe half-convinced he was just another Doodle Bro, and Gabe made it his personal mission to prove her wrong. Our first date was at a bar called There (yes, we met There), and it was going well right up until the waitress started sending over free shots. Gabe, not wanting to be rude, accepted every single one. He went home fairly certain he'd blown it. Spoiler: he hadn't. Mariah was already a little smitten, though she'd never have admitted it.

Miraculously, she said yes to a second date. And a third. Before long, thanks to the Covid shutdown, "dates" looked less like dinner reservations and more like wandering the aisles of tile samples and cabinet finishes, picking out the details of Gabe's house in Denver. What Mariah didn't know was that Gabe was quietly letting her pick just about everything, so that when she eventually moved in, the house would already feel like hers. It had been her home long before she ever unpacked a box.

Then came Peanut, Frito paws and all, spending her days curled up with Gabe while Mariah was at work. Just like that, our little family had started.

A couple of years later, in Jamaica, Mariah found a cat that she fell in love with. After hours of researching how to bring the cat home, Gabe laid down the law: "We are not smuggling a cat out of this country. But if we find one at home, and it doesn't have anyone, we can keep it." The day we got back, it was raining. And there, in a bush, waiting for us like she'd read the fine print, was little Bug. Careful what you wish for.

Mariah went on to chase her dream of vet school. These days she's out saving the cats, dogs, goats, horses, and every other four-legged creature northern Colorado has to offer, while Gabe holds it down at home with the cooking, the cleaning, and the emotional support. It's a system, and it works, because every good love story needs someone who saves animals and someone who makes sure she's fed too.

Some things are just meant to be. It started with a dog, and now it's forever. On June 12, 2027, we're making it official. Tucker, Peanut, and Bug will be there in spirit, tails wagging. Well, two of the three tails. Bug doesn't wag, but she approves.