The first time I saw Kristi, I was standing in line with my coworker, Aris to get my wristband for a Mardi Gras party the next day. In walks this beautiful girl, who coincidentally knows Aris. From the moment our eyes met, I knew there was something special about her. We exchanged quick hellos before parting ways.

The next morning, as I walked into the tent, I saw her again almost immediately. Coincidence? Chance? Destiny? I ended up leaving my group of friends and spending the entire day with my coworker’s group—which she was part of. At one point, she disappeared from the group for hours, but I stayed with my coworkers, hoping I’d see her again before the day was over.

Finally, around 9 p.m., we stumbled into a bar. And there she was. I worked up the courage to approach her and said, “Hi, can I ask you a question over here?” She quickly replied, “Sure!”

The now-infamous question I asked was, “Are you close with your family?” (Smoooth, right? I know)

We both chuckled as she pointed to her sister Ashley standing back in the circle I’d pulled her from and said, “Yeah! My sister’s actually visiting this weekend!” From that moment on, I haven’t left her side. She’s someone I’ve felt completely at ease with from the very start. I knew she was the one from that day forward.

"Wow, that Luke guy is so cute," I told Ashley after we picked up our Mardi Gras tickets, feeling instantly drawn to him after our brief encounter in line. I hoped we'd see him again the next day as we headed home for rest, knowing the celebrations started early at 9am (still can't believe we managed that lol).

At the tent, I was swept up in the Mardi Gras magic – beads flying through the air, music pumping, and everyone decked out in purple, green, and gold. I was focused on showing Ashley the best of St. Louis and attempting to catch some of Shaquille O'Neal's DJ set (did you guys know he’s a DJ now? hahah). Between the festivities and endless laughter, I was having the time of my life with my friends and sister, but still couldn't help hoping I'd run into Luke again.

Later that evening at a Soulard bar, our mutual friend Aris walked in—with Luke right behind him. Seeing him gave me butterflies, and I knew this was our chance. Little did I know, both Ashley and Aris were separately encouraging us to make a move. Luke didn't hesitate—he ordered me a drink, pulled me aside to a quieter spot, and after that "smoooooth" family question, he leaned in for a kiss. It felt like a movie.

We spent the rest of the night together, and for the first time, I felt a mutual effort to explore something real. Two weeks later, we were officially dating, and we haven’t looked back since. When you know, you know—and we definitely did!