boyfriends. Part 4. {The hottest guy ever}

These are my mini love chronicles.

All true.

All written by me.

All about how I came to find my Mr. Right.

{this is part 4 of 4}

{although I may do a part 4-2}

this could get lengthy.

In November 2000, I was a senior in high school.

{living it up}

I was {sort of} dating the guy who would become "the missionary".

On the second Sunday in November, my family and I went to Stake Conference.

I sat next to Meggan, my sister, and played enough hangman and "make the box" as we could.

{while stealing 4 year old lexi's crayons and paper}

{but we still had like 1.5 hours to go}

So, we found a new game.

let's call it, "Find the Hottest guy in the room and then plan your future together"

{since that was the only rule}

She looked and looked.

{but we were sitting towards the back, so mostly she was judging the backs of heads}

I don't remember who she chose.

but

I do remember who I chose.

{it only took me half a second to find him}

{since I had been stalker - staring at him between hangman rounds}

Sitting a few rows up and to the right was THE HOTTEST GUY EVER!

{I am not exaggerating}

He was tall, dark, and totally butterflies- in -my -stomach handsome.

He seemed to even have a "glow".

I pointed him out to my sister.

{who agreed with my diagnosis}

I told her right then...

{I am totally gonna marry that guy!}

She laughed at my whitty immaturity.

{i wasn't joking}

She knew his little sister, Lindsey.

She thought his name started with a "J" ?

She also knew he had just gotten home from his mission a few days before.

{hence the glow}

She also knew that he was at least 21...and I was only almost 18.

{and still in high school}

And that didn't sound like an ideal situation.

{a girl can dream though}

 I never forgot about him.

{or his dashing good looks}

Time went by.

"the missionary" left and I began Running insanely on the treadmill at the gym.

One day during a typical workout, I noticed a group of guys playing racquetball.

Among them I saw Mr. Delicious.

{that's right the hottie from stake conference}

I "conveniently" moved to a treadmill parked right in front of the courts.

{so I could stalker - stare through the big glass windows}

I stayed on that treadmill FOREVER.

{waiting for them to take some kind of break}

Eventually they paused the game and came out to get drinks from the water fountain...

{that they had to walk right past me to get to}

Two of his teammates stopped and talked to me.

Others glanced my direction.

{none were the one I wanted}

"J" walked past me without so much as a sideways glance.

{remember, I like "the thrill of the chase" }

{so I wasn't derailed}

After that I always looked in the mirror before I went to the gym...and tried to avoid the old boxer shorts with the holes in them.

{just in case he was there again}

{old, holy, boxer shorts wouldn't be a good first impression}

{he was there}

 {again and again}

{and never once even gazed in my direction}
{even when I ran SUPER fast, wore my short shorts, or "happened" to get a drink at the very same time as him}

{but I got asked out by his friends}

{which dates i never went on..}

{since I knew the rules of "man code" wouldn't allow "J" to ask me out afterward}

{At least I am a smart stalker}

I had no further ideas of how to "woo" him.

A few weeks after high school graduation, in 2001, my sister Lisa set me {and my friends} up on a blind date with a few guys from her ward.

I knew my dates name was Robert.

He seemed like a nice guy on the phone.

I was excited, but didn't expect much.

{after all, it was a blind date}

Much to my surprise when I opened my front door, there stood Robert and his friends.

{INCLUDING "J"}

{aka Mr. Hunky}

"J" was also the driver.

{he had the sexiest tahoe}

I tried to remind myself that flirting with my dates friend would be completely rude.

but I am sure I was sending longing glances to "J" the entire night.

We went bowling.

"J" who's name was actually Jake, was on his cell phone a lot of the time.

Sometimes in english and sometimes in spanish.

{the spanish was so hot...i mean muy caliente}

He said it was for work.

One of his friends mentioned he had recently started his own roofing company.

{Handsome, returned missionary, bi-lingual, ambitious, hard working business owner, a cell phone user and a good driver!!!}

{sounds like a jackpot}

We all had a great time.

There was a constant group conversation.

and laughter.

It wasn't a bad blind date.

{but Rob and I had no sparks}

I went home thinking about Jake.

{the bilingual piece of Yum}

How could I get to know him more?

It hit me.

He is in my sisters ward!

{I have an ally on the other side}

I called Lisa and told her my predicament.

She promised to help me think of a plan.

{and put in a good word for me if it ever came up}

{It didn't come up}

A new semester began and I was splitting my college education between 3 schools.

{to get my schedule just perfect and save a few dollars}

ASU, CGCC, and MCC.

I was heading into my  CGCC class .... and walking down the stairs in front of me was Jake... and Robert.

{but mostly I noticed Jake}

He dressed so well, was tan, and smelled even better.

{deep breath}

I smiled and waved.

They stopped and talked for a minute.

Robert had to hurry to work.

{and I wasn't in a hurry for class}

{especially with the "man candy" standing by me}

So jake lingered for a second, and said "hey, can I call you? Do you wanna go out some time?"

I don't know how I was able to control myself from screaming and jumping up and down, but I just responded, "Ya, that would be great."

{that was emmy award worthy}

Jake waited a few weeks and then called me.

I was over the moon.

It was the beginning of December and we went and picked Christmas angel gifts.

We laughed. a. lot.

He told me stories as we shopped.
{his mission, his family, his friends}

{ all the while he won me over}

{like that was gonna be difficult?}

Then he brought me home around 10.

There was a half -hug at the door.

{at least it wasn't a high five}
{glass half full}

{I assumed that the early end and the half hug meant that he didn't enjoy the date like I did}

{so I called my friends to hang out for the remaining 2 hours of the weekend night}

{and gushed about him}

My sister Lisa, the spy, called me the next day.

She told me how he was talking about me at church.

How he said he planned to call me again.

and

what a fantastic date we had.

{YESSSS!}

Jake called again right after Christmas.

He invited me to a hockey game.

I was overjoyed that he did call.

{maybe he didn't think our last date was bad after all}

Our second date was the perfect date.

Really.

The conversation was amazing, his sense of humor was hilarious, and he seemed to genuinely be interested to what I was saying.

He asked really great questions and there was never an awkward pause.
Our conversation had depth that was unfathomable for 2 people that hardly knew each other.

I felt like I could talk to him for. ever!

We headed to Native New Yorker.

{where he scored some more "are you too good to be true?" points}

And then he dropped me off.

{at 10:30}

{but this time I got a full hug}

{baby steps}

I walked in the front door and my dad looked shocked.

{with an "is everything okay?" look}

I promised that all was well, but this guy happened to drop me off at what seemed like an early hour.

{every time}

So I called and gabbed with friends about his amazingness.

{and the full hug}
{of course}

{and how refreshing it was to FINALLY meet a handsome guy who wouldn't try to kiss me right away}

Not too long after that  "Mr. Safe" and I decide to "give it a try"

{he more than me}

{but I knew that if Jake called me, every ounce of my non- committed heart would go out with Jake}

{and leave "Safe" in the dust}

{yes, that's still rude and self centered}

jake did call.

{a few times}

But,

I was taking 23 credit hours.

and working.

and volunteering.

and trying to sleep...sometimes.

He didn't believe me when I told him that I had night classes until 10:30, 4 nights a week.

{but I did}

I urged him to call again.

{Just plan for one of my "free" nights}

He didn't call anymore.

Uggg.

Somewhere between "the missionaries" one year mark

and 

me "ending" things with "Mr. Safe"

I was stressed out.

Like "Yowsers, I have an ulcer and can't sleep anymore" stressed.

My Grandpa was on his death bed and my Dad was a little more sensitive than usual.

My Dad saw my worry and asked me why I was working so hard.

I told him of my 3 year plan...which was now down to 1.5 years.

{added stress}

I explained the college graduation, "the missionary"marriage, and of course kids plan.

Although you may think a dad would be thrilled to see his daughter be so ambitious, he was much wiser. he said,

"Are you asking the Lord, or are you telling Him?"

That caught me off guard.

I had been so busy doing great things.

None of them bad.

But I had never even thought about asking if they were right.

{how ridiculous is that?}

So I began asking The Lord right away.

What should I be doing?

Because I was finally willing to do WHATEVER He needed me to do.

Almost immediately, I started thinking about jake.

 all. the. time.

I saw him everywhere.

{driving down the street, at firesides, at temple grounds, etc}

Everytime I saw him my heart flip flopped and I couldn't make myself stop smiling.

So, I did what any girl does...

{I asked him out}

{on a group date planned solely so I could date him...again}

I remember gathering the courage to call him.

I asked him to go to the Easter Pageant with me.

{he said. "Ya. Sure."}

Because of his pause and lack of enthusiasm, I asked if he had a girlfriend.

{it had been a few months since we had been on a date}

He said, "no."

SO 

I continued on with the plans.

I picked a really cute outfit.

{with a very skin flattering red shirt}

And some flare jeans that made my booty look high and tight.

{I wasn't going to risk anything}

He picked me up and we went to the Temple grounds.

We sat at the back.

We could hardly see or hear.

side notes:

Meggan and a date were there with Lexi.
{i think Meggan's dates name was "the great white"}

{Lexi peed all over Megan's lap}

{Meggan went home to change... and bring Lexi back home too}

My friends were there also.

Jessica's current boyfriend was wearing a yellow rain slicker.

{that we mocked him for for months}

Jake got roped into all the fun from the start.

{I should've known I never had to worry about scaring him off after that.}

After sitting through a sightless, soundless pageant, we went to applebees.

{it was almost happy hour}

Things seemed to be going great.

There was flirting, but

Jake was a perfect gentleman.

{opening doors, pulling out chairs, and  barely touching me}

{not that I was happy about the last one}

I was waiting for some kind of clue at his feelings.

After dinner we all drove to my house.

{Jake and I were alone in his tahoe}

Jake got fidgety.

Then he spilled the beans.

He did have a girlfriend.

He had lied.

{to go out with me}

But he felt bad and he needed to come clean.

I apologized profusely.

And then we were at my house.

{conversation paused}

Jake sat an ENTIRE couch cushion away from me.

{all the while I was feeling guilty about shamelessly flirting with another girls boyfriend}

{I thought it had been reciprocated?}

I planned my "I'm sooo sorry speech" for later.

Somewhere about 10:30 or 11... in the middle of the movie, Jake got up and said he needed to go.

{what was with this guy and leaving early?}

I walked him to the door, to apologize for time number 101.

As I began my mentally prepared speech, he stopped me.

"I wouldn't have gone out with you if I didn't want to."

Then with suaveness only a spanish- speaking- piece -of -man -candy could pull off, he grabbed my hand, pulled me in close, and kissed me square on my lips.

{the sweetest kiss I'd ever had}

Then without his face moving away from mine, explained how he had been hoping to really date me, but he never thought I was interested.

And then he kissed me again.

{this time I was in less shock and kissed him back}

Then he asked if he could call me tomorrow.

{I said yes, of course}

I watched him walk to his truck.

{my knees were turning to mush}

{my heart was pounding}

so I did what any mature girl would do,
I walked inside the house and proclaimed to all my friends sitting on the couch

{while jumping up and down}

"He closed the deal!!!!!"

I decided to never stop smiling.

Next up part 4-2

"The rest of the story"