I’m currently in the middle of one of the most exciting parts of writing—getting to know my new hero and heroine before I start writing my new book. Because at Harlequin Love Inspired I sell six book series at a time, I already have a brief blurb about the story and the names of my characters to start with. All six Winslow siblings have appeared in previous books, so I have at least been introduced to my heroine Felicity Winslow, but hero Stone Keller is brand new to me.
The first time the hero and heroine meet in a romance novel (and often in romance movies) is often called a Meet Cute—a clever way the two encounter each other for the first time or sometimes again after years apart. In my case Stone was the boy next door, but he’s six years older than Felicity, and while he’s best friends with Felicity’s brother Sharpe, he wasn’t even aware of her middle school existence back in high school. Felicity knew Stone, however. He was her middle school crush. (I’ll bet you were counting tropes on two hands!)
I’ve decided they’ll meet at the town pizza parlor during Friday Night Bible Trivia. Stone hasn’t been home for years and his first interaction with Felicity will definitely be a meet cute when he barges in calling out answers to the trivia questions when he’s not even supposed to be playing.
Posing on a Texas Tenor fan cruise
In real life, I also had a Meet Cute with my husband (now of 34 years). We were set up by mutual friends who bragged that everyone they’d set up got married. I teasingly agreed to be set up and soon found myself at the couple’s house baking a peach cobbler for dessert (which was a huge thing…I’ve never liked baking) and anxiously waiting for my blind date to arrive.
The first man who walked through the door was a friend of the couple, but he was thankfully NOT Joe. Not my type at all! I thought the couple had made a horrible mistake. Let’s just say I breathed a major sigh of relief when Joe did finally show up—late, as usual—and flashed his huge baby blues at me. Now HE was my type—dark hair, blue eyes and a killer smile.
Peach cobbler
We had a lovely dinner up until the point where my nice warm homemade peach cobbler was presented. Joe took one look and said, “I don’t really like warm fruit.” At which point his friend kicked him in the shin hard enough to make him jump. He scrambled to repair the damage. I just thought it was funny.
And then as he walked me out to my car with my heart hammering, he asked if he could call me the next day. I agreed and reached for my purse to find a scrap of paper. He assured me there was no need—he’d already gotten my number from his friend. Confident much?
Dancing at a Harlequin party post-stroke
I left that blind date flying high, and when my friend called me that night to see how it had gone, I told her I hoped Deb Kastner sounded good because I’d just met my future husband.
Six months to the day later we were wed and though there have been ups and downs as there are in any relationship, I wouldn’t trade these 34 years for the world.
So, what about you? Do you have a real life Meet Cute story to share?
~~Love Courageously~~ Publisher's Weekly Bestselling, award-winning author of 30 novels, Deb Kastner enjoys writing contemporary inspirational western stories set in small communities. She feels especially blessed to be able to include faith as a natural and genuine part of her characters' lives. Deb lives in beautiful Colorado with her husband and a pack of miscreant mutts. She is blessed with three adult daughters and two grandchildren. Her favorite hobby is spoiling her grandchildren, but she also enjoys reading, watching movies, listening to music (The Texas Tenors are her fav), singing in the church choir, and exploring the Rocky Mountains on horseback.
We were invited, dragged along, to a party by our respective friends. We took off and went for a drive. That’s how history is made.
One of my favorite parts to write, as well!
My hubby and I met in high school, and he really wasn’t my type. Until I got to know him!
Such a sweet story!
I love your story, how cute! I first saw my husband when he went and applied where I worked, I liked him that very first day I saw him , so I was hoping he would get the job, well , less then 2 weeks after he applied he started working there. 2 years later we were married and have been married now for 42 years. Have a Great weekend and stay safe. God Bless you and your family.
Oh, yeah. History, baby!
A high school romance? My parents met in high school. Love it!
How romantic! How long was it after he started working with you did you start dating?
Congratulations! Happy and blessed anniversary.
Oh, this story sounds great! I love the way you met your hubby, too!! What a great story!
My Late Husband and I meet at my cousin’s house then 3 years later we were married We was married 35 years in 2008 Happy Anniversary Deb!
It was truly a meeting of eyes and hearts, just like a romance novel.
At your cousin’s house. How interesting!
My sweetie and I had two meetings. The first was not-so-cute. The very first time we met, was at church, introduced by a mutual acquaintance. We were both computer professionals, I more in the sciences and she in business. At that point in time, she was already established in her job and I was fresh out of school. She was sharply dressed and I was in jeans and a beat up, comfy old military fatigue jacket. Pretty much the epitome of scruffy. I later learned that her first impression of me was “What has the cat dragged in?” :P
To be fair, I really was scruffy (and pretty much clueless when it came to relationships, especially romantic ones) and she was still in the aftermath of a very abusive marriage. I did my best to be a good friend and she did her best not to think of me as pond scum.
It was a year later, after working together, developing (and participating in) a singles ministry in our church, that we saw each other in a new light. I had risen above my scruffy origins and she had softened her heart. We were at a singles conference when she approached me one evening and we had a conversation that became the turning point in our relationship. Neither one of us remembers exactly what we said that evening, just that the world was suddenly different. We dated for just over two years before we got married. We became so close that we were one of those couples that make you either chuckle or want to gag. Our friends kept looking at us and wondering why we weren’t married already. Like I said, I was clueless when it came to romance. If you look up friends-to-more in the romance dictionary, you’ll see our picture. :)
I was his birthday present LOL we moved to US on his birthday AND I met him that day :)
Fun story! I met my hubby when I was hired at McDonald’s at 16; my hubby was already there. We were co-workers & then both managers there for 3 yrs before we began dating. We began dating at 19 & commuted to college campus daily together for 2 yrs, and married after that – 42yrs in Nov. 5yrs allowed time to observe each other in tons of situations, but goodness! That seems so young now. As someone else said, life has thrown us various ups & downs, but the young man with the big smile, happy heart, integrity, and hard work ethic – he’s the same guy. <3
Fun story! I met my hubby when I was hired at McDonald’s at 16; my hubby was already there. We were co-workers & then both managers there for 3 yrs before we began dating. We began dating at 19 & commuted to college campus daily together for 2 yrs, and married after that – 42yrs in Nov. 5yrs knowing & working together allowed time to observe each other in tons of situations, but goodness! That seems so young now. As someone else said, life has thrown us various ups & downs, but the young man with the big smile, happy heart, integrity, and hard work ethic – he’s the same guy. <3
How cute. Thank you for sharing.
My husband and I met through friends too, but we continued to be just friends for a couple of years before either of us noticed the other… we went to church together, sang in choir, and finally worked for the World Council of Church’s Assembly for three weeks together, which strenghten our relationship, but still friends for another 3-4 months until he invited me out (and I thought it was a friend’s gathering.. even invited another friend to come and she very politedly pointed out maybe this was not a good idea.).
We’ve been together ever since.
We met in a former college friend’s dorm, but we didn’t date till after graduation.
10/24 is our 28th anniversary.
Thanks for sharing how you and Joe met, Deb. I love to hear how love started. Don’t have a story. Praying that God bring me a companion and am open to whatever God wills. Keep writing those stories! I read the first one of the new series and anxiously waiting for the second and subsequent ones!
Ps, does he still not like warm fruit?
My high school sweetheart was “introduced” to me by his best friend in science class my sophomore year. I didn’t notice him because I really wasn’t into guys at the time (I was only 15) and I was horribly shy in the first place. His friend came up to me just before class started and said “Sam wants to meet you”…well, I thought his friend was annoying so I ignored him (haha). He kept telling me this almost everyday & every day I ignored him….knowing me, I probably was smart mouth about it too (HA!) I think I might have even told his friend “if he wants to meet me so bad why doesn’t he say hi to me himself?”. I don’t remember how long this went on, but we also saw each other in the library during lunch period. I again really didn’t notice him at first (yes, I was oblivious), but then I started sneaking glances at him as I was flipping through the card catalog (yes, I’m that old). I caught him glancing at me too & probably turned red in the face. I got to the point where I was bold enough to write him a note to pass to his friend to give to him….I remember writing “play it again, Sam”. He always had a smile on his face when he read it.
Then I guess it got to the point where we said hi or something to each other because we started talking after that. I remember one time when he walked me to my locker after school and he asked me if I would go with him. Oh my heart was pounding!! I really thought he was cute and I liked him a lot. This was on a Friday, I asked him if I could think about it over the weekend and tell him my answer on Monday. I went home and talked to my mom & aunt (she was visiting our house) and told them what happened. I also said I didn’t know what to say….I think it was my aunt who asked me how I felt & I told her I really liked him. So my mom gave me permission. I bet he was sweating all weekend, lol! On Monday, I told him I would go with him. After that, we dated off and on through high school, and then he went into the Navy after graduation. Unfortunately, it didn’t lead to marriage because he broke off the engagement less than 6 months after he put a ring on my finger.
But God had other plans for me years later and I’ve been married to my perfect match for 23 years and we’ve known each other for 28 years. There wasn’t really a “meet cute” with us. I do love reading those in books though and always have to laugh :-) Those are my favorite parts.
What a wonderful way to meet your hubby. Congratulations on 34 years. God works in mysterious ways. He opens doors that appear to be nailed shut. Thank you for sharing your story.