After I graduated from college, I moved home. I had no job lined up. I had no real plans. I just couldn't turn down living rent free in a huge house that, while owned by my parents, could be all mine for as long as I needed it. I found a job. Found a better job. Then another. Then a great job. The same could be said about my boyfriends. But, I soon found myself single and still living in my parents' house.

Their house is on a large plot of land that has a total of 3 houses on it. Their house, what we call the Barr House, and the farm house. Living in the Barr House was a woman in her late 50s. She was the mother to the two women living in the farm house along with a man. The threesome was living in the farmhouse for a few months and while I was aware of them, I figured that if the guy wasn't dating one of the sisters, then he was certainly gay. I had never heard of a straight guy living with women unless he was sleeping with one of them or exchanging make-up and fashion advice.

I had recently decided to get a dog so that I wouldn't be lonely in the big empty house anymore. I was outside trying to wear him out since he was a very "active" puppy and saw one of the girls from the farm house walking with her dog up the lane. We chatted for a few minutes and she invited me up to the house for margaritas with her and her sister. She seemed like someone I could hang out with so I accepted the offer. That was the day that I met "the guy" that lived in the farm house.

It was April 15th and Doug was frantically working on filing his taxes online. He didn't pay much attention to me since I think his priority was his taxes. But, that was it. I met him on tax day. There were no fireworks. No love at first sight. Just margaritas, a cigarette, and a glance.

Over the next weeks I began spending more and more time at the farm house hanging out with the girls and having a few conversations here and there with Doug. I learned that he was, in fact, straight, and single. I was shocked to learn that not only was he not dating either of the girls, he never had. Over time Doug and I started spending more time talking until the moon would be shining and we would agree that it was time for me to walk, with my dog, back to my house. This started happening nearly every night so it was pretty obvious to everyone that we were in a budding relationship. Everyone, except Doug.

I thought I had made my intentions as clear as if I had an airplane write it in the sky. The girls knew it. Doug on the other hand was acting as if I was just a really nice girl that he liked to hang out with. Which was nice and all. Don't get me wrong! I just thought that after a couple of months of getting to know each other he would have at least tried to kiss me.

One Sunday afternoon, after hanging out most of the day, he asked if I wanted to go to dinner with him. I instantly got butterflies thinking, "He finally gets it! Yeah! A date at long last." As he tells the story today, he makes it clear that this was not a date. I don't know how asking a girl to dinner is not a date but at this point, it isn't worth arguing over.

About a week after the dinner, I managed to get a 5 second full frontal hug. I should say that the only reason I got a hug that lasted at least 5 seconds is because I admitted to him that if I didn't, I had to buy lunch for my co-workers. I must say that I am a bit thankful for the threat from my co workers. If they hadn't made this little wager, I may never have gotten the hug. Doug may have never realized that I was liking him as much as I was. Who knows if I ever would have convinced him that I was going to be his wife one day if I couldn't even get the guy to hug me!? Asking for a hug was maybe the best thing, and possibly the most awkward thing, I ever did.