One of my favorite themes to write about is friends to
lovers. I’ve had several stories that have explored that theme, including “Love
Potion #69” in Naughty Hearts, and “Stay
the Night” in Naughty Flings. One of
the reasons this trope resonates so deeply with me, is that I lived it.
I’ve been married almost fifteen years, and I’m still stunned
at how the relationship progressed.
When I met my husband, I wasn’t looking for love, or even
serious like. The “one who got away”
was still fresh in my mind, and I had little interest in opening my heart to
any guy. Then, I met a man in a chatroom who lived most of the world away. He
was married and divorcing, and I wasn’t interested in anything more serious
than a friend.
But there was something very compelling about this man, and
we had an immediate rapport that changed the trajectory of both our lives.
Over two years, we became inseparable. I was working nights
at the time, which coincided with his time zones, and we’d talk for hours after
I was done with work and he was home for the evening. A program called
Netmeeting, a precursor to Skype, allowed us to hear each other’s voices.
He was my best friend and I was his. His divorce was final,
he was thinking about dating again, and I was just about to turn thirty,
feeling as if I was at a crossroads. None of my “life goals” had been met and I
knew I needed a change.
I’d managed to, by some miracle, hide my romantic feelings
from him, and started encouraging him to date. He did, and it was the most
painful thing imaginable. I had to finally face the fact that I was in love
with him, and I had to let him go. He was in Australia, I was in America. How
could it work?
The morning of my 30th birthday, I told him we
had to stop talking and he asked why. When I confessed my feelings for him, he
said: “I have one thing to ask you. Will you marry me?”
And just like that, I was engaged. I knew his voice, but not
his face. I had spoken with his parents and children, but I didn’t know his eye
color, or how he wore his hair. That didn’t matter to me, though it probably
should have.
Just a month later, I was on a plane to Australia, to meet
him. He greeted me at the airport with flowers and chocolates, and we started
an epic adventure together. In three weeks, we drove our way through Australia,
visiting all his family. And when I became ill, he flew home with me and met my
family and friends.
In the wake of 9/11, he came over for a visit and we married
spontaneously. We moved his possessions and two adorable cats over from
Australia and here he is today. Imagine it; a man loves you so much that he
moves across the world to be with you! It wasn’t a decision either of us
undertook lightly, and we miss his children greatly. Thank goodness for Skype
and video chat. We talk with his family every week without fail.
Mark’s a very proud American citizen, though he’s Aussie to
his soul.
Life hasn’t always been easy. Just this year, Mark had an
emergency triple bypass; I very nearly lost him. Thankfully, he’s doing much
better now!
We’ll celebrate our fifteenth anniversary later this year, a
celebration of love and laughter, a celebration of the triumph of love conquering
all, even two hearts who weren’t looking to be bound. Friends to lovers, who
are still friends after all these years.
