At this point in my life, I felt as if I had taken my hands off the wheel.
Metaphorically speaking, I had jumped into the backseat.
I decided to trust the process and see where things would lead, without judgment or expectation.
Raegan and I started hanging out more.
This girl who had contacted me as a complete stranger was now winning me over.
She had been in San Francisco, attending art school and working. She was a free spirit and a minimalist, two characteristics that I found, and still find, attractive.
The first time we hung out was nighttime, when she picked me up and drove me around in her Jeep. It was dark and I thought she was cute but I didn’t really get a good look at her.
The next time we hung out was during the day. So, I got to see what she really looked like …
She was cute.
And she was smart. She had been the youngest pilot in the history of South Florida to fly from the Eastern side to the Western Side of Florida.
Raegan was a one-of-a-kind girl.
My acquaintanceship with her was blossoming into a relationship. It unfolded quickly. And I was happy to be by her side.
As the days passed, I scheduled meet-ups with the young family that I planned to go to Europe with. I offered to be their babysitter in exchange for free room-and-board. I was visiting them once-a-week to discuss details, and help them pack their belongings into storage.
They planned to stay at a cottage in the France, somewhere in the countryside.
I was excited.
At the same time, however, I was thinking about Raegan. I was really starting to like this girl.
I had to make a decision …
