So, last fall I met a guy. He seemed to be everything I was looking for—smart, funny, kind, and for some reason, he liked me. We laughed and joked on conference calls. Then, we laughed and joked on private email. Next, we laughed and joked via text. As we started to get closer, those texts turned to calls and Skype. Loving him hit me harder and faster than anything I’d ever experienced. While my friends and family urged me to be careful, I charged on, head first, heart on my sleeve.

And I paid dearly for it—he broke my heart in ways I still don’t quite understand.

After uprooting my life and changing my plans to Raleigh, NC instead of Atlanta, after using my one shot to work for the company I wanted, and after flying half way across the country to be with the guy who said he loved me and wanted to marry me—it ended, and brutally.

Fast forward to my new life in Atlanta and I meet another guy. He’s kind and attractive and he makes me feel great about myself. Reeling from the pain of my last failed relationship, I agreed to meet him for dinner. I went in with no expectations—would I like him? Would he like me? I tried not to focus on those things and just put my best foot forward.

Turns out? I liked him. More surprising? He liked me too.

We sat across from each other, him so fucking nervous he couldn’t talk aloud. Instead, he wrote me notes on the napkin. I found it endearing. People tell JP all the time that she’s intimidating, but Trish—she’s about as intimidating as those napkins. She’s likely to be way more afraid of you than you are of her. After dinner, he walked me to my car and he worked up the nerve to kiss me goodnight. Only, I didn’t want it to be goodnight. So, we went over to his car. We sat and talked and kissed far past the check-in I’d promised poor Jonathan, who would have come charging in with the cavalry had I delayed much longer in my texts.

We’ve been seeing each other for a little over two weeks, and it’s been amazing. I’m terrified, but that’s okay, because so is he. Neither of us have much experience with relationships, so we’re helping each other through. I can’t wait to see where we are by Christmas. My Chicago and Orlando trips came at a really awkward time though, since we’ve only started seeing each other, but he stuck right with me with texts and calls throughout. He’s been a trooper about JP. In fact, he finds it amazing that his girlfriend is a famous author.

I’ll disillusion him later.

Xoxoxo,

JP