Meeting my soul mate

Our first bike ride together

It is strange to say that Kevin and I have been together almost 9 years, and yet I have no idea how to really start our story. If I could have written a book of a love story, it never would’ve compared to this. And trying to start at the beginning is hard, because I knew him long before we dated, and don’t remember when we met. But I will attempt to give you a glimpse of the whole picture. 

Summer 2010 closed a lot of doors and healed many old wounds for me. As fall approached, my life started to head in a whole new direction. I was weeks away from moving into a place by myself with my two year old. I was fresh off a divorce, and had been living with my parents while I established income and got on my feet. Mid-September, I took Kane to a birthday party for a good friend’s baby who was turning 1. At the party, I ran into Anthony’s best friend Jon and his girlfriend Jen, whom I had been avoiding. I hadn’t seen them in many months at this point. She told me they weren’t picking sides in this whole thing, and that I should still come around. We exchanged numbers again and began texting.

Three weeks later, the night before I was to move into my place, Jen invited me to come to band practice at their house. Kane was with his dad for the night, and I needed to relax before my move, so I agreed. As I arrived, I browsed the room and saw Jon, two others I knew from mine and Anthony’s group of friends, and one I didn’t. We had all ridden motorcycles together, although these other two were not around for much more than the rides. I didn’t know much about either. 

Jon and Waxie at practice.

First in the list of introductions as Jen showed me into the band room was AJ. AJ was the drummer and Kevin’s best friend, and he was very outspoken, to say the least. He was the first to say “hi” to me that night...or first to speak to me would be a better way to put it. His exact sentence is forever engrained in my head. “Hey, Kara, you know you’re going home with me tonight, right?” I rolled my eyes. Clearly, he didn’t know me if he thought he could TELL me what I was going to do.

Next up was the bassist, who also was named AJ, but went by Waxie. Little did I know at the time, but he would become a very good friend. He threw a nod and “sup” as Jen introduced him.

Last on the list as I browsed the room was Kevin. Kevin was a Mississippi boy, that much we had established over the years. He had been around at cookouts some. He rode dirt bikes and motorcycles with us frequently. He fixed a 4wheeler I had bought for Anthony one Christmas. We had been to several concerts together with the group. We had even walked down the aisle in a friend’s wedding together. And yet, despite all this, we had never really spoken much. Four years I had known him, and yet I had maybe spoken two full sentences to him because he was so quiet. 

Kevin played lead and sang

All I really knew of him was that the girl he had been with had stolen money out of my purse at a party once. So, my first question upon seeing him was, “where’s the wife?” He tossed up his hand and wiggled an empty ring finger, as if to signify that they had split. I tossed mine up in return to show I was divorced too. They proceeded into practice, and I just sat and enjoyed the music. 

Watching Kevin play

After band practice that night, we all decided to head to T.G.I. Friday’s for a late dinner. Everyone but Waxie was going, because he had to get home to his girlfriend and daughter. I decided to tag along to dinner, even though I had eaten already and money was tight with my move. One drink was doable, and I wanted to hang out a bit longer.

When we arrived, two of the chairs were pushed extra close together at the round 5-top table they gave us. Kevin and I ended up choosing those two chairs, and didn’t adjust them away from each other. The restaurant was loud, and we became engulfed in conversation, so the proximity helped us hear each other. Our eyes were locked all night while we talked. 

Kevin and AJ being Kevin and AJ

He offered to buy me dinner, but I was hesitant. The creeps I had been dealing with expected sex after buying you a meal, and I wasn’t about all that. He instead saved half his meal, knowing I was hungry after smelling everyone else’s food. He also covered my drink that night without me knowing. 

At the time, I was enjoying being single and not really looking to settle down. I was convinced I knew who God had for me, so I claimed I wasn’t interested in Kevin at the start, even after sitting so close that night. But I was enjoying the positive attention without expectations, so I wasn’t really ready to let it end either. 

At the end of the night we said our goodbyes, and got in our cars to go home. Jon and AJ gave him hell for not asking for my number, so he jumped back out of the truck and ran toward me. Even back then, he was terrible at keeping track of his phone, and didn’t have it. So  instead of asking for my number, he asked me to text him with mine. I sent him a text immediately thanking him for the drink. It was another hour before he got back to his phone and responded, but that began the next few weeks of conversations that I would deny at great lengths were anything more than just two friends talking. But even I eventually had to admit the truth after a Wednesday night band practice 3 weeks later.