Rachel and Taylor’s story is one with a number of subplots. It involves basketball, chicken tenders, a comedy CD, and deception…Though not necessarily in that order.
It began about five years or ago...The night before Taylor and Rachel met, Taylor was finishing a workout at the local gym with a buddy, and happened to meet one of Rachel’s best friends. She challenged Taylor and his buddy to a classic game of H-O-R-S-E, which she proceeded to win. In a gesture of truce, Taylor suggested they all go grab drinks the next day in downtown Ann Arbor and bring some friends.
The next night came, and Taylor and his buddy attended a comedy show in town. After the show, he bought a comedy CD to commemorate the night. Then off he went to meet up with the girl who beat him at hoops the night before.
Shortly after arriving, Taylor caught sight of a beautiful girl talking to another guy across the bar. He assumed she was probably dating this guy who was chatting her up, and thought little more of it. This beautiful stranger was Rachel, who was about to make quite a debut performance as she unassumingly entered Taylor’s life. The night rolled on, and eventually closing time came. Everyone began settling their tabs with the bartender, and Taylor found himself standing next to Rachel. The guy Rachel had been talking to throughout the night asked for her number and handed Rachel his phone. Covertly, as he looked away, Rachel handed this guy’s phone to Taylor. “Hey, put your number in my phone.”
Taylor couldn’t believe his good fortune! This beautiful girl who he’d been eyeing all night is asking for his number? He quickly complied, and called his own number from her phone so he would have her number too. (Classic move!) Later that evening, Taylor texted the number he believed to be Rachel’s to make sure she got home alright. What greeted him was an angry earful from the man at the bar:
“How did you get this number? What’s your deal?!”
Confused, Taylor told the dude to “chill”, and hung up. Clearly this Rachel has a boyfriend, and he’s not happy.
Remember that comedy CD from earlier? Taylor had asked one of Rachel’s friends to hold his CD in her purse that night at the bar, but he had forgotten to get it back from her. The next day, Taylor asked his buddy to text this girl to get his CD back. Rachel happened to be at brunch with this particular friend of hers, and texted Taylor (from her actual phone number) to let him know he could meet them to pick up the CD.
Taylor, thinking that he already had Rachel’s number, was confused but couldn’t resist another chance to see her. He called her and they arranged a place to meet so he could pick up his CD. “Order me a salad and some chicken tenders, I’m on my way!” Thinking Taylor was odd for the request, Rachel ordered his food. Soon after, an unabashed Taylor enters, wearing a very tight bright purple shirt. He pulled up a chair to the tiny table with the two girls he had met just once, and proceeded to join in the conversation while enjoying his meal.
Rachel found this both amusing and endearing, and Taylor enjoyed the conversation so much that, according to Rachel, “he never left!” 5 years later, the two of them began a new chapter in their story together, surrounded by family and friends. Despite the noted absence of chicken tenders at the reception dinner, it was a perfect celebration to remember.
Venue: Grand Traverse Resort & Spa