Will and Josh’s story began the way all great modern romances do: with fate, fireworks, and a mysteriously accurate location‑based app that politely informed Josh he was exactly 2,000 feet from someone interesting. It was Fourth of July weekend, and Will was at the beach with his mom, enjoying the sun and pretending not to check his phone every few minutes. Meanwhile, Josh was driving back from his friend Kylen’s property up north, cruising down the highway when the app lit up with a profile that caught his attention. He messaged first — bold move — and the two started talking. Everything was going great until Will had one intrusive thought: What if this guy is a Republican? Before Will could spiral, Josh did the most efficient thing possible: he called. Will, a chronic texter with a black belt in anxiety, stared at the incoming call like it was a trap. But he answered, and Josh immediately clarified that he was absolutely not a Republican, which instantly restored peace to the universe.

With that crisis resolved, Josh asked Will out that same night in Saugatuck. Will drove out, nerves buzzing, and the two met for drinks at The Butler while waiting for their table at The Mermaid. Conversation was easy, the chemistry was obvious, and by the time they finished dinner and wandered along the Saugatuck boardwalk, it already felt like something was unfolding. Then Josh invited Will over to his “house,” which turned out to be a bright blue steel building he was converting into a barndominium. Inside was a masterpiece of chaos: unfinished drywall, no windows, no kitchen, a bathroom that deserved hazard pay, four roommates, and one very good dog named Rudder. Somehow, Will didn’t run. In fact, he stayed — and what was supposed to be a one‑night date turned into a two‑day adventure. They visited wineries, explored the West Michigan coastline, and talked like they’d known each other for years.

Two days after that magical marathon of a first date, Josh and Rudder showed up at Will’s apartment with flowers and coffee while he was working — no warning, just pure intention. From that moment on, they were inseparable, building a home together, building a business together, and building a life full of adventure, laughter, and the kind of love that starts with a ping and turns into a family.