I had come to Libertyville for a business conference. It was an odd place, but perhaps it’s because I’d never been to Illinois until then. Lake County popped up on my search as I tried to understand the site. Part of the conference was to spend time scouting the area as a potential office location. During the weekend, I moved around and checked out the mighty Lake Michigan. There were so many fun activities during the summer, and visitors had flocked in from all over. As I walked around, I came across a coffee shop where I could rest a bit from the heat and enjoy the excellent AC system. On the counter was a lovely guy who worked as a barista. We smiled at each other, and I gave him my order. Then I went to sit down at one of the empty tables and took out my phone. A short while after, I looked up when my drink arrived, expecting to see a waiter. But it was the handsome barista who’d brought my order. He asked if he could have my number and give me a call sometime after paying me a compliment. I said yes and gave it to him. Little did I know that would be the start of a beautiful friendship turned into romance. The barista, Jake, proposed to me a year and a half after we first met. We had to work with a long-distance relationship, but we made it through. After the wedding, I relocated to Libertyville, and now we are expecting our firstborn. I was not so sure about the town the first time I got here, but I can’t think of living anywhere else in the world.