It all started at the Preakness horse race in Baltimore back in 2010—Rachel was there to have a good time and watch the horses, and Joe was there for the zac brown band. As the day wrapped up, Rachel’s friends made a last-minute pit stop before heading home. While passing a group of guys, Joe boldly called out, “Hey, you’ll be my girlfriend, right?” Rachel laughed it off but made a mental note: if he was still there when they walked back, she’d get his number. Sure enough, Joe and his friends hadn’t budged, and Rachel—impressed by his confidence (and his good looks)—got his number. They dated for a few years, drifted apart, and then, in 2019, Joe called Rachel out of the blue. Thankfully, she hadn’t changed her number. After years of long-distance chats, Joe realized life was better with Rachel and moved to Arlington to be with her. Rachel knew from the very start, she's a master at the long game.

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