One winter night in the year 1995, you were on a ferry ride back home to Ocracoke, North Carolina, unsure of the world around you.

Bored and unamused by the views, you stopped your walk through the deck when you noticed a young man teaching his golden retriever some tricks on a bench. The man, with tousled brown hair and charming hazel eyes, glanced over at you.

“She’s my girl,” he explained with a warm smile, referring to his dog. “A handful at times, but I wouldn't have it any other way.”