Walking In Vegas

The member handles “Mystique” and “Solarcturus” kind of sound like superhero names, don’t they? No wonder these two clicked on our site! Ashley (Mystique) says it was “the Coronavirus epidemic” that sent her search for love online. James (Solarcturus) also attributes his decision to join our site to COVID-19, with its “lack of social places” to meet people in the real world.

“I was somewhat confident, depending on the day,” laughs Ashley about her level of optimism for online dating. “I wasn’t too sure of myself,” James admits. “[Your site] made it a lot easier to find love though.”

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Four months into her membership, Ashley spotted James’ profile. He’d been with us almost a year at that point. “I loved his uniqueness,” Ashley recalls when asked what drew her eye. “The way he wrote his section so thoughtfully” also appealed to her. James’ good looks didn’t hurt, either. “He was very up there as far as my ‘type’,” says Ashley. “I could look him up and down all day!”

James smiles at the memory. “She Flirted with me, and I responded accordingly,” he tells us. “Then she messaged me.” He says “her smile and bubbly attitude” really stood out to him, adding, “She was charming from the very beginning. I don’t really have a ‘type,’ but her personality and affectionate charm worked wonders on me.”

Days turned into weeks as their communication built a comfort zone and both singles moved towards Step 2 of an online relationship: meeting in person. “After getting to know him for a few weeks, I was ready,” declares Ashley. “We met in Vegas and explored everywhere!”

Vegas, baby, Vegas! And how’d that come about? As James explains, “She invited me to join her in Vegas, and I had never been before, so I said why not!” His first thought when they finally met face to face was, “What a lovely, comforting woman I’ve come across.”

“He’s really handsome!” Ashley remembers thinking at the time. “And a lot taller than I thought he would be.” A happy surprise, for sure.

This date had many memorable moments. One that sticks out for Ashley is, “Playing at the slot machines and one of them catching on fire! What a night.”

James’ contribution is the decidedly romantic “walking hand-in-hand after the casinos, under the full moon, watching the cars go by.”

It was a great get-together. Both the gentleman and the lady were determined not to let this love story end there. Ashley says she was “enthralled” and “absolutely positive” they’d see each other again. “I was completely certain,” agrees James.

Considering their partner’s many strengths, Ashley volunteers “his patience, he is very understanding, and he never rushes things” and James observes, “She had such wonderful compassion!”

That’s not to say it was all puppies and rainbows from the start. Ashley lists her personal obstacles as, “Establishing trust, being completely vulnerable again after separating from my marriage.” James says that in his estimation their initial challenges involved “being crystal-clear on boundaries, coming to agreements with our goals, and our distance (North Carolina and Texas).”

The distance was not a death knell, however. Ashley knew their relationship was special “when he could be in a room full of people and I’d see only him… Everyone else just disappeared.”

For James, the big “ah-moment” was an emotional one. “That moment she embraced me when I was crying, exposing some of my past and hardships at the dinner table,” he reveals.

Another emotional high-water mark came later. “He proposed down on one knee in an Oklahoma mountain cabin he rented by the waterfalls (Turner Falls),” remember Ashley. “Very romantically. He assembled heart-shaped candles and rose petals with decorations. The ring was so beautiful!”

Meeting James has helped Ashley put life into proper perspective. “It’s made me even more appreciative of time,” she shares. James feels inspired by their relationship, exclaiming, “I’ve learned that love can help achieve things we never dreamed possible!”

Here are Ashley’s words of wisdom for those who are still looking for their match. “Take your time! Consider your options, and don’t be hard on yourself.”

James tells online daters to “have an open mind, be willing to understand and accept others.”

Sounds like “Mystique” and “Solarcturus” are ready for their next adventure.

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