Stepping off the treadmill and catching my breath, I went to fill up my water bottle when I noticed a handsome stranger on the gym floor.
I’d just finished my workout, and as I walked past him to the changing rooms, he flashed me a cheeky grin.
I smiled back shyly.
I knew of him – his name was Matthew Bailey, and he was the older brother of one of my school friends, Claire*.
From then on, I kept spotting him around the gym – until one day, he plucked up the courage to introduce himself properly, back in February 2020.
‘Can I get your number?’ he asked, holding out his phone.
‘Go on, then,’ I smiled.
Later that evening, I got a text from Matthew and I felt butterflies in my tummy – as we started exchanging messages back and forth, I quickly realised I was smitten.
When I told him I was going on a night out with the girls, and he said he’d be out that night, too, we arranged to meet up.
The atmosphere between us was electric, and before I knew it, the two of us were dating.
It wasn’t long before we made things official.
I introduced Matthew to my son Tom*, now five.
Matthew was brilliant with him, and they got on like a house on fire.
