To understand our story, we have to rewind a bit—back to when the seeds of it were first planted, many years ago. Courtney’s mom, Patty, had a cousin named Mike. Every summer, Patty and her cousins would gather at the family lake house in Michigan to enjoy sunny days and warm memories. Sometimes, Mike would bring along his best friend, Wayne, for the fun.

One summer, something magical happened. Wayne asked Mike if he could stay behind an extra day — to spend it with Patty. And just like that, they fell in love, got married, and had two children, Courtney and Ryan—all thanks to cousin Mike!

Fast forward to the future, and Mike had his own two kids, Rachel and Jace. The families in 2020 decided to revive the tradition of summer vacations at the lake—but this time at a cozy new lake house in Tennessee. The four cousins—Courtney, Ryan, Rachel, and Jace—had spent time together as kids, but now, they were adults getting to know each other all over again.

Rachel would bring her best friend, Diana, along for the lake house adventures. Diana and Courtney's friendship grew over years and long distance. One lake house trip in 2023, Diana asked Rachel if she could stay an extra day— to spend more time with Courtney. And just like before, in true Hallmark fashion, you can guess what happened next! They fell in love and are now planning their happily ever after.

So, here we are today—all thanks to Rachel and, even more so, to Mike, who unknowingly started the family’s matchmaking legacy!

C&D