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Sunday, September 28, 2014

A Workplace Romance & Giveaway by Melissa McClone

Have you ever dated someone you worked with? I did, and I married him!


Careerbuilder.com says approximately a third of couples who meet at the office end up marrying. My hubby and I are one of the statistics. We'll be celebrating out twenty-year anniversary in April, but in the beginning I would have never imagined us dating let alone marrying.

The company allowed workplace romances, but my future hubby had his own set of rules, including not dating women at work. He didn't care that we were in different groups and worked in different buildings. He was adamant about not dating…for a while. He finally relented and a year later proposed on a chilly December night on San Francisco's Crissy Field at the Presidio.

  
When I was brainstorming my Kiss Me, Cowboy wrangler hero Zack Harris' conflict, I was trying to figure out why he wouldn't want to date fellow Bar V5 wrangler Charlotte (aka Charlie) Randall after sharing hot kisses by the river. My hubby's old dating rules popped into my head. I knew Zak had the same rule about not dating coworkers, only his was for a better reason. At least in his mind!

Here's a brief excerpt between Zack and Charlie from Kiss Me, Cowboy:

"So how'd you meet this guy?"

Charlie twirled the end of a braid with her finger. "Work."

"He's a cowboy?" Zack asked.

Another nod. She wouldn't meet his gaze.

Interesting. His rule kept him from kissing her again, but maybe some other guy's kisses would be enough to make her stay put. "Forget going to Colorado. There are lots of cowboys in Montana. Hell, Marietta for that matter."

She didn't look up. "Told ya. Work gets in the way."

Yeah, Charlie wasn't one to hang out at bars trying to be picked up. But if she fell for someone local, she would forget about the other guy and keep working at the Bar V5 at least for a while longer.

A brilliant plan to keep her in the area. "I could help you."

Her gaze jerked up to his. "Help?"

"Find you a man."


Melissa is giving away a $10 Starbucks e-gift card! To enter, comment whether you've dated a co-worker.  One winner will be randomly chosen from the comments.

37 comments:

Stephanie said...

Great post! I haven't worked with anyone I would be interested in dating. LOL

Debby said...

Great post! I was tempted once but never did.
debby236 at gmail dot com

Bonnie said...

I married young before I ever entered the work force.

Unknown said...

Yes, way back when I dated a bunch of co-workers, and married one, too. We met in 1977, and were married 18 months later. 36years and counting!

Unknown said...

I have never dated a co-worker. I met my hubby when I was 19.

Leslie Waters said...

No, but then again working in a Day Care didn't really have many men working in it.

PoCoKat said...

I met my husband at work. 10th anniversary next month.

Melissa McClone said...

LOL Stephanie!!!! Thanks for the smile this morning!

Melissa McClone said...

Thanks Debby! I'm very glad I did, but the good thing is if it hadn't worked out we wouldn't have to see each other much! But it did so no worries!

Melissa McClone said...

You're lucky to have met someone so young! I married later in life and was thinking I might not! LOL!

Melissa McClone said...

Awesome, Ginny! Congrats on the 36 years and counting. That's wonderful to hear!

Melissa McClone said...

You and Bonnie above were both young! That's great! At 19, I didn't have a clue what I wanted with anything! Late bloomer :)

Melissa McClone said...

I can see that Leslie! Would make it tough. Though I could imagine a romance novel with a day care worker and a single dad ;)

Melissa McClone said...

Cool, PoCoKat! Hope you have a wonderful 10 year anniversary! Congrats!

Connie said...

My husband and I met when we were both working for NASA. My Mom worked in the same building he did. (Mine was just next door.) When I went over to Mom's building to go home with her, POW, we met. We dated for about 18 months and were married in December 1966. This year will be our 48th wedding anniversary. Thank you, NASA! ;-)

BABBIE said...

Not sure this counts but I did date someone who worked at the same place I did. But we didn't actually work together. We are good friends still to this day. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Nova said...

dated a co-worker once; didn't work out; so glad when i moved.

Lil said...

I did date a coworker. There were strict rules that no one at work was to know and if we should not work out, that would be kept to ourselves as well. We were successful, no one knew until we sent them wedding invitations.

HPERGOLSKI said...

Beautiful wedding picture and cannot wait to read this story! We have something in common as I did date and marry my coworker. We met and worked together at Pizza Hut. Turns out I was BFF's with one of his cousins during highschool and my family was great friends with one of his aunt & uncles. We dated for almost 7 years and this year celebrated 18 years of marriage! I guess we are a statistic. Lol!

Judy said...

My first boyfriend and I worked at the same place for our summer jobs although in different areas.

Unknown said...

I have the same rule. I will not date someone I work with. I did that once, and it was not good.

Kerry said...

Not since high school!!

Gayle and John said...

I was thinking I hadn't dated a co-worker...but as I enumerated them all (sarcasm...Hahaha!!! ��) I came across a name that was a co-worker. Yeah it didn't work out...but his next date did and they married, her name was Gail!

Melissa McClone said...

A couple readers posted on my FB page that they weren't able to post their comments so I'm going to add them here! The first is:
S G-s Tieh... Tried commenting but it didn't go through. Oh well. Fun to read your and others' coworkers in love stories.

Melissa McClone said...

Lorie Sullins Payne - Tried to comment and didn't work but yes I have been in a relationship for 12 years and we met at work

Unknown said...

Nope, never dated a co-worker.

Shari said...

My husband and I worked at the same hospital when we were dating. He was a paramedic and I was a nurse .Been married 30 years.

Melissa McClone said...

Christina Fashant: Can't post on blog. I dated the head of security at a Mall where I worked in Marketing. We were together for about a year, but things didn't work out. We broke up right before 9-11. On that day we were both working, fielding calls from the public and media. Afterward he came into my office and comforted me.

Janine said...

I enjoyed hearing how you and your husband met. I only dated one guy that I worked with and that didn't go so well. I found out he was married and his wife pregnant. I really enjoyed Charlie and Zack's story in Kiss Me, Cowboy

Beautiful Disaster said...

I married my hubby of 21 years in college :)
Lori
lorih824 at yahoo dot com

dstoutholcomb said...

In high school and college, I worked retail and dated a few coworkers. Nothing special. Met my husband at college, but didn't date then.

Martha Lawson said...

No, I haven't!!

Eileen AW said...

I did my first year of teaching. He turned out to be a loser who was dating another teacher behind my back, proposed & married her. Took a few years before I met my future hubby when I was a volunteer at his place of week.

Unknown said...

We have a sweet story. Our moms worked together and we dated all through high school and went our separate ways and 17 years ago met back up and now we are married:)

robynl said...

I have dated someone that worked at the same place I did/ different departments though. Never married him.

MelCurtis said...

I can't count the number of times I've seen those workplace dating rules thrown out the window. Glad you found a keeper! The book sounds fun

Melissa McClone said...

The winner of the $10 Starbucks e-gift card is GayleandJohn. Please contact me at melissamcclone (at) gmail (dot) com with your email address to get your card sent. Thanks to everyone who commented! I still need to reply to the rest of the comments when I have more time. Thanks!