This story could get very lengthy, but I'll try to keep it short. Greyson and I both went to Cullman High School, where Greyson was best friends with my brother Tucker. And to me, that's all he was- Tucker's cute friend. Fast forward to both of us being at Auburn, Greyson came on our family beach trip going into my junior year, his sophomore year. It wasn't the first Apel-Barone family trip he'd been on- but it was the first time he seemed a little more interested in being on the beach with Molly (my MOH) and I, and less interested in sleeping in and laying around with Tucker and the other guys. There was a little flirting, but that was the extent of it. Fast forward months later, we went to Avondale in Auburn, just the two of us, and sat there for 6 hours and talked. We started hanging out a little more, but knew someone had to break this news to Tucker- and he did NOT like it at first. I broke things off in the Sonic parking lot after Greyson bought me ice cream- which he likes to remind me of regularly. A couple months later I am riding home from Auburn with Tucker and he looks at me and says, "What are you even doing?" Then went on to say every reason I should be going out with Greyson. That was definitely NOT what I expected to come out of his mouth, given his initial reaction to me going out with his best friend. I thought about it, and about a month after that I was in Auburn with some friends and found out Greyson was there. So, I walked my happy self right over to where he was- his favorite bar, 1716, and the rest is history. Greyson likes to say the long game played off, and I would have to agree!

This all started on the famous Apel-Barone beach trip a few years ago. While I was there with Tucker, I started wanting to be around Gracie more than I wanted to be around Tucker and our friends. There was some flirting and she was obviously into me but nothing happened for a few months after that. One night she invited me to Avondale and we sat there all night talking and had an amazing time. We started hanging out more and then I had to tell Tucker. Of course, after I told him and he decided he didn’t like me was when she dumped me, after I bought her ice cream at Sonic. After this happened I went home, and my roommate, Will, and I along with my friend, Tice, sat around the table in my trailer as I told them about it. Will said, “I think it’s the right girl at the wrong time,” and he was absolutely right. A few months later during summer break, I was at 1716 with some friends and she was at Avondale with Molly. Once she figured out I was in town she finally figured she wanted to be with me and waltzed into the bar and the rest is history. The long game absolutely pays off!