Once upon a time in Boca Raton, there was an East Boca boy named Ryan and a West Boca girl named Jessica. Their worlds were close enough to touch, yet they remained strangers, as if separated by an unseen divide—until fate brought them both to Town Center Mall, the magical spot that was considered "central Boca" in those days.Ryan spent his days at Mrs. Fields, slinging cookies with the kind of charm only a true cookie connoisseur could muster. Just a few stores away, Jessica worked at H2O, helping shoppers find the perfect skincare products. But Jessica, a self-proclaimed chocolate chip cookie enthusiast, soon found herself venturing to Ryan’s counter daily—because let’s face it, who could resist freshly baked cookies and the cute guy serving them?
Ryan’s co-workers, who were also his best friends, started noticing Jessica’s frequent visits. When she upped her cookie game to three a day, they couldn’t help but nudge Ryan, suggesting that maybe she wasn’t just there for the cookies. But Ryan, ever the skeptic, couldn’t believe it—this girl was way out of his league, or so he thought.
To test his friends’ theory, Ryan decided to be bold. The next time Jessica came to his counter, he handed her a cookie and asked for her phone number instead of the usual 99¢. To his surprise (and delight), she gave it to him. From then on, the two were inseparable—chatting on the phone, laughing in the mall hallways, and sharing dinners. But Ryan had a secret: he was already dating someone.
Before things could get too serious, Ryan came clean about his relationship status. Jessica, not one to wait around, started dating Ryan’s best friend instead.
Life went on. The mall days faded into memory as jobs and relationships changed. Years later, Ryan found himself sharing a house with his best friend (and Jessica’s ex-boyfriend). One day, his roommate invited Jessica over to see their new place. That’s when Ryan and Jessica reconnected—this time as friends.
Their friendship grew stronger, and by the end of that first year, it had blossomed into something more. From that point on, Ryan and Jessica were inseparable once again, but this time it stuck. That was over 25 years ago.
Since then, they’ve owned two houses, raised two very spoiled cats, traveled the world, and embarked on their greatest adventure yet: raising their son, Reid.
After all these years, Ryan and Jessica’s story is still unfolding. What began with cookies and skincare products at Town Center Mall has turned into a lifetime of love, laughter, and countless adventures. They can’t wait to see what’s next—and they’re so happy to share this special chapter with you.