If someone had said that a single cup of coffee could influence my future family life, I would have thought they were out of their mind. But that was before I met Kathy—before I found myself on a plane, on my way to meet her parents and hoping to win their approval. Three months ago, Kathy and I were just strangers. But the instant she entered my life, I sensed that I had discovered something truly special. Our bond deepened through our shared passion for skiing, a mutual intrigue for sci-fi novels, and the effortless tranquility that enveloped us each evening, regardless of how challenging the day had been. Proposing after only a month seemed crazy to everyone around me, but for me, it felt like it was meant to be. As I made my way to meet the person who held the most significance in her life—her father, David. Kathy had cautioned me that he was a hard judge of character, a man who didn’t give out approval easily. She mentioned that he loved her deeply and would go to great lengths to make sure she was happy. He would be all business and observant, and I would have just a single opportunity—only one—to show that I was deserving of his daughter. It was enough to twist my stomach in knots. To ease my anxiety, I got to the airport early and found a little coffee shop just across the street where I could relax