Sarah and Jake first met in 2022, shortly after Jake returned from his first deployment in Korea and while Sarah was attending Point Loma Nazarene University and working part time at Peet’s Coffee. Their first interaction was simple—Sarah took Jake’s coffee order—but it marked the beginning of something special.

Jake soon became a regular. Over the course of several months, they slowly learned about one another between coffee orders and busy shifts. Eventually, Jake asked “the most beautiful girl he has ever seen” for her number, but she declined—she was in a relationship at the time. Undeterred (or perhaps unwilling to buy his own coffee machine), Jake kept coming back, continuing to order coffee from his favorite barista. He accepted her response, even if he hoped the timing might one day change.

As time passed, both Sarah and Jake found themselves single. Jake felt enamored by her sweet personality, the way she lit up the room, and the small conversations she would have with every person who walked through the door. Sarah, in turn, was drawn to Jake’s charm, confidence, and kindness. She would get butterflies in her stomach seeing him walk into the shop. She began going out of her way to take his order whenever she could, and adding latte art hearts beneath the lid of his drink, never thinking he would notice, just wanting to make it extra special for him. He did in fact notice. He noticed everything – her eyes, her smile, the way she went out of her way to make people feel special, even the subtle shifts in her work schedule. But after asking once, he didn’t want to pressure her or risk losing the small moments that would make his day, so he waited. His coworkers would tease him about his crush whenever he walked into work with a Peet’s Coffee cup. She finally decided to pursue her crush, and asked if he still wanted her number. To which he responded “Hell yeah I do!”.

Their first date came just two days later. He took her for brunch at Sugar & Scribe in La Jolla, with plans to surf at Scripps Beach afterward. Brunch and surfing turned into lunch, a visit to a surf shop, and Jake fixing an old ding on Sarah’s surfboard. Ten hours passed without either of them wanting the day to end.

From that moment on, the two have been inseparable—even during times when thousands of miles stood between them. They’ve carried their shared loves of surfing, hiking, cooking, card games, reading, photography, music, and more with them as they’ve traveled throughout the United States, explored national parks, and journeyed across the world.

In March of 2025, Jake proposed to Sarah at Acadia National Park in Maine. That June, they moved to Spain together, and shortly after, they learned they would soon welcome their first child. Their son, Oliver Troy Hinds, is due on February 23, 2026.