Valentine’s Day is coming up and YourHub.com wants you to show us the love. I look forward to reading your love stories, love stories about your parents and photos of you and your sweetie. It’s a clever way to show someone that you care. Maybe YourHub.com can help you reveal your devotion to your secret crush.

My crush, however, is no secret. I met Alex when we were both students at the Metro State College of Denver, working at the office of student publications. He was on the staff of the school’s television broadcast while I contributed to the school newspaper. It took almost two years of asking me to spend time with him outside the office (the invitation to be flown over the wind turbines I had referred to in an article on clean energy at Auraria campus nearly got me—hard to resist an attractive young pilot) before we exchanged phone numbers.

I remember our first date. I was nervous for hours beforehand, hoping to impress him with wit and calm, afraid that I would find that the honest eyes and fun-loving smile that had attracted me to him were

simply façade. Or what if his long drive from Denver to Parker resulted in a boring date, with nothing for us to talk about at dinner?

After he picked me up, I focused my anxiety on the salted peanuts at Texas Roadhouse as we waited for our table. When our hostess led us to our seats, I became as relaxed as if he was my oldest and trusted friend, much to my surprise. I didn’t monitor what I said, what jokes I made or how I carried myself.

At the end of the night, I couldn’t wait to see him again. And nine months later, he still feels like my oldest and most trusted friend who I cannot wait to see again. It took me months to capture all the butterflies that still fluttered inside me at the thought of our next meeting.

Be sure you post your love for your Valentine.