After checking in, she headed to the elevator.
It was about to close when Hurst slid in, apologizing to the group of people inside.
Herreaction: Just, I don’t know, instantly hot on any guy.
Hurst remembers being immediately attracted to him.
The man, Preet Banerjee, was also in town for a conference.
The group got off the elevator then, and waited for another elevator that went higher in the building.
At that point, they started talking and recognized each others accents, as they were all Canadian.
Where are you from?
When Torontonian Banerjee heard this, he asked what part of the city she lived in.
They parted ways on the seventh floor, but planned to meet up again at the reception that night.
Cheryl stands out from a crowd for surevery talkative, very outgoing, says Preet.
Hurst swears that the other fact was that Barack Obama follows him on Twitter, which Banerjee vehemently denies.
I had literally no interesting facts, and Preet was just spilling off these really interesting things.
And while Hurst was impressed by Banerjees accomplishments, she was less than impressed by him leaving quickly after.
I said, You tell me three things.'
And then I leftand I don’t think that went over well, he admits.
Hurst remembers thinking, What an arrogant guy.
Even after their awkward encounter, they ended up finding each other the next day during a seminar.
We just kind of gravitated towards each other during breaks and whatnot, he says.
It was just natural, because we had sort of similar perspectives and things to talk about.
Throughout the conference, they found more and more opportunities to see each other and talk.
One night after drinks with colleagues, the two went out to dinner.
We talked for seven or eight hours, ages, says Hurst.
The two spent the whole day together, exploring Greece, and learning more about each other.
Neither expected a romantic connection to form, though.
The two were able to frankly and safely discuss finances.
He wasn’t creepy or weird about it in any way.
She laughs and adds, There’s your headline, Not creepy or weird.
After a full day of travel, the pair went back to the hotel bar.
The next morning, Hurst walked Banerjee to his taxi.
Goodbye forever, Hurst joked, trying to conceal her sadness.
Neither had exchanged contact information, with the intent on leaving their friendship in Athens.
I just knew that I was going to see him again.
Months later, Hurst was back in Toronto for a conference.
She had a hunch that Banerjee was also attending.
The pair met up and it was like they were in Greece all over again.
Once back in the UK, Hurst received a message from Banerjee.
He admitted he had feelings for her, and was hoping she felt the same.
While Banerjee was disappointed, he respected her boundaries and moved on.
Three days later, Banerjee received a message from Hurst.
Never mind, she wrote.
I want to be with you.
And so, with the help of FaceTime and intercontinental travel, the pair began a long-distance relationship.
Six months into their relationship, Hurst told Banerjee that she loves him.
He didnt respond back with the same words.
Once their call ended, Hurst wondered what she did wrong.
He wanted to tell me in person.
The couple have had no issues clicking with each others loved ones and weaving into each others lives.
I was in the air when Canada announced lockdowns, Hurst says.
The worldwide lockdown gave the couple a chance to discuss their relationship and their futures.
So that was a pretty easy decision at the end of the day, he admits.
But it was a very unromantic and unceremonious proposal.
That would have been very poetic, he concedes, laughing.
I’m just not that creative.
Scroll below to see adorable moments the couple have shared online.
They quickly found out they had a lot in common.
I felt like a 1990’s Ralph Lauren covergirl.
With the help of FaceTime and intercontinental travel, they started a long-distance relationship.
They planned on moving to London together once the world opened back up.
