Speed Date fairytale comes true for owner

Speed Date fairytale comes true for owner

A modern-day fairytale has just come true for Verity Molloy, the owner of Speed Date.

Verity has become engaged to the man of her dreams — Derek McEwan — who she met when he was Speed Dating 18 months ago.

“I’ve loved being part of Speed Date since I bought it two years ago, because it brings people together and gives them happiness,” says Verity. “In that time, 10 couples who met through Speed Date have got engaged — I never realised it would happen to me as well!”

Verity clearly remembers meeting Derek, who had come to a Speed Date she was running in January last year. “I just looked into his eyes, because I’m attracted to eyes. I didn’t know what it was, I just knew that somewhere, sometime, somehow we would end up together. I felt a connection.”

What she didn’t realise was that she had the same impact on him.

“I noticed her immediately when I entered the room,” says Derek. “At first I saw her long blond hair and when she turned around to greet me it was her beautiful blue eyes and stunning smile.

“I knew straight away that I was interested, but thought she wouldn't be interested in me. In her role I thought she must get hit on every night by at least a few guys and I didn't want her to think ‘here's another one hitting on me, just because I own the company’."

Derek didn’t hitch up with anyone from that event, and didn’t go on any further speed dates. But throughout last year, he regularly attended parties and dinners organised by Speed Date, and each time, he was drawn towards Verity.

“At each event we talked more — we found ourselves together for the last one to two hours of the night just talking,” says Derek. “She always asked if I liked anyone and I answered ‘No!’ Of course it was her I was attracted to her, but I thought she was just being the perfect hostess and ensuring that everyone was taken care of. I didn’t know she felt the same way about me.”

In fact, Verity was watching the registrations for each event as they came in, hoping Derek’s name would be among them.

Finally, in February this year, Verity worked up the courage to ask Derek out, after he responded to a personal comment she had put on one of the Speed Date newsletters.

“A couple of guys sent emails in response asking me out,” she says. “He sent me an email as well. At first I thought, ‘Not another one’. Then, when I saw it was from Derek I got butterflies.”

They went for dinner, and the rest is history.

Well, not quite. Derek had been dropping hints, telling Verity “One day I’m going to propose to you and I can’t wait for you to be Mrs McEwan”.

One Saturday, Derek was on a weekend course and Verity was shopping with her sister when she saw The Ring. So she bought it — and one for Derek as well.

Just as she was paying for the rings, Derek phoned her. She asked what time his dinner break was. Then she rang the course organisers and said she wanted to come in just before the dinner break to propose to Derek.

At 5.30pm, she walked up on stage in front of 86 people, looked at Derek and asked him to marry her.

“It didn't just blow me away,” says Derek, “it blew everyone in the room away. I remember looking at her and into her beautiful blue eyes after she asked me and saying to myself, ‘Did she just say what I thought she said?’

“I stood up after what felt like an eternity and walked up on stage and said yes. The whole place erupted.”

Verity and Derek will celebrate their engagement with a party on September 22.

Ends

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