You never know to you ask

I'm always hopeful an optimist and seeing a woman I like the look of, will try asking them out. More refusals than acceptances, but I do get some who accept. Last December at the office party a colleague came alone, and I heard via gossiping colleagues she had split with latest boyfriend. I always liked the look of her but hadn't tried my luck as they say as she was attached. Now unattached I decided to try my luck and asked her out and got an instant refusal. But I had expected that but would try again anyway in a week or two. My luck was in the week before Christmas, she had to go to a family wedding and with no boyfriend she would be asked questions. Also partnered with annoying relative at the wedding. She asked me out albeit to accompany her to the wedding, better than nothing I thought. But if I played my cards right and didn't embarrass her at the wedding, the chances of an actual date would be a lot better. So, on my best behavior I acted as she wanted me too. After getting her home and about to leave I decided to try my luck asking her out again. She agreed and we started dating, albeit our second outing together was attending her family Christmas lunch with her. But I finally got the date I wanted, and we would go out more regularly afterwards. Finally becoming lovers in early March, I was playing the long game and not rushing it. In May we attended a concert staying together same room and after the concert started drinking and then returned to our room and made love. Not using condoms as we usually did and after in morning after waking up. Having realized our error in not using condoms, I simply asked her to marry me. Not expecting her to accept, but she did, and we married in July. No rush it just suited our families' availability. Now married and she hadn't got pregnant from that night, but it didn't matter as we had stopped using condoms anyway and in August, she was pregnant. No 23 years later our 4 children are healthy and doing great school wise and university. My wife is hopeful of becoming a grandmother shortly, I'm just thankful I'm married to her.