October 12, 2025 • 20 mins
Mercedes is catching flights...and maybe feelings! She’s giving Ben the download on why she’s spending the weekend in Boston (and the mystery man she’s visiting!)
How did they meet…what would she rate his flirting skills…and has he watched her on reality TV?? Ben is asking all the questions we really want to know!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
iHeart Podcasts bring you the ultimate Summer of Love tree.
This is Famously Available Joost Ben Higgins. I'm very excited
for today's conversation. It's really fun. When we launched Famously Available,
the messages that I received from so many people about
how incredible this human is, how beautiful she is, and
(00:22):
how sweet she is, and how nobody can believe that
she's single. Well, we got some big news for you.
We haven't been able to send Mercedes on a date
yet with Famously Available, so Mercedes did it herself, but
that doesn't mean that we don't get an inside look
into where her dating life is today. She's a date
(00:44):
this weekend, so I want to get in touch with Mercedes.
She's on the streets of Boston currently, but we gave
her a call because she's getting ready, prepped and excited
about the date ahead. We're going to talk to her
and get some intel on how things are going. She's
excited about, and we're going to continue to follow her
on this journey to finding love. All right, Mercedes, to
(01:08):
kick us off, we do know here that you're going
on a date.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
How did you meet this guy? Kind of walk us
through how you met what's gone on so far? Why
we're talking about him the day?
Speaker 3 (01:23):
Yeah? So I met him on Instagram.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
Actually, he dmmed me and said he was coming to
Nashville and would love to take me out, and I
was like, I.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Gotta say yes.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
I was like, I can't turn another one down.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
So I said yes.
Speaker 4 (01:40):
And I honestly didn't expect much out of it because
he doesn't live in Nashville, and yeah, I just I
was like, I'm just gonna go on this day, have fun, whatever.
And then I actually really ended up liking him and
we hit it off great. And then he was like,
I want to see do you want to come out
(02:00):
to Boston? And I was like sure, So now I'm
in Boston for the weekend.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Uh are Okay? There's so much I want to ask you.
First off, Instagram is a great way to meet somebody.
How my wife and I met, so you never know,
you never know. But before I get too excited, just
about all the questions that I want to ask you,
let's take it slow. So tell us about him as
a person. What does he look like, how old is he?
(02:29):
What industry is in? How do you find you? All
those things?
Speaker 4 (02:33):
Yeah, I honestly don't know how he found me, but
we do have like a couple of mutual friends that
we figured out later on.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
But he's definitely my type. He has dark Harry's tall,
he plays hockey.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
He's not like a professional hockey player, but he like
plays in a league, super athletic, and he honestly.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
I hope he never listens to this.
Speaker 4 (02:57):
But like going into the date, he like is on
Instagram obviously, and he posts like days in the life
or whatever, and so I was like, I don't know,
like I really didn't have high hopes. And then like
he told me he works for this startup and it's
with like like when women find out they have breast cancer,
basically like they help support them, like financially.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
I need to ask more about it, but like.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
Something along those lines, and I'm like, oh my gosh,
you're like actually like a really cool, like good human.
So yeah, I mean, I just I really didn't expect
anything out of this date, and then now here.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
I am the nerves.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
You know that first you know, travel date, that first
time that you give up a weekend of your life
at home to go see somebody. You only do it
when you are interested and you've admitted that you're interested,
But how are the butterflies?
Speaker 3 (03:53):
Honestly, like pretty good. I thought I would be more.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
I was definitely nervous yesterday because he picked me up
from the airport and I was like, oh my godd
like I'm literally.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
In Boston right now, Like what the heck am I doing?
Speaker 4 (04:07):
So I was definitely nervous, But then like I don't
know like what I'm with, Like it's just very easy
and it's never been like awkward, Like there's no awkward
pauses ever.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
Like we just like definitely like we're both they appers
for sure.
Speaker 4 (04:19):
So we just like yeah up, yeap, and just like
my ADHD brain is just like all over the place.
So we're just talking about everything under the sun, and
it's yeah, it's great. Conversation's great. So butterflies in the beginning,
But then like now that I'm here, I'm like.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
It's just fun.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
What is uh what's the plans while you're there? Obviously,
I mean you're there for a few days probably, right.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
Yeah, So we're going we're walking around Seaport I think
is the area. We're walking around there today. He works
into like one so after he gets off work, we're
gonna do that and then we have dinner tonight and
then tomorrow we're going to Salem, which do you want
to know something is so funny, Ben, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
I so.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
I don't know why I thought this, but when he
asked me to come there, he was like, have you
ever been to Salem?
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Or come here? He's like, have you ever been to Salem?
Speaker 4 (05:04):
And I'm like no, and he's like, well, we could
do that, And for some reason, I thought he meant
like the whole weekend in Salem. So I was like,
I was like telling my mom. I'm like, Mom, like,
I don't even know what we're gonna do in Salem
for three days. Like I was like kind of like
tweaking out a little bit because it's like, you know,
witchy and like, yeah, all this tuff.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
I'm like, I have no idea what we're gonna do.
But we're just going for a couple hours tomorrow.
Speaker 4 (05:27):
And then we're going to dinner tomorrow night, and he
his cousin and his girlfriend.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
Are going to meet up with us.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Oh my goodness, I know.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
But it's like I feel like they're like just really
good friends, you know. It's not like meeting in the family.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
Yeah, it's amazing. It's okay, there's two ways to look
at Do you want my input on this?
Speaker 3 (05:46):
Yes, yes, I do.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
I think as a guy, you when you're very excited
about somebody, even if it's early, like just early on fun,
no pressure, like no, like it's not super tentship. I
think it's a really good sign in an appropriate way
to be excited to like introduce her to friends, you know,
(06:10):
And I think let's look at these people as friends
not family. But that's a big deal. I think you
should just take it as like a doesn't mean there's
pressure on it. It just means like, hey, he's he's
excited for me to introduce like meet people. Yeah, I
think it's a good sign.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
No, for sure.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
I know when he told me that, as he's like,
I hope that's not weird, I'm like no, I was like,
I think that's great, Like I would love because I
think like meeting people that you have, like in your circle,
like you learn a lot about the person that you're
also like.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
Getting to know too. You know.
Speaker 4 (06:42):
Yeah, I'm excited. I think it'll be fun. And then
I leave Sunday, so those two.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Days it's gonna be it's gonna be great. I think
Salem will be super interesting. Outside of Boston is nothing
but beautiful. Massachusetts itself is a gorgeous, very romantic state.
Maybe he planned this just perfectly.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
I know.
Speaker 4 (07:03):
And I told him, like with Salem, I was like,
just so you know, like I'm a scaredy cat, like
I don't do well with this kind of stuff.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
And he's like, yeah, me too. We're screwed. The go perfect.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
You hold me, I hold you right literally obviously because
of your background in my background, we have to ask
has he ever been.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
On reality television and did he know you from the
show at all?
Speaker 4 (07:27):
No, he hasn't been on TV. And then he said
he's like never really watched it.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
So no, I mean, so how did he know about you?
But you don't know that right? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (07:37):
No, I think it was just because you know, on Instagram,
like the Explorer.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
I'm sure I just like came up on there or something.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
You matched his algorithm something.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
I have no idea how it came up.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Oh my goodness, that's fun.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
I mean, yeah, it's not that far off from my story,
but it's uh yeah, that's a goodness.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
Today's world is wild.
Speaker 4 (08:01):
Literally insane I know, but at least it wasn't hinge.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
Yeah, it's a good point. And he brought you out
to Boston. You know, I think there are really good
so far. I'm here in this and like, there's really
good signs here, like it feels like very fun and
hell that you guys live in two different places. He
made the effort to ask you to come out. Uh,
he has a weekend plan for you. I think all
of these are good signs because here's what else could happen.
(08:25):
He could have asked you to come to Boston and
you would have said yes because you were interested in
the first day. He could have had you out there
and like had no plans and been like, hey, you know,
it sounds really nice, Mercedes, Like movie nights in my
apartment and let's just like lounge in the couch, which again,
at some point in your life are all you look
forward to.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Really.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
However, right now, you know, first date stuff, you want
to get out and about. You don't want to have
the pressure of being one on one all weekend, you know,
So this is good so far. I'm really excited for this.
You did I heard you've referred to this guy. I
really hope he doesn't listen to this either.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
I know.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
On your on the first like interaction, you you told
us it was a practice date, like this was just
something you're doing for practice.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
Yes, I did say that.
Speaker 4 (09:17):
I literally said yes, because I'm like, oh, it's a
practice date like this perrevict. He doesn't live in Nashville.
Like it's yeah, it's fine, and now I actually like
the dude, So goodness, how that works?
Speaker 1 (09:29):
Yeah, yeah, that's kind of great. Do you think at
some point he would come on here and just chat
with like me, one on one.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
I don't know. Maybe I don't know.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
You should see it.
Speaker 4 (09:40):
I mean I told him that I'm doing this, but
like he definitely doesn't know I'm talking.
Speaker 3 (09:43):
About him right now. No, it's I had a meeting.
I was like, yeah, I have a meeting.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
You do you do have a meeting at eleven thirty?
You just have a meeting about him? I? Yes, exactly.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Let's hope he doesn't listen, but if he does, we're
going to keep this good and positive.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
A couple like rapid fire.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
Questions from the listeners out there, on a scale of
one to ten, how is the flirting.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
A solid eight point five?
Speaker 2 (10:20):
No? Okay, nine nine nine guys kissed yet?
Speaker 1 (10:25):
Yes, Okay, you're like, are you are you blushing because
it was so special?
Speaker 2 (10:36):
Or are you are you blushing because you're embarrassed?
Speaker 3 (10:39):
No, I'm not embarrassed. I don't know.
Speaker 4 (10:42):
I just I just think I really like him, and
it's like weird for me. No, I haven't liked anyone
in like two years.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
Sure, sure, lean into it. How fun with it? If anything?
Speaker 1 (10:52):
You never know where these go and there's a lot
of like things from the here to you know, whatever
stages next, But just enjoy it.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
It is fun.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
Yeah, to like have those butterflies, the excitement, the you know,
the first kiss, those types of things. That's just a
really fun season of life.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (11:15):
No, I definitely forgot like how fun it is. Like
I'm like, dang, why have I not dated in two years?
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Like this is fun?
Speaker 2 (11:22):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (11:22):
Well, you you've had to find your person in Boston.
You live in Nashville. Long distance dating. I remember when
we talked early on, like you are you do enjoy
your quality time, You enjoy being around the person that
you like. How are you thinking about this as you
maybe start dating somebody a plane flight away?
Speaker 4 (11:46):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (11:46):
I don't know. It's definitely tough.
Speaker 4 (11:49):
But I think like if I I mean, obviously I
couldn't do it for like a really long time, like
I think like a year max, probably, and then i'd
like want to be in the same city obviously, especially
because I don't know if I was like twenty three,
it'd be different. But I'm twenty seven, So it's like,
what's the point if like we're not even going to
be near each other.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
But I don't know, I'm open to it.
Speaker 4 (12:09):
I mean, I think, like thank God for FaceTime and
like calls, you know, because that makes you feel like
you like, you know, actually have interactions.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
So and like last like I saw him a month.
Speaker 4 (12:19):
Ago in Nashville probably it was like a month ago
or maybe three weeks, and we talked every day and
it was fine, and it like builds excitement for like
the next time we see them too, So it's.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
It's fun, you know.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
Obviously, I was talking about my story and my dating
experience with Jessica. We spent a long time long distance,
and the phone calls and the facetimes were amazing. We
got to know each other really well because we could
just talk like there was nothing else to do, and
I'm not a big phone talker. We really like in
our marriage, we barely talk on the phone. This is
(12:55):
not something I just don't.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
Enjoy it that much.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
I kind of get like distracted or whatever. But when
we were dating, we were talking a lot on the phone,
and we had two rules. After this became after our
second kind of travel trip to see each other. At
that point we knew at like something serious. It was
either going to be the best thing that ever happened
to me or the hardest. Was kind of like my mindset,
(13:19):
and so we had two rules for long distance dating.
One we could not leave each other and express sadness,
which is really hard. We make the assumption that we're
both very sad to say good about each other. But
I had a friend who dated long distance with somebody,
and what destroyed their relationship was every time one would
leave the day, even before two days before, they would
(13:42):
start talking about it, Oh, I'm so sad, I'm just
going to miss you so much, and then there would
be sold these tears, and it felt like every weekend
instead of just being this like joyful time together, it
became burden with sadness.
Speaker 4 (13:54):
Yeah, like, oh, we have to leave each other again,
like this is happening again.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
Yeah, so we just said no, we know each other
as but we're gonna leave and say, hey, I'm excited
to see you again.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
This is gonna be great.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
The other rule was we never left each other without
at least having another date planned where we'd see each
other again. Even if that date was a month and
a half out. We always had something to look forward to.
It helped keep things fresh, It helped keep us intentional
on going to see each other. So we always had
another date planned. I'm not saying you implement this now,
(14:27):
but at some point, I mean this was early for us.
This was like two weekends in We're like, no, I
like you, I want to I want to pursue this thing.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
Let's like figure out how to do it.
Speaker 3 (14:37):
Well, yeah, how long did were you guys? Long distance?
Speaker 2 (14:41):
Well a lot longer. We should have been a year
and a half. Now.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
Some of that was the pandemic. Some of that was
like you know, just like yeah, really the pandemic and
some travel stuff. But a year and a half we
didn't live in the same city, just co moved out here.
I think it was like three weeks before we got married.
Speaker 3 (14:59):
Oh my god. This there before we got married. Yeah, yeah,
that's crazy.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
It was a it was a long haul. Now.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
I would never take that season back because it was
full of excitement, it was full of butterflies. I remember
the plane flight and just being so excited but also
so nervous at times, and it just became a very
special season to look back on. Yeah, Okay, back to you.
That's my advice for long distance. We're not quite there yet.
(15:30):
I don't feel like but at some point you might know.
And when you know, goodness, you know, it hits you
in the face and it's the most beautiful thing. What
the final question I really have for you it is,
and please expound on this as much as you feel comfortable,
what are your hopes for this weekend? You're obviously there,
(15:53):
You're obviously getting ready to kind of start a couple
of days together. What's your perfect outcome?
Speaker 4 (15:59):
Perfect alcome would be just like getting to know him
a lot more, obviously, and getting to explore Boston and
then hopefully, like yeah, planning another trip seeing each other
again and like keeping what we have going like I
don't like, I don't know, like I I just don't
(16:21):
want it.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
To like fizzle out. After this, because I feel.
Speaker 4 (16:24):
Like we've been talking every day, but I'm like, is
it because we had this like plan, Like I hope
that like something else is planned after this, you know.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
I mean I think those are great, great day conversations,
like really good conversations that have at some point, and
I think what I'm hearing from him, knowing a guy's perspective,
at this point in time, he is very interested in.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
Seeing you again.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
He would have done this, I don't think unless yeah,
and he still had That's another thing.
Speaker 4 (16:57):
I feel like he's like actually like courting me, and
it's never even like with my exes, Like it's never
been like this before, Like even like on our first
date he was like, Okay, yep, I have this reservation
like I'll see you there.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
Like I don't know.
Speaker 4 (17:13):
He just like has plans and he like may and
he's always complimenting me. He's just like, I don't know,
I've just never had a guy like treating like this,
which kind of sounds sad because it's just like I
don't know. But he's also like the first like old,
not older. He's like thirty one, but like maybe it's
because he kind of has a shit together, so he's
more inclined to treat women, right, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
Yeah, you kind of hate your thirties and you're like, hey,
I'm tired and I'm done with yeah what I did
in the twenties, and now I really want to find somebody.
And maybe it's just good timing. I mean, I'm thirty
six now, but I got married about the age he is,
and I was so ready, like so excited for us.
Still am, but like I was, that dating in my
(17:58):
twenties thing was far far gone from my life. So yeah,
maybe he's just not a little boy. Maybe he's a man.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
True, we love a man.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
We love a man. We love a man. This is awesome.
This is super fun to hear. Now. I think this
is the steps forward for us here because obviously this
wasn't a date we set up. So I'm gonna say
some things and you tell me if you like the
ideas or not. Okay, Okay, if.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
This all goes well this weekend, have a blast. We
still obviously want a recap and a rundown good or bad.
We're hoping good. If it goes well, I think that
we here famously available would and want to If you're
up for it, kind of cover your next date, especially
like a dinner date, Like we would love to cover
(18:45):
that for you and just say, hey, this was fun,
like thanks for joining us, and we are we're going
to pay for a night out for the two of you,
hopefully something fun, because we need to we need to
get involved somehow, even if it's not even if it's
not reading down your neck or I could sit behind
you at dinner and just ask a questions And if
it goes really well, I think it'd be really fun
(19:07):
to have him on here at some point without you. Yeah,
and I can ask him all the good questions about
what he likes about you. Now, if it doesn't go well,
I don't really want to talk to him, right, but
if it does go well, we would love to have
him on here just to kind of even explain to
him what this was and why we chose you and
how great you are and that we're.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
Excited that the two of you are going to go
off and keep dating. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
No, I think he would totally be open to it.
Speaker 4 (19:34):
He's like, literally can talk to anyone like, he's so cool,
So he would definitely be up for it.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
Awesome. Yeah, Mercedes, you have a big weekend ahead of you.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
Just have fun with it, be excited for you are
a tremendous human, so anybody's lucky to spend a few
days with you. And you should know that. Also, you
should know that he had an out. He could have
canceled your flight day before you flew out there and
said he I just don't think this is going to work,
and he didn't. And so get the ideas in your
head that maybe you were just talking because you had
(20:06):
this plan. No, he could have asked you not to come,
and he didn't. He wants you there, So just live
in the spirit of he wants you there.
Speaker 3 (20:15):
Okay, perfect, Thanks for the advice.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
Appreciate that you're going to do great, have fun rock
and roll in Boston, have fun and Salem too. I'm
interested to hear what you think of it. And Mercedes
tell this this man hello, please, thanks for coming on.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
We appreciate you.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
All right, bye, this.
Speaker 2 (20:38):
Has been famously available until next time. I've been Ben
iHeart Podcasts bring you the ultimate Summer of Love tree.
This is Famously Available Joost Ben Higgins. I'm very excited
for today's conversation. It's really fun. When we launched Famously Available,
the messages that I received from so many people about
how incredible this human is, how beautiful she is, and
(00:22):
how sweet she is, and how nobody can believe that
she's single. Well, we got some big news for you.
We haven't been able to send Mercedes on a date
yet with Famously Available, so Mercedes did it herself, but
that doesn't mean that we don't get an inside look
into where her dating life is today. She's a date
(00:44):
this weekend, so I want to get in touch with Mercedes.
She's on the streets of Boston currently, but we gave
her a call because she's getting ready, prepped and excited
about the date ahead. We're going to talk to her
and get some intel on how things are going. She's
excited about, and we're going to continue to follow her
on this journey to finding love. All right, Mercedes, to
(01:08):
kick us off, we do know here that you're going
on a date.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
How did you meet this guy? Kind of walk us
through how you met what's gone on so far? Why
we're talking about him the day?
Speaker 3 (01:23):
Yeah? So I met him on Instagram.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
Actually, he dmmed me and said he was coming to
Nashville and would love to take me out, and I
was like, I.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Gotta say yes.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
I was like, I can't turn another one down.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
So I said yes.
Speaker 4 (01:40):
And I honestly didn't expect much out of it because
he doesn't live in Nashville, and yeah, I just I
was like, I'm just gonna go on this day, have fun, whatever.
And then I actually really ended up liking him and
we hit it off great. And then he was like,
I want to see do you want to come out
(02:00):
to Boston? And I was like sure, So now I'm
in Boston for the weekend.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Uh are Okay? There's so much I want to ask you.
First off, Instagram is a great way to meet somebody.
How my wife and I met, so you never know,
you never know. But before I get too excited, just
about all the questions that I want to ask you,
let's take it slow. So tell us about him as
a person. What does he look like, how old is he?
(02:29):
What industry is in? How do you find you? All
those things?
Speaker 4 (02:33):
Yeah, I honestly don't know how he found me, but
we do have like a couple of mutual friends that
we figured out later on.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
But he's definitely my type. He has dark Harry's tall,
he plays hockey.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
He's not like a professional hockey player, but he like
plays in a league, super athletic, and he honestly.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
I hope he never listens to this.
Speaker 4 (02:57):
But like going into the date, he like is on
Instagram obviously, and he posts like days in the life
or whatever, and so I was like, I don't know,
like I really didn't have high hopes. And then like
he told me he works for this startup and it's
with like like when women find out they have breast cancer,
basically like they help support them, like financially.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
I need to ask more about it, but like.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
Something along those lines, and I'm like, oh my gosh,
you're like actually like a really cool, like good human.
So yeah, I mean, I just I really didn't expect
anything out of this date, and then now here.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
I am the nerves.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
You know that first you know, travel date, that first
time that you give up a weekend of your life
at home to go see somebody. You only do it
when you are interested and you've admitted that you're interested,
But how are the butterflies?
Speaker 3 (03:53):
Honestly, like pretty good. I thought I would be more.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
I was definitely nervous yesterday because he picked me up
from the airport and I was like, oh my godd
like I'm literally.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
In Boston right now, Like what the heck am I doing?
Speaker 4 (04:07):
So I was definitely nervous, But then like I don't
know like what I'm with, Like it's just very easy
and it's never been like awkward, Like there's no awkward
pauses ever.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
Like we just like definitely like we're both they appers
for sure.
Speaker 4 (04:19):
So we just like yeah up, yeap, and just like
my ADHD brain is just like all over the place.
So we're just talking about everything under the sun, and
it's yeah, it's great. Conversation's great. So butterflies in the beginning,
But then like now that I'm here, I'm like.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
It's just fun.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
What is uh what's the plans while you're there? Obviously,
I mean you're there for a few days probably, right.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
Yeah, So we're going we're walking around Seaport I think
is the area. We're walking around there today. He works
into like one so after he gets off work, we're
gonna do that and then we have dinner tonight and
then tomorrow we're going to Salem, which do you want
to know something is so funny, Ben, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
I so.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
I don't know why I thought this, but when he
asked me to come there, he was like, have you
ever been to Salem?
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Or come here? He's like, have you ever been to Salem?
Speaker 4 (05:04):
And I'm like no, and he's like, well, we could
do that, And for some reason, I thought he meant
like the whole weekend in Salem. So I was like,
I was like telling my mom. I'm like, Mom, like,
I don't even know what we're gonna do in Salem
for three days. Like I was like kind of like
tweaking out a little bit because it's like, you know,
witchy and like, yeah, all this tuff.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
I'm like, I have no idea what we're gonna do.
But we're just going for a couple hours tomorrow.
Speaker 4 (05:27):
And then we're going to dinner tomorrow night, and he
his cousin and his girlfriend.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
Are going to meet up with us.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Oh my goodness, I know.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
But it's like I feel like they're like just really
good friends, you know. It's not like meeting in the family.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
Yeah, it's amazing. It's okay, there's two ways to look
at Do you want my input on this?
Speaker 3 (05:46):
Yes, yes, I do.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
I think as a guy, you when you're very excited
about somebody, even if it's early, like just early on fun,
no pressure, like no, like it's not super tentship. I
think it's a really good sign in an appropriate way
to be excited to like introduce her to friends, you know,
(06:10):
And I think let's look at these people as friends
not family. But that's a big deal. I think you
should just take it as like a doesn't mean there's
pressure on it. It just means like, hey, he's he's
excited for me to introduce like meet people. Yeah, I
think it's a good sign.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
No, for sure.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
I know when he told me that, as he's like,
I hope that's not weird, I'm like no, I was like,
I think that's great, Like I would love because I
think like meeting people that you have, like in your circle,
like you learn a lot about the person that you're
also like.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
Getting to know too. You know.
Speaker 4 (06:42):
Yeah, I'm excited. I think it'll be fun. And then
I leave Sunday, so those two.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Days it's gonna be it's gonna be great. I think
Salem will be super interesting. Outside of Boston is nothing
but beautiful. Massachusetts itself is a gorgeous, very romantic state.
Maybe he planned this just perfectly.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
I know.
Speaker 4 (07:03):
And I told him, like with Salem, I was like,
just so you know, like I'm a scaredy cat, like
I don't do well with this kind of stuff.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
And he's like, yeah, me too. We're screwed. The go perfect.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
You hold me, I hold you right literally obviously because
of your background in my background, we have to ask
has he ever been.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
On reality television and did he know you from the
show at all?
Speaker 4 (07:27):
No, he hasn't been on TV. And then he said
he's like never really watched it.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
So no, I mean, so how did he know about you?
But you don't know that right? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (07:37):
No, I think it was just because you know, on Instagram,
like the Explorer.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
I'm sure I just like came up on there or something.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
You matched his algorithm something.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
I have no idea how it came up.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Oh my goodness, that's fun.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
I mean, yeah, it's not that far off from my story,
but it's uh yeah, that's a goodness.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
Today's world is wild.
Speaker 4 (08:01):
Literally insane I know, but at least it wasn't hinge.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
Yeah, it's a good point. And he brought you out
to Boston. You know, I think there are really good
so far. I'm here in this and like, there's really
good signs here, like it feels like very fun and
hell that you guys live in two different places. He
made the effort to ask you to come out. Uh,
he has a weekend plan for you. I think all
of these are good signs because here's what else could happen.
(08:25):
He could have asked you to come to Boston and
you would have said yes because you were interested in
the first day. He could have had you out there
and like had no plans and been like, hey, you know,
it sounds really nice, Mercedes, Like movie nights in my
apartment and let's just like lounge in the couch, which again,
at some point in your life are all you look
forward to.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Really.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
However, right now, you know, first date stuff, you want
to get out and about. You don't want to have
the pressure of being one on one all weekend, you know,
So this is good so far. I'm really excited for this.
You did I heard you've referred to this guy. I
really hope he doesn't listen to this either.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
I know.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
On your on the first like interaction, you you told
us it was a practice date, like this was just
something you're doing for practice.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
Yes, I did say that.
Speaker 4 (09:17):
I literally said yes, because I'm like, oh, it's a
practice date like this perrevict. He doesn't live in Nashville.
Like it's yeah, it's fine, and now I actually like
the dude, So goodness, how that works?
Speaker 1 (09:29):
Yeah, yeah, that's kind of great. Do you think at
some point he would come on here and just chat
with like me, one on one.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
I don't know. Maybe I don't know.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
You should see it.
Speaker 4 (09:40):
I mean I told him that I'm doing this, but
like he definitely doesn't know I'm talking.
Speaker 3 (09:43):
About him right now. No, it's I had a meeting.
I was like, yeah, I have a meeting.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
You do you do have a meeting at eleven thirty?
You just have a meeting about him? I? Yes, exactly.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Let's hope he doesn't listen, but if he does, we're
going to keep this good and positive.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
A couple like rapid fire.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
Questions from the listeners out there, on a scale of
one to ten, how is the flirting.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
A solid eight point five?
Speaker 2 (10:20):
No? Okay, nine nine nine guys kissed yet?
Speaker 1 (10:25):
Yes, Okay, you're like, are you are you blushing because
it was so special?
Speaker 2 (10:36):
Or are you are you blushing because you're embarrassed?
Speaker 3 (10:39):
No, I'm not embarrassed. I don't know.
Speaker 4 (10:42):
I just I just think I really like him, and
it's like weird for me. No, I haven't liked anyone
in like two years.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
Sure, sure, lean into it. How fun with it? If anything?
Speaker 1 (10:52):
You never know where these go and there's a lot
of like things from the here to you know, whatever
stages next, But just enjoy it.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
It is fun.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
Yeah, to like have those butterflies, the excitement, the you know,
the first kiss, those types of things. That's just a
really fun season of life.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (11:15):
No, I definitely forgot like how fun it is. Like
I'm like, dang, why have I not dated in two years?
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Like this is fun?
Speaker 2 (11:22):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (11:22):
Well, you you've had to find your person in Boston.
You live in Nashville. Long distance dating. I remember when
we talked early on, like you are you do enjoy
your quality time, You enjoy being around the person that
you like. How are you thinking about this as you
maybe start dating somebody a plane flight away?
Speaker 4 (11:46):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (11:46):
I don't know. It's definitely tough.
Speaker 4 (11:49):
But I think like if I I mean, obviously I
couldn't do it for like a really long time, like
I think like a year max, probably, and then i'd
like want to be in the same city obviously, especially
because I don't know if I was like twenty three,
it'd be different. But I'm twenty seven, So it's like,
what's the point if like we're not even going to
be near each other.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
But I don't know, I'm open to it.
Speaker 4 (12:09):
I mean, I think, like thank God for FaceTime and
like calls, you know, because that makes you feel like
you like, you know, actually have interactions.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
So and like last like I saw him a month.
Speaker 4 (12:19):
Ago in Nashville probably it was like a month ago
or maybe three weeks, and we talked every day and
it was fine, and it like builds excitement for like
the next time we see them too, So it's.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
It's fun, you know.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
Obviously, I was talking about my story and my dating
experience with Jessica. We spent a long time long distance,
and the phone calls and the facetimes were amazing. We
got to know each other really well because we could
just talk like there was nothing else to do, and
I'm not a big phone talker. We really like in
our marriage, we barely talk on the phone. This is
(12:55):
not something I just don't.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
Enjoy it that much.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
I kind of get like distracted or whatever. But when
we were dating, we were talking a lot on the phone,
and we had two rules. After this became after our
second kind of travel trip to see each other. At
that point we knew at like something serious. It was
either going to be the best thing that ever happened
to me or the hardest. Was kind of like my mindset,
(13:19):
and so we had two rules for long distance dating.
One we could not leave each other and express sadness,
which is really hard. We make the assumption that we're
both very sad to say good about each other. But
I had a friend who dated long distance with somebody,
and what destroyed their relationship was every time one would
leave the day, even before two days before, they would
(13:42):
start talking about it, Oh, I'm so sad, I'm just
going to miss you so much, and then there would
be sold these tears, and it felt like every weekend
instead of just being this like joyful time together, it
became burden with sadness.
Speaker 4 (13:54):
Yeah, like, oh, we have to leave each other again,
like this is happening again.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
Yeah, so we just said no, we know each other
as but we're gonna leave and say, hey, I'm excited
to see you again.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
This is gonna be great.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
The other rule was we never left each other without
at least having another date planned where we'd see each
other again. Even if that date was a month and
a half out. We always had something to look forward to.
It helped keep things fresh, It helped keep us intentional
on going to see each other. So we always had
another date planned. I'm not saying you implement this now,
(14:27):
but at some point, I mean this was early for us.
This was like two weekends in We're like, no, I
like you, I want to I want to pursue this thing.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
Let's like figure out how to do it.
Speaker 3 (14:37):
Well, yeah, how long did were you guys? Long distance?
Speaker 2 (14:41):
Well a lot longer. We should have been a year
and a half. Now.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
Some of that was the pandemic. Some of that was
like you know, just like yeah, really the pandemic and
some travel stuff. But a year and a half we
didn't live in the same city, just co moved out here.
I think it was like three weeks before we got married.
Speaker 3 (14:59):
Oh my god. This there before we got married. Yeah, yeah,
that's crazy.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
It was a it was a long haul. Now.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
I would never take that season back because it was
full of excitement, it was full of butterflies. I remember
the plane flight and just being so excited but also
so nervous at times, and it just became a very
special season to look back on. Yeah, Okay, back to you.
That's my advice for long distance. We're not quite there yet.
(15:30):
I don't feel like but at some point you might know.
And when you know, goodness, you know, it hits you
in the face and it's the most beautiful thing. What
the final question I really have for you it is,
and please expound on this as much as you feel comfortable,
what are your hopes for this weekend? You're obviously there,
(15:53):
You're obviously getting ready to kind of start a couple
of days together. What's your perfect outcome?
Speaker 4 (15:59):
Perfect alcome would be just like getting to know him
a lot more, obviously, and getting to explore Boston and
then hopefully, like yeah, planning another trip seeing each other
again and like keeping what we have going like I
don't like, I don't know, like I I just don't
(16:21):
want it.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
To like fizzle out. After this, because I feel.
Speaker 4 (16:24):
Like we've been talking every day, but I'm like, is
it because we had this like plan, Like I hope
that like something else is planned after this, you know.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
I mean I think those are great, great day conversations,
like really good conversations that have at some point, and
I think what I'm hearing from him, knowing a guy's perspective,
at this point in time, he is very interested in.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
Seeing you again.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
He would have done this, I don't think unless yeah,
and he still had That's another thing.
Speaker 4 (16:57):
I feel like he's like actually like courting me, and
it's never even like with my exes, Like it's never
been like this before, Like even like on our first
date he was like, Okay, yep, I have this reservation
like I'll see you there.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
Like I don't know.
Speaker 4 (17:13):
He just like has plans and he like may and
he's always complimenting me. He's just like, I don't know,
I've just never had a guy like treating like this,
which kind of sounds sad because it's just like I
don't know. But he's also like the first like old,
not older. He's like thirty one, but like maybe it's
because he kind of has a shit together, so he's
more inclined to treat women, right, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
Yeah, you kind of hate your thirties and you're like, hey,
I'm tired and I'm done with yeah what I did
in the twenties, and now I really want to find somebody.
And maybe it's just good timing. I mean, I'm thirty
six now, but I got married about the age he is,
and I was so ready, like so excited for us.
Still am, but like I was, that dating in my
(17:58):
twenties thing was far far gone from my life. So yeah,
maybe he's just not a little boy. Maybe he's a man.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
True, we love a man.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
We love a man. We love a man. This is awesome.
This is super fun to hear. Now. I think this
is the steps forward for us here because obviously this
wasn't a date we set up. So I'm gonna say
some things and you tell me if you like the
ideas or not. Okay, Okay, if.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
This all goes well this weekend, have a blast. We
still obviously want a recap and a rundown good or bad.
We're hoping good. If it goes well, I think that
we here famously available would and want to If you're
up for it, kind of cover your next date, especially
like a dinner date, Like we would love to cover
(18:45):
that for you and just say, hey, this was fun,
like thanks for joining us, and we are we're going
to pay for a night out for the two of you,
hopefully something fun, because we need to we need to
get involved somehow, even if it's not even if it's
not reading down your neck or I could sit behind
you at dinner and just ask a questions And if
it goes really well, I think it'd be really fun
(19:07):
to have him on here at some point without you. Yeah,
and I can ask him all the good questions about
what he likes about you. Now, if it doesn't go well,
I don't really want to talk to him, right, but
if it does go well, we would love to have
him on here just to kind of even explain to
him what this was and why we chose you and
how great you are and that we're.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
Excited that the two of you are going to go
off and keep dating. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
No, I think he would totally be open to it.
Speaker 4 (19:34):
He's like, literally can talk to anyone like, he's so cool,
So he would definitely be up for it.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
Awesome. Yeah, Mercedes, you have a big weekend ahead of you.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
Just have fun with it, be excited for you are
a tremendous human, so anybody's lucky to spend a few
days with you. And you should know that. Also, you
should know that he had an out. He could have
canceled your flight day before you flew out there and
said he I just don't think this is going to work,
and he didn't. And so get the ideas in your
head that maybe you were just talking because you had
(20:06):
this plan. No, he could have asked you not to come,
and he didn't. He wants you there, So just live
in the spirit of he wants you there.
Speaker 3 (20:15):
Okay, perfect, Thanks for the advice.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
Appreciate that you're going to do great, have fun rock
and roll in Boston, have fun and Salem too. I'm
interested to hear what you think of it. And Mercedes
tell this this man hello, please, thanks for coming on.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
We appreciate you.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
All right, bye, this.
Speaker 2 (20:38):
Has been famously available until next time. I've been Ben
Hosts And Creators
Ben Higgins
Ashley Iaconetti
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