I've lived in New York my whole life—with one exception. For three brief months in 1997, I lived in North Carolina. I enrolled in college, quickly realized it wasn't the right fit, withdrew after just a few weeks, and moved in with my brother Jeff in Durham before eventually starting at SUNY Geneseo the following spring. While I was there, I picked up a couple of temporary jobs through Duke Temp Services. One had me spending eight hours a day in a basement scrolling through microfiche...

It all started with "I do." C & L Mercantile began the same way many good stories do—with two people finding each other at exactly the right time. ​ When Charlie and Lindsey met, life wasn't particularly simple for either of them. But from the very beginning, they listened, showed up, and took care of one another. Somewhere between the everyday moments, the chemistry, and the laughter, they realized they had found a true partner. ​ On August 17, 2023, Lindsey let it slip that she'd love to...