01:00 AM EDT on Sunday, April 25, 2004

Kristen Clegg and Steven Almonte

Amalfi Restaurant, Narragansett

4.17.04

Kristen Clegg begins her story in 1995, when she met Steve -- the first Steve --the man she believed was the love of her life. Both were students at CCRI. They dated for two years, then decided to move in together. "We found a great place and had a good plan. I would continue college, he would work full-time, we would be together forever. We picked out furniture." Three days before the move, Kristen got a call that Steve had been killed in a car accident on his way to work that morning. "He was gone. My life was over. I thought I would never date or love again." That was 1997. They were both just 20 when he died.

But Kristen was wrong: Her life wasn't over, she did fall in love again. She met Steven Almonte at BJ's in Attleboro. She was working in the bakery with thoughts of attending Johnson & Wales. He was the new meat man, and the meat department was right next to the bakery.

"It was 1999, and I had not dated at all. In fact, I had just started going out a little with girlfriends, but my heart was never in it. I didn't feel like going to clubs and partying. Then I saw Steve; he carried a meat cleaver, and his white meat coat was all bloody. But the minute I laid eyes on him, I got this strange feeling: I knew he was going to be my husband."

But she didn't talk to him for several weeks. She was nervous. He asked someone why she never talked to him, so she finally did. "We started taking our lunch break together -- totally non-threatening. When a group of us from BJ's decided to go to the Comedy Connection, I invited Steve. Group date, also non-threatening. Then I gave him my phone number, started talking on the phone a lot." It led to real dating.

On Kristen's birthday in May 2003, Steve took her to the Providence Oyster Bar, which had become their favorite restaurant. He had arranged for a cake, and the staff singing. But the cake said "Will you marry me?" and around the single candle was a diamond ring. "And it was my favorite -- chocolate -- how could I say no!"

Steve is the "softlines" manager at Target in Warwick. Kristen is now a stay-at-home mom in Cranston with Rachel, 6, and Steven Jr., 9, Steven's children from a previous marriage. Today, after exchanging vows with Steven, Kristen promises to love and respect and protect Rachel and Steven Jr. Sobbing, she hugs and kisses them.

Kristen is 26, Steve is 38. The age difference was never a problem, says Kristen: quite the contrary. "He was older -- he didn't want to go out and party anymore either. He understood my loss, wasn't threatened by photos of Steve number one still around my house. I don't think someone my age could have dealt with it."