When Jami Bouwer first met Nolte Lourens, she was just 12 years old - but she took an instant liking to the handsome adult who was 16 years older than her.
Jami, now 27, was visiting her friend Nikita at the time in 2007 when Nolte, her pal's uncle, was first introduced to her.
“I laid eyes on him for the very first time in 2007, I was only 12 years old and he was about 27 years old," Jami said.
Still a child at the time, Jami insisted nothing ever happened between the pair, but the older man certainly caught her eye.
For more of the news you care about straight to your inbox, sign up for one of our daily newsletters here
“I became friends with his niece around that time and since then I’ve always had a crush on her cute uncle," Jami explained.
“For me, it definitely was love at first sight, since the first day I laid eyes on him I just knew he was going to be the one."
Years passed and the pair, from South Africa, had no contact - until 2017, when Jami was 23 and about to go to America for two years to be an au pair.
Shortly before she left, Jami told Nolte that she was going to marry him.
"I was 23 at the time and he thought it was a joke and laughed, and that was that," she recalled.
"Little did he know how serious I was and I just knew that one day it was going to happen. He was also in a relationship at that time."
Two years later when Jami returned to South Africa, Nolte noticed her homecoming and had been checking out her social media pages - but at 16 years older than her, he was reluctant to make the first move.
Then Nolte, a beekeeper, made his own trip to the US - and asked Jami if she might be taking a trip back over to America so their paths could cross.
Jami explained: "After casually chatting to him on and off for a couple of months via WhatsApp while he was overseas, he finally returned home from the US.
"He came by the bar where I worked the same day he landed and walked in behind the bar and gave me a hug."
The following day, the pair went on their first date to a vineyard - organised by Nolte's niece and Jami's friend, Nikita.
"After our first date, that night he had leaned in to kiss me and that’s how it all started," Jami said.
From then on, the pair continued dating and were inseparable. Seven months on from the vineyard date, they're still together.
"We have a connection like no other. We understand each other, we are honest with each other and the sex is amazing," Jami said.
And the couple are now expecting their first child together too, due next month.
The couple says their family has largely been supportive of the relationship - despite a few shocks early on.
Jami said: "Everyone always knew I had a huge crush on Nolte, but no one thought it would ever become anything serious.
"When it did, some people were surprised and others not, but we have been open about it since day one.
"My parents were a bit shocked because they only found out on Facebook once we made it public – they accepted it pretty easy though as they have known him for years and loved him as a person."
She added Nikita has been the most excited about the blooming relationship and has always supported the couple.
Luckily, the pair say they've never received any negative comments.
This isn't Jami's first relationship with an older man, as she was previously in a "secret" tryst with a man 30 years older than her. Sadly, he passed away.
Nolte was also married in his 20s, but the relationship broke down and he got divorced six years ago.
Jami explained their relationship works so well because Nolte is old enough to have passed the "messing around" stage of his life and now knows what he wants.
"We both want the same thing when it comes to starting a family. We are so excited to be having a baby together and to start our life together as a little family of three.
"We love each other unconditionally and appreciate each other in every way possible. We each have our past stories and we are able to open up and accept each other as we are," she said.
The couple are currently living apart while Nolte works on a farm in North Dakota, US. But he's planning to fly back to South Africa in September for the birth of his child.
He said: "Jami is young, energetic, enthusiastic, lustful, and naughty.
"Sure there are women out there that meet those same criteria at my age, but they are very scarce and most likely have children of their own – something I can’t see myself getting involved with."
The couple had some advice for people who found themselves in age-gap relationships: stand your ground.
"Don’t let anyone tell you what’s right or what’s wrong when it comes to love and age," said Jami.
"Never focus on age, it’s literally just a number. If it feels right, then it is right. Focus on yourself – it’s your life and you have to live it.
Are you in an age gap relationship? Email jessica.taylor@reachplc.com with your stories
"Someone will always have something to say, but only you know your story, so who are they to judge?
"Love who you want to love and you will live a happy life."
