My man’s no perv!

I pulled the bus driver who’s old enough to be my dad, but our love is definitely going places…

Laura Wright, 24, Plymouth

Grabbing the kids’ schoolbags, I pulled on my coat and rushed them out the front door.

‘Right, let’s catch this bus!’ I said to Braydon, 6, and Kiera, 4, walking briskly down the street.

My morning routine was always hectic.

It was March 2015 and I was recently single. It was tough raising two children on my own, but I really loved being a mum.

Our bus pulled up at the stop just moments later.

Stepping aboard, I locked eyes with the driver.

‘Good morning!’ he said smiling. ‘I’m Steve.’ ‘I’m Laura,’ I blushed. ‘Do you get the bus often,’ he asked me. ‘Would you mind if I added you on Facebook?’

Bald and much older than me, Steve certainly wasn’t my usual type.

But something about him caught my eye.

‘Sure,’ I replied, and I gave him my details.

I walked to my seat with Braydon and Kiera, with a spring in my step.

And when the bus pulled up at our stop, I turned and gave Steve a wave, feeling butterflies in my stomach!

That night, I accepted Steve’s Facebook friend request.

I’d love to get to know you,

he messaged minutes later. We started chatting and, before I knew it, hours had flown by.

Suddenly, I couldn’t wait to see Steve on the bus the following day.

It was clear there was a spark between us.

But there was a part of me that was feeling a bit apprehensive.

Steve must be in his 50s at leasté

In April, I plucked up the courage to invite Steve over for a drink.

The kids were in bed – but as the doorbell rang, I felt nervous.

As soon as I opened the door, though, my nerves were forgotten.

There was Steve with a big smile, dressed in a smart shirt and jeans.

We sat by the fire and chatted for hours.

He told me everything, how he was 58 years old, with three adult children, aged 28, 29, and 32. ‘They’re all older than me!’ I laughed. ‘I’m only 21!’

Not that I really minded – as I still fancied him.

His age was just a number.

And, as we kissed later that night, it just felt so right.

We became a couple and it was really wonderful to have a loving man by my side.

Best of all, though, was that Steve was so amazing with Braydon and Kiera.

In time, they called him Daddy – and, in October that year, I told my parents Dawn, 50, and Wayne, 49, about us.

I was worried what they’d think about me dating a man who was older than Dad.

‘You’re so happy,’ Mum said. ‘It must be the real deal.’

Not everyone was so understanding, however...

In the December, a man gave us a dirty look in the pub. Started making a scene.

‘What are you doing with that old man?’ he shouted.

As Steve’s face reddened, I grabbed his arm.

‘It’s not worth it. He’s just being ignorant,’ I told him.

But we’ve received some hateful comments in the

We’ve received hateful comments in the street

street and we get some funny looks, with people mistaking Steve for my dad.

But, after a while, neither of us cared.

We’re both adults – it’s not like Steve’s a pervert!

Our happiness was our business, and ours alone.

Then on Christmas Day 2017, Steve got down on one knee and proposed to me.

‘I can’t wait to be your wife!’ I told him blissfully.

Now, Steve lives with us and we’re one happy little family.

Just because I’m 24 and Steve is 62, doesn’t mean that we can’t be in love.

Steve may be 37 years older than me, but I have to say that I’ve never been happier.