When Jacob Hoff and Samantha Greenstone met, they became instant best friends. Then, even though Jacob was gay, they realized that their feelings for each other were evolving beyond the platonic, and they decided to give romance a try.

On this episode of “Modern Love,” Hoff and Greenstone tell Host Anna Martin how their love gave him the courage to come out to his conservative family. They also explain that when they decided to get married, they realized they’d have to get used to clarifying their commitment again and again.

This episode was inspired by Jenny Block’s Mini-Vows piece, “A Close Friendship That Developed Into a ‘Soulful Connection.”

For more Modern Love, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes every Wednesday.

Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Eric D'Alessandro is relentless