A couple with a 35-year age gap who kept their relationship a secret for three years have explained why they chose not to tell family and friends – and how they kept it under wraps for so long. 22-year-old Cheyenne Baker from Nashville, Tennessee, first met 58-year-old James Hines five years ago when she was just 17.
After speaking online for months, the couple decided to keep their relationship a secret, for fears of how their families would react.
“We discussed the pros and cons of the age gap but it’s never been a problem, per se,” said Cheyenne.
“We’ve actually broken up a few times because we thought that it just wasn’t possible to have the dream outcome with our families and society accepting and all of that. “That’s part of why we kept the relationship a secret for nearly three years.”
“My mother was very opposed, but now she loves James dearly,” Cheyenne continued.
“I wouldn’t say that all of my family knows about James, not that it’s a secret but I’m not entirely close with everyone because there’s just too many people and I’m not going to make a special announcement to people that I don’t talk to frequently. “I’m not going to hide him either.”
Admitting they had reached a point in the relationship where they felt they either had to be honest or break up, James – who is a United States Marine Corps veteran and retired government employee – said they both felt a huge sense of relief.
Despite the 35-year age gap, the couple revealed people are mostly polite, explaining they haven’t had much negativity.
The loved-up pair also revealed they aren’t ruling out children in the future.
