out of lars' laid-back ways -- just a guy into old-school board games, restoring muscle cars, and drinking texas' favorite, home-grown soft drink, dr. pepper. >> about a case a day. i mean, he had a lot -- >> reporter: what? >> of dr. pepper. >> at least a 12-pack, i know. >> reporter: i've never heard of someone drinking that much dr. pepper. >> i thought it would kill him. really. doesn't drink a lot of alcohol at all, just dr. pepper. >> reporter: and when private debbie brought lars out to meet her friends, they knew it was serious. >> he arrived with her, hand-in-hand. >> reporter: sure, they noticed lars was a different sort of match for their friend. >> he's very quiet -- >> he's got the blond hair that would go with being named lars. >> he seemed like -- a surfer big man. >> reporter: but to debbie, he was the right man. >> i felt like she was really in love with him. >> i can understand her thinking, "you know, maybe it's time to try something just different. >> reporter: and pretty soon that something different was official. after a year of dating, debbie