‘The Upshaws’ Star and Partner Reveal Engagement

Wedding bells will soon be ringing for Jermelle Simon and Obio Jones.

The Upshaws star, 36, and the content creator and social media influencer, 32, confirmed to PEOPLE that they are engaged after Jones propped the question on Friday, April 25.

“[It was] a complete surprise, actually. I say that because normally, I would have some sort of idea about a thing. [Obio] involved the children, and everyone that was important to me, and no one said a thing,” Simon said of the romantic proposal. “I think it made it that much more special to me because not only was I ready, but I was genuinely surprised, which almost never happens.”

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Jones dropped to one knee and popped the question with a diamond-encrusted Cartier ring on the very day he and Simon got the keys for their new home, recruiting his three children, whom he has from a previous relationship, to help with the proposal.

“On the day we got the keys, everyone was looking at their rooms and roaming the home,” Jones recalled. “[Jermelle and I] were in our primary room, and I had the kids come in one by one and hand him congratulations notes with I love you’s and sweet descriptions of who he’s been to them, and what family meant. He thought it was just in regards to the house, but I got on one knee and boom!”

The proposal marked a major milestone for the couple’s relationship, which blossomed after Jones reached out to Simon on social media after seeing him on The Upshaws, Netflix’s hit sitcom on which the actor starred as Bernard Upshaw Jr. Simon recalled how Jones’ congratulatory message was “real smooth like, but friendly for sure.”

The pair sparked a friendship that eventually turned romantic following a date at popular downtown Los Angeles restaurant Joyce, and while they haven’t shared exactly when they began dating, as they “gotta keep something offline,” they have shared glimpses into their romance on social media ever since Simon came out as gay last October on National Coming Out Day.

“Loving [Obio] didn’t feel like I was betraying myself,” Simon said. “I think he does a beautiful job of being mindful and aware of others. If there is a way he can help, he will.”

Now engaged, the pair aren’t rushing into a wedding. First, Jones joked, they have to “give ourselves another month to stop mistakenly calling each other boyfriend.” While they do plan to “jump into planning mode,” Simon said “for now, we’re just taking a moment to be present with it.”