Gov. Romney's Atlanta prom date | News

ATLANTA -- For one local businesswoman, following the presidential campaign is personal.

Susan LaPelle is a successful interior decorator putting together wonderful homes from Atlanta to Sea Island.

She has a unique connection to Republican nominee Mitt Romney and his wife, Ann.

"I had several dates with him," she said. "He was fun loving; he was so much fun. He had a great sense of humor ."

LaPelle is talking about Gov. Romney.

Both grew up in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. He attended the all boys Cranbrook School. She was a student at sister school Kingswood.

Romney was her prom date.

"My sophomore year, first year at Kingswood, he took me to the prom," she said. "He loved to dance."

The story gets even more interesting.

LaPelle and Ann Davies were friends.

She would stay at Ann's home and swim in her pool. And it was because of Susan -- in part -- that Romney and his future wife connected as a couple.

"My mother says it was at our house, at a party, one night, Mitt and Ann saw each other and that was it," LaPelle said. "He was smitten with her and vice a versa."

LaPelle said was one of Ann's bridesmaids at her wedding to Mitt Romney in 1970.

And all these years later, the Romney's are still pals with Susan LaPelle of Atlanta.

She attended Ann Romney's birthday party three months ago in New York City.

Will Susan attend the inauguration if Mitt Romney is elected in November?

"No," she said with a smile. "I don't give enough money."