Sitting on a plane from Budapest to Los Angeles \u2014 a journey I was familiar with \u2014 felt different this time. I was visualizing my new startup job in sunny Manhattan Beach, thinking through onboarding and first impressions. But mostly, I was excited to meet my new colleagues and make the most of my three-week stay in California.<\/p>\n
On a whim, I messaged an old Hungarian friend I hadn\u2019t seen in 10 years. We\u2019d completely lost touch, and I wasn\u2019t even sure he\u2019d reply. But he did.<\/p>\n
I landed in L.A. on a bright Monday afternoon at the end of September, full of curiosity and optimism. Our office was just steps from the ocean, and when I caught my first glimpse of the Pacific on the way to work, I thought: Is this really my life now?<\/p>\n
I had no idea just how much more it would change.<\/p>\n
That weekend, my friend Gabor and I planned a little road trip to Long Beach. He picked me up from my hotel, and we spent the day catching up, making scenic stops along the coast.<\/p>\n
Palos Verdes left me speechless. I envy anyone seeing it for the first time. But it was Long Beach and Crystal Cove that truly stole the show.<\/p>\n
On the drive back, Gabor casually mentioned his friend Adam, a fellow Hungarian who lived in Marina del Rey and had a boat. \u201cWe could go for a little cruise tomorrow,\u201d he said. I had time. So sure. Why not?<\/p>\n
Sunday arrived. I still remember seeing Adam from afar. He was tall, tanned, wearing shorts and flip-flops, and cracking jokes before even saying hello. Oh, dear God, I thought. He thinks he\u2019s funny.<\/p>\n
Spoiler alert: That was the day I met my future husband.<\/p>\n
Adam started the engines and off we went. He was playful, effortlessly cool, a bit too cool for my taste. But the sun was shining, and the ocean breeze was soft. I had a cool job in my pocket and I was cruising the Pacific while escaping autumn in Europe. I couldn\u2019t have cared less about anything else.<\/p>\n
Suddenly, Adam turned to me and said, \u201cWant to drive?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d I laughed. Was he serious? He just met me! Why would he hand over control of this … vessel? Still, I jumped at the opportunity.<\/p>\n
With his guidance, I drove a yacht for the first time, an unexpectedly empowering moment.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ll remember that moment forever. That small, genuine gesture \u2014 offering control \u2014 meant so much to me.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s the thing: I\u2019ve always struggled with men. I was previously married, dated all kinds of complicated guys and had been single for eight years. Most of them tried to control me, made me feel like I was too much or not enough, never fully accepting the strong, fearless, curious, ambitious and adventurous woman I am. So I wasn\u2019t looking.<\/p>\n
But being in Adam\u2019s presence felt different. It was respectful, natural, effortless. No games.<\/p>\n
Still I was leaving in two weeks. No reason to overthink anything.<\/p>\n
Before I knew it, we exchanged numbers. Adam kept reaching out. He made an effort, something I wasn\u2019t used to. We had dinner, ran errands (yes, including doing laundry \u2014 romantic, I know), and when Gabor bailed on weekend plans, Adam proposed something bold: \u201cDo you like road trips? Let\u2019s explore California a bit.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAbsolutely,\u201d I replied without hesitation. (What was I thinking though?)<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t know that travel and road trips in particular were my love language \u2014 nature too.<\/p>\n
It was another surprising sign that maybe we had more in common than just being Hungarian. He planned everything: the itinerary, the stops, the accommodation. My contribution? A good playlist and a packed bag. For once, I wasn\u2019t the one orchestrating it all. It felt amazing to be cared for by a capable man. And I was impressed \u2014 it was something I hadn\u2019t felt in a long time.<\/p>\n
We hit the road. Santa Barbara first, then Solvang for Danish pastries and strong coffee (what a gem!), then continued on to Sequoia. I was enchanted by the ancient trees and the mystical forest. The vibe between us? Electric. I half-expected a kiss, but it never came. Well, never mind. <\/p>\n
While convincing myself we\u2019d never become a thing, we took the scenic route back to L.A., talking openly about our pasts and dreams. The whole time, a quiet voice inside me whispered: I like the version of me next to him.<\/p>\n
Something shifted. Suddenly, I felt a sting of sadness, knowing my final week in California was about to begin. We said we\u2019d stay in touch. But no expectations.<\/p>\n
Then something unexpected happened: A week that was supposed to be packed with meetings started clearing up. One by one, things got canceled, and suddenly I had time. And I knew exactly who I wanted to spend it with. I texted Adam.<\/p>\n
In his usual casual way, he replied: \u201cWant to go for a sunset cruise?\u201d Yes. Always yes.<\/p>\n
That evening was pure magic. The sea, the light, the feeling of being completely at ease.<\/p>\n
Afterward, we had dinner at a tiny Thai place in Venice Beach. It was just us. No distractions.<\/p>\n
While sipping wonton soup under the California sky, I realized I was falling in love. I saw the same thing in his eyes.<\/p>\n
The next night, he took me to the beach in El Segundo. He packed a blanket, grapes, cheese and crackers. We watched the sunset, and I was wrapped in his arms. His kisses warmed me more than the sun ever could. (I know \u2014 cheesy. But true.)<\/p>\n
Friday came, my last full day. He planned everything: a trip to the Getty, hand-in-hand laughter, sweeping city views. For the first time, I saw L.A. not just as a place to visit but as a place to stay. We had dinner in Venice and walked the pier. It was perfect.<\/p>\n
The next morning, he drove me to Los Angeles International Airport.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen will you be back?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d I whispered, eyes brimming with tears.<\/p>\n
But here\u2019s the thing: Sometimes life surprises you when you least expect it.<\/p>\n
I did come back. He did propose. And I said the easiest yes of my life.<\/p>\n
I found the love of my life at 42, in the most unrealistic way, place and time. This month, we\u2019re celebrating our first anniversary, happily living in Marina del Rey.<\/p>\n
Since that first cruise, we\u2019ve had many more \u2014 each one different, but one thing never changes: our love for each other. If you don\u2019t believe in true love or in angels, maybe you haven\u2019t been to L.A.<\/p>\n
This city gave me more than a new job, a new view or a new chapter. It gave me him. And now, it\u2019s home. Happily ever after.<\/p>\n
The author lives in Marina del Rey. She works in people strategy and leadership development and moved to L.A. from Budapest last year. <\/p>\n
L.A. Affairs<\/a> chronicles the search for romantic love in all its glorious expressions in the L.A. area, and we want to hear your true story. We pay $400 for a published essay. Email LAAffairs@latimes.com<\/a>. You can find submission guidelines here. You can find past columns here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Sitting on a plane from Budapest to Los Angeles \u2014 a journey I was familiar with \u2014 felt…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":38019,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5123],"tags":[1582,276,24355,30774,30777,6276,2961,2252,30776,18448,224,2444,5337,30775,30778,6566,17823,6620,2452],"class_list":{"0":"post-38018","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-los-angeles","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-california","10":"tag-dinner","11":"tag-friend-adam","12":"tag-friend-gabor","13":"tag-l-a","14":"tag-la","15":"tag-life","16":"tag-little-road-trip","17":"tag-long-beach","18":"tag-los-angeles","19":"tag-los-angeles-times","20":"tag-losangeles","21":"tag-love-language","22":"tag-marina-del-rey","23":"tag-place","24":"tag-thing","25":"tag-time","26":"tag-week"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/114794905395881249","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38018","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38018"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38018\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/38019"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38018"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38018"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38018"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}