He exclaims, chuckling, “We ended up with a subpar hotel that was quite a distance from the shoreline and we had specifically requested a subpar hotel close to the beach.” Nonetheless, they did discover a pleasant eatery. He mentions, “That’s when Maite caught my eye for the very first time, and we decided to have lunch there the following day.” He adds, “The instant I laid eyes on her, I knew she was the one I would wed, even though I wasn’t actively seeking a romantic partner.”

He was disappointed when Steve inquired with the staff about her, yet Maite was the one running the restaurant. “They informed him: ‘That’s the proprietor’s daughter. She won’t engage in conversation with you’.”

At first, she failed to observe Steve, but he remained in Barcelona for the subsequent two months, consistently appearing at the restaurant. She acknowledges this. She states, “He continuously requested the identical cuisine and gazing in my direction.” “I believed he displayed a level of conceit as he was intensely staring.”

Steve went back home to the US after his holiday in Barcelona, but whenever he visited her, he would try to persuade Maite to go out with him again. He says, “It was an excuse to go back to the restaurant and see Maite” as he had a boyfriend and wasn’t interested in him.

I never thought I would see him again, but I always said no. Whenever he used to ask if I wanted to go for a drink, he would always come to the restaurant. She decided to give Steve a chance when that happened. “I was preparing to leave,” she says, “and that’s when my relationship ended.” She decided to study in Australia in 2003.

Maite expresses, “The experience was incredibly enjoyable, although our language barrier prevented us from effectively communicating, resulting in a mix of broken Spanish, English, and non-verbal gestures. We shared laughter throughout the night and rendezvoused on the terrace of a different establishment.” They maintained communication, but Maite eventually traveled to Australia. “Steve consistently emailed me and sent handwritten letters and CDs. He expressed his desire to patiently await my return.”

“In 2005, he extended an invitation for her to come and see him in San Francisco,” she states. “I thoroughly enjoyed the journey, and he treated me exceptionally. Additionally, I must mention that my proficiency in English had significantly improved by that time.” Following that, they attempted to maintain a relationship despite the distance, but Steve expresses that it was challenging. “Maite was uncertain about our future together as she was still focused on her studies. Although we stayed in contact, our connection was inconsistent.”

After finishing college, Maite returned to Barcelona at the end of 2006 and began to feel a bit lost. When she arrived, her mobile phone wasn’t working, so they had arranged to meet in New York to celebrate the new year, as suggested by Steve.

She said, “I knew it was right – Steve asked me to marry him and I wanted to stay.” She didn’t have a visa so she started to panic and she got pregnant that year. She went to San Francisco to be with him and she packed her bags after a brief trip back to Barcelona. By that point, I was really in love. I didn’t want to leave but we were together for three days. Steve was there and he opened the doors. I had a chance to get on the elevator at the airport.

Steve’s loved ones and acquaintances in Lake Tahoe collaborated and organized a wedding for them. According to Steve, “We didn’t plan anything and it turned out to be perfect.” The pair has two sons, who were born in 2008 and 2011. In 2010, they relocated to Texas from California due to Steve’s career in manufacturing management. At first, Maite took a break to care for their children, but now she works as a coordinator for a company that conducts clinical trials.

Steve believes that they were meant to be together. “She is the most sensitive, giving, caring, and intelligent person I have ever known, and we are perfectly compatible. I know how it feels to be at home with her.”

Steve’s love for Maite is characterized by integrity and a sense of humor. “I feel true love for you, but when boys say cheesy things about loving me, it all sounds ridiculous and insincere. However, he is different.”