The Bachelor alum Lea Cayanan has hard launched her new relationship with Ricky, whom she called her future "husband."
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Lea, 25, has been teasing a man in her life on social media for weeks now, and she finally decided to dish about her romance during a recent episode of the "Bachelor Happy Hour: Golden Hour" podcast co-hosted by Kathy Swarts and Susan Noles.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)
Lea announced her new boyfriend is Ricky, a 30-year-old music director and drummer who lives in Los Angeles, CA.
Lea, who is from Hawaii and "loves reggae music," shared how she met Ricky at a music festival.
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"He plays for a few reggae artists, and I was backstage at a festival because I know another band member... and while I was backstage, I met Ricky," Lea revealed.
Lea recalled Ricky being "super quiet" because he's "definitely more reserved" than she is.
"I definitely thought he was really cute, but I think, at the time, I wasn't super -- like, this was before Paradise, actually. And I think before Paradise, I wasn't dating super seriously. I was just enjoying my singleness and figuring out who I was," Lea explained.
"Also, I kind of knew that Paradise is coming up, so I was just kind of like, I didn't want to start anything too crazy. So we kept in touch."
Lea said she had talked to Keith Gordon on the beach in Costa Rica about how she was saddened by how Bachelor in Paradise ended for her.
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"Keith asked me, 'Is there anyone back home you're interested in?' And I said, 'Well, there is one guy I'd love to circle back with!' And he was like, 'Do it!' And so I was like, 'Okay, I'll update you!'" Lea recalled.
Keith also apparently had a woman in his life, and so he and Lea "made a pact to reach out to these people" once they returned home from filming.
While things didn't work out for Keith, according to Kathy, Lea said she texted Ricky and their reunion was a success.
"We went out for dinner and we've been so inseparable ever since," Lea revealed.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' COUPLES NOW: WHO DID 'THE BACHELOR' STARS AND THEIR BACHELORETTE PICKS ACTUALLY END UP MARRYING? (PHOTOS)
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When asked what makes him different, Lea called him "such a wonderful human being," unlike many of the guys she had dated before him in Los Angeles.
"When Paradise was out of the way, I was like, 'Okay, I'm ready to find my person!' Everyone did. All of my friends did. So I was like, 'Let's start dating seriously,'" Lea explained.
"He is someone who is so family-oriented; that's so important to me. And I've always wanted someone who values family the same way I do. And he's very, like, kind. He's so gentle with me, and you know I can be a handful!"
Lea admitted that she needs a man who is "very patient" and Ricky is "so patient" with her.
"We align on all of our big things... and I think we approach life in very similar ways. I think the main thing is he's very gentle and patient with me. I know I'm a big personality... and he's just someone who has accepted me 100 percent for who I am and encouraged me," Lea shared.
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"He has never dulled my sparkle; he's just brought it out even more."
Lea admitted "it's a little soon" to talk about getting engaged but "that is the goal" for her.
"He actually asked me -- he was like, 'So when do you want to get engaged?' And I said, 'Probably you can propose next year, like early [2027], so one more year," Lea shared.
"I did tell him to save for the ring!... We actually sat next to Neil Lane [at The Golden Bachelor: After the Final Rose in November]."
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOW: WHOM DID 'THE BACHELORETTE' STARS AND THEIR BACHELOR PICKS ULTIMATELY END UP WITH?! (PHOTOS)
Lea said it's refreshing that her man isn't superficial, nor does he "value things that are fleeting."
The Bachelor in Paradise alum noted that Ricky stole her heart on a date night when she had dressed up like Steve Harvey by wearing a bald cap and a suit.
"He thought it was adorable whereas one might think it's weird!" Lea quipped. "And that's how I knew he was The One; because he kissed me in a bald cap."
Lea playfully concluded, "That's my husband, Kathy!"
Lea found fame when she competed on Joey Graziadei's season of The Bachelor in 2024.
Joey eliminated Lea during the sixth Rose Ceremony of the season while The Bachelor cast was visiting Montreal.
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Joey ended up getting engaged to Kelsey Anderson, and the couple is still together today.
Lea, meanwhile, chose to give reality TV dating another shot by appearing on Bachelor in Paradise's tenth season this past summer.
When Lea arrived in Costa Rica, Jonathon Johnson was one of the only single men available.
Lea, who was friends with Jonathon prior to the show, definitely had interest in Jonathon, and so he asked her out on a date.
However, Jonathon realized during the date that he and Lea didn't have a spark or romantic connection.
Jonathon and Lea continued to give each other roses, but Jonathon finally had to come clean with the bachelorette about how he didn't have feelings for her.
Despite the fact they were missing an attraction, the pair continued to compete together as a team for the potential $500,000 prize.
Lea and Jonathon proved to everyone that they worked well together, which made them both a threat to win the money.
The Bachelor in Paradise cast ended up voting Jonathon and Lea out, and the pair left Paradise single yet optimistic about finding love.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)
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