[upbeat percussive music]
- Tonight on "The Bachelorette"...
all: We love New Orleans!
- There's nothing but good vibes right now.
[sweeping music]
- Truly the happiest girl.
I think with the right person, anything is possible.
- I'm falling in love with you.
- Nothing but happy tears.
Very much falling in love.
[dramatic music]
- Y'all on the same date with the same girl right here?
- Yeah.
- I don't know how that's gonna work.
- I want to get married.
It's a question of if that's you.
- I feel like time is running out.
- What the [bleep] is wrong with me?
- I'm on the edge of my seat.
- What you want from me, I can't give.
- All hell is gonna break loose here.
I'll tell you what.
- How did we end up here?
Oh, God, did I send the absolute wrong person home?
♪
[bell dinging]
[upbeat jazz music]
♪
- We're in NOLA, New Orleans.
We are in the Big Easy.
This city is so fun.
I mean, full of people, full of life, full of history,
but also, like, super romantic.
There's so much.
The food is literally the best food ever.
Crescent City, let the good times roll.
Well, they are rolling.
I mean, listen, so much to be done here.
I'm excited to see the guys.
I can't wait.
all: We love New Orleans!
[upbeat music]
- I love this city, the architecture.
There's so much to do.
I mean, this is really a perfect city
to go out and fall in love.
[all speaking French]
- I like that. - Muah!
- I have very strong feelings towards Charity.
I can already see her being someone
that I can look at as my wife, but everyone here feels
a very strong connection with her.
So I just can feel how there's gonna be
pressure continuing to build.
- City, baby, the city.
- Definitely coming into this new city
riding high on a great one-on-one
last week with Charity.
This week, I'm gonna be very intentional with my time,
making my connection a little bit stronger.
- You know, this is my journey,
and this is a pivotal week going into Hometowns.
It's a week where I'm trying to determine
whose family I'm going to meet.
Oh, my goodness.
What that means to bring someone home
to meet your family, are they in a place
to where they feel confident and comfortable enough
to bring me home?
This is so pretty.
I have six guys remaining, and it's going to get down
to four in a matter of days.
It's a very, very heavy week, making difficult decisions.
I want to maximize as much time as possible.
So knowing that I have four incredible dates planned
in the most amazing city,
that--that's a solid week, if you ask me.
[laughs]
- Cheers to you boys
and strengthening relationships.
All the way around. all: Cheers.
- Cheers, boys. - It's a war.
- Cheers.
- This is actually, like, exactly what I imagined
when you said New Orleans, though.
Like, us sitting on the side,
these type of tables, looking at the balconies.
Like, this is the vibe that I envisioned for sure.
- I want to have fun tonight. - Yeah.
- I'm hoping I get a one-on-one this week.
It sucks, like, not having the one-on-one
up until this point.
It would be very nice to hopefully get a rose
and bring her back home to meet my mom.
So--oh, speak of the devil. Here, guys.
- Here we go. all: Hello.
- There she is. - Hi. You guys are cute.
- We were just talking about you.
So funny. - Crazy.
- Yeah, we were just talking about you.
- Hi. You look cute.
- You look great.
- I'm super excited to see Charity.
I feel like we had a really good week last week,
but definitely playing from behind a little bit
just because I haven't had that one-on-one time yet.
- This week, it's gonna be so fun.
So let's just do a cheers
to continuing to develop relationships.
So cheers! all: Cheers.
- You know, I love New Orleans.
I've lived here for seven years.
I just know everything about New Orleans.
This is my stomping grounds, and this is somewhere
where I feel pretty comfortable.
When was the last time you've been in New Orleans?
- It's been, like, I want to say four years.
So quite--it's been a minute.
- I definitely feel the pressure
leading into this week, I mean, considering how far away
my one-on-one was until this point.
I want to get that first date
just to kind of show Charity
around this city that made me a man.
This place is very special to me,
and it's gonna show Charity who I am.
- I'm excited. I love NOLA.
Like, it's a time.
Obviously, this week, it's gonna be so fun.
[horse neighing] - Whoa.
Guys, I think we have something here.
- There's--this seems too fitting right now.
[laughter]
- Oh, great. [laughs]
What's this?
Well, I'm actually not
just here hanging out with you guys.
[horse snorts]
Although I would love to stay and chat,
there actually is a date today.
- Ooh, right now.
- Happening right now.
And going on that date...
Joey, will you join me?
- I would love to. - Okay.
Well, we're not just gonna walk to our date.
There's our ride, so we're gonna take
a little carriage around town. - Yeah?
- So I think we're gonna head out.
- Let's do it. - All right.
- Excited. - Let's go.
- See you boys later. - See you guys.
- Bye, boys. - Don't have too much fun.
- Oh, [bleep].
- And now I'm sad again.
- This is awesome. How are you?
- I'm excited. - Excited?
- Yeah.
[soft music]
Okay, bye. [laughs]
♪
- Can I get another one, please?
- Dang it, dude.
I would've loved to just, like,
shown her around on that horse.
You know, everything goes well,
gets that rose, like, he's--
he's got a ticket to Hometown.
- Damn, like, we haven't had that one-on-one.
Like, we haven't had that time.
Like, do you not, like, want to explore this with me?
- Just--just trying to be calm, man.
I--there's not much more I can say or do at this point, right?
- Yeah. - I mean, what--
- Totally, I agree. - We're here for a reason.
- You can only control what you can control, yeah.
- I feel overlooked.
I have been very, very patient,
and it's been five weeks,
but before I introduce her to my family,
I need to connect on a much deeper level.
I want my chance, but it might be too late.
♪
[horn blaring]
[jazz music]
♪
- I'm stoked. - I am too.
- I've never been here, so I'm excited.
- I know, that's why I'm like-- it makes it even more sweet.
- I feel great.
This is what I've been waiting for this entire time,
to have a full day with Charity.
This is gonna be a really cool day,
and I'm feeling really good about it.
Yeah? - [laughs]
- There's nothing but good vibes right now.
This city has so much history.
There's just a warmth to it.
And I'm just excited to get to explore it with Charity.
♪
I mean, the history in this place...
- So much. - It oozes, right?
Like, it's crazy.
- I'm a little bit of a history geek.
- Are you? - A little bit.
I'm not-- - I can tell.
You're too smart for me. - [laughs] Am I?
I picked Joey for several reasons.
He's someone that I have a such strong connection with.
I envision truly, like, a life with him.
So I'm ready to take things to the next step,
and having the whole day, quality time
will be a good test for us.
We are in the Big Easy,
and I truly hope that today will be super easy,
like it always has been with Joey.
- Charity, like, seriously... - Yeah.
- I can't believe how comfortable I feel around you.
- I know.
- I don't get it. - I said that too.
I say that all the time. - I don't understand why,
but there are some things that you just can't explain.
And I just miss you.
Whenever I see you, I'm just excited
to get more time with you.
So to get this time today just--it means the world to me.
- I know. I was like-- I was craving it so much.
[laughs]
♪
["When the Saints Go Marching In" playing]
♪
- Let's do it.
- Joey is someone who
I feel very comfortable with.
He is someone who is so fun to be around.
[soft music]
Introducing you to some Louisiana cuisine.
- Oh, so good.
- I gotta stop saying things. I'm like--
[with Southern accent] "Louisiana." [laughs]
- I want all that and more.
My little Southern belle.
- I just adore everything about him,
and he's just a loving person.
He's open,
he's a great communicator,
and with him, I really do feel really safe.
Okay, so much to do, so much to see.
- Mm.
- Let's see what the cards have to say for you guys.
- Okay.
- So somebody's manifesting
to be the star of your life.
Your world will be complete.
And you're gonna find balance in each other.
- It feels natural with her.
Whatever energy I was giving, she gave it back.
It felt like we were just walking around town
and doing our own thing, and there was nothing else
in the world to think about other than
I'm getting a day to spend with a girl I care about.
["When the Saints Go Marching In" playing]
- Oh, just nice and slow. - [laughs]
- There's something about it that just makes me feel
like I can just be myself and not worry about anything.
- I love this.
- I was with my girlfriend.
That's what it felt like.
[sweeping music]
I've had my heart broken by someone,
and the scariest part is to fully let yourself feel.
♪
But Charity is worth the risk.
There's a lot of chemistry.
I feel like I just don't want to stop kissing her.
It's exciting to think that I'm, for the first time
in my life, the most open to really finding someone.
I just feel very lucky.
- I'm Charity. - You're Charity.
- I'm Joey. - Joey.
Okay, nice to meet you. - Nice to meet you.
- And so, like, tell me more about Charity.
Like, what's so special about her?
- Charity is captivating.
Every time she walks into a room,
I don't know how she isn't the person you look at.
So she's got a smile that brightens anyone's day.
You can definitely get lost in her eyes
whenever you look at her.
We sit down to this guy that makes poetry on the spot,
and he's asking a lot of very deep questions.
- What does it take to go past the honeymoon phase
and say, like, we're committed to each other?
- Yeah, obviously, it's, like, the commitment aspect
of it all, but it's, like, how you view love.
And from the beginning,
Joey definitely swept me off my feet.
- Mm. - He has an infectious energy.
What's so great about this is that I felt in that moment
that the answers to these questions
were just flowing like a river.
They just were so easy to answer.
Today was just, like, us existing,
and it felt so good.
He never fails to make me feel seen,
and I'm always happy.
I'm excited.
When I'm not with him, I miss him.
And that's a sign.
- That's a huge sign.
- It's a huge sign. - Yeah.
- So I think with him, it's like I'm always--
I'm craving more because it just keeps getting better.
- Yeah, wow.
♪
It's yours now. - Thank you so much.
- Wait a second.
"For Charity and Joey.
"Hold my hand.
"Hold my past and future.
"I sink into you without thinking.
"It's so easy, I'm scared.
"Could it really be like this?
Caught in the wind..."
Literally. [both laughing]
"Letting it take us wherever it needs.
I see myself in your eyes like I've always been there."
- "Like my heart was always searching
"for your words to make it sing.
"So hold my hand.
"I feel the sky breaking open.
This is our chance to breathe and be everything."
- Love that.
[romantic music]
♪
Inside of my heart
is the happiest it's been in so long.
Today was 100% one of the best dates I've ever been on.
I don't know what else I could have asked for.
I think tonight is gonna probably uncover
the last couple of big things that are necessary
to make sure we are on the same page
before she meets my family.
So tonight's 100% a big deal.
- Oh, perfect.
I want to say thank you for today.
- Thank you.
Special day,
and a special night to come, I'm sure.
- I know.
Today was so reassuring for me.
It was so romantic.
And so tonight is really gonna consist of, like, me being able
to envision, like, him truly as a life partner
and what our life is gonna look like outside of here.
♪
I don't know what tonight's gonna hold,
but I know that there will be a lot of very deep questions.
♪
[rumbling] [bell dinging]
[soft music]
♪
- Today with Joey,
for the whole day to be so perfect,
it was, like, an emotional peak.
Like, it's the next level.
It's the next tier.
It's nice, isn't it?
This man could be my husband,
and I see a forever future with him.
Look in here. Isn't this cool?
But now it's like, I'm thinking about
the challenges me and Joey might face together
at the end of all of this.
Thank you.
And so tonight, I want to continue
to, like, explore
what our future would look like together.
How are you? - I'm better now.
How are you? - Better.
I am so happy.
Today, obviously, was such a blast.
- I didn't know what to expect today,
but I was blown away.
To just feel how natural it was,
how much it felt just, like, exactly what I wanted it to be.
- Yeah, our connection has always been easy for me,
and I'm so grateful to have you here.
I'm a lucky girl. [laughs]
- I'm a lucky guy. - I really am.
Um...
with that being said,
I kind of want to talk about next week.
Um...
Hometowns. - Mm-hmm.
- And it's a big deal, and I would love to know,
how would your family feel... - Yeah.
- About possibly meeting me?
Like... - Yeah.
Hometowns is a big deal. - Yeah.
- I would have zero doubts or worries.
I think they would just be excited to see me
bring someone home that I care about so deeply.
But they just don't want to see me get hurt
'cause they've seen it in the past, and they know
how much I can really wear my heart on my sleeve,
and just looking out for me. - Being protective.
Yeah. Absolutely. - And being protective.
But it has nothing to do with how amazing you are
and how lucky I would be to end out
with you at the end of this, so...
- With this week and what it holds,
like, I want to know, how do you feel about being
in an interracial relationship?
And I want to elaborate
on, like, why that's so important to me.
- Please do.
- Yeah, like, just my past relationship
and kind of diving into that.
It was a relationship that did start off very great,
but I think it was almost, like, inevitable
that, like, when we would go out,
like, it's just the things that, like, you just face.
- Yeah. - And it's unfortunate,
but like, that's just the times that we still live in.
And so with this person, I think it was--
it just boiled down to the lack of awareness
and, unfortunately, ignorance
of, like, these things don't matter,
when in fact, they actually do.
- Yeah.
- And I just didn't see that effort.
- I could sit here and ask a million questions,
but it wouldn't change the fact of what
it would feel like to actually be put in that instance.
- It's not something that I want to say
it's gonna be easy, 'cause it's not.
Like... - It's not.
- Even as an individual, like, without a partnership,
like, navigating life as a Black woman,
it's not something I ever want to apologize for
'cause that's who I am.
And the person that I'm with should be willing and wanting
to embrace all of that, know more, educate themselves,
and attempt to try to truly...
- Just to try to listen and learn...
- Yeah. Yeah. - Because I do want kids.
I do want to build a life together.
And if that's going to be the case,
it's as much going to be part of my story as it is yours.
- Absolutely.
- But I can also understand with the fact
that I have never dated a Black woman,
and the idea of bringing you home,
I know my family. Like... - Yeah.
- They understand that love is love.
They truthfully look at what's on the inside.
And they're the most loving people I know in this world.
And if they don't see that in you...
- Yeah. - Then they're crazy.
- Mm-hmm.
- But I don't think it's something
I'll be able to learn until we try to conquer that together.
- Yeah. - And I do see you
for the entirety of who you are,
and I never want you to doubt that
I can be someone like that for you.
- Thank you.
That...
That means a lot.
- I mean every word.
- I know.
I...[sniffles]
[groans softly]
[soft music]
♪
[sighs]
It's, like, scary sometimes.
I'm sorry.
- No, it's real.
- Thank you.
- Do you want a hug? - Yeah, yeah.
Of course I cry.
♪
Don't want to get makeup on your shirt.
- You're good. - [laughs]
- This is a good shirt.
♪
Take your time. - I know.
- You're okay.
♪
- I think sometimes, like, I let my fears
of what I've seen and what I've witnessed
and what the world is,
like, it's overwhelming at times.
But I think with the right person,
it's like, anything is possible,
and love will truly triumph over everything.
♪
Joey's fantastic.
He's giving me literally so much.
It's just like, it's one of those things
that you know it's right.
And we got nothing but happy tears.
[laughs, sniffles]
Really happy, happy tears.
♪
Mm-hmm.
This is, like, the first time I've cried like this.
So that says a lot.
♪
Um, kay.
♪
Joey, tonight you just continue to blow me away
with just being able to hold space for me,
to have conversations that sometimes are
uncomfortable for me or difficult.
And you're just someone that really makes me feel so seen.
And...
I don't take it for granted at all.
I'm so hopeful,
and I'm excited to get that chance, hopefully,
to meet your family.
♪
And so, Joey, will you accept this rose?
- Absolutely.
- Thank you.
Yay.
- I'm so excited.
When she pins this rose on me,
which I know means so much to her...
- Perfect.
♪
- What better time to tell her how I'm truthfully feeling,
the fact that I can really see a finish line with her.
And as much as it's something that's scary,
I have to be true to myself.
I have to tell her how I feel,
because if I don't, I'll always regret it.
This rose means just one step closer
to getting to this end
and telling you how much you mean to me.
♪
I would be crazy not to tell you
that I am falling in love with you.
♪
- Thank you.
♪
- I do feel ready for love, and I have no doubt
that together, we can handle anything.
This is something I truthfully want,
and I want it with Charity.
♪
Today was everything I could have imagined and more,
and I'm super, super excited to see what next week holds.
[horse neighing]
Oh. - Go for a little ride?
[laughs]
- Finish it out right, huh?
- You're always gonna-- I'm gonna need your help.
- Of course.
- Hopefully, I can get up here. Thank you.
- Yeah. Take your time. - Ooh.
I'm looking at myself like, Charity Lawson, like,
someone told you tonight
that they are falling in love with you.
♪
Not you asking them,
not you begging them--
like, because they wanted to.
[sweeping music]
♪
I feel this, like, level of connection
that seems inseparable.
I am falling in love with him.
[soft music]
♪
- Gentlemen, how are we feeling right now?
- He's been out there for a long time.
I wonder what they're up to.
- I don't even want to think about it,
because I know they be kissing.
[laughter]
- [groans]
[knock on door]
- Oh, [bleep].
- Go see what it is. - Go get it.
- Oh, drum roll.
- I would say I don't think I've ever been
more nervous to receive a date card.
If it's a group date, like,
I don't want my name to be on it, like, at all.
[tense music]
I feel like I need that one-on-one time
before going into next week.
Like, next week's Hometowns.
♪
Introducing Charity to my family
is something that I don't take lightly at all.
I believe that the reason I'm still here
is 'cause Charity's feeling the same way about me
as I'm feeling about her.
♪
That one-on-one's gonna be the catalyst for us.
Like, getting that one-on-one time
I think is gonna take our relationship
to the next level.
♪
Like, that's what I'm striving for.
Like, I'm really hopeful for it.
♪
- "Sean...
and Tanner."
♪
"It's time to get clarity.
"Meet me in the bayou.
Love, Charity."
♪
- How do we manage this?
- Just like, I mean--
- Oh, dude, we just--
oh, [bleep].
- I know, I know. I know.
- One of us is gonna go to Hometowns
without having a one-on-one,
and one of us is gonna go home.
- Yeah.
- Oh, wow, dude.
Oh, man.
I just don't know how to process this.
I really don't.
I opened up, put my heart on the line,
and now I'm here.
I'm confused.
I'm upset.
I'm bummed.
I'm pissed.
I'm gonna go to the bathroom right now.
[indistinct chatter]
[dramatic music]
I don't know how I'm gonna go through this, man.
I don't know what we're gonna do.
I don't know how it's gonna work.
I don't know how to act.
I don't know how to think right now.
This is [bleep], dude.
Oh, my God.
I put my heart out there every single week.
I end up not getting a one-on-one.
I get a [bleep] two-on-one.
One person gets a rose,
and they're bringing Charity home
without a one-on-one.
And one person's going home.
♪
[horn blaring]
[bell dinging]
[suspenseful music]
- Charity threw me a curveball this week.
I was so hopeful to get just the validation
in a one-on-one.
♪
So when I didn't get that,
I felt a little bit just overlooked again.
♪
At this point, I am definitely playing from behind.
♪
But feelings I feel for Charity are real.
She could be the one for me, honestly.
So I'm showing up for her.
♪
- I don't know how we got here,
don't know how I ended up
in this situation where it's literally
one guy is walking out of this with a rose
and going to Hometowns, the other guy is going home.
♪
I haven't felt this way about someone in a long time,
so I'm gonna trust my gut.
I'm gonna trust my feelings.
But like, I wish it was just me and Charity.
♪
I know it could work, and I feel so great about us.
I feel confident bringing her home
'cause I can see a future with her at the end.
I don't think I've ever felt this strongly about a girl.
The last time I felt that,
I fell in love with that person.
So today is huge.
- I really want that rose.
Like, I really do.
I'm gonna go into my competitive mode
and be like, "I'm going to win."
[dramatic twangy music]
[birds calling]
♪
- Hello.
- Hello. How are you?
- Hi. I'm good. How are you?
- How are you? You look amazing.
- Thank you. So do you. - Love the green.
- Thank you-- we're matching a little.
- How you doing? - Different shade.
Hi.
How are you? - I'm good.
- Good. Okay.
Thank you for joining me today in the bayou.
I know today is, like, not a convenient thing,
but I don't really want to focus on that.
Like, I just want to have a good time
and try and embrace all that comes with today.
So let's go, boys.
- Let's do it. - All right, let's do it.
- I don't know what today is gonna bring.
I'm hopeful. I'm terrified. I'm excited.
- How's it going?
- I woke up coming off of cloud nine from last night,
but coming in today, I don't know.
It's a completely different feeling.
- I welcome you all to Cajun Pride Swamp Tours.
We'll go take a look at a few gators,
ride through the back and all.
Y'all ready for it? - Let's do it.
- Sounds good. - Sure.
- Let's go take a look well.
[mellow country music]
♪
Y'all with the same girl right here?
- Yeah.
- I don't know how that's gonna work.
- I--neither do I.
- We don't either. - Yeah, yeah, right.
- [laughs] - One at a time, for sure.
[laughter]
♪
They got a gator over here to the left.
Look at this one.
Now, see how they blend in?
- Today, I have two good guys,
and I'm trying to gauge between, like,
someone who could be a boyfriend
versus someone who could be a husband.
- There's so many gators. I can't get over it.
- I know. There's a lot more
than I thought there was gonna be.
- Totally.
- When I think about Sean,
he's sweet, he's thoughtful.
He's really, like, embracing all that this is.
- Look at the big one, the big male.
Now, what do you got, four females there with him?
- It seems like he's got it made, huh?
- Yeah. - Yeah.
But like, is that enough
for me to feel like this is my person?
With Tanner, it's like, he is someone
that I am holding out a lot of hope with.
- Can we feed them?
- Yeah, right, one time.
[laughter]
- I want things to really work with Tanner.
I see a lot,
but is Tanner going to be able to show me
he's not afraid to open up?
- There's a 10-foot one on the side right here.
Look. - Oh, yeah.
Oh, he's a big one.
- Sometimes the big ones eat the little ones.
- Oh, no.
- Oh, yeah.
[laughter]
- Coming into this, I was feeling some type of way.
- One like this, probably 25 years old.
- You know, it's definitely not what I wanted.
It's not what I expected,
but I'll take what I can get at this point.
- We got--we got a lot of gators on my golf course
down in Florida, like, big ones.
- Do you? - Yeah, 'cause it's
a nature preserve, so you can't remove them.
So they can get as big as they want.
- Sean's definitely more vocal than I am,
and it's clear that he wants to win this competition
of today against me.
- Land, I'll take him all day.
Like, water, I don't want to be in the water with them.
- No, no. - Yup, yup.
- Better U-turn. Move along.
- That'd be a worthy opponent right there.
- Take him. Take him.
- I don't think so.
[laughter]
- Charity's a rock star.
I'm happy to be here with her.
Not so much Sean.
- Y'all got to be 18 or 21
to see the next-- right before right here.
[laughter] - I know. Oh, I see.
[laughter]
- That's so funny.
- They're embracing the moment.
- The truth is, Sean and Charity,
you know, they've been hitting it off today.
So I need to step up my game with Charity.
I want to get there, but the clock is ticking.
- Okay, here's a special treat
when we're down the Bayou Park.
Watch this. - Oh, wow.
- Yeah, that's how we do that over here.
[indistinct cheers]
[laughter]
- Now, eating crawfish,
you pull the tail like this here.
You see, you hold it up
like a shot glass.
- Oh, God. No way.
[laughs] No way.
[laughter]
- I'm loving this crawfish, honestly.
[laughs] Yeah.
♪
- I want to acknowledge today
and say thank you guys once again for being here.
Like, there is a dinner tonight,
and I would absolutely love it if you guys would join me.
- Yeah. - Yeah, of course.
- Of course. - Perfect.
- Today was not ideal.
Like, it was cool,
but it just would have been better
if it was just me and Charity, you know?
But it's the hand I was dealt,
and every time I speak to her,
I feel like our connection grows.
So I'm not gonna let some silly little two-on-one date,
like, get in the way of, like, that end goal,
like, the end vision for me.
- I think we should get going and prepare for tonight.
Perfect. - Let's do it.
- Today was a lot better than what I expected.
I had two great companions.
- Let me talk to her real quick.
I'm leaving. - You're leaving?
- Yes. - Okay, thank you.
You are just gonna make it so known, and I love that.
♪
Thank you so much. - Yeah.
- I definitely don't feel great right now.
♪
Charity, she's definitely building momentum with Sean.
I don't want our relationship to end, but it's scary.
I mean, it really could end here tonight.
- I'll see you tonight, all right?
- Thank you. - Yeah, of course.
- [whispering] Sweetie boy.
Okay, that was so sweet.
Why? He's so sweet.
♪
- After today, I feel really great,
and I'm excited for tonight to hopefully put us
in a good spot moving forward.
The end goal is to get a rose,
bring Charity back to meet my family.
That's--that's the goal.
It's--it's what I'm hoping for.
♪
[horn blaring]
[bell dinging]
[bird cawing]
- Hi, Charity.
- Hello. - Stunning, as always.
- You look amazing. - How are you?
- Good, how are you? - Good.
This whole day was a weird just situation,
weird predicament for everyone to be in.
Two guys, one of me.
Thank you guys for a good day. It was great.
Obviously, it was not the best circumstances,
but I really do appreciate, you know, the little moments,
the big moments, like...
While this whole day has been a little chaotic...
Let's head inside. We have a dinner to get to.
Tonight it's important for me to hopefully get
the clarity I need.
- This is so pretty. - Oh, it's gorgeous.
Like, this is a Hometown rose,
and I know for me how much family means.
Ooh. - Ooh, all right.
- All right, this is fancy. - This is so cute.
- It's a lot of weight, if you want the truth.
- Ooh.
- For me, the last thing I want
to have to wake up with
is a regret of, oh, God, did I send
the absolute wrong person home?
I think today showed me a lot.
It showed me, despite how uncomfortable today was,
you embraced it all,
and I want to spend tonight
getting that clarity that I need.
So I hope you guys lean into tonight
and really just meet me exactly where I'm at.
Cheers. - Cheers.
[glasses clinking] - There you go.
- Cheers, Sean. - Cheers, Tanner.
[quirky music]
- Delish. - Pretty good wine.
- Not bad. - Yeah.
- Um, with that,
we're gonna kick things off.
Um, Tanner, if you don't mind,
uh, me and Sean are gonna chat.
- Sounds good. - Yeah, perfect.
Thank you. - Yep.
♪
- Okay. - I'm coming closer.
- Yeah, you sure can.
- Yeah. - How are you doing?
- I'm good. - Good.
- How are you? Yeah.
- It's been a day.
I think I don't really know
how I'm feeling right now.
Our time, like, obviously hasn't been maximized.
- Yeah.
- And knowing what's on the line,
how do you feel, you know, going into next week?
Like, meeting family, how would you feel about that?
- Yeah, I really want the opportunity for you
to interact with them, because my family's so special
and they mean the world to me.
Like, as soon as I bring you back into those doors,
like, you are gonna feel the love and support
that I've felt my entire life.
- Yeah, yeah.
- And like, the scary point is, like,
I might get crushed at the end of this,
but like, that's a risk that I'm, like,
100%, like, willing to take.
♪
- Charity has a huge decision to make.
She's got one rose.
There's two guys here.
Honestly, I'm a little bit scared.
♪
I mean, Sean's a confident guy.
There's no doubt about that.
- I look back to Oceanside and remember how I felt
looking at that pier at the sunset.
Like, that's something I want to recreate every day with you.
♪
- It's clear that Charity sees something in Sean.
But honestly, it has nothing to do with me.
I'm gonna worry about what I can control.
I'm going in there completely open and honest.
- Thank you for today and this convo.
Like, it means a lot.
So I want you to know, like, it's--it's weighing,
and weighing in a good way.
So...okay. - Good.
All right, a kiss.
♪
- I'm super hopeful that we can really dive deep.
♪
I'm going into that conversation
with a fully open heart,
and I'm gonna lay it all out there.
It's 100% make it or break it tonight.
- How are you doing?
- I'm good right now. - Okay.
- Like, I'm in a good spot, but I have to say, like,
I feel like I--I'm gonna come a little bit closer.
- Yeah. [laughs]
- Um...
I have my guards up, you know? - Yeah.
- And a lot of it's just because of past relationships.
- Mm-hmm.
- I mean, I had a serious relationship,
you know, when I was, like, 24 for three years.
- Mm-hmm.
- And we got in one little argument,
and she flew down to Florida
and, like, just, like, never came back.
- Oh, no. - Like, fully got, like,
ghosted in, like, the most random, weird way.
- Oh, my gosh. Yeah.
- So, like, that sucks. - Mm-hmm.
- But since then, I just kind of put my walls up
and trying to protect my peace kind of, like, at all costs.
- Mm-hmm.
- But I realize, like, that's not gonna be forever,
and that's not what I want forever.
- Yeah.
[soft music]
- I don't think I've felt this excited in a long time
in this process because, like, honestly,
it went so well, I feel on a high right now.
I feel great about our conversation.
I feel great about us, which is awesome.
- I relate in a sense of
probably not receiving love in the best ways.
I got so lost in that relationship,
I did not know who I was.
And if I look back now, like, the person who I was then
is completely different.
- Yeah, I mean, that all made you who you are.
- Mm-hmm. - And I mean, you're beautiful.
- Thank you.
- Tanner's a great guy.
Like, he is a good guy.
- I'm just so happy I met you.
I mean, you're an amazing person.
- Oh, thank you.
♪
- But honestly, I'm not worried about him.
I put my heart out there.
That's all you can do in this situation.
And I feel great about it.
And now it's just up to Charity.
♪
- It's 11:40.
The guys still aren't back.
Charity must know who she's gonna be
sending home at this point.
So I've just been extremely tested,
and it's really taxing me right now, you know.
She has to explore connections,
but at the same time, you know,
I'm holding on to something that happened
four weeks ago, which feels like,
you know, six months at this point.
[knock on door]
all: Oh. - I got it.
I got it.
- Charity needs to meet my parents,
so I need to get that one-on-one time,
that time here in New Orleans, you know?
[tense music]
♪
- "Dotun, my heart's racing for you.
Meet me at sunrise. Charity."
♪
- Sounds like you're gonna be up early, bro.
- It's not that I'm not happy for Dotun.
It's just I don't know what that [bleep] means.
♪
Can't really focus on your actual relationship
when just this [bleep] just keeps taking over.
It confuses me that I just don't have a one-on-one
here in New Orleans.
This is not cool at all.
Like, I'm actually here for a Charity.
Like, I'm not about to just act like
it's all peaches and cream out here.
It's not.
Yeah, I'm [bleep] pissed.
[sighs]
[bells dinging]
♪
- [sighs]
This is so hard.
I really don't have an answer to who I'm sending home.
I don't know right now.
Hi. Hello.
It's scary knowing I have to make a decision.
♪
It's intimidating for myself
to--to hopefully make the right decision.
♪
I'm, like--I'm getting, like, a stress rash
because I don't know.
♪
I don't know.
I really don't know.
♪
Um... [clears throat]
[soft suspenseful music]
♪
This rose not only symbolizes
where I feel like I'm at with our connection,
but it symbolizes the importance
of what next week holds.
I feel like the best decision for me in this moment...
is to...
♪
Not hand out a rose tonight.
Put her down.
- [sighs, laughs]
- That is that.
Um...I'm so grateful.
I'm grateful for both of you all,
and I hope,
with the remaining of our time here,
we will get exactly what we are all looking for.
So I'll see you both very soon.
- Sounds good. - Yeah.
Thank you guys so much.
- Yeah. Thanks, Charity.
♪
- Goodness. Okay.
Thank you so much. - Yeah, of course.
Take all the time you need.
- I feel good after tonight.
Given the cards I was dealt,
today couldn't have gone better for me.
- Thank you so much.
- Of course. Thank you.
- Charity needs more time.
She told us exactly what it was,
and she respects us both enough to give us both more time.
- Thank you guys. I'll see you all soon.
- Bye. - Bye.
- See you soon.
- Sean's not doing too good right now.
He's, uh, clearly upset.
You all right?
- Yeah, dude, it's like...
you just never know, bro.
You just never know.
Like, I was just banking on and, like, hoping and praying
to get a rose on my chest before a Rose Ceremony.
♪
But yet here I am without it.
So yeah, dude, I'm upset.
Like, I don't understand
how you can be happy in this situation.
Like, I am not happy.
- We knew that she was gonna need some time, man.
We knew that this hard--
this was gonna be hard on her.
- I just don't know what that looks like for us.
Like, that's the scary part.
Like, I don't know what it looks like.
- Yeah, I have no idea.
- Like, I could not have been more clear in the words
I used about how confident I am in us.
Like, now I'm questioning everything.
It's like, how can I be so sure of something
and still have this girl unsure about us?
- I know we probably both wanted
the validation to get chosen.
- A little bit more confused, truthfully.
- It's all right to feel like that.
♪
[lively music]
[bell dinging]
♪
- Last night was a very emotional night for me.
I could not reach a decision
on who I was gonna give the rose to.
But coming into today, honestly,
I'm just gonna embrace all that today brings,
clear my mind, have fun.
So we are here at the Crescent City Classic.
This is a huge event in New Orleans.
So many people run and attend this thing.
Come on. Hurry up.
I am taking Dotun on today's date,
and we're gonna have a good day.
- What's up? - Hello.
- Oh... - I'm so happy.
- Get on up here.
- Are you excited for today? - Mm-hmm.
- We're gonna have so much fun. - Yes, let's get it.
- Oh, my goodness. Okay, do you have any idea?
Obviously, like, whoa, we're dressed in athletic.
- Yeah.
- What do you think we're doing?
- I think we're gonna go for a very long run.
[both laughing]
- We are. It's a marathon.
But with us, like, we're just gonna have fun.
Um, but I do have some cute outfits for us to put on.
[both laughing] - Of course.
- So this is your bag.
- Okay, thank you.
- It's a fun run, and I'm emphasizing
the fun part of it, because I don't run.
[laughs]
So now we get to do it together.
- With a tutu though.
- Isn't this cute? - [laughs]
- I love that you're embracing this.
So I think Dotun is
the perfect person for this date.
- I'm kind of feeling this.
I'm kind of feeling this. - It's cute.
- Look at this. - I love it.
Me and Dotun have already conquered, I feel like, a lot.
We jumped off a bridge.
Ooh.
And you know, Dotun makes me feel happy.
- [laughing]
- And so today, I'm really looking forward
to us just letting loose
and to have the whole day
to where I can just embrace his playful side
and him see my goofy side.
Like, it's gonna be good for us.
- I'd like to give a very special welcome
to first-time Crescent City Classic racer,
the Bachelorette, Charity Lawson!
And it looks like she has a very special someone
running with her. - I know!
- That's her date, Dotun. - Yay!
- New Orleans!
- No, you too. - What do you think, guys?
You think they'll make it to the finish line together?
- We will.
- Good luck to you guys.
Three, two, one.
[air horn blaring]
- Whoo! - Oh, God, I'm tripping.
I can't see! [laughter]
[upbeat music]
Oh, my God. No way.
No way. - Very nice.
I feel very special,
and I feel like me and Charity are really connecting
for her to pick me for two one-on-ones back to back.
And so many firsts are happening on this journey.
I've never run a marathon, never wore a tutu.
But I'm embracing it. I'm loving it.
I actually like this.
- This is not how people, like, do races.
- No. - But I don't care.
- I really don't care what I'm doing
as long as Charity is involved.
And today, it's already been off to such a great start.
- I can't wait till we detour and get a drink.
- Same, same. Already thinking.
- Already.
♪
- So how are you feeling after last night?
I know that was not maybe the easiest group date setting.
- Yeah, um, the date wasn't as weird
as I thought it was gonna be, to be honest.
I think I handled it much better than Sean did,
just 'cause he was kind of freaking out.
- Yeah. - He was just kind of
in his head all day.
- Yeah, I came back last night,
and I was sad, and I was a little upset.
Like, I'm sad I didn't get a rose, like,
and I think that's a really real emotion
to have in that situation.
And it makes it really difficult
when you come back after a two-on-one,
me and Tanner are still here.
And then I see Dotun's name on the card,
and then he had a one-on-one last week.
I haven't had a one-on-one yet,
but two guys here have had two. - Dotun has had two.
For sure.
- The date sucked.
But like, what kept me going through it all
was the possibility of getting
that ultimate validation of a rose
before going to Hometowns.
And that would tell me that she's feeling
the same way about me as I'm feeling about her.
But I walked away from last night without a rose,
and that's scary.
- Do you feel like you had enough time to talk about
all the things that you wanted to talk about
with her individually?
- Yeah, we had a really good conversation.
Like, when I left that conversation,
I thought our relationship was in, like, the perfect spot
going into next week, right?
- Right. - 'Cause when I think about
next week in Hometowns, like,
it's like I look towards, like, the future.
I look towards, can I see an engagement?
Can I see my wife?
And like, I'm getting to the point
where I'm seeing that very clearly.
Joey's gotten two one-on-ones.
Dotun's gotten two one-on-ones.
So why am I feeling this strongly,
but I'm not getting the validation
that other people are getting?
Now it becomes even more scary.
Like, I'm feeling very insecure about, like, our relationship,
and that's not something I want to feel going into Hometowns.
♪
- How are you feeling?
- I'm feeling great.
Just a smitten kitten always.
- [laughs]
all: Bachelorette! Bachelorette!
[cheers and applause] - Hi.
- Hello. - From the Classic.
Thank you so much. - Oh, my goodness. Thank you.
- The energy here is just so upbeat.
Everybody's so friendly.
Meeting all the characters in NOLA
with the wonderful Charity,
it was just so much fun.
- Next month, I'm married 58 years.
- Thank you. - You're married for 58--
- 58 years.
- Oh, my goodness.
- So I wish you the very best.
- Oh, wait, I want to know,
what do you feel like is your secret?
- My secret? - Yeah, the best--
- Two words: "Yes, dear."
[laughter]
- So never-- never argue with me.
Never-- - Never argue.
- Today, Dotun just embraced everything.
It was like us just chilling.
- He's a professional.
- Now, that's the single best bite of food in town.
- Mmm, oh, my God.
- Even if you're kissing him, it's still better.
- [laughs] - Listen.
We were having fun, like, talking to people.
He's so interactive.
both: Thank you so much. - Take care of that girl now.
- I will. I got you.
- If not, they got people behind you.
- It's 10 out of 10 all the way around.
You're such a trooper.
- Yeah, that's what it's all about, you know?
[cheers and applause]
[upbeat music]
- Gotta put our hands up. - Oh, my goodness.
Whoo!
Yay, we made it! - Let's go!
[cheers and applause]
- Finally.
- Whoo!
Congratulations, Charity!
♪
[cheers and applause]
- We did good.
You're looking at top two.
[both laughing]
25,000 people around us.
- Top two in the nation, yeah.
- Exactly, but this is 1 and 2.
- Whoo! - Okay, I'm out of breath.
Where's the water?
I don't think I could have made it across the finish line
without him.
- Yes, whenever I was down, she pushed me.
Whenever she was down, I tried to push her.
- Mm-hmm. - That's how we made it.
- How are you feeling after today?
- I'm so happy to be here. - Yeah.
- I am so happy.
I will take this every single time.
- I think as much as, like,
this was, like, a very stimulating, like, activity,
it--it was so, like, just refreshing to see
how, like, just natural we were.
- We're on the same page there.
And like... - I think we are.
- I feel very confident with everything that's to come.
So... - Happy.
[romantic music]
- From the start of this morning to now,
this was the most normal and real-world type of day
that I've had in a long time.
And to get to spend that with Charity is awesome.
So tonight I just can't wait to pour my heart out
and let her know what I've been dying to tell her.
It's scary, but it's really exciting,
because what if she doesn't feel the same way?
I would be heartbroken.
♪
[bright music]
[horn blaring]
♪
- The clearance.
- Yeah, I know. [both laughing]
See that? I'm, like, worried.
I'm like...
Today with Charity,
I had a blast from start to finish.
I've never really felt stronger about a person
in a short amount of time or even in a long amount of time.
And it's just not something I've experienced before.
And so part of all of this is really scary.
My heart is saying, like, this is the person
that's probably for you,
but the head is pretty much saying,
"Hey, it's all happening so fast.
Be careful,"
because I may leave this process heartbroken.
So on both ends, it's terrifying.
It only gets more scary.
But tonight I want her to know just really how I'm feeling.
- How are you?
[both laughing]
- Feeling good. - Good.
- Yeah, a long day.
- A long day. - But happy to be here.
Happy to have dinner with you. - We sure did.
- How are you feeling? - I'm feeling good.
Just excited for this time in a pivotal week,
a week of looking into the future
of what next week brings with Hometowns.
And so I really want to start off with,
um, you know, me potentially coming home
to meet your family is a big deal.
And I want to know, how do you feel
about where you're at in bringing me home?
And then secondly, for your family,
how would they feel about me walking in?
[both laughing]
Hello.
- Good questions. Uh...
I'm really excited for them to meet you.
I've been excited for them to meet you since day one.
But the truth is, it's scary as hell, right?
And every week is scary as hell.
And it's this weird mix of emotions of excitement...
- Mm-hmm. - But also, like, fear,
and like--and I'm sure, because you've been
on the other end of this before, right?
And you know, so I've been, like, trying to think of, like,
why--what makes this such a scary experience?
And I think it all kind of stems from,
like, this fear of failure that I've had.
[soft music]
My life has always been this kind of weird thing
where any time I've really wanted something...
- Mm-hmm.
- And then, like, I went for it
and I had high hopes,
it just always felt like I was never given it,
and I fell flat on my face.
And so I think that always led to this fear of failure.
- Yeah.
- And so that's what I'm realizing
this fear is now that's coming up, right?
- I mean, I'm right there with you
when it comes to the fears of, like, I am terrified
because it feels so good, and it feels so right.
And it's like, what the hell am I missing?
Like... - Yeah.
- Am I, like, missing something?
But like, I don't--like, I don't want to think that.
And I think, like, we both deserve that.
Like, you deserve, like, to feel that.
I deserve to feel, like, good,
to feel confident and not have to sit here
and be like,
is there something I should be doubting?
Is, like, what-- - Yeah.
- Am I doubting myself?
Like, no, I don't want to.
Like, I know
this is exactly what I prayed for.
This is exactly what I've--
I've truly opened my heart up to receive.
- Yeah. - But that's the risk
that I--I'm taking.
- Um, that makes me feel a lot better, first of all.
- Mm-hmm. Yeah.
- I'm learning how to unlearn these things from you,
and that is so important for me.
And I didn't realize it
until I came here on this journey.
I really didn't.
And so I'm learning, sometimes a good thing
is just a good thing. - Exactly.
- It's--that's okay. - And just letting it be that.
- Just letting it be that. - Letting it be--yeah.
[soft music]
I'm so happy.
Like, Dotun being so comfortable
and opening up about his fears
in relationships and love.
I have a million things that I'm feeling
because this lets me know
that I'm getting the best of Dotun.
♪
He makes me so happy.
- Um, you know, when I think about my--my heart
and my brain, there's this conflict going on.
My heart is, like, totally in this thing,
and you have pretty much taken it and ran with it.
Then the brain is like, no, like, you don't--
like, what are you talking about?
You don't deserve that.
Like, no, you can't have a fairy tale.
That doesn't really exist.
Um, but I'm really working on
um, just listening to my heart more...
- Yeah. - And letting it open up,
right, and just really
putting my ear to my heart and listening.
Uh, my heart is pretty much screaming
that I'm definitely falling in love with you at this point.
So, um, in light of that,
I know it's--it's-- it's--it's--[laughs]
It's crazy for me to say... - You just saw my face.
- But it's very real.
- My whole face and body just lit up.
Like, you don't understand.
Um, like, I feel so good, and, like, that is like--
not that it's what I needed to hear,
but it is what I needed to hear.
And... - Yeah.
- Like, I-- I am truly listening.
Like, my face, I'm-- I feel like I got electrocuted
a little bit, but in the absolute best--
[laughs] Best way. - Yeah.
- Like, and truly, like,
thank you so much, and thank you.
[romantic music]
♪
Dotun tells me that he is falling in love with me,
and I am overjoyed, over the moon.
Tonight, it has felt so magical.
It's literally, like, the best feeling,
like, truly the best feeling ever.
[clears throat]
- [sighs]
- Okay, um...
when I look at the day we had today,
when I look at every single moment
that we've had up until this point,
it all makes sense.
- Yeah.
- And I can't in the words, like, say how you make me feel.
Just know that it's-- it's a million good things.
- Yeah.
- And Dotun,
will you accept this rose?
- Yes, Charity, I will.
[quietly] Get up in there. - [laughs softly]
[soft music]
Perfect.
♪
I'm just, like, so happy.
Obviously, I've got this rose on my chest,
and so that's a guarantee to Hometown,
which is a huge deal,
but one that I've been looking forward to
for quite a while now.
So I am just feeling like
this is getting more real and real.
And you really couldn't ask for a better experience
and a better person to do this with.
♪
- Tonight went far better
than what I imagined coming into it.
Dotun, he does feel like that person...
[sniffles]
That could be exactly who
I would navigate this life with.
Oh, so pretty.
- I know.
- [laughs]
- It's very, very special, very special.
- Just for us to just have a moment.
- Okay.
♪
Tonight was very special.
I am just really enjoying just being able
to just express myself wholly and fully.
It's clear that I'm falling in love with her.
It really is, which is pretty crazy to say.
And I can't reiterate how wild that is.
But you know, the heart wants what it wants,
and the connection is just so strong.
♪
- Truly the happiest girl.
♪
- Happiest boy.
- [laughs]
♪
- How are you feeling?
- I can't tell you how tough it is
watching people go on dates all week,
you know, watching Joey go off on a horse-drawn carriage.
I love the guy, but damn, I wish that was me.
[knock on door]
- And here we go. - Here we go.
[laughter] - You go grab it, Joey.
I don't feel like reading right now.
- I got it.
[tense music]
- Everybody wants a one-on-one date,
so people are nervous as hell when they hear that knock.
♪
- My heart's beating so fast.
We're all very nervous.
♪
I'm really trying to think about the possibilities
of getting a one-on-one, because this date could mean
I'm going to Hometowns with her.
♪
So I want to show her my passion for the city.
I want to show her this piece of me
that's just so near and dear to my growth
and just my entire life.
♪
- Aaron.
Xavier.
Tanner.
Sean.
- [clicks tongue]
- "Next stop, Hometowns. Charity."
[soft music]
♪
- Another group date.
The only person that has a rose is, uh, Joey over there.
Dotun, we're--we don't know.
But if he comes back,
that would leave two roses remaining going to Hometowns.
And there's four people on this date.
So two of us are gonna be going to Hometowns.
Two of us are gonna be going home.
♪
Kind of scary, but...
I haven't gotten the one-on-one.
I've gotten pretty much zero validation,
like, this entire journey.
Yet I'm still here, and like,
it's just very confusing.
It's all, like, boiling up inside of me
and, like, trying not to come out.
I'm trying to suppress it.
I'm trying to be in the moment,
but if she throws a rose on Dotun's chest...
[scoffs]
All hell is gonna break loose here.
I'll tell you what.
I didn't expect Dotun to get a one-on-one
after getting one last week.
Like, that's for damn sure.
I didn't--truly, I didn't expect you
to get a one-on-one... - I didn't either.
- This week either, especially 'cause
Aaron is from-- from New Orleans, right?
♪
Yeah, that's Dotun.
Okay.
- What up? - Hey.
- What's going on? - What's up?
- What's good? - What's up?
- How we doing? - [sighs]
- Good. - Yeah, doing good, doing good.
Um, another really cool day.
We ran, like, a half marathon.
They apparently do this every year.
It's the something classic--
- Crescent City Classic.
- There we go.
And so yeah, you just kind of run through the city,
and you know, people give you beers and water.
And you're just drinking beers and water and oysters.
And so--but then we took it easy.
Obviously, Charity is not, like, a runner either,
so we just kind of toasted and just ran on the tippy toes,
something light.
Everybody in the city is just so nice, man.
- I'm confused.
I'm frustrated.
I'm mad.
[sighs]
It hurts.
How can I envision a future with Charity
when I'm still not getting the validation
for any of that?
So it definitely makes you think, like,
am I feeling things that she's not?
But I don't know what else to do.
♪
- Sean, he's seeing, like,
people come before him,
getting more time.
He really [bleep] likes her a lot.
And I'm worried he might do something crazy.
♪
[crickets chirping]
[tense music]
- [sighs]
I'm struggling to, like, gather myself right now.
I don't know how to, like, handle this.
I truly don't, because tonight,
Dotun got the rose.
Dotun got his validation,
and it just is so confusing
to feel so strongly about a girl
and go through this entire process with no validation
and still feel the confidence.
♪
This is the tipping point where I feel like
I need and deserve some answers
in terms of, where does she stand in all this?
♪
I am envisioning things past Hometowns,
past an engagement.
I'm envisioning, like, a future life with Charity.
♪
[light knocking]
I am seeing my wife, like, the mother of my children.
I'm seeing all these things.
Like, that's why I feel comfortable
bringing you home to my family.
♪
Hello. - Hi.
- Can I come in? - Absolutely.
- How are you? - I'm good. How are you?
- Like, where do I stand in this?
Like, where do you see me right now?
Like, I just want to know that answer.
So I didn't come here for no reason,
but I do want to check in on you.
Like, how are you feeling with everything?
I know last night, like, was tough...
- It was a lot. - Obviously.
- Last night was a lot.
- Yeah, of course. - Um...
a lot of, like, conflicting emotions
and still very much in processing all of that
and trying to make sense of it all.
- Yeah, that's what I wanted to come talk to you about.
- Okay. - Yeah.
Last night, um, you know,
I left that two-on-one date,
and I had, like, a lot of emotions
that I don't think I necessarily shared.
- Okay.
- And I woke up this morning, and like,
something was telling me, like, I kind of
had to tell you how I was feeling.
- Okay.
- Because the thing for me is, like,
my confidence in us, like, has not wavered.
Like, since Oceanside, like, that's where I feel like
our relationship really took off.
And I feel a lot more connected to you.
- Right. Mm-hmm.
- But like, I haven't had a one-on-one,
and I haven't had the validation
of getting a rose on my chest before a Rose Ceremony.
- Yeah.
- So like, last night, like,
you were holding up the rose,
and you were speaking to Tanner and myself,
and then you put it back down.
Like, I was sad. - Mm.
- Like, I was disappointed.
It's tough to see you, like, put down that rose
and then for it to not to go, like, on my chest.
- I came in, like, not sure
which, like, way I was gonna go,
and I don't want to hand out a rose
if I'm not confident in which route
or which direction I'm gonna take.
And this rose, obviously, it holds so much weight.
And for me to make a decision prematurely
would be doing a disservice to both of you...
- Yeah. - But also myself.
And in that moment, I was like, okay,
I'm so conflicted right now. How do I do this?
- Mm-hmm. - And I couldn't.
- And I totally respect that side of it.
- Yeah, mm-hmm. - But like, I wanted
to, like, bring you back home, like, feeling incredibly good
about, like, where you stand in this,
because like, it means so much to me
to bring someone home to my family.
Only one girl in my entire life has met--
to like, I would have gotten on a plane,
flew it to New York, and brought you back
to my family tomorrow.
Like, that's how good I felt, and to, like,
still not get that--the rose, like, it's tough.
And like, I need an answer, and that's why I'm coming here.
I just want to make sure you're aware,
because the reason why I'm telling you all this,
the reason why I'm here, the reason why
I feel so passionate about this
and the reason why we've had this conversation tonight
is 'cause, like,
I'm totally in the process of falling in love with you.
And that's why that rose meant so much to me.
- Mm-hmm.
[whispering] Thank you.
♪
[sighs]
Honestly, like, you have, from the beginning,
have shown me so much
and shown me who you are as a person.
But looking at it all and understanding, like,
the magnitude of everything,
this week, when I look at it all,
it's like, there are...
connections that are stronger. - Yeah.
But like, there's also the part of me
that knows that--what we can do with the one-on-one time.
So I don't want you to give up on us
because we haven't had at this point--
because I think this is something
we should explore further.
Like, I feel confident that
with the one-on-one time, we can get there.
- [sighs]
We're here.
Um...
I can go on and on...
truly all night about...
everything that you are.
[somber music]
♪
But as of right now and what this is
and where I'm at...
♪
What you...
♪
Want from me,
I can't give, and I'm...
very fearful of not being able to get there.
♪
I don't-- I don't think that I--I can.
♪
And I know that's not what you want to hear, but...
♪
That's just-- that's just what it is.
♪
I'm sorry.
I really am so sorry.
♪
Can I walk you out?
♪
I'm sorry.
♪
- [whispering indistinctly] - Yeah.
♪
- I feel heartbroken.
♪
I feel crushed.
I feel--I feel confused.
Like, dude, I don't get it.
- I'm sorry.
♪
You deserve so much more.
[crying]
- That's all right.
I tried everything I could have
to, like, express how I felt
and why I felt that way.
And it just wasn't enough, man.
[dramatic music]
I'm walking away from here
with such incredible feelings about this girl.
What happened?
I saw a future with her.
♪
Oh, my God.
♪
[sobs]
♪
[soft music]
[birds chirping]
♪
- This week has brought a lot of highs and a lot of lows.
Two fantastic one-on-one dates.
And then last night, I decided to send Sean home.
♪
[bell dinging]
- All right, first streetcar experience.
- Today is my last day in New Orleans.
[rumbling]
And on this three-on-one is Tanner, Xavier, and Aaron.
The three guys that are remaining,
they're all-- they're all strong.
I can't even predict what's going to happen today.
And I'm trying to, like, come in with an open mind,
open heart, good attitude.
But it's weighing on me, truly.
♪
- Thank you.
- I will be handing out two roses,
and that rose means I want to meet your family,
a decision that will be transformative
for the remainder of my life, their life too.
♪
Hello.
Hi, boys. - How are you?
- Good. How are you?
- The lavender is great. - Amazing.
- Thank you.
I am afraid of making a mistake.
So that's not something that I want to mess up.
♪
Today, it's a lot, and it holds a lot of weight.
Obviously, I have a very important decision to make.
There's two roses, and that means, like,
obviously, I'll be saying goodbye
to one of you all today.
And that absolutely terrifies me.
But like, I want to feel as comfortable and confident
knowing, like, the decision that I make today
is the absolute best decision.
And so with that being said,
Aaron, would you like to go chat?
- Yes, let's go chat. - Perfect.
Excuse us.
- This week has been so up and down, mostly down.
I didn't get a one-on-one.
I didn't get a rose guaranteed coming into this.
But I truly think that we have a really strong connection,
and I feel like I'm ready to introduce
Charity to my family.
- Let's chat.
- Today, it's a lot of pressure,
but it means a lot to receive that rose from her this week
more than any other week.
- How are you doing?
- Uh, you know, I'm okay.
You know, I'll say that
I'm so happy to be here in New Orleans,
but this is probably one of the hardest weeks
of my life, honestly.
Emotionally, I found myself in a very low spot.
- Yeah. - It's really been painful
having to watch guys get their chance,
and you know, after I've talked to them,
and it's like, of course, like, you had a good time.
Like, you get that post-Charity glow.
We all talk about that too.
- [laughs] Oh. - Yeah.
They come back happy, and it's like, oh, that's great.
- Yeah. - And it's like,
I wish that was me.
But honestly,
the only thing that helped me get through it
is just our time together.
And literally everything I've done,
the only reason why I'm here,
the only reason why I wanted to go through
that emotional hiccup is because of you.
- Mm-hmm. - And I truly mean that.
- Yeah, I believe it.
[laughs] - Yeah. [laughs]
[soft music]
- We probably assume
Aaron's getting one of these.
- I'd be surprised if he didn't.
- You know, I think she's taking this very seriously,
and she's taking her time on every decision she makes,
which is, like, the smartest, most mature way to handle it.
You know? - Right.
- You know, she clearly sees something in all of us.
- Yeah. - So...
- Knowing, like, next week,
potentially, like, meeting family, like,
do you feel like, despite having a week like this,
a week as frustrating for you,
do you think that it affects us
at any--like, in any way for you?
- [laughs] No. No. - Okay. [laughs]
At this point, I have a certain feeling
about each person that's still here.
Oh, goodness, let's have a seat.
- All right.
- But anything can change in a matter of
a conversation that will make me possibly feel
a little bit more confident in my decision-making.
- It's very scary to think that, like,
our first one-on-one would be, like--
- In Hometown--yeah.
- In Pittsburgh, introducing you to my family.
- Yeah. Mm-hmm.
- But I will tell you this. I mean, like,
I've envisioned it... - Mm-hmm.
- And I can see you coming home.
And I can see it being an amazing time.
- Yeah.
Right now, it's a weird pull
between feeling confident
but also feeling I'm a little nervous
to have to make a decision.
♪
- It's scary, marriage
and that whole thing of comfortability.
And normally, I would-- like, at this stage,
I would guard those feelings.
It scares me.
You know? - It is scary.
You never know when you're gonna talk to her again.
Like, this could be the last time
depending on how the conversation goes.
So you really gotta leave it all out there.
- Yeah.
I'm feeling nervous and a lot of anxious
because I know what's on the line.
- [laughing]
- I really, really like Charity,
and I want to fall in love with her.
♪
But at the same time, like,
I want to tell her who I am wholeheartedly
so that there are no surprises
and no question about who this person is after this.
- I know we came off of last week on a one-on-one.
- Mm-hmm. - And I know, like,
our chemistry, like, what we have is crazy.
- Crazy. - But it's like--
[both laughing]
So I felt like I was coming from last week on a high
and feeling so confident and, like, sure about you.
And I want to know, like,
did this week change that for you?
Or how do you feel?
- What I've been thinking about is, you know,
you're looking for your forever partner.
- Yeah.
- And today, I just wanted to, you know,
be fully transparent, be fully honest,
everything, 'cause, like,
you don't have no time to waste.
I don't have no time to waste. - I don't. No way.
- And so I think, for me, like, um, it scares me
to, you know, genuinely, like,
commit all myself to one person forever.
That--that idea scares me.
- Mm. - But doing it--
- Why?
- 'Cause just like...
[tense music]
That scares me, because it's something
I've never done before.
And I want to do it once,
and I want to do it right.
- Yeah. - You know?
- Yeah. - There has to be
no doubt in that.
- Mm-hmm.
Okay.
- I know that I want to get engaged.
I know I want to get married.
It's a question of if that's you, you know,
and so, like, I've been running, like,
every single moment between us
and, like, trying to gain any sense of clarity.
And I don't know, like, what that thing is
that's gonna make me be able to fall in love.
It's just gonna happen.
- Mm-hmm. - But...
um...
do I think I can get there?
Yes.
If you're the one, I don't want to pass that up.
- Mm-hmm. - You know what I mean?
But previously, it has scared the [bleep] out of me.
- [laughs] That makes sense.
- I think I needed to tell her that
'cause I want to be honest with her.
I think Charity really appreciates
how much I'm trying to be open,
and I feel stronger about our connection
and stronger about that she could be the person
I've been waiting for.
- Hey. - Hello.
- I fully believe that that rose could be mine.
Like, you know, I feel like it--it's mine.
♪
[clears throat]
- Um...
I recognize that this week has been heavy,
but I am valuing this rose
with what it holds
and what it means with meeting families
and being confident in moving forward in our relationship.
♪
And so...
[clears throat]
Aaron, will you accept this rose?
- 100%, I will accept this rose.
♪
- That went--sorry.
I didn't mean to flash...
- Yeah, put it wherever you want.
- There we go.
- Awesome. Thank you so much.
- Mm-hmm.
- I literally can't stop smiling, honestly.
I mean, God, like, this is
the biggest moment in this journey thus far.
- All right, see you soon.
- Bye, Charity. - Bye.
- Man, I'm just super pumped.
I'm taking Charity to Houston, Texas.
♪
- Million different scenarios
is running through my head.
- I know.
Every time when I speak
from pure honesty to a woman,
it puts doubt in their head.
I want to know if she wants to meet my parents.
I want to show her my hometown.
I want to just know my fate.
♪
- There's one rose left.
I'm just truly happy that
that conversation went the way it did.
I mean, I'm pretty confident that I'm gonna get a rose
just because we have a ton of momentum right now.
♪
- Um...
♪
Obviously, this is the last Hometown rose,
and I want you guys to know, like,
this is actually, um,
the hardest thing that I've had to ever do.
And for that reason, like, I--
I won't be giving out a rose right now.
[soft music]
I will see you both tonight,
and we'll go from there, okay?
Okay. - Sounds good.
- Right now, I'm absolutely torn,
and I have no idea.
And that's where the fear comes in of, like,
am I making the right choice?
♪
I'm trying to not make
the wrong decision.
It's terrifying.
♪
[tense music]
[bell dinging]
♪
- [sighs]
♪
- [sighs]
♪
Going into tonight, I'm overwhelmed.
A lot is at stake-- meeting families
and truly, like, being on one knee in three weeks.
Like, this is my future.
[sighs]
There is one rose left,
and I have two guys remaining, Tanner and Xavier.
♪
My indecisiveness has hurt me in the past
with past relationships,
and it's scary knowing I have to make a decision.
[soft music]
But I think I know what I need to do.
[dramatic music]
My gut is telling me to go with what feels right,
and I feel an immense level of sadness.
My heart is aching.
♪
[knocking lightly]
Tonight will not be easy.
♪
[sighs]
Hey. - Hello.
- Can I come in and chat?
- Come on--come on in.
- Hey.
Do you care where I sit?
- Yeah, go for it. - Okay.
- You look amazing, as always.
- So do you.
[both sighing]
How are you?
- I'm good. - Okay.
- How are you?
- Um, I'm okay.
Um...
With everything this week, like, it was just a lot for me.
And I think, you know,
you being so open and honest with me
about how you felt about next week,
and like, I constantly think about, like, what-ifs.
And... - Me too.
- Mm-hmm. - That's all I've been doing.
- Mm-hmm.
It's hard.
I'm sorry.
- I got you. You're good.
- [sniffles]
It's hard because, um...
[soft music]
Like, it just pains me to, like, try to make sense
of what next week would look like...
- [sighs] Yeah. - Um, going into your, like,
hometown and meeting your family.
Realistically, they probably would have
so many questions about, like, what it--
like, what is this,
and how did we end up here?
To your family, like,
and to you, like, it's just not fair.
And I mean, if you really look at it,
it's like, in three weeks, like,
someone's getting on their knee.
And it's like, does that make sense?
Like, does it-- would it make sense for us?
And like, I came here to express my heart
and why this is so hard for me
'cause I want to, like, be able to--
I'm sorry.
[sniffles] - Don't be sorry.
It's okay.
- Like, I want to be able to, like, not be the person
that lets you down or not be the person
that, like, contributes to, like, some sort of pain.
And like, I struggle so much with that.
Like, it really does pain me,
because you are truly an incredible person, and...
- Thanks, Charity.
You are too.
- [crying]
- It's okay.
- [sniffles] This is really hard.
- Come on. It's all right.
- [sniffling] - Come on.
♪
- We gave this everything we got,
and I think that's what hurts the most.
♪
- Is it okay if I walk you out?
- It sucks, 'cause it's like, she felt the same way I felt.
So she--I know that.
- I'm sorry.
- That's okay.
She's just got such a big heart,
so that's why I was trying to be as strong as possible
'cause I didn't want to let her know
how much it, you know, it hurt me too.
♪
- All right.
- I know it was really hard on her.
- Bye.
♪
And it's hard on me too.
It's hard on me too.
♪
And I've said it once, and I'll say it every day,
but that girl deserves the world, man.
She's special.
[somber music]
♪
[soft music]
- [sighs]
♪
I don't know how tonight's gonna go.
♪
Everything that I was completely honest
about committing to one person forever,
that's a legit fear.
♪
- Hello. - Hello.
- How are you? - I'm well.
I'm well. How are you? - Good.
- I definitely know, like, how I feel about Charity and I.
I've been so ready for Charity to meet my parents.
If I didn't get a rose tonight, I would feel crushed.
- I want to start off by saying
that this week has been incredibly difficult for me.
It's a week where I've been on the fence
about a lot of things
and a week where I had to learn to just
trust my gut and trust my heart
of what feels right and what feels the best.
Um, so...
[tense music]
♪
I just sent Tanner home,
and I have one rose left to give out.
♪
And quite frankly, like,
I don't have to give this rose out.
♪
But it's something that I want to do.
I want to meet your family.
Our one-on-one date opened my eyes a lot
to who you are as a person.
There's so much more I want to learn.
So, Xavier, will you accept this rose?
- 1,000%.
- [laughs]
[soft music]
Perfect. Thank you.
♪
- I'm just so happy.
This rose means everything to me.
I can't wait for her to meet my family,
and I'm ready to keep this train going
so that I can fall in love.
I know this is crazy.
- Mm-hmm.
- But I'm ready.
♪
- I decided to give Xavier the rose tonight
because what me and Xavier have is something special.
♪
I can't deny how I feel about him.
Like, it is strong.
He is someone that I do and want to see a future with.
♪
I feel like obviously there's a lot for me to learn
from meeting his family, but time will only tell
if my decision is the right decision.
♪
- Next week on "The Bachelorette"...
[laughter]
- Hello!
- Nobody got your back like family.
- Life is not measured by time.
- I really feel like I'm falling in love with you.
- It's measured in moments.
- Let it get to your right hand, commit.
- Oh, my God. I almost hit you!
I hope he sees how special he makes me feel.
What a great day!
- It's almost been somewhat of a fairy tale.
- My whole face is wet.
- Love unconditionally,
no matter how high it is or how low.
- I'm hopeful, but I'm a little nervous.
Someone's family's opinion
could really, like, shift the trajectory.
- Yeah.
- I know Joey very well.
How confident are you that you have the genuine Joey?
Something didn't feel 100% right.
- If Aaron proposed to you today,
what would be your answer?
[dramatic music]
- Do you feel like, as a mom,
that he is truly ready
to be a husband, to be a father?
- I'm gonna be very honest.
♪
- She's not looking at me.
She's just crying. Like, was that a goodbye?
- The one person that I say goodbye to
is not going to see this coming.
What am I doing?
This just doesn't make sense.
- It could be the last night that I see Charity.
- You deserve, like, the absolute best.
I don't want to do this.
It's not right.
♪
[suspenseful music]
♪
As difficult as it is,
this rose not only symbolizes
where I feel like I'm at with our connection,
it symbolizes the importance
of what next week holds.
♪
I realized tonight showed me so much.
[sighs]
♪
With that being said,
I feel like the best decision for me in this moment
is to not hand out a rose tonight.
♪
[phone ringing]
- Trent, Charity did not hand out a rose
to either of the men,
so do not pull the luggage.
I repeat, do not pull the luggage.
♪