Michelle takes her final 3 into the Fantasy Suites on 'The Bachelorette'
'Bachelorette' Recap
NEW YORK -- This week, things get serious! It's time for Michelle's Fantasy Suite dates in Mexico with her final three, Nayte, Brandon, and Joe. Michelle said she's excited for the time when the cameras are off and she and her men can ask the questions they want to ask and have discussions about things they wouldn't have in front of the cameras. Plus, the intimacy is generally ramped up.
Fantasy Suite 1
The date card read, "Brandon, Let's ride off into the sunset." Joe and Nayte were left sitting there and stewing while Brandon excitedly got ready for his big day...and night. Michelle greeted Brandon with some sloppy kisses on a trail where they boarded two horses. Brandon's horse took off as soon as he jumped on and Michelle had to catch up. They rode through the jungle and it was beautiful, they seemed to have a lot of fun. They ended up walking their horses into the surf along the edge of the beach and held hands. Once they were done horseback riding, they sat on a blanket on the beach and Brandon told Michelle that he can't wait to have the time to spend all day talking with her and all night holding her. Brandon said that his parents loved her and that they said they have an open spot in the family for her. He said in his interview that he's just worried that he's not enough for Michelle. It's not clear why he feels that way.
At dinner, Brandon told Michelle that he feels so lucky to be there with her and that his heart keeps growing. Then he said, "I don't want to be with anyone else other than you Michelle." He said since the day he met her, he knew she was the one. He said it really hit when they were randomly getting ice cream. "Michelle, I want you to know that I'm in love with you," Brandon told her. "I was going to wait, but I don't want to wait anymore." He vowed to put her first. "My heart is beating so fast right now," she told Brandon. "I don't want to take off running," she joked. "I meant what I said after meeting your family, that I'm falling in love with you." Michelle said that she has never met someone who makes her heart feel so safe. With that, she offered him the Fantasy Suite and he accepted!
They started their time together in their Fantasy Suite by sipping champagne in the hot tub, and then fireworks went off! Nayte and Joe saw the fireworks and that was a wake-up call for Nayte that he's not the only one with serious, deep feelings for Michelle. He called it a reality check. The next morning, they shared kisses and talked about what an amazing time they had together. "He's someone who is becoming my best friend," Michelle said. "Waking up to Michelle, I felt the happiest I've ever been in my entire life," Brandon said. Then, they had a food fight in bed. It was a big mess! Housekeeping is going to love that room. Brandon came back to the room where the other guys were and they all awkwardly laughed and he said he wasn't going to tell them any details. "The silence is deafening," Joe said.
Fantasy Suite 2
"Joe, we're falling for each other," is what Joe's date card read. He hiked through the woods to meet Michelle at an overlook, where they reunited with kisses. Michelle said she loves having a piece of home in Joe. She said their relationship has been moving at a slower pace so she's hoping this date speeds things up between them. She told Joe they would be having a picnic at the bottom of the mountain and they would be ziplining down! Michelle had no fear and went first! Joe screamed as he went down! He had a great time though! Michelle loved that he loosened up a lot on this date. She told Joe that she wants to see more of his goofy side.
That evening, Michelle revealed to Joe that she thought he'd be a silent zipliner. Joe laughed and said that would just be weird. They talked about how she's an extrovert and he's an introvert. Joe said that he would like three to four kids, and Michelle said she could be on board with three. Joe said he started working in real estate so he could be well set up to build a life for his future family and make sure there was more to him than just basketball. "That's what I want, a life that's impactful," Michelle said. "I feel like we would be a really powerful couple together," Joe said. Michelle offered Joe the Fantasy Suite and he happily accepted. She thinks Joe could be the guy that she could change the world with. "Cheers to falling in love in Mexico," Joe said. They shared a drink and then went into the bedroom and shut the door. Joe and Michelle shared a quiet morning together where they talked about how strong their feelings were for each other. "I'm falling even more in love with you every moment that we get together," Joe told Michelle. She called their time together relaxed and fun. "He's my slice of home, maybe my soulmate," Michelle said. She added that this date gave her "clarity."
Nayte and Brandon Talk Things Out
Nayte said that he thinks third is a good spot to be because he would want his closest connection to be in the last spot. Brandon said he disagreed and thinks that she would want her deepest connection first! Nayte said, "Are you saying I'm the weakest link?" Brandon said no. Nayte said he was happy to go into the situation nave and not know what the date was like, and Brandon has to have that stress. Brandon said, no, he's not stressed because he knows he wants to marry Michelle. Brandon said it is hard to know other guys are going out with "his girl." "That's my woman, my wife in my mind," Brandon said. "Not yet," Nayte said.
Joe Returns from His Date
Joe told the guys that he had a great date and that they went to the Fantasy Suite for the night and had a good time. Nayte and Brandon did not look happy with that revelation. Nayte got up and said, "OK, well I got to get ready for my date."
Fantasy Suite 3
Nayte was waiting on a pier and then Michelle rode up on a huge catamaran. It was beautiful! Michelle jumped off the boat and lept into his arms. Then they got back on the boat and got an amazing tour of the area and just got to boat around. They spent a lot of time kissing and Michelle said that this date sets the bar high. "Honestly, it was perfect!" Michelle said. They got to have fun driving the boat and they learned how to sail it as well! "When I'm with Nayte I feel how I'm supposed to feel when you are with your soulmate," Michelle said. Wow. Nayte told Michelle that the week was tough, but he just took it moment by moment and knew that his turn was coming. "I'm crazy about you," Nayte said to her. "I could definitely see us doing life together." Michelle seems swept off her feet! "Kissing Nayte is magical, and I've never had a feeling like when I kiss Nayte," she said. The only thing concerning her is wondering whether or not Nayte is ready to be engaged. She wants to know if he loves her and she's hoping he says it that night. "If he can't get there, I will be incredibly heartbroken," she said.
Later, Michelle and Nayte met up for dinner and she was going into the night with a lot of heavy questions for him. She told him she wanted to know exactly where he is at. Nayte said he had a lot of tough conversations with his mom and step-dad Charles, and he said that after thinking about everything they had to say he realized he doesn't have the answers. He wants to go with the flow. Michelle said that she needs to know that his heart is on the same page and she shared that Charles told her that Nayte's feelings might not be as strong as hers and he might pull away. Nayte said, "I'm feeling things for you that I've never felt before. It's easy for me to close my eyes and picture a genuine life with you," he said. Michelle flat out asked Nayte if he was still falling in love, in love, or ready to get engaged. He said that he's ready for all three of those things. "There's something about you that I am certain about, I trust myself, I trust you, I trust that I'm literally falling in love with you," Nayte said. Michelle hammered home that she wants to be engaged at the end of this process and that she is ready for it. Her voice cracked a bit as she asked Nayte, "Do you feel like you could get there?" "Most definitely, with you, yeah," he said. "I don't see myself pulling away, not at all." So far, he just kept saying, "I'm falling in love with you." No "I love you" yet from Nayte. Michelle thinks that it has given her clarity. So, she offered him the Fantasy Suite and of course, he accepted. They pretty much headed straight for the bedroom!
The next morning, Nayte said that he had one of the most special nights of his life. "I'm so much closer to you," he said to Michelle. "You are something that I want to hold onto. I'm falling in love with you, I'm in love with you, this is what I want!" Michelle said, "I am definitely in love with you too!" Wow! They seem to be all in! "I firmly believe this is what a soulmate feels like," she said. Then a mariachi band came by and played music as they were eating breakfast. "I don't know if I was expecting to come out of this with genuine love for somebody but this worked, that's my girl for sure," Nayte said.
Nayte Returns from his Date
Nayte walked back in and told Joe and Brandon that he had a great date and that they "vibed out." Brandon looked like a deer in headlights at that statement, he's really worried that Michelle had three great dates. "I'm just on a high right now, so I'm looking forward to this rose ceremony and how it all plays out," Nayte said.
Rose Ceremony
Michelle said that she had fallen in love with all three of the remaining men and she was dreading breaking one man's heart, but she knows it's the right thing to do. "You three have completely changed my life," she said.
Before Michelle could start handing out roses, Brandon asked Michelle if they could go talk. Brandon told Michelle that he wanted her to know that he would be there for her regardless of whatever happens during the rose ceremony. "Today, might be my last day but I wanted to make sure that the woman I love more than anything is ok," Brandon said. Nayte thought it was a desperate Hail Mary and he's worried it's going to change Michelle's decision. Brandon said he just wanted to make sure that she didn't feel alone. Then, they walked back in to do the rose ceremony.
1) Nayte
2) Brandon
Oh no, that meant Joe was eliminated. Minnesota Joe! Say it isn't so! Michelle teared up immediately and he grabbed her hand. Aw! Then she told Joe that she was still falling in love with him and she cares about him, and she apologized for breaking his heart but it had to happen. Joe said that he really did see a future with her and he will always hold this experience in his heart and he thanked her for pushing him to be the best person that he could be. "Thank you for coming here for me," Michelle said. Then she walked him to the car and gave him a long, sad hug goodbye. "I wish nothing but the best for you, ok?" Joe said to her. Michelle cried as the car pulled away. Joe cried in the car as it drove off. He said he was in shock. "I didn't see that coming. I really thought she was my person," Joe said. He wondered what Brandon said to her and seemed to blame that conversation for his demise.
Finale Preview
Michelle has her final dates with Nayte and Brandon and they meet her parents. Michelle is seen in tears after talking to her mom after getting her opinion on whether or not one man, is ready for an engagement and her mom says no. Michelle is seen saying "What am I doing?" And it's being called a "shocking conclusion" so we'll have to see what happens. Who do you think Michelle will pick? Will he propose? There are so many questions!
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