Picking up right after last week, we see Nick getting ready to move in with the other guys. When he got to the hotel, he was greeted with a chilly reception and had to try and prove to the other guys that he’s not just trying to get his “sixteenth minute of fame” as one of the guys brutally put it (Tanner had an alarming amount of knowledge on Bachelor gossip). While the group of guys were feeling pretty shitty with Nick cramping their style, they still had to go through another cocktail party and rose ceremony (the one we were gypped from last week).
After chatting with some of the guys, Kaitlyn was really seeing how tense the group was with Nick there now. Shawn B. completely called Kaitlyn out on her shit and what on earth she’s thinking because he was having doubts about her commitment, let alone Nick’s. Ryan B., Jonathan and Corey got sent home from chilly NYC (the poor guys were shivering in their suits) while straightjacket-needing Nick kept warming Kaitlyn up. Next stop: much warmer San Antonio, Texas.
Parking at a super swanky hotel, all the guys were basically hoping Nick would screw up and show Kaitlyn how crazy he really is. The first date card was for a one-on-one with Ben H. Kaitlyn picked him up in this vintage truck while the other guys were sitting, sweating and over-analyzing the Nick sitch. On their solo date, Kaitlyn and Ben H. were going to be doing a little two-stepping (when in Texas, amiright?), competing against some other couples (because they’re really pushing the competition this season). Ben H. didn’t quite have the moves like Jagger, but he was holding his own and seemed to be pretty content dancing with Kaitlyn. Ben H. really tried to open up, but Kaitlyn asked him if he was really ready for commitment at the ripe old age of 26 because she’s here for the real deal. His response was a little vague, but it worked and he got himself a rose, a kiss and another week to win Kaitlyn’s heart.
The group date card had Justin, Jared, Ian, Chris, Tanner, Joe, JJ, Ben Z., Joshua and Nick on it (leaving Shawn B. for the last solo date–a hint at what’s to come?). Keeping up with the theme of battles, the guys were up to the challenge of serenading Kaitlyn with a mariachi love song. Some of the guys were horribly tone deaf. Ian had a really rough go and basically choked. Nick brought Kaitlyn up onto a balcony to kill her sing to her with some awful lyrics that basically told the rest of the guys he’s there to fight. It unfortunately worked in his favour because he also got a kiss. Joshua was trying to build the trust between him and Kaitlyn by letting her cut his hair, which she kinda screwed up a little bit. Instead of talking and “getting to know each other” Nick and Kaitlyn made out like teenagers (don’t “make love” to him, Kaitlyn! He’ll slut-shame you on national television!) until Nick decided to tattle on some of the guys who weren’t happy he was there (ooooooobviously). Joshua went back out to talk to Kaitlyn about Nick and how everyone hates him. She toooootally spun it around and got mad that everyone was lying to her about the whole situation but Joshua tried to explain no one wanted to be “that guy” who ratted Nick out. They went back to the group and Kaitlyn addressed the crazy elephant in the room, but the rest of the group was basically giving radio silence making Joshua look like the biggest asshole there. The vibe got really uncomfortable–especially when Kaitlyn gave Nick the date rose after all that. Le sigh. Joshua meant well.
Shawn B. was off on a one-on-one, and hopefully less-tense, date with Kaityln. They went kayaking, but it didn’t take long for them to park and do some smooching with a side of talking. Shawn B. tried to make Kaitlyn see reason about the whole Joshua-foot-in-mouth thing and it seemed to resonate a bit more with her. At dinner, Shawn B. got really vulnerable and even dropped the L-bomb in between kisses–and apparently it made Kaitlyn feel as though her husband were telling her that for the first time, so she gave him the much-deserved rose to keep him for one more week.
At the cocktail party, both Ian and Joshua (the latter shed a couple stressed-out tears) were still feeling tense after the rough week. Kaitlyn brought Jared up to her room for their talking time, followed by some smooching with Joe. Ian was acting like a downright douche telling the camera that he doesn’t find Kaitlyn interesting and that she just wants to make out with a bunch of guys (he has a point), but that he’s not there for that because he has enough sex in his own life (wait, wut?). Ian pulled Kaitlyn aside and basically laid it on her. It got really bad when he said this doozey: “Bringing Nick in I don’t question his intentions, I question yours.” YIKES.
Since apparently The Bachelorette is switching these rose ceremonies up, we’re once again left without our usual end-of-episode closure… Until next week!
Coming up roses: Justin, Jared, Chris…Ben H., Ben Z., Shawn B., Tanner, Joe, Ian, JJ, Joshua, Nick (from last week); Ben H., Nick, Shawn B… (this week)
Kiss count: Ben H., Nick(x2), Shawn B., Jared (Episode “ 5; Season “ 21)
Cry count: Joshua (Episode “ 1; Season “ 2)
Bachelors to watch: Shawn B., Nick, Ben Z.
