Rachel Recchia and Gabby Windey decided to go their own way on the July 25 episode of The Bachelorette. Instead of dating all the remaining men at the same time, Gabby and Rachel presented individual roses to the men they especially wanted to court. The decision comes after a difficult week for Gabi, who already felt insecure about her suitability for the role of The Bachelorette.
During the group date, three different people — Hayden Markowitz, Jacob Rapini, and Tyler Norris — all told Gabby they wanted to pursue Rachel and not her. Hayden told Gabi she was too “rough” for him, while Jacob said he wouldn’t have continued the journey if she was the only bachelorette. The comments hit Gabi hard and brought her to tears.
“I was terrified all week that I wasn’t good enough to be The Bachelorette, and then Hayden told me he felt his morals were more in line with Rachel,” Gabi said. “And being called ‘borderline rough’ is definitely painful. It’s a fear. I think these people coming to me and saying they don’t want to be with me because I’m different are proving that I’m too much for people already.”
Rachel gives Alvin Jean her group date rose, while Gabi decides not to give the rose herself. Rachel is shocked because she doesn’t realize how bad Gabby’s situation is. Together they decided to travel separately from now on. At the rose ceremony, they gave roses to the men of their respective interests.
Gabi gave roses to Nate Mitchell, Johnny DePhilippe, Spencer Swiss, Michael Vaughan, Jason Alabaster, Mario Vassol, Kirk Bryant and Quincy Williams. They all accepted.
Rachel gave the roses to Tino Franco and Logan Palmer, but she was later rejected by her third overall pick, Temayne Harper. Rachel is no longer able to hand out that rose, while Temain can wait to see if Gabi will give him a rose. Alec Marza also rejected Rachel’s roses. “It was embarrassing because it was in front of everyone,” Rachel admitted. “It’s really surprising because I don’t think Termayne and Gabby are that close. It’s a shame to be rejected, but I feel like I should prove to myself that I’m strong enough for the rest of the rose ceremony Stick to it.”
Things got better for a while when Tyler, Ethan Kang and Jordan Helman all accepted Rachel’s rose, but then James “Meatball” Clarke rejected her. Rachel was so upset that she and Gabi walked out of the rose ceremony. “I just felt bad about being rejected,” Rachel said. “[To you] it’s private, but so embarrassing in public. It’s supposed to be us taking back power. Now, in the eyes of people who have my roses, I look stupid.” Rachel took her last roses for Hayden, Hayden accepted.
After the rose ceremony, Meatball returns to talk to Rachel and let her know that he is interested in getting to know her better. Now, she must decide whether to give him another chance.
