Okay, okay, so you're old buddy Vinnie got this one wrong. I saw the "leaked photo" of Kaitlyn and Shawn as the same type of show-runner manipulation as I did Nick turning up unexpectedly as a few episodes in to this latest - if not most scandalous - season of ABC's "The Bachelorette."
I was wrong.
But, before we get there....It all began with both Nick and Shawn meeting Kaitlyn's family. While Nick won everyone over (although Kaitlyn's mom was a little worried that he might be too arrogant and possessive), Shawn really brought it over the edge. Not only did Kaitlyn's sister (a die-hard Nick fan) decide that Shawn was better, but the "Ryan Gosling clone" (not really) also brought both of Kaitlyn's parents together to ask for her hand. Which was slick. (Nick only asked Kaitlyn's dad.)
The final score seemed tied. Kaitlyn's mom believed that Nick was there for the proverbial "right reasons" (via a reality TV show - really), but Kaitlyn's father and sister felt as if she's a new person around Shawn. And is that really a good thing?
Final Dates: Nick and Kaitlyn had an excellent time. Kaitlyn and Shawn were awkward.
That's why it was startling to so many message board denizens when Nick was the one who got cut loose.
Nick seemed certain he was going to win this. Sure, he came in late, but he also suffered a lot of pain from the other guys, made it to the final two and even chose a ring; he left with "everything I felt for you was real but my heart is with someone else."
Nick took it in stride. Kaitlyn tried to tell him that she did love him and his response was, "Well, if you were in love with me, we would be having a very different conversation."
So that left us with Shawn, who had/has the whole Gosling buzz going for him, but is also clearly one jealous dude. "I'm the happiest man alive," Shawn announced.
Immediately following the show came "After the Rose," an hour-long reunion between Kaitlyn, Nick, and Shawn that endeavored to address several things that nagged at fans this season.
Nick and Shawn agreed they acted like idiots on TV. Shawn tried too hard to convey that he was never jealous of Nick, while Nick just played it cool. It did appear as if Nick was avoiding looking at Kaitlyn, though. Was it because he lost? Felt humiliated? Is heart-broken? All of the above?
Then Shawn and Kaitlyn were veritably crushed by the audience, who were curiously allowed to both touch and communicate with the couple. The camera panned out, and Shawn and Kaitlyn look both happy and terrified at the same time.
Look for "Bachelor in Paradise" odds on BookMaker in the future.
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