The Bachelor couple Clayton Echard and Susie Evans have explained how they ended up reconciling and getting back together after filming wrapped on Season 26 in Iceland.
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Susie and Clayton mutually agreed she should leave The Bachelor after a fight in Iceland during their Fantasy Suite date over Clayton's decisions earlier in the week, namely that he had sex and professed his love to both Rachel Recchia and Gabby Windey.
But Clayton ultimately determined Susie is a "once-in-a-lifetime" woman, and so once he dumped Rachel and Gabby simultaneously, he threw "the biggest Hail Mary that Bachelor Nation has ever seen," according to host Jesse Palmer, by trying to win Susie back and writing her an apologetic and heartfelt letter.
Susie joined Clayton at the Final Rose Ceremony in Iceland but told him that she wasn't in love with him and she didn't consider him to be her "person."
The pair therefore finished the show single and alone -- until Susie reached out to Clayton post-filming!
"The love didn't stop in Iceland, but also, if we wanted to make this work together, I knew the best thing was to break ties and then reassess," Susie explained.
Given Susie had rejected Clayton in Iceland, she thought she had to take matters into her own hands and make a big move in order to talk to Clayton again.
Clayton went on to share, "I was just flipping through my DMs and I had already come to terms with what happened, and then I saw her name and picture. I thought, 'Nah, there's no way.'"
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Susie confirmed that she "slid right in" to Clayton's DMs after the show!
"Yes, I slid into his DMs!" Susie said with a big smile on GMA. "I reached out on Instagram."
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Susie continued, "The first time we talked on the phone, we FaceTimed probably five hours until we couldn't keep our eyes open anymore."
"And then I felt totally comfortable re-opening that relationship back up again after getting the answers to all the questions I had," she added.
Clayton conceded that at the end of the day, he had "made a lot of mistakes" on his The Bachelor season, but he's apparently very happy right now.
"I learned a lot of lessons, but following my heart led me right to where I needed to be," Clayton noted.
Clayton revealed on The Bachelor 26 finale that aired Tuesday night on ABC that Susie was "the last person" he ever expected would reach out to him.
"I was just shocked, absolutely shocked," Clayton said.
Susie explained how she had to make the decision to leave Iceland alone for herself and it was the best decision she could have made at the time.
"I think that's why we're here today, because I was protecting myself and I didn't know what I wanted and I didn't know the capacity in which I wanted Clayton in my life," Susie shared. "But we took time apart after the show, and we reset and re-laid foundation."
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Susie confirmed, "We're really happy," and then she officially called Clayton her "boyfriend."
When Jesse asked Susie if she is finally "in love" with Clayton, she responded, "I love you. I do."
"And we took some steps back when we left Iceland, which was best for both of us... but I always had that love in my heart. I loved him as a person before I ever fell in love with him. I can confidently say, yeah. He's incredible."
Susie told Jesse that she expects to receive some backlash from Bachelor Nation due to Clayton's season being so controversial but she hopes people will be happy for them and root for them as a couple.
"It's not Team Clayton and it's not Team Susie. We are together," Susie said, adding that they both have the best of intentions.
Clayton noted how his tumultuous journey was "1000 percent" worth it now that he's with Susie and he "couldn't be happier."
"I've spent the last four months with her, and she just impresses me more and more every day," Clayton gushed.
"She continues to give me reason after reason why following my heart was the best decision I ever could have made, and I could not be more in love with this woman."
Clayton then gave Susie his final rose, which she accepted with a full heart.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)
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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
