The Bachelorette runner-up Chris Lambton says he's not sure he's interested in serving as the star of the next edition of The Bachelor, despite widespread support for the idea.
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"And, you know, it's hard to share that kind of thing with many millions of people who watch the show. So, I mean, it's definitely something that I'll have to, you know, really, really think about. I'm not really sure if I want to share all that again."
The 33-year-old landscaper and former teacher told reporters he's currently planning to continue living in his Dennis, MA hometown -- which he returned to from New York when his now-deceased mother was diagnosed with a terminal illness a couple of years ago -- for at least the next few months.
"I think as of right now, I'm going to be on the Cape for a while. I love what I do. I live with my dad. I work with my dad and my brother. My other brother's right down the street. You know, we got the wedding that we're preparing for in October which is going to be an, you know, an incredible time," he said
"So, I think, short term, you know, I'm not even thinking about... like moving to like L. A. or New York or teaching again. The great thing right now is that I have a lot of options and I just have to figure out what option's best for me."
During the call, Lambton reiterated his appreciation that Fedotowsky decided to eliminate him immediately after she decided he was in love with Martinez instead of going on their previously planned final one-on-one date and then revealing her decision at the following day's final Rose Ceremony, where he had been planning to propose to her.
"I'm thankful that she didn't prolong [it] and she, in fact, knew 100 percent that it was Roberto," he said. "I mean, that's just -- like I said, that shows some kind of girl she is. She's an amazing woman and she didn't want to make me hurt. If she had kept me around that day for another date and then to go over there to the final Rose Ceremony, that would have hurt me even more."
"I was definitely not angry or upset because, I mean, you can't force love, you know. I mean, and if didn't want to reciprocate it, then, you know, she's not the right one for me. So, that's why I was thankful."
"I just really respect the fact that she didn't, you know, keep me around and... have an even better chance and make me fall deeper in love with her... she knew what she wanted and she wanted someone else and, you know, I have to respect that. I mean, I say I wish it was me. But, again, in a relationship it takes two, and it didn't work out that time."
However that doesn't mean Lambton still wasn't hurt by The Bachelorette star's decision.
"Right when she did that, I was like... I didn't expect it. I was, like, shocked. And then, you know, next thing you know, I was, like, on a plane going back to L. A., and it didn't really set in for a couple of days, honestly, because, you know, I didn't expect that to happen," he told reporters.
"I mean, I definitely thought that we had a connection. Whenever we hang out, I mean, there was just -- it was easy. We could just talk. We could have fun. I mean, it was never forced even from the first time we talked. And then honestly, you know, it got down to just Roberto and I. Obviously, then, I think I even have a better chance. And then, you know, when she came up to my hut that day, I mean she's walking up the stairs, usually when she's with me there's a, like, big smile and she starts laughing, you know. And she's walking those stairs and I saw her face and I was like, oh-oh. I think I don't think this is going to go too well.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOWWhile he's had nearly three months to heal given The Bachelorette's sixth-season finale was filmed in early May, Lambton said watching Monday night's broadcast was still uncomfortable.
"Like watching last night was, is very strange. I'm not going to lie. And it just felt like, just hurt again, you know, even though it was obviously taped. So, you know, I definitely had some emotions coming back last night and it's hard to watch," he told reporters.
"Going into [the show], I didn't really know what to expect. I mean, I never watched the show before so I wasn't really, you know, up on it. I never really thought about how far I'd make on the show and how deep I was getting, you know, feelings-wise, emotion-wise. And, you know, when I actually got as far as you can get without, you know, ending up engaged, you know, watching that all again was -- it was very difficult. And, you know, especially last night, that was very hard to watch. It was."
However Lambton said he is ready to start dating again.
"I'm always ready for the perfect girl to come into my life," he told reporters.
"This show did not make me a skeptic of love. You know, it just made me realize that you know what, I just need to keep looking and love is out there for me. I just need to find it."
Lambton to reporters he's overwhelmed by overtures from other women interested in dating him.
"I get a lot of letters in the mail and people will stop by and like, yesterday, someone put a rose in my front porch with a note that said, 'If Ali doesn't give you her rose, will you accept mine?'" he said.
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"I can't fathom it. I can't wrap my head around it because, you know, it's amazing. It really is. I'm like... yesterday, I went down to the beach after work at like 4 o'clock with my brother and my dad and the next thing I know, there was literally 50 people around me like taking pictures and just like, want to give me a hug and [ask] 'Will take a picture with my little kid?' he said.
"You know, it's really hard to grasp. It's amazing but, you know, I love that its love coming towards me, you know? It's surreal. I can't even describe it to tell you the truth."
But Lambton hasn't been the only member of the family getting attention from female The Bachelorette viewers interested in dating him.
"I've gotten nothing but positive response for me and actually you know what, my dad's probably gotten as many letters and e-mails asking him out as I've gotten asking me out,' he said.
Although Fedotowsky chose Martinez over him, Lambton said he expects to remain friends with the couple.
"Honestly, I talked to Roberto probably every week since the show ended and I told him and I told Ali after the final rose, I said, 'You know what, I know that the three of us should be lifelong friends and hang out as much as we can,'" he told reporters. "I think Ali's an amazing special girl and Roberto is one of my better friends from the show and there's no doubt in my mind that [we] won't be hanging out relatively soon."
Lambton also believes the couple will remain together and despite the reality dating franchise's poor relationship record, which has produced only two marriages in its 19 previous editions.
"I think it actually will [last]. From the moment that Roberto came back after his first date, like he was like kind of starry-eyed and, you know, when she looked at him, As of Turkey, I thought, you know, they really going to be the final pair," he said.
"It's just something when she walks in the room. Like, the two of them would kind of light up when they saw each other, and that's something you can't really hide. I think they'll hide it a little bit on cameras, maybe, but it just seems like they were really, really in love."
About The Author: Steven Rogers
