Jacqueline Trumbull has been the only woman to dump Arie Luyendyk Jr. on The Bachelor so far this season, and her decision to leave apparently hit him really hard.
ADVERTISEMENT
"To be honest, I didn't sleep much that night. I reflected on my relationship with Jacqueline and wondered where things could've gone differently," Arie wrote in his People blog.
After Arie's one-on-one date with Becca Kufrin in Tuscany, Italy, the 36-year-old pro racing driver and real estate agent went back to his hotel room and opened a bottle of red wine to unwind when he heard a knock on the door.
"I was shocked to see Jacqueline when I opened the door. My breakup with Jacqueline was one of the most emotional moments in my time on The Bachelor," Arie admitted.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' SPOILERS: ARIE LUYENDYK JR.'S WINNER, RUNNER-UP PICK, AND FINAL 4 -- PLUS IS HE STILL ENGAGED TO HIS FINAL BACHELORETTE?!
ADVERTISEMENT
"Getting broken up with always sucks, especially when it's someone you're as into as I was into Jacqueline. She's so smart, interesting, and funny -- and we'd just had so much fun in Paris."
Jacqueline entered Arie's room composed, and she started off by gushing about how the Bachelor had swept her off her feet. Jacqueline said she was falling for Arie, but then she confessed she wasn't confident enough in her feelings to invite him to her hometown and meet her family.
Arie was surprised and disappointed to hear that Jacqueline struggled to see herself with Arie in Scottsdale, AZ, after the show. Despite being "outrageously attracted" to Arie, she wasn't convinced they were right for each other, and so she kissed him goodbye.
"I knew that our lives were completely different and that an engagement may be difficult, but that didn't mean I was ready to say goodbye," Arie said of the 26-year-old research coordinator living in New York who has yet to complete her education and obtain a Ph.D. in clinical psychology.
"I was developing such strong feelings for her and thought that we really had a chance of making things work. I'll never forget her nervous, shaky hands during our first kiss, or her thoughtful gestures during our little moments together on group dates. She's truly a one-of-a-kind woman."
ADVERTISEMENT
When Arie and Jacqueline parted ways in Tuscany, the Bachelor let her know she was welcome back any time if she came to regret her decision to leave.
"One thing you didn't see was that after she left, I went and visited the other women in their suite. I wanted to express my sadness about Jacqueline's departure and remind them how seriously I was taking this journey," Arie wrote in his blog.
"I told them if they were ever having doubts in our relationship to let me know... I also now had new fears about the status of my other relationships. Would any of them also choose to leave? I resolved to not let the Jacqueline breakup affect my date with Lauren Burnham the next day."
On Wednesday afternoon, almost two days after the last Bachelor episode aired, Jacqueline shared a photo of Arie and herself on Instagram with a touching caption that paid tribute to their romance.
"'I do feel like I found love on The Bachelor, just maybe not the right love.' It's so rare to be right for each other forever, but we were right for that month or so, and sometimes a relationship can be just right without ending in marriage," Jacqueline wrote.
ADVERTISEMENT
"We had something special, and it was a joy to watch (maybe minus the deluge of tears). Thank you for always making me feel respected and cherished. I wish you all the best, Arie."
Going into the next The Bachelor broadcast, Arie has four ladies in the running for his heart: Becca, Lauren, Kendall Long, and Tia Booth.
Interested in more The Bachelor news? Join our The Bachelor Facebook Group!
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski