'The Bachelor' star Chris Soules sends Megan Bell home, narrows his love search to six women

The Bachelor star Chris Soules eliminated Megan Bell, a 23-year-old makeup artist from Nashville, TN, during the ABC reality dating series' seventh episode Sunday night.


Chris sent Megan home before the Rose Ceremony because he had a lot of respect for her and wanted to let her down gently. He noted that other relationships were moving faster and his gut told him that Megan wasn't "the one" for him. After ousting Megan, Chris decided to cancel the next Rose Ceremony entirely because he wanted to take all the remaining girls to Iowa.

"I think everything happens for a reason and not a moment did I take for granted with Chris, so I respect his honesty in the end. We would probably fall in love if he had more time, but because of the circumstances, he just has to go with his gut, and you know, that's -- I don't blame him. I trust him. I respect that. It's been a while since I've been proud of myself and I'm proud of myself," Megan said in the limo.

Chris told the other bachelorettes that Megan was one of the nicest people he's ever met and it was brutal to break her heart.

After host Chris Harrison revealed there would still be a Rose Ceremony, Carly Waddell was convinced she was going home. However, the Bachelor wanted to drop the Rose Ceremony and take all the girls to Iowa. Carly was thrilled to stick around for at least one more week, and Britt Nilsson noted she felt "really honored" to be invited to Chris' hometown.


Once in Iowa, the girls' first date card arrived. Jade Roper received a one-on-one. Jade was the first girl this season to snag a second one-on-one, and she could tell the other girls were "cranky and jealous." Jade learned that she'd be going to Chris' home in Arlington.

Becca Tilley said in a confessional that no one could top the significance of Jade's date considering she'll get to share something with Chris that it so important and personal.

Chris gave Jade a tour of his actual home in Arlington. She got to see the large farm and realized living there would be quite the adjustment. She was overwhelmed by the "ghost town" and questioned whether she could really envision her life there since it was so isolated and tiny. There were only two or three businesses actually opened and Chris explained that not many jobs were available. There were no cars on the streets, restaurants, bars or coffee shops.

Jade could tell Chris had an insecurity about his small-town home and life. For the first time, she sort of understood why.

The Bachelor then took Jade to a high school football game, where he had so many memories. She met his parents at the game and knew that was huge. Chris gave Jade a tour of his high school and was waiting for her to really come out of her shell. They kissed in the hallways and Jade admitted high school was a little rough for her -- yet she didn't really explain why. Chris was waiting to see Jade's wild side.


Meanwhile, Britt felt "shaken" and told the cameras she had no idea the process was going to be this hard. Whitney Bischoff then discovered she'd be accompanying Chris on the week's other one-on-one date, which the bachelorettes thought belonged to Kaitlyn Bristowe. Kaitlyn's previous one-on-one date was shared with Jimmy Kimmel and she was desperate for more time with Chris.

Back on Jade's date, she said in a confessional she was hiding something from Chris that needed to be revealed and discussed soon. She was scared to tell him that she had previously modeled nude for Playboy.

After experiencing how much everything meant to Chris, Jade became giddy about their relationship and started believing in small-town values. She liked the sense of community and it put her heart and head in a better place. During the football game, the crowd chanted "kiss Chris" and so the pair kissed right in the middle of the field. Jade expressed how it was one of the most amazing moments of her life and she was falling in love with Chris.

Jade told Chris afterwards to be proud of where he came from and not to feel bad about it. Chris was very happy with Jade and appreciative of her kind words. He thought she'd really like living in Arlington and got excited about their potential future.

The next day, Chris brought Whitney to an art gallery in Des Moines. He said she had talked a lot about moving to Iowa, so he was ready to show her what life was like there. The couple explored the city and took pictures of themselves at different locations to document their journey to love.


Meanwhile, Jade was sharing the details of her date with the other bachelorettes and Britt started crying. Carly insisted that Britt acted like she was The Bachelorette star and had to be No. 1 at all times. The group of girls then decided to take a road trip to Arlington so they could see what it was like for themselves.

Britt's mouth dropped open at the sight and she called the town "depressing." However, she said a sunset made her change her mind on the ride home. Carly wasn't buying it and called Britt "one of the fakest people" she's ever met. Carly insisted Britt was flat out lying.

During Whitney's date, Chris became convinced she was always genuine and open about her feelings. Whitney said things just felt right when she was with Chris and she was comfortable around him. She hoped to share the pictures they had taken that day with their children. Whitney was beginning to fall in love. She then met three of Chris' best friends at a bar and got along with them beautifully. Whitney had told them she'd have no reservations about moving to Iowa.

At the hotel, Chris' bachelorettes received the group date card. Britt, Carly and Kaitlyn would be going ice skating with the Bachelor. Becca therefore didn't get a date at all.

On Chris and Whitney's date, Whitney had won the hearts of his friends over. She knew it was serious and Chris was thrilled about how Whitney had handled herself. In preparing him for her hometown visit, Whitney revealed to the Bachelor her mother had died 10 years ago and she has no relationship with her father. Chris was amazed by her strength. Whitney explained it was important to her that she marry a man with great parents because she has none.


Chris then surprised Whitney with a giant mural on a wall featuring one of the photographs they had taken that day. It was a beautiful painting and Whitney was just completely taken aback. She said it was the most remarkable day of her life, and Chris told the cameras he could definitely see himself spending the rest of his life with Whitney. Chris noted that Whitney made him want to be a better man, "no question." 

"I can honestly say that I fell in love tonight -- in a moment -- when I said it could never happen... You can't fall in love in a moment. It's just not realistic. At one point, you can't say, 'Oh yes, right now!' But it was right now," Whitney told the cameras.

Back at the hotel, Jade talked to Carly about her Playboy past. Jade worried Chris wouldn't appreciate that behavior from his future wife. She wanted to tell him first before any of his family or friends could find out from other people or online. Jade knew people could be very judgmental, so she feared Chris' reaction. Jade confessed to Carly she regrets doing it at times because it affected her family and relationships. Carly was shocked and figured Chris wouldn't take the news well.

The following day, Britt, Kaitlyn and Carly went ice skating with Chris. Britt was the first to pull Chris aside to reveal they had visited Arlington. Britt said although the place seemed really small at first, she felt alive there and fell in love with it. Britt called it beautiful and told Chris she "really liked it." Carly thought Britt was lying right to Chris' face, and it appeared Britt was at least exaggerating about her fondness of Arlington.

Britt told the Bachelor she could see them starting a family there and Chris was just thrilled assuming they'd have a very special and wonderful life together. He believed Britt was just a very dynamic person. Carly, on the other hand, was fuming. She worried that if Chris selected Britt in the end, he'd certainly get hurt. And Carly ended up telling Chris just that.


Carly told Chris he wasn't getting "the real Britt" and it was freaking her out. Carly felt protective of Chris because of how much she liked him. She told him to be careful because she knew how much he liked her. Chris called it "a bomb" and it hurt him to think Britt had been lying about her intentions. Chris confessed he'd be "absolutely crushed" if Britt had lied to him.

That night, Chris took matters into his own hands and asked Britt what her first impression of Arlington was. Chris was hoping her story would match up with what Carly had said, how Britt never saw herself in Arlington until she flippantly changed her mind later on. Britt said she could reinvent herself in Arlington with a new wholesome and positive lifestyle she'd like to try. 

Britt insisted to Chris that she never had a "no way I could live here moment" even though Arlington was a shock at first. Britt wanted Chris and knew the farm was part of the package, so she was ready for anything. Britt explained that no matter where she lived, she wants to be a mom. Chris liked that answer and they kissed.

Meanwhile, Kaitlyn told the cameras that Britt was just fooling herself because she was confused and doesn't know what she wants. She hoped Chris was smart enough to see through that. She claimed that Britt was molding herself into the person Chris wanted her to be.

Kaitlyn then started to panic and became frustrated. She told Chris that it was time for him to meet her family yet they spent very little time together. Kaitlyn, however, was sure they had a strong connection. She just didn't like how she felt she was "always playing catch-up." Kaitlyn pointed out that the other girls had met important people in his life -- like his parents, sisters or friends.

Chris reassured Kaitlyn that she had "killed it in the first two weeks" and he felt "good" about where they were at. He didn't want her to struggle with her emotions going into the hometown dates, so he opted to give her the group date's rose. Chris explained that he felt like the luckiest guy in the world to be dating her and he felt honored about getting the chance to meet her family. Kaitlyn teared up a little bit and said Chris was making her "soft." 


When Chris returned to the group with Kaitlyn, Britt and Carly were staring at them with envy and fury in their eyes. Britt was just nodding her head repeatedly in a strange manner with a pissed-off look on her face. 

Britt announced that although she loved Kaitlyn, she was confused and "really, really hurt" that Chris gave her the validation she so badly needed before introducing the Bachelor to her family. Britt said that would be a very significant moment in her life and she didn't want to feel like she was second, third or fourth behind other girls for his heart. Britt wanted her future husband to want her badly in return.

Chris was a little surprised by Britt's actions, saying it was an extremely tough decision for him to make but it didn't change anything going forward. Chris and Britt had an awkward exchange about whether she should stay there, and after determining she should, Chris said he didn't know what Britt wanted from him. Chris didn't want to continue the conversation in front of the other girls out of respect for them, so he chose to leave the room.

Kaitlyn told Britt her outburst had made her feel uncomfortable, and Britt apologized in reply. Britt just wanted to feel safe with the man she intended to introduce to her father.

Carly laughed at the display and told the cameras she was glad Chris finally got to see Britt's "true colors." Carly said Chris learning the truth meant more to her than receiving the group-date rose. The episode concluded with Britt feeling very vulnerable. Her fellow bachelorettes were convinced she wouldn't recover in her relationship with Chris.






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski