The Bachelorette star Emily Maynard sent three more bachelors packing during last night's broadcast of the ABC reality dating series' eighth season.
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"I came here for a once in a lifetime opportunity. I'm ready to find someone and fall in love. Emily, it just wasn't with her. I want to love someone and I wanted to be loved back 100% percent -- 100% percent I want to find someone, get married, have kids -- that's exactly what I want. It wasn't here, it wasn't now, and there was a chance that it would be her, and I took that chance," Kyle said following his ouster.
"I came out here, I put my life on hold and said, 'You know what? I'm going to go for it.' I totally should've opened up more and taken it more seriously, and now I'm going home. When you get your heart broken, it's the worst feeling in the world."
The Bachelorette's second eighth-season episode began with host Chris Harrison telling the 19 remaining bachelors there would be two one-on-one dates and one group date over the course of the next week. There would be a rose up for grabs during each -- and if the bachelors on the one-on-one dates failed to receive a rose, they would be ousted immediately.
Ryan, a 31-year-old pro sports trainer from Augusta, GA, then learned he would be accompanying Emily on the week's first one-on-one date in Charlotte, NC and he was really excited. However, Kalon, a 27-year-old luxury brand consultant from Houston, TX, was jealous over Ryan's opportunity and didn't want to see him end up with a rose.
"I don't know much about Ryan yet. He seems like a very nice gentleman, but he makes me a little bit nervous just because he's so good looking. I mean, the last guy that I really dated was [Brad Womack], and crazy good looking, we all know how that turned out. So, we'll see," Emily said.
Ryan had a feeling their date was going to be something "incredibly special," like a hot-air balloon ride, for example. However, Emily admitted their date was going to be completely different from The Bachelorette's normal standards, and it wasn't going to be very glamorous.
Ryan soon found out he was going to help Emily bring in the groceries and then bake cookies with her for Ricki's soccer team. Emily could tell Ryan was a little uncomfortable with the plans at first, but she thought he was being a good sport.
"You don't watch The Bachelor and think you're going to be cooking cookies on the first date, but I'm willing to do most anything for Emily," Ryan said.
"We're hanging out in her kitchen and I'm thinking to myself, 'This is exactly what life could be like if I was a part of her life. Making cookies can be romantic. Me helping her with her day to day life and her seeing that I can step in and be a part of what she does everyday, there's romance in that."
Meanwhile, the bachelors at the mansion talked about at what stage of the competition Emily might introduce Ricki to her suitors. Some guys believed she'd let Ricki meet the Final 2, while others disagreed and thought it wouldn't happen until there was only one man standing.
Back on Emily's date, Ryan was very pleased with how the date was going but Emily didn't let him meet her daughter when she had to drop off cookies and juice boxes to her soccer team.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOW"I absolutely respect the fact that she asked me to sit in the car. I don't think that just anybody should be introduced to her daughter at any point -- even if just as a friend. Today's going great. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to be taken away on a jet or whatever else, on these big adventures, but to be a part of her day, that's a great honor to have that with Emily Maynard. I'm so lucky to be here in this situation. I'm game for whatever she has planned," Ryan said.
When Emily returned, she thanked Ryan for being so cool about their date, knowing it probably wasn't what he had initially expected.
After getting ready, Emily and Ryan went to dinner and were greeted outside of the restaurant by local fans of Emily, who were cheering them on and hoping to catch a glimpse of her bachelor. During their meal, Ryan told Emily he had been in two important relationships and said he really liked to pursue special women.
Emily wondered when the "cat and mouse" game was going to end for him and get to the point where he'd be happy in a settled, committed relationship. Ryan felt she came out with some tough questions right off the bat, but he appreciated her honesty and told her that unfortunately, some guys would view The Bachelorette as a competition and her as its prize.
However, he guaranteed her that he wanted to show her who he really was and was looking for somebody who was going to make him a better person and inspire him. Ryan then asked Emily if she'd be open to allowing a man to come into her life and treat Ricki the same way he would if they had other children together. Emily said she'd love letting a man become the boss a little bit and have some control although she would have the ultimately say.
Meanwhile, back at the Charlotte mansion, the other 18 men learned that 12 of them would have to share the group date with Emily.
Alessandro, a 30-year-old grain merchant from St. Paul, MN; Alejandro, a 25-year-old mushroom farmer from San Francisco, CA; Tony, a 31-year-old lumber trader from Beaverton, OR; Michael, a 26-year-old rehab counselor from Austin, TX; and John "Wolf," a 30-year-old data destruction specialist from St. Louis, MO, would be accompanying Emily on the week's group date.
The other men who were selected for the group date included: Kalon, Kyle; Aaron; Chris, a 25-year-old corporate sales director from Chicago, IL; Stevie, a 26-year-old party MC from Staten Island, NJ; Charlie, a 32-year-old recruiter from Nashville, TN; and Jef, a 27-year-old entrepreneur from Salt Lake City, UT.
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Back on Emily's date, Ryan told her he thought she was most beautiful in her everyday setting and "mommy clothes" making cookies.
"I really do like Ryan, but I'm just worried that he's too perfect. He reminds me of Brad in that way and obviously that didn't work out for me, but I really do want to end up with somebody, and I know that the only way that's going to happen, is by taking some chances," Emily explained.
Emily was then more than willing to offer Ryan the date's rose.
"I just really like you a lot and I feel comfortable around you, and this could not have been a more perfect first date for me. Ryan, would you please accept this rose?" Emily asked him.
Ryan gladly accepted the rose and thought it was an incredible gesture. He asked her to make things tough for him throughout the competition, and she said he was in for a "chase."
Afterward, the band Gloriana played for the couple and they danced on a platform above a whole Charlotte crowd. Ryan told her she looked beautiful, and Emily told the cameras afterward that she could see a future with him and she thought the date was perfect.
The next day, Emily told the guys they'd be doing some performing -- including singing, dancing and comedy to raise money for charity -- a children's hospital in Charlotte. The guys then discovered they'd be working with The Muppets. Tony was a big fan, while Charlie was kind of dreading being onstage.
"Being out there by myself in front of strangers, and knowing my insecurities about speaking, it really struck fear in my heart," Charlie explained, referencing how he had been through speech therapy following a serious accident in which he fell off a 15-foot balcony and suffered a head injury.
While all the guys rehearsed, Charlie sought out Emily to talk. He admitted he had a speech problem and his insecurities prevented him from being capable of performing in front of people. Charlie said he was confident in himself as a person but just wasn't comfortable with public speaking. He said he'd be more than willing to dance in the show, and Emily was supportive. She told him it was all about having fun, and if he wasn't doing that, it defeated the purpose of the date.
As a result, Emily said it was perfectly fine with her if he opted out of the stand-up comedy routine.
When it became time for the performance, the guys had a huge audience watching, and Emily's mom and daughter were amongst the viewers. During the show, the bachelors were joined by Miss Piggy, Kermit the Frog, Fonzie, etc.
Emily felt like "a proud mama" watching Charlie step out of his comfort zone and perform in front of a big audience. The guys also believed Charlie stepped up his game and really came through in the end. Also during the performance, Ricki got to go up onstage and sing with The Muppets in Emily's arms.
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Later that night, the guys enjoyed some drinks and relaxed, and Chris was the first man to pull Emily aside for a conversation. She flattered him by telling him he was very good looking, and then she went off to talk to Jef. Emily wondered if Jef was playing hard to get or whether he just wasn't into her. Emily admitted she needed some reassurance just like all the guys did.
After Jef calmed her fears, Emily said she saw a little bit of herself in him when comparing how they both initially reacted to the reality dating experience. The talk apparently meant a lot to Jef and left him feeling great.
Meanwhile, the suitors who got left behind at the mansion learned the person who would be joining Emily on the week's second one-on-one date and third date overall. Joe then discovered it would be his turn to get to know Emily and he was "pumped and thrilled."
During the group date, Kalon was beginning to see that some of the guys wanted to spend more time with each other in a "frat house" setting than Emily. Kalon then spoke to Emily in private, but it was very short and sweet because Aaron quickly stole her away. Kalon was frustrated he didn't get at least two more minutes with her, but he said he wasn't going to conduct himself poorly and engage in confrontation.
Afterward, Stevie and Kalon kind of got into it, because it seemed like everything Kalon did got on Stevie's last nerve. After bickering, Stevie just came out and told Kalon flat out that he disliked him.
Around that same time, Emily made up her mind about who to give the date's rose to. She then offered it to Jef, and Chris was very "bummed" because he thought there was no chance Emily's conversation with Jef could've measured up to his own with her.
The next day, Emily embarked on her date with Joe and she planned to have a fun, "over the top" date with him. The couple first hopped in a small jet and traveled to West Virginia, Emily's home state. Emily thought Joe had a "kind spirit" about him, and she chose to bring him to the Greenbrier, which was a hotel and spa where she spend much of her childhood with her parents. Emily gave him a little tour and then the pair went swimming in the pool.
Back at the mansion, Kalon was stirring up even more trouble unintentionally and told Doug he "put being a dad on hold." Doug was extremely insulted and offended and immediately asked for an apology. Doug said he rearranged and changed his whole life for his son, and that it was actually his son who suggested he compete on the show and get out of the house to begin with.
Kalon made the comment after Doug discussed with the guys whether they were truly ready to step up and be a father figure to someone else's child. He made it clear that Emily's main concern was Ricki, and that her heart belonged to her daughter first and foremost. Doug explained he understood the feeling because he had his 11-year-old son Austin waiting back at home for him.
Meanwhile, during the latter portion of Joe and Emily date, Joe escorted Emily to a fancy dinner. She said Joe had some wonderful qualities but was anticipating finding a spark that hadn't developed yet. Emily thought he was sweet and he made her feel comfortable, and then she asked him where he saw himself in five years.
Joe said he simply wanted happiness, but his vague goal for the near future and vision of what his life might be like seemed to disappoint Emily. Although Joe told Emily he'd pack his bags and go wherever she wanted him to go to start a life together if she was to choose him in the end, Emily still didn't seem completely satisfied.
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While Emily was clearly contemplating their connection, Joe told her he hoped to return to the same spot one day with Ricki and meet her parents. She thought it was a beautiful wish, but unfortunately, she didn't see that ever happening and began to cry.
"I've had such a great night with you," Emily told Joe.
"Really?" Joe asked.
"I'm sorry," Emily continued in tears.
"No, it's okay," Joe said.
"I take this all really seriously. I appreciate more than I can say how much you put yourself out there," Emily said.
"It's fine. Is there a 'but' coming in here?" a deflated Joe questioned.
"I want the person I'm going to be with to -- I want to see where I fit in within their life, and I don't know if I do. I don't know where I fit in in your life. I don't know where my daughter fits in in your life," Emily explained.
"I get it. We can part ways now," Joe told her.
"I want you to know that I didn't want to hurt anybody. You are so wonderful," Emily told Joe as she walked him to the limo.
"It was a great opportunity, thank you so much," Joe said.
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"I wish it was going so bad that he had an idea that it wasn't going to happen. He did nothing wrong, it's just, we're not looking for the same thing. As much as I want him to be the right fit for me, I know that I'm not the right fit for him -- as sad as that makes me, it's the truth. But he was so nice and so sweet and I feel really bad. It's just a true testament to what high hopes I had for tonight," Emily explained.
"I don't worry that it's not the right decision. I just didn't know it was going to hurt this bad. It's hard for me to say that this is going to work, but I trust my faith and everything else to know that I'm not going to get engaged again and not have it be the real thing. That's what this is all about."
The next night, the cocktail party preceding the Rose Ceremony took place, so each of them bachelors would have one last chance to steal some personal time with Emily. The men who did not get a one-on-one date or group date with Emily were especially on edge, because they didn't want to be sent home without a fair shot to get to know her.
Arie, a 30-year-old race car driver from Scottsdale, AZ, was the first person to talk to her, and he was looking to gain some quality time due to the fact he didn't get a date throughout the week. Arie told her he had dated a woman with two children before and knew it was a lot to handle. Emily told Arie he was special and that he made her nervous.
Meanwhile, Tony was worried about getting "crucial time" with her. When he finally got up the courage to approach her, Ryan beat her to the chase and gave her a long heartfelt letter to read. Emily had to read it while Tony was standing right there listening. Emily said it was a beautiful letter but Ryan probably could've picked a better time to give it to her since it was extremely long and Tony was waiting uncomfortably nearby.
"I've waited a long time to have some alone time with Emily, and it's something I wouldn't normally do, but I really need to talk to her," Tony said. "Tonight, I just want to explain myself. I want to talk to Emily and I want to tell her about my son, because it hasn't come up yet and it's the biggest thing I want her to know about me."
Afterward, Tony was thankful to get his alone time with Emily, and he told her a little bit about his five-year-old son Taylor. He told Emily it was hard to leave him, but he needed to see if the whole experience could be worth it due to the fact he really wanted to find love. After their conversation, Tony felt confident he'd receive a rose.
Kalon told cameras he was "painted the outcast" of the group but would continue fighting for Emily because she was the whole reason he came on the show. He then snagged her for some one-on-one time and told her he didn't normally date women his age, as he was 26-years-old, because they tended to have different interests and priorities.
Emily said he seemed very mature, and Kalon joked that he felt he was a grown man trapped in a young man's body. While Kalon and Emily seemed to be hitting it off, the other bachelors were annoyed with him and felt he was a bit of a "rich snob" who often used his strong vocabulary and articulation to impress others, especially Emily.
The Bachelorette's second eighth-season Rose Ceremony then commenced.
Emily had 14 roses to hand out. Besides Ryan and Jef, she gave roses to Kalon; Arie; Michael; Nate, a 25-year-old accountant from Los Angeles, CA; Sean, a 28-year-old insurance agent from Dallas, TX; Chris; Doug; Travis, a 30-year-old advertising sales representative from Madison, MS; Tony; John; Alessandro; Charlie; Alejandro; and Stevie.
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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
