The Bachelorette star Katie Thurston has revealed why she decided to give her First Impression Rose to the shy and nervous Greg Grippo.
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"What I loved about Greg is he was just true to himself, which was this very nervous, very uncomfortable guy," Katie, 30, told Us Weekly in an interview.
"He didn't try and act cool or, like, be this guy that he's not. He was just like, 'This is me and I'm really freaking scared.' And I thought it was really endearing, you know?"
Katie explained how Greg seemed to have many layers that she wanted to peel back.
"I could tell as long as he opened up, there was something more there," Katie shared.
"And so I thought, you know, giving him the First Impression Rose would give him that validation of, 'I'm into you. Let's figure this out.'"
Once Greg stepped out of a limo on the show's premiere, he told Katie when they met that she's the type of girl he'd approach at a bar and he was so happy to have her as the Bachelorette.
Katie muttered something along the lines of, "He looks like my next boyfriend," after their conversation.
During the cocktail reception, Greg gifted Katie a macaroni necklace created by his niece, and he revealed that he's going to become an uncle of eight nieces and nephews soon.
Katie could tell Greg was really on edge, and he acknowledged he was just trying to be present with her.
"There is something that's sticking out about him," Katie said of Greg.
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Katie later offered Greg her first rose of the evening, and he appeared surprised and ecstatic.
"I appreciate you opening up... I do feel something is there, and once we can get past those nerves, I feel like a great guy is under there!" Katie explained, hoping to give Greg some validation and confidence.
Greg kissed Katie after receiving the rose, and he said he couldn't wait to spend more time with her.
"I can't believe I got this! I can't believe I just got this!... I am so in it," Greg exclaimed while blushing. "Let's do it!"
By the end of Katie's first night as the Bachelorette, she eliminated seven bachelors and narrowed down her pool to 23 suitors.
While it's possible Katie may fall in love with Greg, she told Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest during Monday night's episode of Live with Kelly and Ryan, "I definitely fall in love more than once."
Katie insisted it's "absolutely" possible to love more than one person at one time.
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Ryan therefore asked Katie if she had found "lasting love" on the show.
Katie smiled, shrugged her shoulders and replied, "That has yet to be determined!"
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Katie's entire The Bachelorette season was taped at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico with quarantine and COVID-19 safety measures in place, according to Reality Steve spoiler blogger Steve Carbone.
Filming reportedly began on March 22 and concluded about a week "ahead of schedule" on April 24.
"Katie was in control and made sure the men she wanted were there and the men she wasn't interested in, she sent packing," an insider revealed to Us in late April.
After taping The Bachelorette, Katie returned to Instagram on April 28 and hinted at how she had started "a healthy relationship."
"Can't start a healthy relationship without being healthy," Katie captioned a video of herself getting the coronavirus vaccine, hinting that she may have found love on The Bachelorette this year.
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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
