It’s time to hit up the boys’ hometowns and Emily can see all four of the remaining guys in her life with Ricki.
Emily’s especially excited for Chris’. He’s someone she’s been connected with since the beginning.
But then there’s Jef who’s so “unique and special” and unlike anybody. When she’s with him the entire world disappears. He would be a great husband and best dad. And she feels like she’d be having fun every day of her life with him.
But then there’s Arie who from her first day with him she’s had an immediate connection. He has a bad boy edge and youthful spirit. Guys like him are hard to find and fer future with Arie would be wonderful, and she’s knows she’d be with someone that would adore her forever.
But then there’s Sean who makes her feel safe and taken care of. She knows who Sean is in her heart, and she’s falling in love with him. He is a gentleman and has the best heart.
If all goes well during the hometown dates, she could be really in love with one of them—if not all.
First stop: Chicago, Illinois. It’s a part of Chris’ life she’ll be meeting. “My family is such a big part of my life. And I’m in my element,” Chris says feeling confident about the day. She wants to see how things progress with Chris after she meets his family. And Chris just knows that he and Emily would “have a fantastic life here.”
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We find out that Chris is first generation Polish immigrant. Both his parents have accents. As Emily and Chris dine in a Polish bar-restaurant, they talk about his emotions during the last Rose Ceremony. She likes that he had the guts to show his emotions. “He’s not scared of falling in love and he can admit when he’s wrong. Which is huge,” Emily says of the situation. Oh, and he’s also a mamma’s boy. “I’m kind of going into this blind today,” Emily says nervously. She hasn’t really met a lot of parents.
Chris’ dad is worried about his son getting his heart broken. His sister is even more apprehensive. She doesn’t want Emily to drag it out if Chris isn’t the one. She wants it done “sooner rather than later.” Chris’ mother tells him he needs to “kick ass” and fight if he’s really ready to settle down with Emily. He means the world to his mother.
“After today, it makes it easy for me to say that I am in love with you,” Chris admits to Emily as they kiss goodbye at the day’s end. It’s emotional. “I didn’t expect to see a different side of Chris,” Emily says of meeting Chris’ family. She’s worried that if every hometown ends as perfect as her day with Chris, she’s in big trouble.
In Salt Lake City, Utah, Emily’s in for a surprise. It’s Jef’s ranch that she’ll be spending the day at. “Jef surprises me all the time.” She never pictured him in the country but she was hoping that he wasn’t all ‘city’. They play skeet shooting. “Who know Jef in his skinny jeans had such a good shot,” Emily gushes. She adds: “I’m nervous because I don’t want to totally suck or drop the gun or something.” She hits the target on her first shot and then admits she actually takes gun lessons regularly. “Emily looks so hot holding a gun,” Jef says baffled.
The day’s going well but he could break up with her if his family doesn’t approve of her. It’s just his siblings because his parents are in South Carolina doing charity work. He’s nervous talking to Emily about a girl he previously broke up with because of his family—he keeps playing with her skirt. “It’s going to be tough,” Emily says. “If Jef’s family doesn’t like me, it could be the end of Emily and Jef.”
Jef’s brother questions Emily about whether her and Jef are fundamentally the same. “Love isn’t an investment, it’s an adventure,” he says. He is also skeptical that Jef isn’t ready for what being with Emily is asking for. But Jef does want it, and his brother is confident that she’s the mellow to his upbeat-ness; they are complements.
His sisters are skeptical of Jef getting his heart broken. “My biggest fear is that when this is all over and me and Jef end up together that he isn’t ready to get married and have kids,” Emily responds to their skepticism. When the question of who will move where if Emily chooses Jef comes up. “I would go anywhere if I could give those things to her” Emily answers referring to the family and life that she’d like to provide Ricki with. Julie, one of the sisters, says “I think my parents would love her.” Rest assured, today is not the last day of Emily and Jef.
At the end of the day, Jef reads a letter he wrote on the plane from Prague. “I love that you want a cute little family, hopefully with me,” Jef reads. He’s “completely and hopelessly” in love with her. His list was adorable and my heart throbbed as Emily tried to hold back tears. “I love that he is so humble and confident and kind of cocky which is such a contradiction,” Emily says with emotion.
And then there’s Arie. When Emily arrives in Scottsdale, Arizona, Arie is racing around a racetrack. “He looked so hot,” Emily says about Arie when he emerged from the racecar. He plans on taking her for a ride. “If it was anybody other than Arie I would not do it,” Emily states very seriously. “She’s always more beautiful than I imagine,” Arie says a little confounded. She does pull off the racetrack suit pretty well. “This is a dream come true to share this part of my life with Emily.” They’ve shared an intimate moment and Emily’s demonstrated an immense amount of trust in Arie.
But Arie’s a little worried. His parents are so European and she’s “all-American”. He shares his passion for racing with his dad who was also a race car driver. “The person I have to win over is my mother,” he tells Emily. But he wants to work as a team with Emily. It’s important that he lets his mother know how he feels about Emily.
Things get a little awkward when his mother starts speaking in Dutch and Arie’s dad lets Emily know that they are talking about her. But Arie handles the situation and cuts everyone off: it’s time to speak English. And it’s time for Arie’s mother to grill Emily with questions about her past experience on The Bachelor and her relationship with Brad. “I didn’t ask the questions that I should have,” Emily explains. She never asked if her and Brad were the same fundamentally. She tries to reassure the mother that she’s doing better this time and asking the right questions.
And Emily’s got her own worries to ask of Arie’s mother. Is Arie capable of balancing his life as a race car driver and being part of a family? The mother’s answer: she’s been married to a racecar driver for 31 years, they are proof it can work. “I can’t wait for her to choose him and for them to be together,” she expresses happily. Meanwhile, Arie tells his dad that he’s ready to propose to Emily. His dad hopes he makes it to the end.
“Everything I felt was just confirmed.” Emily is happy about how the day went. This was a huge step in their relationship: they now have Arie’s parent’s approval. “Today has definitely changed my life,” Arie says. “I’m ready to ask her into marriage.”
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But not so soon. First Emily needs to make a trip to Colleyville, Texas, Sean’s hometown. “Emily gets to see me in my environment,” Sean says. It’s been years since his family has met a girl he’s been seeing. Today is a big day. “Our lives could blend together very easily,” Emily comments. He’s the perfect guy. She pictures a perfect family and perfect house. It makes her nervous. She doesn’t want his family to expect perfection from her. His last minute tips: “Be yourself.”
Everything turns serious. Sean has something to admit: “I still live here.”
What. He lives at home? Emily is shocked. He brings her to his room—it’s dirty. He introduces her to all of his animals. She’s horrified and rethinking through everything. Until finally, Sean announces it’s all a big farce. Apparently his family is not only perfect but has an enormous sense of humor.
Sean confides in his dad that he’s learned a ton about himself through this whole journey. “There’s something magical going on here,” according to his dad. Sean has never told his father about anyone but has confided in him about Emily. “Every time I hang out with him I find something else I like about him,” Emily tells his dad. “If she chooses him, I don’t know if my heart can take it all,” his dad says teary-eyed. Sean’s mother reminds him that Emily is looking for a long term relationship.
“It feels much more real and marriage is a possibility here,” Sean concludes. “Everybody said that they see her as a part of this family.”
That being said, I don’t think his kisses are improving. They’re just too tongue-y. I should not be able to see his tongue! And after their goodbye kiss, he wants another. He chases her down as she’s driving away (this reminds me of Prague). “It feels like she understands exactly how I’m feeling and if the day comes where I don’t have to say goodbye, my life would be complete.”
When Emily talks with Chris Harrison (Captain Obvious), she admits her decision will be a difficult one to make tonight. “I really could see myself in four different directions,” she tells him. “I really did fall in love with each of their families.” Chris told her loves her for the first time. With Jef, she felt immediately at home and he read her the sweetest letter. There’s just no one else that she could trust enough to get into a racecar with than with Arie and he was the first one to tell her he loves her. And Sean is the most perfect human being but is the only guy who isn’t telling her that he loves her.
It’s hard for her to send someone home this week; it’d naturally come off as a reflection on the family. “It breaks my heart to make one of them feel that they aren’t good enough for me.” But she’s confident that she’ll feel what she needs to feel, see what she needs to see, and that she’ll end up with the right person.
“These nights are always rough” Captain Obvious says to the four men awaiting roses. Tonight’s decision is the hardest yet, he announces. I’m sure that helped their nerves. As the Rose Ceremony begins, Emily explains how she’s made her decision this week because “there wasn’t an obvious choice.” She’s basing her decision off of her feelings about the relationships, and the potential future she has with each one of them.
Both Arie and Jef receive roses. I’m glad. They’re the only two that she fits well with. They mesh and there is obvious chemistry. Sean and Chris are left. Captain Obvious comes out as per usual to make his ‘this is the last rose’ statement. Chris is sweating. Sean is breathing hard.
Chris lets his head fall as Emily calls Sean’s name.
Emily and Chris take a moment. He wants an explanation. But she can’t give him one. “I don’t understand,” he argues. “I told you I loved you!”
Emily’s response is hopeful but still a rejection: “I wish you could see how hard it’s been for me and maybe I will wake up tomorrow and see that I’ve just made a mistake. But I just have to follow my heart.”
“It’s definitely hard to say goodbye to someone you love,” Chris says as he’s driving away. “She made me a believer again.” And as Chris cries, Emily announces to the three left that they are going to the Caribbean. Hopefully she figures out who she loves soon or this love four-angle might get too complicated to handle.
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