Matt James eliminated Bri Springs after their Fantasy Suite date on Monday’s episode of The Bachelor.
With that decision, Matt narrowed the choice of his potential bride to two out of the 38 women that passed through Nemacolin Resort during season 25 of the ABC show.
Next week, Matt, 29, may propose to either Michelle Young, a 27-year-old teacher from Edina, Minnesota, or Rachael Kirkconnell, 24, a graphic designer from Cumming, Georgia.
Fantasy suites: Matt James eliminated Bri Springs after their Fantasy Suite date on Monday’s episode of The Bachelor
Rachael, the presumed front-runner, has been beset by difficulties since she was found to have attended a plantation-themed ball in 2018, among other issues.
She and Matt shared a romantic night in their Fantasy Suite that had him claiming he was falling in love with her, and her hoping to be his wife.
Fireworks burst outside their hotel window as they kissed, with Rachael sharing, ‘I’ve never wanted anyone more in my entire life.’
It had been a hard week for Rachael and the other two contestants, as each shared a special chemistry with Matt.
Tears flowing: ‘I can’t be upset, or I can’t be angry,’ Bri said tearfully after she was eliminated. ‘But I can be really sad and disappointed and hurt’
They’d all been falling for him, so watching him spend the night with other women was hard.
Matt was also ‘excited about the overnights,’ saying he could see marrying all three women.
To ensure that he was ready for a long-term commitment, Matt first had to confront some of the ‘demons’ in his past.
Big week: Matt was also ‘excited about the overnights,’ saying he could see marrying all three women
As a kid, he had learned about ‘infidelities’ in his parents’ marriage that made him wary of falling in love, especially after his father ‘started other families’ elsewhere.
In order to get past those hurts, he called his dad Manny James to the resort in Farmington, Pennsylvania, where filming took place.
Matt tried to explain the pain Manny’s actions had inflicted on him, and the way it made him guarded with women, but Manny initially wasn’t listening.
Past demons: To ensure that he was ready for a long-term commitment, Matt first had to confront some of the ‘demons’ in his past
Manny agreed he hadn’t been there for Matt, yet segued into a story about his life, noting that his own dad was killed when he was age five so he’d had no one, also.
Manny still seemed appalled that Matt’s mother had left him, to which Matt said, ‘Who wants to be with someone that’s not gonna be faithful to ’em?’
‘Nobody’s perfect son,’ his dad answered. ‘I’m not perfect. You’re not perfect yourself.’
Nobody’s perfect: ‘Nobody’s perfect son,’ his dad answered. ‘I’m not perfect. You’re not perfect yourself’
Matt asked Manny if he’d want his daughter to date someone like him, and Manny said no.
He emphasized that he was there to celebrate Matt’s success, not dig into the past.
‘If we want to celebrate, we can go to Chuck E. Cheese,’ Matt said, frustrated that his dad wasn’t getting it.
Different reasons: Manny emphasized that he was there to celebrate Matt’s success, not dig into the past
In a confessional, Matt began to cry.
He recalled that Manny had ‘come around every now and then when we were growing up—drop off some shoes, buy us pizza. I didn’t need any shoes. I didn’t need any pizza. I needed a dad.’
To Manny, he said, ‘I get it that I didn’t know what it was like to grow up in Africa without a dad. But I know what it’s like to grow up here without a dad.’
Absentee father: Matt in a confessional recalled that Manny had ‘come around every now and then when we were growing up—drop off some shoes, buy us pizza. I didn’t need any shoes. I didn’t need any pizza. I needed a dad’
His father finally understood, and began to cry himself, vowing to try harder.
‘I’m sorry I hurt you, son,’ Manny relayed. ‘Whatever I can do to make it better, I’ll work on it. Because I want you to be happy, too, for the rest of your life.’
Matt replied that he wanted Manny in his life and his children’s lives going forward.
Saying sorry: ‘I’m sorry I hurt you, son,’ Manny relayed. ‘Whatever I can do to make it better, I’ll work on it. Because I want you to be happy, too, for the rest of your life’
‘You’re my dad,’ he emphasized. ‘And I forgive you. I’m not holding grudges against those things. I just want us to move forward and…’
Manny quickly got emotional and motioned for Matt to come hug him, and they embraced.
Matt looked relieved, realizing that he was not the same man his dad was after all.
Big hug: Manny quickly got emotional and motioned for Matt to come hug him, and they embraced
‘Just because I’m his son doesn’t mean I have to follow in his footsteps,’ he said.
With that, it was time for his final three dates and Fantasy Suites to begin.
Michelle had the first date with Matt, enjoying a ‘Pennsylvania Dutch spa day’ full of butter massages, oatmeal soaks and milk baths.
First date: Michelle had the first date with Matt, enjoying a ‘Pennsylvania Dutch spa day’ full of butter massages, oatmeal soaks and milk baths
The pair had a sweet conversation about learning how to stay in love like Michelle’s parents had for 30-plus years.
Over dinner, Matt spoke about the relationship insecurities his parents’ split had left him with.
‘I wanna be the man he wasn’t,’ Matt said of Manny, emphasizing his readiness for marriage.
Close bond: Michelle and Matt grew even closer during their date
‘I do look at you as my person,’ Michelle said. ‘That person that I want to spend the rest of my life with.’
During her time in the Fantasy Suite with Matt, Michelle told him she loved him.
When she left in the morning, Matt blew her a kiss and said, ‘She could be my wife.’
Bri, 24, a marketing manager from San Francisco, hated Matt being with someone else.
Spa session: Matt and Michelle enjoyed a Dutch spa session together
Second ate: Bri and Matt went on the second date
‘This is awful,’ agreed Rachael at the hotel, wiping away tears.
As Bri got ready for her date, she felt the pressure of the moment, saying ‘I have no idea how I’m going to keep my s*** together.’
She was nonetheless joyful when she met Matt, and enjoyed camping in the woods with him.
Outdoors adventure: The communications manager was nonetheless joyful when she met Matt, and enjoyed camping in the woods with him
Afterward, the pair spoke about their single moms and what it had meant not to have a father in their lives, which led Bri to say she hoped her dad would be proud of her.
She then told Matt she was ‘so in love with him,’ which he seemed happy to hear.
Their time in the Fantasy Suite was ‘pure bliss,’ Bri said, as Matt raved about their connection.
Single moms: Afterward, the pair spoke about their single moms and what it had meant not to have a father in their lives, which led Bri to say she hoped her dad would be proud of her
At Nemacolin, Rachael grew distraught as she waited for her turn with Matt.
‘I’m freaking out,’ she said. ‘I’m just scared he’s gonna hurt me.’
She was so rattled by worry that it nearly ruined her date with Matt when it came.
Totally rattled: Rachael Kirkconnell was so rattled by worry that it nearly ruined her date with Matt when it came
As the two of them shaped pots in a ceramics studio, Rachael took Matt aside to tell him how ‘unbearable’ her week had been.
‘I picture you as my future husband, I know you know that,’ she said. ‘Knowing that you’re spending really intimate time with other people, I really didn’t think I’d get through this week, honestly. It was the lowest that I’ve felt.’
Rachael wondered if the dates had changed the way Matt felt about her, adding, ‘I just don’t know how I would be able to handle losing you.’
Ceramics studio: As the two of them shaped pots in a ceramics studio, Rachael took Matt aside to tell him how ‘unbearable’ her week had been
‘When I’m with you, you’re all I’m thinking about,’ Matt promised. ‘I’m falling in love with you.’
Over dinner, Rachael told Matt she was ‘100 percent ready’ for a proposal, and he was thrilled.
He called Rachael ‘smart, beautiful, articulate and sexy,’ and looked forward to their time in the Fantasy Suite that night.
Matt had enjoyed his dates with all three women, so that week’s Rose Ceremony was fraught.
Rose ceremony: Matt had enjoyed his dates with all three women, so that week’s Rose Ceremony was fraught
‘All three of us have extremely high hopes going into tonight,’ Bri said. ‘One of us is going to be completely blindsided.’
Moments later, it was Bri going home.
Matt walked her outside, and told her that he wished he could point to something she’d done wrong, but it was just where his heart was ‘leading’ him.
Totally blindsided: ‘All three of us have extremely high hopes going into tonight,’ Bri said. ‘One of us is going to be completely blindsided’
‘I can’t be upset, or I can’t be angry,’ Bri said tearfully. ‘But I can be really sad and disappointed and hurt.’
As her car drove away, she added, ‘It couldn’t have been all for nothing. It couldn’t have been.’
The Bachelor season 25 finale will air next week on ABC followed by the After The Rose special that will be hosted by Emmanuel Acho, 30, after longtime host Chris stepped away after embroiling himself in a racial controversy.
Matt is the first black male lead in the history of The Bachelor franchise since its premiere in March 2002.
Finale next: The Bachelor season 25 finale will air next week on ABC followed by the After The Rose special that will be hosted by Emmanuel Acho, 30, after longtime host Chris stepped away after embroiling himself in a racial controversy