Episode 2: A Toast to Relaxed Feet
The Bachelor 10, Episode 2: A Toast to Relaxed Feet by Ashley Lundy -- 04/10/2007 It’s the second episode to The Bachelor and time to let go of three more lovely ladies. Who’s on the group date? Is there a hot tub involved? Who gets an unexpected “challenge?” Who gets a kiss? Who cries? Who’s possibly a virgin? And who gets a foot massage? Before we begin this week’s recap, I must address a statement I made last week. To be exact, I said “…no one mentions that in 9 seasons, no couple has ever gone to the altar. Proposing is NOT necessarily marrying.” Afterwards, I received a small flood of e-mails saying things like, “Do you remember Trista Rehn and Ryan Sutter?” “Have they had a baby yet?” Here’s the thing, that was The Bachelorette and this is The Bachelor. I know, I know. It’s practically the same thing. Yet, it’s completely opposite. Literally. Therefore, for the record books, concerning the grand Bachelor and Bachelorette franchise, the fact is, no couple that was produced by The Bachelor has ever gone to the altar. It doesn’t work when the man is the one doing the choosing. I just had to rub that detail in. Ah, I feel better. We start tonight’s episode with Chris telling the girls that there will be two group dates and one individual date. No roses will be handed out on the group dates. At the end of the date, one lucky lady will get to stay with him while the other girls go back to the house. Concerning the individual date, that automatically goes to Stephanie T. because she was given the “first impression” rose. She’s excited and the other girls look disgusted. The catch is that Andy has to give Stephanie T. a rose on the date or she is out of the competition. Chris even tells her to bring her bags packed. Ouch. He leaves them with the first group date box. It’s for Nicole, Tiffany, Alexis, Stephanie W., Bevin, Amanda, and Tessa. The note says, “Let’s find love on the Sunset Strip.” Andy tells us that “Operation Soul Mate is about to begin.” Oh geez, that’s corny. But cute. He’s really so cute. On the party bus, they toast champagne while they drive down the strip. Amanda says it was so much fun. Nicole says Andy is the total package and the guy that you dream about. They arrive at some country bar. Nicole gets on the mechanical bull for some bull riding. Then Amanda gives it a try. Andy says he loves a girl who is up for an adventure. Tiffany says she was shaking and afraid for her life. She does look terrified. Andy admits that when the mechanical bull would vibrate while the girls were riding, it was slightly turning him on. I could have decided to not share that, but he actually said it. I want to hide nothing from you, my dear readers. Tessa says she doesn’t know if the other girls were trying to ride the bull sexy, but she felt like she was riding particularly un-sexy. We see footage of her getting thrown and she’s right. It isn’t as sexy as the others. When she falls, she pretends to hurt her leg and Andy comes swooping in. She says she’s just joking and gets up. She thought it would be funny to fake an injury. Alexis says she noticed Tessa’s deception and she actually applauds her. It was smart thinking. I agree, it was. The last one to ride the bull is Stephanie W. and she is the only one who does not fall off. Andy thinks this is unbelievable and says he is thinking he wants to spend his alone time with her. It is pretty impressive. Being from Texas, and having a rowdy past, I must admit that I’ve tried to ride one of those bulls before. Truth be told, I didn’t look sexy at all. When I fell off the bull, I forgot to let go with my hand (I have no idea why, I guess it was a panic response) and I had my face painfully dragged along the floor while the bull continued to buck. I finally felt it come to a stop and some large guy named “Scooter” had to peel my fingers off the strap. I broke my glasses. I had a burn over my right eye. I told you, it wasn’t sexy. “Scooter” thought it was the funniest thing he had ever seen. I can still hear him laughing. But… I digress. Back in the party bus, the girls get a surprise from Andy, who, I note, carries his beverage with him everywhere he goes. He takes the girls to a room full of formal gowns and they all get to try them on and find one they like. The catch is that there are no mirrors for them to see what they look like so they have to rely on each other’s opinion. That’s just cruel to do to a woman. Andy waits for the ladies and tells us that he really digs a woman who can be a tomboy, be sporty, outdoorsy and not scared to get dirty, but can also get cleaned up and come out looking ravishing. The women show up and he says he is blown away. They look radiant. They look great considering their resources. Alexis says that Andy looks radiant himself and it is a scene right out of a movie. They all hug Andy and check out the view of L.A. from the balcony. We see them all sitting down at like a lounge area and, suddenly, Andy asks Nicole if she would like to go talk. She says sure. Andy reminds us that he has a tough decision to make and he needs to get to know them more so he can decide who gets the special quality time. Nicole tells him she hasn’t been nervous until now. Andy says she seems like the least nervous of the group. She hugs him. Nicole tells us she loves Andy’s smile. She also loves his chocolate and blue suit. It’s sweet. She is ga-ga for this man. The two begin doing some dance moves. Andy asks her if she can Salsa and she says she can work it. The other girls notice the dancing. Andy thinks the others will be okay with the dancing because Nicole needs her time with him as well. The girls in the lounge area discuss kissing on the first date. Some have strong feelings that if there is no connection, there is no kiss. Alexis says she doesn’t know if she would kiss on a one-on-one date, much less an eight-on-one date. Bevin cuts in to say that it’s just a kiss. It doesn’t matter which date it is, it’s just a kiss. She seems touchy about the whole topic. Alexis feels like the other girls may have an advantage because they are more aggressive. She knows, in the end, it’s going to get more contentious. In the end? We see Alexis and Andy have a private moment. He asks her about home schooling. She was home schooled until she went to high school. She thinks it helped being taught important values by her parents instead of her peers. Andy says that Alexis is this tall, beautiful brunette with very strong moral values. She is old-fashioned and is true to her conservative roots. She asks him if he is conservative, and he says that he is, but he is also open-minded. After all his travels, he has become more open-minded. She asks what he values most. He says family, life, and living each day to the fullest. Bevin is bummed that she hasn’t had any one-on-one time with Andy. She keeps watching all the girls get their time and she wants hers. She knows it’s important to have that time because it’s the last time to bond before the next rose ceremony. Hot tub time! It was bound to happen. Cue hot ladies in two pieces and high heels. Andy takes his shirt off. Goodness gracious. I’m getting feverish. Amanda says that, of course, Andy looks awesome, he’s an ironman. Naturally, he’s going to look better than any other man she’s ever seen her whole life. Andy says he was in heaven with seven women in his arms, under the stars, on a roof deck on the sunset strip. It doesn’t get any better than that. He finally realizes that he hasn’t had any one-on-one time with Bevin. He grabs her and tells the other girls that he is going to the swimming pool with Bevin. She goes along and they jump in. They are hugging and the other girls are just staring. Andy and Bevin decide to go underwater and the impression is that they have a kiss in the water. The other girls aren’t going for that, so they all start getting in the pool too. Bevin thinks it’s unfair because they all got their alone time, she deserves hers too. Her whining is going to get old. Pool hi-jinks ensue. Back at the house, the second group date box arrives and it’s a red bag with some swimming gear in it, including a whistle. The date will include Kate, Susan, Erin, Tina, Amber, Danielle, and Peyton. The note says, “It’s time to show your athletic side, pool side.” Kate says she’s glad to be the second date because they will be fresher in his mind. Erin just wants to see Andy with his shirt off. Back to the group date, Andy tells the girls he chose Tiffany for the special quality time. Tiffany is floored. Bevin’s heart drops because she hoped it would be her. Andy and Tiffany get in a limo. Andy says he picked her because she is shy and he wants to give her time to shine. They have a champagne toast and drive to a look-out point. He hopes for Tiffany to show her true emotions and let her guard down. Tiffany asks him why he picked her. He says she has a lot of depth, but she’s shy and he wasn’t able to see her true colors. Andy tells us that Tiffany is a great girl, but it was awkward and he was driving the conversation. We see Andy working hard, but Tiffany is giving him nothing. He even compliments her dimples and she just smiles. He tells us that he doesn’t know if that chemistry is there. It doesn’t appear to be. Cue Andy in someone else’s Lamborghini. We see him pull up to some sort of fancy health club. He tells us that he is an athletic guy so he wants his life partner to be sporty as well. We see a pool area, a walking mat surrounding the perimeter of the pool, and spin bikes. He is putting the girls through the triathlon for their date. Poor girls. Then again, weed out the weak early. It’s a good plan. He gives the girls mimosas and breakfast. He tells them to eat up because they will need their strength. Tina tells Andy that she wants to look at the pier and invites him to join her. He agrees. So, Kate calls her a “hussy” for stealing Andy away. She’s just jealous that she didn’t think of the idea first. Tina and Andy talk about medical school, something about orthopedic surgery, and how Tina is not comfortable with the other girls. Andy says he feels like he can relate best with Tina. She is glad he was able to get to know her better. Back at the breakfast table, Erin and Susan agree that alone time is important before the next rose ceremony. They have a plan to go over and interrupt Andy and Tina. Erin is not used to having to go after guys. They usually come after her. Does she know what show she is on? They interrupt, without major incident. Andy says they are coming back. He finally talks to all the girls about the “challenge” today. I will never call triathlon training a date. I won’t do it. I won’t. Erin says she’s usually private about working out, but luckily she has her wrist band for wiping sweat. Susan says she jogs with her dogs, so she might be okay. Back at the house, Stephanie T. gets her individual date box, which is a big oyster with some star-gazing equipment in it. The note says, “Come dine with me on my yacht under the stars.” All the girls are jealous. Tessa asks Stephanie if she is going to make out with Andy under the stars. She says she won’t turn any opportunity down. None of the girls like that answer. Time for the triathlon training challenge! Erin says she doesn’t feel like she needs to win a race to get a rose. Here’s the challenge. Swim four laps in the pool, bike two miles on the spin bike, and run five laps running around the pool. That doesn’t sound THAT hard. And they’re off! Kate is in the lead. For the swimming segment, Susan and Erin don’t want to get their hair wet, so they walk and hold hands even though Andy is yelling, “No walking, no walking, no holding hands, no holding hands.” Good listeners. Kate is the first one out and on the bikes. Andy is impressed. Tina tells us that she thinks the “challenge” is about athletic ability and also about getting the girls to do something they aren’t used to doing. She thinks Erin and Susan didn’t put in that effort. Danielle finishes the bike and is off and running as fast as possible. Amber finishes the bike and starts running. Since she is training to run a marathon, she kicks butt and beats Danielle. Amber wins! She gets the quality time win. All the girls finish, by the way. Andy is so happy that Amber won the quality time. They play and swing on some rings on an adult-looking playground down on the beach from the health club place. Amber says that Andy is just a big kid in a muscular 30-year-old body. Andy says that Amber was able to play on the rings and she is awesome. Amber sees a connection with Andy and can definitely see them moving further. All the other girls are watching from far away and are speculating that the two are kissing. In fact, they are just hugging. Andy asks Amber about being a good cook. She says she loves to cook and he says that he loves to do dishes. Okay, that’s the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard. Amber tells us that she had butterflies in her stomach, she couldn’t breathe. She tells him that everything is perfect. He tells her that he wishes it wouldn’t end. He tells us he could see himself spending a lot of time with Amber in the future. Stephanie T. is preparing for the individual date and she asks the girls to help her choose a dress. They all think that the short dress is a little too small. They all pick the longer dress, which does, indeed, look much better. Stephanie is 95 percent sure that she is getting a rose on her individual date. Andy is stoked for the date with Stephanie T. He knows the stakes are higher because either she gets a rose or she goes home. He says, “Welcome to my yacht,” and shows her where he has breakfast in the morning. I’m thinking, no way. That’s not his yacht. He’s kidding. He’s kidding, right? They go to the front of the boat and do the cheesiest Titanic reenactment imaginable. She keeps saying, “I’m flying, I’m flying.” Andy just laughs. I actually feel embarrassed for her. Even a little for him too. He tells her that she seemed very confident right off the bat and he wanted to give the rose to someone who was gorgeous and confident. He hopes that the other girls aren’t giving her a hard time about it. She says that some of them are being immature, but it’s nothing she hasn’t dealt with before. Back at the house, they speculate about the date. Stephanie W. doesn’t want to think about it and Bevin hopes Stephanie gets seasick. Amber concludes that, no matter what, Stephanie and Andy are going to kiss. On the yacht, Stephanie T. asks Andy about his ideal wedding. He thinks a Hawaiian wedding would be fun. He asks her if she wants a big or small wedding. She says that she wants a small wedding. He says okay, they are having a small wedding. They go to the bridge and Stephanie drives the boat with “Pepe” for a few minutes. Andy asks Pepe if they can have the wedding on the boat. Hey, I thought it was HIS boat? Why are we asking for Pepe’s permission? At the house, the girls are trash-talking Stephanie T. They say she researched him and is tricking Andy into liking her. Blah blah. On the yacht, they get in the hot tub and I must say that Stephanie has an impressive midriff. I think I see six-pack. The girls vote on if Stephanie will get a rose. Several say they think she will, but only a few hands actually go up. Right then, we see Andy offering the rose to Stephanie. She accepts and gives him a big kiss on the lips. She drunkenly tells the camera that she won’t have to worry at the rose ceremony. In the limo, she squeals at how wonderful Andy is. I don’t have any real reason to feel this way, but I don’t think I’m crazy about Stephanie T. I mean, she doesn’t bother me, I just don’t see this connection between her and Andy. It must be strictly physical. Back at the house, Stephanie T. returns with her rose. Some girls go upstairs, and she tells the rest of them about the date. She says they only cheek kissed. Why lie? Tell them you kissed. It will make them crazy. In the bedroom, some of the girls think that Stephanie is lying about the cheek kiss. They think she would have told them if she did kiss him, yet others still insist she is lying. We see Stephanie T. eavesdropping on this conversation, but she does not interrupt. Just gathering intel, I guess. Time for the second rose ceremony. Chris reminds them that they will lose three ladies tonight. Andy walks in and greets the ladies, who look lovely in their nightclubbing best. It’s not a rose ceremony, it’s mad-mingling, part deux. We see Tina tell Andy that she thinks she is going home tonight. Andy asks her if she wants to go. No, she doesn’t want to go home, but lots of guys have thought she was too ambitious. It’s something she has dealt with. He tells her that she’s more than a med student. She’s bright, beautiful, and looks stunning tonight. Andy says that he can’t understand Tina’s insecurities. She engages him, challenges him and that’s sexy in his eyes. Peyton and Andy get to talk privately and she says that she wants to break down barriers about sororities. She wants to change everyone’s life. Or something like that. She asks Andy what he is looking for in a woman. He says someone who wants to have a family, has integrity, likes to inspire others, basically, everything she has. Peyton thinks it is wonderful one-on-one time. She thinks he’s a man she could potentially marry. The other girls discuss Andy’s type. Stephanie T. thinks he likes virginal girls. Alexis sort of perks up and asks her if she really thinks that. Stephanie tells us that she knows Alexis is a virgin, but she just hasn’t brought it out yet. She thinks it gives Alexis an upper hand, because what guy wouldn’t like that. Alexis sort of skirts the issue with the girls and with us, saying that she is conservative in her beliefs and she is not ashamed of them, but it’s also very personal and she will discuss it with the guy she is dating, not a group of strangers. You go, girl. Andy and Alexis are alone. He asks her about her last serious relationship. She says she was once engaged, but she doesn’t believe in divorce. It’s not an option. He agrees with that. Erin and Susan, both in red dresses with the blonde hair working for them, are stuck together like glue. Andy comes to sit between them and Nicole says that it’s like two Barbies and one Ken and that two-to-one does not work. Susan tells us that she doesn’t want to go home, even if she finished last in the triathlon challenge, she thinks that she and Andy have a lot of similar qualities. Andy and Amber go off alone and Andy admits that he was looking forward to seeing Amber the most after their alone time on the beach. He hopes she’s as great as she seems to be. Amber shows him the house and mentions that all the girls’ bags are packed. Every item they own is packed and ready to go if they don’t get a rose tonight. Andy says that he isn’t looking forward to sending any girl home. He’s a doctor, a healer, he doesn’t want to cause pain. Andy has one-on-one with Tessa. She says she is doing the wildflower triathlon and he will be there doing a “half” Ironman, I think he said. She says if this doesn’t work out, then she will see him there. Tessa offers a foot massage or asks for a foot massage. In some way, feet and massaging are involved. They massage each other’s feet. Tessa says she has little toes and Andy says he has big toes. Around this time, Stephanie W. and Alexis go looking for Andy with a platter of shots. They find him. Massaging Tessa’s feet. Stephanie says, “oh my goodness.” Tessa is sort of embarrassed about the whole thing. Stephanie says it was awkward. I imagine. She gives them both a shot and says a toast to “relaxed feet.” Andy and Danielle are talking privately. Danielle says her ear has some water in it from the “challenge,” but the doctor has already come to see her. He says he will give it a kiss though. She jokes that she doesn’t need any medicine now. Danielle tells him about how she is a graphic designer and she loves it because all she needs is her computer and she’s good to go. She can be anywhere in the world. Bevin comes to steal Andy away for her private time. She asks him if he has any questions for her. He asks what her intentions are. She’s at a point in her life where she wants to take a risk and find someone to share her life with. She’s been on her own since she was fifteen, so she’s independent and ready to settle down. She thinks you have to have your own life first, before you can settle down. That’s the advantage she has over the other girls, she’s lived more life. He finds Nicole and has a dance with her. He says he loves dancing with her. Apparently, dancing is their thing. They are dancing the night away. Nicole makes him smile. Nicole likes the way he puts his hand on the small of her back and he’s very good-looking. She says there was a moment when they could have kissed and it sort of passed. She would like to get that moment back. She’s growing on me. Bevin asks Alexis and Tessa if they think they are getting a rose. Alexis says she doesn’t know his type and she thought she did, so she doesn’t know. They agree that Amber will get a rose. Tessa says she started to realize that she would like to get to know Andy more, but her head is about to explode. She’s sick of talking about him and not hanging out with him. Peyton says she realized, at some point, that Tessa was missing, so she went upstairs to look for her. She finds her crying and offers her a hug. Aw, sweet. Tessa says that nothing happened, she just doesn’t know if this was the right choice for her. If she falls in love, it would be worth it, but it some ways, it would be good not to get a rose. Downstairs, they have a toast to eleven roses (twelve minus one that went to Stephanie T.). Chris interrupts to say it’s time to make the decision. Chris welcomes the ladies to the real rose ceremony. Stephanie T. is safe, for the second time in a row. Three will be on a plane home tonight. Andy comes out and thanks them for taking this risk with him. If you don’t get a rose, don’t worry because he believes in true love and that person is out there for you. The first rose goes to Tessa. No more tears, honey. The next rose is for Danielle. The next rose goes to Bevin. She lets out an “Oh my God.” She was sweating it, big time. The next rose is for Amber. The next rose goes to Stephanie W. She is so cute, but I feel like I never see her. The next rose is for Kate, who says, “shut up!” Nicole is offered the next rose, which she accepts. A rose is offered to Tina. The next rose goes to Peyton. Then one for Amanda. The final rose is for Erin. That surprises me. All his great talk about Alexis and he leaves her out in the cold. The unlucky girls who must go home are Susan, Alexis, and Tiffany. They say their goodbyes. Tiffany doesn’t understand why she wasn’t chosen, but she hopes Andy finds what he is looking for. Alexis is disappointed, but she is fine with it, because she trusts God’s plan. Susan wishes she could stay so he could see the real her. Too bad, you had your chance and you seemed to want to date Erin, not Andy. We close out the show with several girls trying to subtract twelve from fifteen and it’s just shameful. Is it four? Three? No four. Shameful. Andy toasts the lucky twelve who move forward. Next week, jealousy rears its ugly head, racing cars, mud and bathing suits, and someone is driven away in an ambulance.
The Bachelor 10, Episode 2: A Toast to Relaxed Feet by Ashley Lundy -- 04/10/2007 It’s the second episode to The Bachelor and time to let go of three more lovely ladies. Who’s on the group date? Is there a hot tub involved? Who gets an unexpected “challenge?” Who gets a kiss? Who cries? Who’s possibly a virgin? And who gets a foot massage? Before we begin this week’s recap, I must address a statement I made last week. To be exact, I said “…no one mentions that in 9 seasons, no couple has ever gone to the altar. Proposing is NOT necessarily marrying.” Afterwards, I received a small flood of e-mails saying things like, “Do you remember Trista Rehn and Ryan Sutter?” “Have they had a baby yet?” Here’s the thing, that was The Bachelorette and this is The Bachelor. I know, I know. It’s practically the same thing. Yet, it’s completely opposite. Literally. Therefore, for the record books, concerning the grand Bachelor and Bachelorette franchise, the fact is, no couple that was produced by The Bachelor has ever gone to the altar. It doesn’t work when the man is the one doing the choosing. I just had to rub that detail in. Ah, I feel better. We start tonight’s episode with Chris telling the girls that there will be two group dates and one individual date. No roses will be handed out on the group dates. At the end of the date, one lucky lady will get to stay with him while the other girls go back to the house. Concerning the individual date, that automatically goes to Stephanie T. because she was given the “first impression” rose. She’s excited and the other girls look disgusted. The catch is that Andy has to give Stephanie T. a rose on the date or she is out of the competition. Chris even tells her to bring her bags packed. Ouch. He leaves them with the first group date box. It’s for Nicole, Tiffany, Alexis, Stephanie W., Bevin, Amanda, and Tessa. The note says, “Let’s find love on the Sunset Strip.” Andy tells us that “Operation Soul Mate is about to begin.” Oh geez, that’s corny. But cute. He’s really so cute. On the party bus, they toast champagne while they drive down the strip. Amanda says it was so much fun. Nicole says Andy is the total package and the guy that you dream about. They arrive at some country bar. Nicole gets on the mechanical bull for some bull riding. Then Amanda gives it a try. Andy says he loves a girl who is up for an adventure. Tiffany says she was shaking and afraid for her life. She does look terrified. Andy admits that when the mechanical bull would vibrate while the girls were riding, it was slightly turning him on. I could have decided to not share that, but he actually said it. I want to hide nothing from you, my dear readers. Tessa says she doesn’t know if the other girls were trying to ride the bull sexy, but she felt like she was riding particularly un-sexy. We see footage of her getting thrown and she’s right. It isn’t as sexy as the others. When she falls, she pretends to hurt her leg and Andy comes swooping in. She says she’s just joking and gets up. She thought it would be funny to fake an injury. Alexis says she noticed Tessa’s deception and she actually applauds her. It was smart thinking. I agree, it was. The last one to ride the bull is Stephanie W. and she is the only one who does not fall off. Andy thinks this is unbelievable and says he is thinking he wants to spend his alone time with her. It is pretty impressive. Being from Texas, and having a rowdy past, I must admit that I’ve tried to ride one of those bulls before. Truth be told, I didn’t look sexy at all. When I fell off the bull, I forgot to let go with my hand (I have no idea why, I guess it was a panic response) and I had my face painfully dragged along the floor while the bull continued to buck. I finally felt it come to a stop and some large guy named “Scooter” had to peel my fingers off the strap. I broke my glasses. I had a burn over my right eye. I told you, it wasn’t sexy. “Scooter” thought it was the funniest thing he had ever seen. I can still hear him laughing. But… I digress. Back in the party bus, the girls get a surprise from Andy, who, I note, carries his beverage with him everywhere he goes. He takes the girls to a room full of formal gowns and they all get to try them on and find one they like. The catch is that there are no mirrors for them to see what they look like so they have to rely on each other’s opinion. That’s just cruel to do to a woman. Andy waits for the ladies and tells us that he really digs a woman who can be a tomboy, be sporty, outdoorsy and not scared to get dirty, but can also get cleaned up and come out looking ravishing. The women show up and he says he is blown away. They look radiant. They look great considering their resources. Alexis says that Andy looks radiant himself and it is a scene right out of a movie. They all hug Andy and check out the view of L.A. from the balcony. We see them all sitting down at like a lounge area and, suddenly, Andy asks Nicole if she would like to go talk. She says sure. Andy reminds us that he has a tough decision to make and he needs to get to know them more so he can decide who gets the special quality time. Nicole tells him she hasn’t been nervous until now. Andy says she seems like the least nervous of the group. She hugs him. Nicole tells us she loves Andy’s smile. She also loves his chocolate and blue suit. It’s sweet. She is ga-ga for this man. The two begin doing some dance moves. Andy asks her if she can Salsa and she says she can work it. The other girls notice the dancing. Andy thinks the others will be okay with the dancing because Nicole needs her time with him as well. The girls in the lounge area discuss kissing on the first date. Some have strong feelings that if there is no connection, there is no kiss. Alexis says she doesn’t know if she would kiss on a one-on-one date, much less an eight-on-one date. Bevin cuts in to say that it’s just a kiss. It doesn’t matter which date it is, it’s just a kiss. She seems touchy about the whole topic. Alexis feels like the other girls may have an advantage because they are more aggressive. She knows, in the end, it’s going to get more contentious. In the end? We see Alexis and Andy have a private moment. He asks her about home schooling. She was home schooled until she went to high school. She thinks it helped being taught important values by her parents instead of her peers. Andy says that Alexis is this tall, beautiful brunette with very strong moral values. She is old-fashioned and is true to her conservative roots. She asks him if he is conservative, and he says that he is, but he is also open-minded. After all his travels, he has become more open-minded. She asks what he values most. He says family, life, and living each day to the fullest. Bevin is bummed that she hasn’t had any one-on-one time with Andy. She keeps watching all the girls get their time and she wants hers. She knows it’s important to have that time because it’s the last time to bond before the next rose ceremony. Hot tub time! It was bound to happen. Cue hot ladies in two pieces and high heels. Andy takes his shirt off. Goodness gracious. I’m getting feverish. Amanda says that, of course, Andy looks awesome, he’s an ironman. Naturally, he’s going to look better than any other man she’s ever seen her whole life. Andy says he was in heaven with seven women in his arms, under the stars, on a roof deck on the sunset strip. It doesn’t get any better than that. He finally realizes that he hasn’t had any one-on-one time with Bevin. He grabs her and tells the other girls that he is going to the swimming pool with Bevin. She goes along and they jump in. They are hugging and the other girls are just staring. Andy and Bevin decide to go underwater and the impression is that they have a kiss in the water. The other girls aren’t going for that, so they all start getting in the pool too. Bevin thinks it’s unfair because they all got their alone time, she deserves hers too. Her whining is going to get old. Pool hi-jinks ensue. Back at the house, the second group date box arrives and it’s a red bag with some swimming gear in it, including a whistle. The date will include Kate, Susan, Erin, Tina, Amber, Danielle, and Peyton. The note says, “It’s time to show your athletic side, pool side.” Kate says she’s glad to be the second date because they will be fresher in his mind. Erin just wants to see Andy with his shirt off. Back to the group date, Andy tells the girls he chose Tiffany for the special quality time. Tiffany is floored. Bevin’s heart drops because she hoped it would be her. Andy and Tiffany get in a limo. Andy says he picked her because she is shy and he wants to give her time to shine. They have a champagne toast and drive to a look-out point. He hopes for Tiffany to show her true emotions and let her guard down. Tiffany asks him why he picked her. He says she has a lot of depth, but she’s shy and he wasn’t able to see her true colors. Andy tells us that Tiffany is a great girl, but it was awkward and he was driving the conversation. We see Andy working hard, but Tiffany is giving him nothing. He even compliments her dimples and she just smiles. He tells us that he doesn’t know if that chemistry is there. It doesn’t appear to be. Cue Andy in someone else’s Lamborghini. We see him pull up to some sort of fancy health club. He tells us that he is an athletic guy so he wants his life partner to be sporty as well. We see a pool area, a walking mat surrounding the perimeter of the pool, and spin bikes. He is putting the girls through the triathlon for their date. Poor girls. Then again, weed out the weak early. It’s a good plan. He gives the girls mimosas and breakfast. He tells them to eat up because they will need their strength. Tina tells Andy that she wants to look at the pier and invites him to join her. He agrees. So, Kate calls her a “hussy” for stealing Andy away. She’s just jealous that she didn’t think of the idea first. Tina and Andy talk about medical school, something about orthopedic surgery, and how Tina is not comfortable with the other girls. Andy says he feels like he can relate best with Tina. She is glad he was able to get to know her better. Back at the breakfast table, Erin and Susan agree that alone time is important before the next rose ceremony. They have a plan to go over and interrupt Andy and Tina. Erin is not used to having to go after guys. They usually come after her. Does she know what show she is on? They interrupt, without major incident. Andy says they are coming back. He finally talks to all the girls about the “challenge” today. I will never call triathlon training a date. I won’t do it. I won’t. Erin says she’s usually private about working out, but luckily she has her wrist band for wiping sweat. Susan says she jogs with her dogs, so she might be okay. Back at the house, Stephanie T. gets her individual date box, which is a big oyster with some star-gazing equipment in it. The note says, “Come dine with me on my yacht under the stars.” All the girls are jealous. Tessa asks Stephanie if she is going to make out with Andy under the stars. She says she won’t turn any opportunity down. None of the girls like that answer. Time for the triathlon training challenge! Erin says she doesn’t feel like she needs to win a race to get a rose. Here’s the challenge. Swim four laps in the pool, bike two miles on the spin bike, and run five laps running around the pool. That doesn’t sound THAT hard. And they’re off! Kate is in the lead. For the swimming segment, Susan and Erin don’t want to get their hair wet, so they walk and hold hands even though Andy is yelling, “No walking, no walking, no holding hands, no holding hands.” Good listeners. Kate is the first one out and on the bikes. Andy is impressed. Tina tells us that she thinks the “challenge” is about athletic ability and also about getting the girls to do something they aren’t used to doing. She thinks Erin and Susan didn’t put in that effort. Danielle finishes the bike and is off and running as fast as possible. Amber finishes the bike and starts running. Since she is training to run a marathon, she kicks butt and beats Danielle. Amber wins! She gets the quality time win. All the girls finish, by the way. Andy is so happy that Amber won the quality time. They play and swing on some rings on an adult-looking playground down on the beach from the health club place. Amber says that Andy is just a big kid in a muscular 30-year-old body. Andy says that Amber was able to play on the rings and she is awesome. Amber sees a connection with Andy and can definitely see them moving further. All the other girls are watching from far away and are speculating that the two are kissing. In fact, they are just hugging. Andy asks Amber about being a good cook. She says she loves to cook and he says that he loves to do dishes. Okay, that’s the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard. Amber tells us that she had butterflies in her stomach, she couldn’t breathe. She tells him that everything is perfect. He tells her that he wishes it wouldn’t end. He tells us he could see himself spending a lot of time with Amber in the future. Stephanie T. is preparing for the individual date and she asks the girls to help her choose a dress. They all think that the short dress is a little too small. They all pick the longer dress, which does, indeed, look much better. Stephanie is 95 percent sure that she is getting a rose on her individual date. Andy is stoked for the date with Stephanie T. He knows the stakes are higher because either she gets a rose or she goes home. He says, “Welcome to my yacht,” and shows her where he has breakfast in the morning. I’m thinking, no way. That’s not his yacht. He’s kidding. He’s kidding, right? They go to the front of the boat and do the cheesiest Titanic reenactment imaginable. She keeps saying, “I’m flying, I’m flying.” Andy just laughs. I actually feel embarrassed for her. Even a little for him too. He tells her that she seemed very confident right off the bat and he wanted to give the rose to someone who was gorgeous and confident. He hopes that the other girls aren’t giving her a hard time about it. She says that some of them are being immature, but it’s nothing she hasn’t dealt with before. Back at the house, they speculate about the date. Stephanie W. doesn’t want to think about it and Bevin hopes Stephanie gets seasick. Amber concludes that, no matter what, Stephanie and Andy are going to kiss. On the yacht, Stephanie T. asks Andy about his ideal wedding. He thinks a Hawaiian wedding would be fun. He asks her if she wants a big or small wedding. She says that she wants a small wedding. He says okay, they are having a small wedding. They go to the bridge and Stephanie drives the boat with “Pepe” for a few minutes. Andy asks Pepe if they can have the wedding on the boat. Hey, I thought it was HIS boat? Why are we asking for Pepe’s permission? At the house, the girls are trash-talking Stephanie T. They say she researched him and is tricking Andy into liking her. Blah blah. On the yacht, they get in the hot tub and I must say that Stephanie has an impressive midriff. I think I see six-pack. The girls vote on if Stephanie will get a rose. Several say they think she will, but only a few hands actually go up. Right then, we see Andy offering the rose to Stephanie. She accepts and gives him a big kiss on the lips. She drunkenly tells the camera that she won’t have to worry at the rose ceremony. In the limo, she squeals at how wonderful Andy is. I don’t have any real reason to feel this way, but I don’t think I’m crazy about Stephanie T. I mean, she doesn’t bother me, I just don’t see this connection between her and Andy. It must be strictly physical. Back at the house, Stephanie T. returns with her rose. Some girls go upstairs, and she tells the rest of them about the date. She says they only cheek kissed. Why lie? Tell them you kissed. It will make them crazy. In the bedroom, some of the girls think that Stephanie is lying about the cheek kiss. They think she would have told them if she did kiss him, yet others still insist she is lying. We see Stephanie T. eavesdropping on this conversation, but she does not interrupt. Just gathering intel, I guess. Time for the second rose ceremony. Chris reminds them that they will lose three ladies tonight. Andy walks in and greets the ladies, who look lovely in their nightclubbing best. It’s not a rose ceremony, it’s mad-mingling, part deux. We see Tina tell Andy that she thinks she is going home tonight. Andy asks her if she wants to go. No, she doesn’t want to go home, but lots of guys have thought she was too ambitious. It’s something she has dealt with. He tells her that she’s more than a med student. She’s bright, beautiful, and looks stunning tonight. Andy says that he can’t understand Tina’s insecurities. She engages him, challenges him and that’s sexy in his eyes. Peyton and Andy get to talk privately and she says that she wants to break down barriers about sororities. She wants to change everyone’s life. Or something like that. She asks Andy what he is looking for in a woman. He says someone who wants to have a family, has integrity, likes to inspire others, basically, everything she has. Peyton thinks it is wonderful one-on-one time. She thinks he’s a man she could potentially marry. The other girls discuss Andy’s type. Stephanie T. thinks he likes virginal girls. Alexis sort of perks up and asks her if she really thinks that. Stephanie tells us that she knows Alexis is a virgin, but she just hasn’t brought it out yet. She thinks it gives Alexis an upper hand, because what guy wouldn’t like that. Alexis sort of skirts the issue with the girls and with us, saying that she is conservative in her beliefs and she is not ashamed of them, but it’s also very personal and she will discuss it with the guy she is dating, not a group of strangers. You go, girl. Andy and Alexis are alone. He asks her about her last serious relationship. She says she was once engaged, but she doesn’t believe in divorce. It’s not an option. He agrees with that. Erin and Susan, both in red dresses with the blonde hair working for them, are stuck together like glue. Andy comes to sit between them and Nicole says that it’s like two Barbies and one Ken and that two-to-one does not work. Susan tells us that she doesn’t want to go home, even if she finished last in the triathlon challenge, she thinks that she and Andy have a lot of similar qualities. Andy and Amber go off alone and Andy admits that he was looking forward to seeing Amber the most after their alone time on the beach. He hopes she’s as great as she seems to be. Amber shows him the house and mentions that all the girls’ bags are packed. Every item they own is packed and ready to go if they don’t get a rose tonight. Andy says that he isn’t looking forward to sending any girl home. He’s a doctor, a healer, he doesn’t want to cause pain. Andy has one-on-one with Tessa. She says she is doing the wildflower triathlon and he will be there doing a “half” Ironman, I think he said. She says if this doesn’t work out, then she will see him there. Tessa offers a foot massage or asks for a foot massage. In some way, feet and massaging are involved. They massage each other’s feet. Tessa says she has little toes and Andy says he has big toes. Around this time, Stephanie W. and Alexis go looking for Andy with a platter of shots. They find him. Massaging Tessa’s feet. Stephanie says, “oh my goodness.” Tessa is sort of embarrassed about the whole thing. Stephanie says it was awkward. I imagine. She gives them both a shot and says a toast to “relaxed feet.” Andy and Danielle are talking privately. Danielle says her ear has some water in it from the “challenge,” but the doctor has already come to see her. He says he will give it a kiss though. She jokes that she doesn’t need any medicine now. Danielle tells him about how she is a graphic designer and she loves it because all she needs is her computer and she’s good to go. She can be anywhere in the world. Bevin comes to steal Andy away for her private time. She asks him if he has any questions for her. He asks what her intentions are. She’s at a point in her life where she wants to take a risk and find someone to share her life with. She’s been on her own since she was fifteen, so she’s independent and ready to settle down. She thinks you have to have your own life first, before you can settle down. That’s the advantage she has over the other girls, she’s lived more life. He finds Nicole and has a dance with her. He says he loves dancing with her. Apparently, dancing is their thing. They are dancing the night away. Nicole makes him smile. Nicole likes the way he puts his hand on the small of her back and he’s very good-looking. She says there was a moment when they could have kissed and it sort of passed. She would like to get that moment back. She’s growing on me. Bevin asks Alexis and Tessa if they think they are getting a rose. Alexis says she doesn’t know his type and she thought she did, so she doesn’t know. They agree that Amber will get a rose. Tessa says she started to realize that she would like to get to know Andy more, but her head is about to explode. She’s sick of talking about him and not hanging out with him. Peyton says she realized, at some point, that Tessa was missing, so she went upstairs to look for her. She finds her crying and offers her a hug. Aw, sweet. Tessa says that nothing happened, she just doesn’t know if this was the right choice for her. If she falls in love, it would be worth it, but it some ways, it would be good not to get a rose. Downstairs, they have a toast to eleven roses (twelve minus one that went to Stephanie T.). Chris interrupts to say it’s time to make the decision. Chris welcomes the ladies to the real rose ceremony. Stephanie T. is safe, for the second time in a row. Three will be on a plane home tonight. Andy comes out and thanks them for taking this risk with him. If you don’t get a rose, don’t worry because he believes in true love and that person is out there for you. The first rose goes to Tessa. No more tears, honey. The next rose is for Danielle. The next rose goes to Bevin. She lets out an “Oh my God.” She was sweating it, big time. The next rose is for Amber. The next rose goes to Stephanie W. She is so cute, but I feel like I never see her. The next rose is for Kate, who says, “shut up!” Nicole is offered the next rose, which she accepts. A rose is offered to Tina. The next rose goes to Peyton. Then one for Amanda. The final rose is for Erin. That surprises me. All his great talk about Alexis and he leaves her out in the cold. The unlucky girls who must go home are Susan, Alexis, and Tiffany. They say their goodbyes. Tiffany doesn’t understand why she wasn’t chosen, but she hopes Andy finds what he is looking for. Alexis is disappointed, but she is fine with it, because she trusts God’s plan. Susan wishes she could stay so he could see the real her. Too bad, you had your chance and you seemed to want to date Erin, not Andy. We close out the show with several girls trying to subtract twelve from fifteen and it’s just shameful. Is it four? Three? No four. Shameful. Andy toasts the lucky twelve who move forward. Next week, jealousy rears its ugly head, racing cars, mud and bathing suits, and someone is driven away in an ambulance.