The bachelorette hails from Williamstown, Mass. A friend of mine, who attended Mount Greylock Regional High School with Ali Fedotowsky, has said she was “a party girl but crazy smart.” I believe it. I’ve rarely seen her without a beverage in her hand this season, and after a quick Google search, I found she graduated summa cum laude from Clark University.
This week, Fedotowsky saw Roberto, Chris L., Kirk and Frank in their elements, and for the first time, it wasn’t the guys who had to prove themselves. The families grilled the bachelorette with questions like “What are your goals?” and “Why do you think you’re good enough for my son?” It was an intense, two-hour episode, and only three guys were left standing by the end. If you missed it, not a worry. We’ve got a recap waiting for you — just like mom would’ve made.
1. Roberto: Tampa, Fla. It always helps when you’ve played minor league baseball in the bachelorette’s hometown and have a card to prove it. Roberto met Ali on a local diamond, and they played more than a game of catch. “I think a baseball uniform is the sexiest thing that a guy can put on,” Fedotowsky said. “I loved it that Roberto got behind me to show me how to bat. That’s probably the oldest move in the book, but I wasn’t complaining!”
Meeting Roberto’s family wasn’t as easy. His dad, a former army ranger, thinks a lot of his son. “You’re a big prize in my mind,” he told Roberto. He then took Fedotowsky aside and pointed out that his son had goals and that she might have to move cross-country to support his career, but the bachelorette gave an all-star answer. She said that they would do what was best for their family and that in order for Roberto to be happy, she’d have to be happy too. This seemed to satisfy the father, who gave Roberto his blessing. Separately, his mom did too, and by the end of the visit, they were salsa dancing in the living room.
2. Chris L.: Cape Cod, Mass. This hometown visit started like a J. Crew ad. Chris L. waited on a beach with his black lab. The sky was overcast, and Fedotowsky approached him in Wellington boots. It soon became apparent that Chris L. is one big puppy dog. “She’s unlike any girl I’ve ever met,” he told the cameras. “She’s smart, she’s playful, she’s drop-dead gorgeous. I just want to run around in circles when she’s around — I do — she’s the perfect girl for me.” Moments earlier, Fedotowsky told the producers that she thinks they moved past “the friend stage” in Portugal. Bit of a disconnect.
But like any all-American, boy-next-door type, Chris L. won her over. “I’ve known that there was something from the beginning about Chris that I really liked. And seeing him in his element? That part of him that I love so much is shining through so brightly!” Fedotowsky said. She won over his sisters-in-law too once they saw that Chris L. had given her the same tennis bracelet they all share, revealing that their relationship was serious. “She’s a keeper,” Chris L.’s dad said. They parted ways after kissing atop of a lighthouse.
3. Kirk: Green Bay, Wis. By her third hometown date, Fedotowsky had perfected the running embrace. When she saw Kirk, her eyes lit up, and she jogged toward him and jumped into a hug. Kirk looked like a ball of sunshine; he was so happy. It was soon revealed that Kirk’s parents are divorced and don’t speak to one another, so the bachelorette visited two houses.
First stop was Kirk’s dad’s house. He’s remarried, and they have an adopted daughter together. The first question the father asked (creepily, I might add) is “Ali, do you want to see my basement?” Downstairs, he unveiled an entire room of stuffed squirrels, boars and deer. Fedotowsky’s reaction? “Oh. My. God.” But once she got past the freezer packed with dead animals alongside popsicles, the bachelorette warmed up to Kirk’s dad, and they ended the day with a soccer game (Fedotowsky played soccer in high school).
Up next was a trip to meet Kirk’s mom, grandmother and sister. She hit it off with the ladies and even got a bit teary-eyed when his mother told the story of Kirk’s illness. “About six years ago, he was getting sick and nobody could figure out why. Remember these bracelets? You know, Lance Armstrong?” she asked Fedotowsky. “We both put them on. I see he’s wearing his today. I never took it off — ever. It gets so tattered and to me, it was just a symbol of support for Kirk.” Ah, the mystery of the constant presence of the yellow bands has been revealed! I suspect Kirk gave all the contestants one to wear. “You lost a lot, and I think it’s your turn now,” Kirk’s mom told her son as he left.
4. Frank: Chicago. Fedotowsky’s last date was a bit confusing. On a boat tour along the Chicago River, Frank admitted that “The thing about this that sucks is having all these feelings and then being away. It’s a mind game.” To which the bachelorette responded, “I can’t figure you out.” And later, to the cameras, “I don’t know if he feels that we could end up together after the end of this, and that concerns me.”
But once they were on dry land, things got better. Frank’s mom immediately warmed to Fedotowsky. “I feel like you’ve been dating him for a year!” she beamed as the camera panned the room to reveal a smile on everyone’s faces.
But who did Fedotowsky choose at the rose ceremony?
“I feel like Roberto’s this fairytale guy that I never really thought I deserved,” Fedotowsky said. Roberto received the first rose.
“I could definitely picture myself in Chris’ family,” the bachelorette said and later, gave him a rose.
“I think there’s a very good possibility that Frank and I will end up together by the end of this,” she told the cameras. The final rose of the evening went to the Illinois native.
The LIVESTRONG bracelet did not come through for Kirk this week, much as Armstrong wheeled out of the Tour de France. “It kind of hurts because I really tried to be open with you and I’ve never really done that before,” Kirk told Fedotowsky. “Thank you, I guess. You’ve been my first real shot of doing this.”
In the limo, Kirk told the cameras, “I did not see this coming. I’ve never had my heart broken before. I’ve always been the one to leave a relationship.” Hmm … do I see a favorite for next season’s The Bachelor?! I hope so.
And remember, folks, The Bachelorette is more than just a pretty face. Fedotowsky and her many men posed for a charity calendar that benefits Global Green USA and the Oceanic Preservation Society. Order yours here.
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Photos by Rick Rowell via ABC.