Katie Thurston's tumultuous journey for love played out on Monday night's episode.
Katie Thurston added another man to the mix on Monday's episode of The Bachelorette. Throughout episode four of the reality series, Katie's journey to find love involved dares, truths, a liar, and a new man, all of which ET is breaking down in the Bachelorette recap below.
Episode four kicked off with the men questioning Thomas' intentions, a topic that continued to loom large throughout the events of the week. A group date followed, pushing the guys first to complete fun dares, and second to share some hard truths.
Blake Moynes also made his long-awaited arrival in this episode, and Katie parted ways with one man, whom she dubbed "a liar."
Keep reading for the full recap of episode four of The Bachelorette.
The Truth and Dare Group Date
Amid their worry over Thomas' intentions, some of the guys headed out for a group date. When they arrived at the location, hosts Kaitlyn Bristowe and Tayshia Adams promised them that the activity would challenge them mentally, physically and emotionally.
The guys were up for the challenge, as Mike P. accepted a dare to eat 5,400 calories worth of Twinkies, despite not having had a carb in seven years. Meanwhile, Andrew S. and Greg were tasked with whispering sweet nothings into Katie's ear, and Tre was left in "a vulnerable state" after Christian waxed his butt.
Katie was "impressed" by her guys' commitment, but challenged them even further when she dared them to eat two peppers before wowing her with a fake proposal. Despite his distaste for the peppers, Greg's proposal stuck with Katie because he dropped the L-word when he pretended to pop the question.
"Technically, it was the first time Greg said he loved me," Katie said in a confessional. "It counts. I’m telling myself it counts."
When the nighttime portion of the date kicked off, Katie bonded with Andrew S., telling him that their relationship "flows" well before sharing a kiss.
Greg opened up about feeling out of his "comfort zone" during his conversation with Katie, admitting to her, "You're all I think about." Katie was moved by Greg's sweet speech, and decided to tell him how he makes her feel.
"Every time that you say something, I know it’s real. You’re not really trying to impress me. You’re just being you, which is impressing me. You’re not putting on an act, you’re just authentic," she told him. "You’ve shared a lot with me, I feel like even that made us a lot closer. Obviously I have to seek this out to the very end. If it’s something you and I can get through together, I mean, that says a lot… I’m starting to fall for you."
Greg responded with a kiss, before gushing over Katie in a confessional. "I do feel like this can be love between us," he said. "It’s so weird to say because it’s so early on right now, but I feel amazing when I’m around her. I haven’t felt like this in a long time. I’m crazy about the girl."
After Josh shared a sweet moment with Katie, Tre decided that he wanted to tell the Bachelorette about his concerns for Thomas. While many of the guys supported Tre's decision, Andrew S. wanted everyone to stay out of it and focus on their own relationships.
Still, Tre did as he intended, telling Katie about Thomas' allegedly "manipulative" behavior. Though the reveal left Katie "devastated" and "blindsided," she gave Tre the rose, and thanked him for his honesty.
Blake Moynes Arrives
The morning after the group date, Aaron called Thomas "public enemy number one," as Tayshia arrived at Katie's room to reveal that a new man had shown up. The man in question was Blake Moynes, who previously vied for both Tayshia and Clare Crawley's hearts on The Bachelorette.
"I had someone from my past reach out to me and he really felt passionately that you guys would be an amazing match. I think he’s an amazing guy and I truly feel like he is someone that has good intentions," Tayshia told Katie of Blake, though she did not reveal his identity. "... He didn’t come at the beginning of the season, because he didn’t know if he wanted to throw himself back into the wild, crazy roller coaster that this is."
"He can’t stop thinking about you. He’s here and he wants to talk to you, and see if you’re willing to give him a chance," she added. "It’s a lot, but he’s genuine, and I feel like you are looking for someone that will really challenge you, but also bring out the best in you, and also really accepts you for you."
Katie was left "speechless" by Tayshia's reveal, but was delighted when she saw the man in question, whom she'd previously DM'd with. Blake began his speech by apologizing for showing up the way he did, before expressing his genuine interest in Katie, pointing to her openness, boldness, confidence and sense of humor as qualities he appreciates.
Katie admitted to being "flustered" in a confessional, before expressing some of her concerns to Blake himself.
"The last person I thought I’d see is you. I just expected my journey to continue with the guys in the house. To see you here, it’s like a dream, or a nightmare, I haven’t decided yet," she said. "It is concerning that, at this point, you’ve dated two Bachelorettes. If you stay, I will be your third Bachelorette. I’ll be honest, in the house there’s been a lot drama regarding who’s here for the right reasons and who’s not. So that’s still kind of fresh on my heart."
While Blake acknowledged how Katie felt, telling her he wished that they'd met "in another circumstance," he said he made the decision to show up because "the reward is so much greater than the risk for me."
"You’re beautiful, but everything else you bring to the table, you check boxes that no one else has," he said. "It just comes down to the fact that I would [wonder] what if and regret forever if I didn’t do this."
Katie told Blake that she felt "conflicted" over the whole thing, but admitted that she felt there could "maybe" be a romantic relationship with him.
"I promise you that if I came down to the end and we connected the way that I think we might, we would be engaged at the end of this," Blake responded.
Katie opted not to give Blake an answer then, instead telling him that she'd be in touch. In the confessional, all the decisions she had to make loomed large.
"I really do think Blake is being sincere by being here. But, I mean, it’s a huge decision to have Blake come into the house. I have strong connections that are already forming, and it would kill me to feel that those were disrupted if I chose to bring in Blake," she said. "Also, I still have to figure out the situation with Thomas. Am I falling for a guy who’s not actually here for me? It’s a lot… I don’t know what I want to do."
The Thomas Situation
Katie decided to tackle the Thomas situation first, something she got to do sooner than expected when he showed up at her door before the cocktail party.
"I’ve had to listen as my integrity and my character get [called into question]," Thomas told Katie. "That is not an easy position to be in… but I’m not going to walk away from this."
When Katie responded by asking about his Bachelor hopes, Thomas said, "I went on the show open for anything, and one of the possibilities of anything is that I could be the next Bachelor. I don’t think it’s equally as crazy that you could go into something like this and fall in love and meet someone who changes everything. That’s what I believe is happening… The only thing that gets me through being here is an opportunity to be with you. I mean that."
Despite his attempt at reassurance, Katie told Thomas, "It’s like you say things exactly as I want to hear them… I’ve struggled so much when it comes to you. Because I felt something with you, and then to have multiple people come forward and question your integrity, it’s a lot to consider."
The tears came to Katie next, as she told Thomas that the situation is "devastating" for her, and sent him off to the rose ceremony without an answer.
"My feelings for him were so strong until last night. Did he just make a mistake and should I give him a second chance? He was very honest with me, which is all I’ve asked for," she said in a confessional. "I know Thomas has gone out of his way to show his affection for me in front of the guys. I can’t help but wonder, is Thomas intimidating? Is our connection intimidating to the house? Where’s this stemming from? Is there truth behind it? I need to figure out who to trust."
After another spat with the guys, Thomas interrupted Katie's rose ceremony speech to pitch himself one last time.
"Katie, I would like to openly acknowledge and apologize for any thought, any moment that I wasn’t here for the right reasons," he said. "And to the guys, I want to openly acknowledge and apologize [for] any times of disrespect that you guys didn’t deserve. Most importantly, any time I diminished the value that you guys have as men. Thank you."
Katie proceeded to hand out the roses without commenting on Thomas' statement. When she got to the last rose, she called Thomas' name, much to the disbelief of her other suitors.
They needn't have worried, though, as Katie backed up from Thomas as soon as he stepped forward, telling him, "You told me things I wanted to hear. But what I learned about you tonight is you’re selfish, unkind and a liar. Your Bachelor audition ends tonight, so get out."
"Thomas betrayed my trust. He manipulated my emotions. You don’t get to use me as a stepping stone to whatever your goal is. Not here. Not today. Not tonight. Not ever," Katie said in a confessional. "I’m looking for a husband. Someone who’s here to be here for me. Someone who came here wanting to fall in love. I’m not settling."
Katie Makes Her Decision About Blake
Feeling confident after her Thomas decision, Katie was ready to give Blake her answer.
"There is some part of me that feels empowered. I can trust my gut. Now I know that every decision I make is the right decision for me," she said. "With Thomas, I just had this feeling that his intentions weren’t pure. I didn’t know why. But on the polar opposite end, my gut’s telling me, 'Explore this!' And I have to follow my heart."
Katie showed up to Blake's room still in her rose ceremony dress, and was shocked when he answered the door naked. After he threw on some clothes, Katie invited him to join the season.
"For me, I really have to follow my gut and everything. And given where things are at and how I’m feeling, if you want to stay, I’d like you to join and see if this becomes something. If that interests you?" Katie said, much to Blake's delight. "I’m sorry you had to wait so long, but hopefully the wait’s worth it. You’ve gotta pack this room 'cause you’ll be moving in the house tomorrow. Get some rest. Goodnight."
The Bachelorette airs Mondays on ABC. Follow along with ET to get episode recaps, previews and more throughout Katie's season.
RELATED CONTENT:
