Another villain also emerged on this week's episode.
Michelle Young's suitors are already falling for her. On Tuesday night's episode of The Bachelorette, Michelle built connections, spoke her mind, and faced another shocking accusation, all of which ET is breaking down in the recap below.
Martin nabbed the first of two one-on-one dates for the week, and put his rose in jeopardy by defending Jamie, the recently departed villain. A slumber party group date wasn't all face masks and popcorn, as Michelle had to confront the guys about a deep-seated issue.
Rick's one-on-one followed, and the medical sales rep didn't hold back about his feelings for the teacher. But the week didn't end on a good note, as one man made Michelle question everything at the cocktail party.
Keep reading for a full recap of episode four of The Bachelorette.
Martin Defends Jamie, But Still Gets Rose
Michelle awarded Martin the first one-on-one of the week, in part to get some of her questions answered about his friendship with the villainous Jamie. The pair's date got off to an exhilarating start, as they raced BMWs on a track.
"Sexy car, sexy lady, we have a whole lot of sexy going on. I think it’s working out very well," the personal trainer told the cameras, just before Michelle beat him in the race.
"I do see potential in Martin," Michelle revealed in a confessional. "... He notices the small things and I think that’s an important thing in a relationship."
Those feelings were put into question during the pair's post-date dip in a hot tub, when Martin said of Jamie, "I don’t think he’s a bad person. I still think he’s a hell of a man."
That made Michelle feel as if her decision to send Jamie home was being questioned, which she confessed to Martin during the nighttime portion of their date. He confessed to being "blunt," and said that his struggle to communicate and express his emotions is tied to his childhood, something he'd change if he were to have kids one day.
Michelle praised Martin for opening up, and lauded him for changing his behavior as soon as she expressed a concern. Martin's reaction to Michelle's comment was enough to earn him the rose.
"I never thought that I could feel like this for somebody this fast as I had in this very moment with Michelle," Martin said in a confessional.
Michelle Feels Unseen During Slumber Party Group Date
Michelle treated her biggest group date yet to a slumber party, complete with pajamas, games, face masks and junk food. While the men appeared to have the time of their lives on the cozy date, Michelle wasn't so pleased.
"The men are embracing their inner man child a little too much. I was caught off guard a little bit," she said in a confessional, as footage played of the guys chatting with each other, but not Michelle. "... Today has been a little difficult because I didn’t prepare myself to not feel seen."
The men continued with the date unbeknownst to Michelle's feelings, as they competed in The Teddy Bear Takedown, which was hosted by Nikki and Brie Bella. Michelle only got more frustrated at the conclusion of the game, as no one pulled her aside to celebrate with her.
"Not being seen is definitely something that I’m realizing truly hurts me," Michelle said. "I’m hurt and I want to figure that out... I’m frustrated and hurt. In this situation, I felt like one thing I wasn’t going to have to worry about is not being seen."
Michelle confessed her feelings to the guys during the after-party, telling them, "I feel like I’m putting in so much effort to make small moments with you guys, but I don’t necessarily feel like that’s being reciprocated... I think my biggest fear in all of this is that I could commit to somebody who doesn’t eventually see me."
The guys felt awful after Michelle's speech, with Nayte telling her that he's "100 percent willing" to do better, Romeo admitting that he wasn't giving her "the attention I wanted to give you," and Clayton confessing, "I know I can be better than I am."
It was Olu who had an intense reaction to it, though, breaking down in tears as he opened up to Michelle about seeing his four sisters feel the same way she described. Olu's vulnerability was enough to earn him the group date rose.
Rick and Michelle Take Their Relationship to New Heights
Michelle was feeling better heading into her one-on-one date with Rick, and things only improved as they took a cable car up 8,500 feet in the air to walk around and enjoy the outdoors.
The date took an unexpectedly deep turn when Michelle and Rick stumbled upon a wish box. The strangers' wishes they read made Rick open up about his family, revealing that his parents split up prior to his dad's death three years ago.
"It's never felt this easy before," Rick told Michelle of opening up to someone, as she complimented, "I like who you are."
Rick continued his personal reveals on the nighttime portion of their date, sharing that he was the one to discover his father's infidelity and break the news to his mom. It's something, Rick said, he believes his dad blamed him for up until the time of his death.
"You definitely made it easier for me today," Rick said of being vulnerable. "... I can’t rule out the fact that I could be falling in love with you. I feel like I am. I know that’s a lot to be said, but I know what my gut is saying."
Michelle admitted that she wasn't expecting that, but seemed excited about it nonetheless. She offered him the rose and they shared a kiss, before they concluded their date with a private Andy Grammer concert.
Chris S. Angers the Guys
Though Chris S. wasn't on the group date where Michelle revealed that she felt unseen, he inserted himself into the situation at the beginning of the cocktail party before the Bachelorette could even get a word in.
"I think that there are guys here that think they have it in the bag. I think that’s bulls**t," Chris S. said in front of the guys and Michelle. "I think they’re not showing you the effort that you deserve. I think that you should give time to other people who are here for you, who are showing you the effort that you deserve. I think that the guys that think they have it in the bag, they should either speak up or they should go home."
Michelle thanked Chris S. for speaking up and told the group, "Nobody has it in the bag, not even close," but the guys were less than pleased with the commodities broker's display. Nayte called the whole thing "weird," Clayton said it was "out of place," and Romeo referred to it as "a desperate ploy."
During a private chat, Chris S. tells Michelle that Nayte had reacted to not getting a one-on-one date by saying, "I already know I’m going to get one, it’s just a matter of when, so this doesn’t really matter."
When Michelle confronted Nayte about Chris S.'s claims, she told him, "It’s not like winning something... you should never feel like you have anything in the bag... I shouldn’t have to light a fire under someone’s a** to want to be with me."
A "pissed off" Nayte was quick to pull Chris S. next, and Chris S. started gaslighting Nayte, telling him to "calm down" and "worry about yourself." Nayte responded by calling Chris S. "a dweeb."
Despite the confrontation, Chris S. was happy he did what he did, saying in a confessional, "I came in on my white horse and I saved her from the castle that she’s been stuck in."
Michelle did end up awarding Chris S. with a rose, along with Brandon, Leroy, Joe, Rodney, Clayton, Casey and Nayte. When the roses were handed out, Michelle told her remaining suitors that they were leaving Palm Springs to go to her hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The Journey Continues in Minnesota
"It feels so good to be back home," Michelle says in the preview, as she begins the second half of her journey in her hometown.
It appears that fellow Minnesotan Joe will land a date next week, and while things start off well between the pair, they may not end well, as Michelle tells the real estate developer, "I can’t do this anymore."
Elsewhere, Brandon tells Michelle that his birthday wish has come true, and Michelle feels "fireworks" as she shares kisses with Rick, Clayton, Martin, and Nayte, the latter of which upsets Chris S.
"Her infatuation with Nayte, I feel like I got the short end of the stick," he complains.
Casey frets, "I’m nervous about what he might do, while another man states, "It wouldn’t shock me if he takes down other men with him."
Meanwhile, Brandon is seen crying as Michelle tells one man, "Our relationship isn’t progressing forward."
"If I get heartbroken," Michelle says, "then that’s on me."
The Bachelorette airs Tuesdays on ABC. ET has got you covered throughout the entirety of Michelle's season with all of our Bachelorette coverage.
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