Monday's episode saw Gabby gush over the love of her life, as Rachel's week ended on a cliffhanger.
Fantasy Suites aren't for the faint of heart. On Tuesday's episode of The Bachelorette, part two of Gabby Windey and Rachel Recchia's overnight dates played out, all of which ET is breaking down in the recap below.
Gabby and Erich continued their uncomfortable discussion at the start of the episode, before the nurse turned her focus to Jason, whose uncertainty about an engagement weighed heavily on her.
Rachel seemed to have a picture-perfect date with Zach, but their awkward Fantasy Suite changed their relationship forever. Ultimately, Gabby said she found the love of her life, while Rachel was left with three men hanging in the balance.
Keep reading for a recap of part two of Fantasy Suite week on The Bachelorette.
Erich Admits He 'F**ked Up'
An impromptu meeting between Erich and Gabby quickly turned sour on Monday night's episode, when the real estate analyst expressed his fears about the nurse's other relationships, something they'd previously discussed off-camera.
"I kind of lost trust in us and her. I got really in my head and I wish I didn’t. I f**ked up," Erich told the cameras, before expressing similar sentiments to Gabby when she returned.
"I’m in love with you and I’m terrified of losing you, so I f**ked up an opportunity that was just supposed to be positive, just us, just sneaking a moment 'cause I’m scared," he said. "That came from a moment of insecurity, unjustified doubts. I f**ked up. It was not a good moment and I’m really sorry."
Gabby acknowledged that Erich's heart was "in the right place" and accepted his apology, but shared her lingering concerns about their relationship in a confessional.
"A couple of days ago, leaving our morning together, I felt so good about him, like he really could be the one for me, but then he f**ked all of that up last night," she said. "... I want this to be my decision. I don’t really know where to go from here or what to do, but I know I just have to continue to follow my heart."
While speaking to host Jesse Palmer, Gabby tearfully explained why Erich's questions had hurt her so much. "My first gut reaction was, 'Why are we rehashing this now?'... I didn’t get any sleep. I was still so confused and I felt so hurt."
Gabby Is 'Conflicted' After Her Date With Jason
Ahead of Jason's date with Gabby, the investment banker told the cameras that he's "not at a place where I’m ready to get engaged," something he first expressed during Hometowns.
Still, they had a great date together, as Jason, who played tennis in college, taught Gabby how to play the sport.
"I had more fun today than I could’ve imagined," Jason said in a confessional. "It just felt special. If there was any day I could ask for, today is what I would want."
During a poolside discussion things stayed positive, as they reminisced on their Hometown date.
"It has really exceeded all my expectations. I know we have fun together, but this is more than fun. It’s really just comfort. I am truly falling in love with him," Gabby told the cameras. "... I can definitely see him at the end of this with me. After today, I just know it’s going to work for us... He really is everything I’ve ever wanted."
At dinner, though, things went downhill when Jason finally shared where he stands with Gabby.
"I know what the expectation of this is for a lot of people, being engaged and being fully in love. To be completely transparent and honest, I don’t think I’m fully there yet," he confessed. "I think it’s because in this environment it’s constantly in my head what’s real, what’s not real. I’m questioning so many things. I don’t think in another seven days I’ll be ready for that."
He took things further shortly thereafter, telling Gabby, "I feel like you don’t even know who I am completely. I don’t fully feel like I know who you are."
Gabby walked away from the table in tears, stating in a confessional, "There was a piece of me that wanted him to play along for just a f**king second, but he can’t. I just knew it was going to happen. I have to be honest with myself. Maybe it is a love that’s just not destined to be together."
While Jason wasn't ready to pop the question, he told the cameras that he definitely didn't want to walk away from his "unique connection" with Gabby.
He eventually went to find Gabby, telling her, "I totally see us getting to a point in real life where we can spend time together... When I’m with you I do forget about this and I see that as something special that could turn into a serious relationship, hopefully by the end of this that’s where we’re at. I truly care about you and you truly mean a lot to me."
Gabby kissed Jason in response, but told the cameras she was still "feeling conflicted." They ended their dinner by deciding to discuss the situation off-camera in the Fantasy Suite.
"I know one night can change everything, so as much as everything is working against us right now, what if we come up on top?" Gabby questioned. "Then nothing could ever take us down."
Gabby Worries She's 'Too Broken' for Love
It turns out that Gabby's positivity was simply wishful thinking, as she woke up the morning after her Fantasy Suite with Jason in tears, telling the cameras that she's "hurt and devastated."
"Once we got behind closed doors, we were talking in circles and couldn’t agree on how things were going to go, if we needed more time, and honestly I was running out of patience," she recalled. "I was like, 'Maybe it’s not meant to be,' and then he was like, 'Yeah, definitely.' Like, when were you going to tell me that?"
"I wanted to leave and give it space. Right before I walked out the door he was like, basically, like, 'This is it,'" Gabby continued. "As much as it hurts, I know I need to say goodbye to Jason. I’m ready for somebody to love me the way that I love them."
Gabby went to Jason's room to make their breakup official, telling him that his continued participation made her think he was serious about pursuing a relationship outside of the show.
"I truly needed that time to realize this wasn’t going to work for us. I’m sorry," he said. "I genuinely want the best for you. I think you’re an amazing person. I’m really sorry."
While Jason insisted that he had fought for the relationship, Gabby disagreed, telling him, "I think you’re so terrified to hurt me [that] you’ve been treading so lightly, but it’s like, you knew how you feel and couldn’t tell me."
"I’m sorry that it happened like that, but I got that clarity when we were up there," Jason told Gabby, who said she'd been "led on" by him.
As Gabby hugged Jason and left his room in tears, she expressed all her fears in a confessional.
"I’ve tried so hard not to be reckless with other people and he was reckless with me. He never loved me, so what were we doing? It’s not even that he didn’t want an engagement, he didn’t want me. How do you just keep trusting?" she questioned. "Johnny also doesn’t want me. Is it me? I don’t know what it is about me that’s so hard to love. I’m terrified."
"What if Erich decides I’m not for him? Am I too broken for anyone to love?" Gabby continued. "It does take the right person to know how to love me, and they might not be here."
Rachel and Zach Have an 'Inauthentic' Fantasy Suite
Rachel went into her date with Zach on a high, telling the cameras that she does "definitely see myself being a part of his family." They had a fun day in town, where they drank tequila, ate bugs and went shopping together.
"When I’m with Rachel every is so bright and easy... We just get each other," Zach said in a confessional. "... There’s other relationships being formed here. That’s not a fun and easy thought."
As they progressed to the nighttime portion of the date, Zach told the cameras, "I like to think I’m the one that’s going to be here at the end, proposing to her. I’m feeling more than excited... I love this woman and I want to be with her for the rest of my life."
With that, they headed to the Fantasy Suite, where Zach predicted, "In the morning, I’m expecting to feel more in love with the future Mrs. Shallcross. Nothing coming out of tonight can change that."
Something did change that, though, as the cameras caught an awkward morning after between the couple. As Rachel praised Zach for handling a "tough conversation" well, he admitted that everything had given him "a lot to digest."
In a confessional, Zach revealed more about the conversation in question, sharing that it all stemmed from Rachel asking if he was ready for marriage at age 25, which is several months younger than her 26.
"It’s like we were two strangers. I don’t know what it could be, but Rachel’s concern came out of nowhere," Zach said. "I think it’s bulls**t to be honest. She was putting on a front. That scares me. That scares me a lot."
Zach, who said he's "completely lost right now," then went to Jesse's room to tearfully discuss the situation with him.
"We clicked, we had that connection, and things were immediately different when we were in the Fantasy Suite, completely the way we were together. That feeling did a 180. She was different, I was different," he said. "... It felt like she was not showing her true self. It was very inauthentic sometimes."
Zach added to Jesse that he was "blindsided" by Rachel's age concern, stating, "I thought I saw this future with her, and just to be completely gut punched and not feeling it at all... It’s shocking."
In a confessional ahead of the rose ceremony, Zach said his Fantasy Suite talk with Rachel was "the most inauthentic conversation I’ve ever had."
"I was more than ready to get on one knee. The Rachel that I was falling in love with, I trusted her enough at least to show me her real self and I don’t think I got that. And I still don’t know why or how," he said. "What was that Rachel I was getting? That’s the biggest concern to me."
Zach proceeded to halt the beginning of the rose ceremony to speak to Rachel about all of this, a conversation viewers won't get to see until next week's episode.
Gabby Finds the Love of Her Life
With just one man left, Gabby was feeling "scared that I could leave here alone" as she went to have a conversation with Erich. When she arrived at Erich's room, Gabby left it all on the table.
"I know in my heart that you’ve fought for me so much, and you love in this very secure and comfortable way. You’ve taught me how I want to be treated and that it’s OK to ask for those things," she said. "Sometimes it is hard for me to take things at face value, because of everything I’ve gone through. You have taught me that it’s OK to feel safe, and wanted, and loved in a way that I haven’t."
Gabby continued, "You’re the only one left. I know it’s so hard and I think I’ve felt it for a while, but I do know that I love you."
"I’m so freaking lucky that it’s you," Erich replied, before further gushing about his relationship with the nurse in a confessional.
"This is freaking amazing," he said. "I’m so happy right now. It’s the best feeling in the world. All I wanted was this, and then you get it. I just couldn’t be happier."
"He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. It feels so right. It honestly feels like a fairytale. I can’t believe that he’s all mine," Gabby said in a confessional of her own. "Erich is definitely the love of my life. I think everything in my life has happened for a reason and all of the arrows and stars are pointing straight to him. It feels so good and it feels so incredibly meant to be."
Part one of The Bachelorette's live, two-part season finale will air Tuesday, Sept. 13 on ABC. Keep up with the historic season by following along with ET's coverage of the series.
RELATED CONTENT:
