This week on The BachelorArie Luyendyk Jr. and the contestants jet over to Italy for more romantic and mostly awkward dates.

THE BACHELOR RECAP

In addition, there is no rose ceremony this week, as Arie is set to hand out, or not hand out, all the roses on dates. The first date of the week goes to Becca K. and Arie explains that he wants to up the romance in their relationship. Together they drive off to the medieval town of Barga for a tour and a picnic. After Becca assures Arie that she still feels that spark, the pair make out and then Arie gifts her the first rose of the episode.

Next week is the hometown date week, which means that every woman who receives a rose this week will have Arie meet her parents next. At dinner, Becca goes over everyone that Arie will meet and tells him that she’s falling for him, and he agrees. “I’m really, really, really hopeful for us,” he says. “I’m falling for you.”

Back at the house, our Ph.D. candidate Jacqueline is freaking out because she isn’t sure that Arie is right for her. It’s a refreshing take from the usual drama on the show, and it shows that Jacqueline has actually thought about love and what she wants, and isn’t just going after Arie because ABC tells her to. Once Arie and Becca return from their date, Jacqueline goes to talk with Arie. “I don’t know what kind of conversation this is going to be,” she begins. “I’m worried I’m going to end up in Scottsdale with you, married, and wonder like, ‘How did I get here?'”

Despite Arie trying to change her mind, Jacqueline stays strong, and ends up leaving the show of her own accord.

The next day is Lauren‘s one-on-one date. They head out for a bike ride and some gelato, but Lauren is awfully quiet. Arie brings up the hometown date possibility, and Lauren just says that the idea of it “freaks me out a little, I’m not gonna lie.” Over dinner, though, she opens up about why. “It’s hard for me to put myself in a place where I feel like I can get hurt again,” she says. “It’s very obvious to me that I feel like I’m starting to fall in love with you.”

Arie is actually lost for words and walks away from the table, making Lauren probably very nervous. When he returns, however, he tells her that he had to get up because he’s “falling so deeply in love” with her too. She accepts his rose.

The last one-on-one date of the week goes to Seinne, and the pair go truffle hunting with a an Italian man named Julio. “I do dig Seinne… but can I dig deep enough?” our bachelor says in an attempt at a metaphor. They then head to Julio’s home for a fresh Italian meal, complete with nosy questions from Julio and his wife. Of course Arie and Seinne head to a second dinner later where they don’t actually eat but instead talk about hometowns. “Even though we had an amazing day, and there’s a connection there, something’s off,” Arie says before telling Seinne he won’t be offering her the date rose.

The final act of this episode is a small group date of Arie, KendallBekah and Tia. Because he sent Seinne home, Arie now has two roses to hand out after this date. Tia takes it upon herself to tell Arie that she doesn’t think Bekah is on the same page as the other women and isn’t ready for love and marriage. Later she tells Bekah what she says, adding, “at the end of the day, he is looking for his wife.”

This, of course, sends Bekah straight to Arie and tells him that she doesn’t “like feeling like I’m being misunderstood.”

The first rose of the evening goes to Kendall, and after an awkward three-on-one dinner, Arie ends up giving his last rose to Tia. Next week Arie will head to the hometowns of Becca, Lauren, Kendall and Tia.

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