Gerry Turner is sharing how he was able to use the fantasy suites for more than just “knocking boots” with his final three women.
“Maybe it’s a Texas euphemism for intimacy,” the Golden Bachelor star, 72, explained on Tuesday’s episode of Tamron Hall. “But the misdirect is that that really wasn’t what those fantasy suites were for.”
“I found the fantasy suites to be the perfect moment to connect intellectually and emotionally with these women, where I could have conversations that weren’t basically in front of our grandchildren,” he continued.
The former restaurateur added that having vulnerable conversations with contestants Theresa, Faith and Leslie were difficult being “on camera and mic’d” and speaking “in front of your grandkids.”
After visiting each woman’s family members in their hometowns, Gerry realized he was in an “impossible situation” as he grappled with his feelings for Faith, Theresa and Leslie in last week’s episode.
When he arrived at the rose ceremony, he shared, “Tonight, I recognize that I’ve developed a bond and a connection with all three of you and these hometowns mean more than just three of you and more than just me. Now, families are involved and that makes it all that much harder, but I remind myself that this is my journey and this is one more step that I have to make before I’m to the point where I can find my true love, the person I want to spend the rest of my life with.”
After he gave the first rose to Leslie, Gerry became overcome with emotion and left the ceremony in tears, unable to hand out the second rose.
“I feel like I’m gonna throw up,” he admitted as he bent over his hands on his knees. “I’m looking at two women who either one could be my partner for the rest of my life. Having to send someone home is gut-wrenching. I’m dying inside a little bit right at this moment.”
The episode ended on a cliff-hanger, with fans unsure of who receive Gerry’s other rose.
On Tamron Hall, Gerry confessed he wasn’t sure about the nuances between “falling in love and being in love” but shared how he was able to narrow down the three amazing women to find the one.
“I’m not sure but I will say this: those three women, I was in love with or I love them, however you want to say it,” he continued. “They were unique, genuine women. And by the end of my journey, I realized, of course, that only one of them was the woman I can’t live without.”
The eponymous host reminded him of the piece of advice he received from the first Bachelorette, Trista Sutter. “She told you, ‘Don’t look for the woman that you can live with. Look for the woman you can’t live without,’” she added.
Gerry agreed. “Exactly. I kept that top of mind as I went through the journey,” he said.
The Golden Bachelor airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
