In the aftermath of Katie Thurston arriving in Mexico, Blake Moynes decided on Thursday’s Bachelor in Paradise not to move forward with Jess Girod.
“I had way, way, way less time with her, but we were able to accomplish so much more,” Blake, 32, told Jess, 24, of his ex-fiancée, also 32.
Blake felt he and Jess had been “kind of going in circles” with their relationship. “Everything’s pointing to as much as we want this to work, it’s not going to,” Blake continued.
Jess admitted she wanted to be “hopelessly in love” by this point in the show, but she didn’t feel that way about Blake. “I thought things would look differently,” she said to Blake. “That’s not where I’m at.”
Jess acknowledged “there’s truth” in Blake’s assessment of their relationship and agreed to part ways.
“He was all in and I wasn’t,” Jess said in an on-camera interview.
With that, Blake decided to leave Paradise, but Kylee Russell ran after him.
“I just feel like you’re giving up to easily,” Kylee, 25, said to Blake.
Blake disagreed. “I know when something’s not working,” he said to Kylee.
Blake continued to head out, feeling dejected. “At this point I just feel like I’ve tried it all,” he told the cameras. “I tried it three times and failed.”
MORE COUPLES DECIDE THEIR FATE
After a note questioning her relationship with Tyler Norris popped up in the Truth Box, Mercedes Northup wanted to figure out where things stood with him.
“We haven’t gotten deeper with each other,” Mercedes, 25, said to Tyler, 27. “There’s like really no depth. I don’t feel like you’re trying to pursue me.”
Mercedes said she heard the possibility of being in a long-distance relationship outside of Mexico played a factor in why he didn’t want to get serious about her. “It was definitely something I was scared of for sure,” Tyler admitted.
Tyler said he wanted to leave with someone with whom he felt a “spark,” and Mercedes asked if he felt that with her. “The last rose I gave you was for me to figure out if that spark’s going to come at some point,” he said.
Mercedes saw that as a “a bad sign” of their connection and told Tyler she didn’t want to give him her rose. “I feel used if there’s no spark,” she said.
Meanwhile, Rachel Recchia wanted to explore a connection with Jordan Vandergriff, but he felt more friend vibes.
“Is the romantic side for me there?” Jordan, 28, wondered to the group. “Like, I don’t know if I can get those romantic feelings back.”
Jordan expressed interest in Mercedes, but even after their conversation, Mercedes didn’t know who she wanted to give her rose to.
Brayden Bowers, Taylor Pegg and Tanner Courtad all tried to form a bond with a newly single Jess. Brayden, 24, brought her chocolate and Tanner, 30, gushed to Jess about how he viewed her loyalty to Blake as a “green flag.”
“I do want to get to know you,” Jess said to Tanner, adding that she felt “so weird” after her breakup with Blake.
Tanner thought that meant he had a chance. “You maybe being open is enough for me to want to stay here,” he said.
ROSE CEREMONY
At the rose ceremony, Eliza Isichei began by giving her rose to Aaron Bryant. Kat Izzo followed by offering hers to John Henry Spurlock, Kylee presented her rose to Aven Jones and Olivia Lewis gave her rose to Michael Barbour.
Sam Picco extended her rose to Peter Cappio and Jess decided to offer her rose to Tanner, but Taylor heard his name and awkwardly stepped forward first. “I’m so sorry!” Jess said to Taylor.
Mercedes ended up giving her rose to Jordan and before Rachel, 27, could announce who she wanted to have her rose, she walked off, saying she needed a second.
When host Jesse Palmer checked in with her, Rachel said, “I think I might need to go.”
With that, the former Bachelorette returned to the group to say goodbye.
“I really came into Paradise with no expectations,” Rachel told the cameras. “And I made mistakes, but I learned so much more about myself.”
Jesse, 45, informed the group that Rachel forfeited her rose by leaving, which meant rose-less Brayden and Taylor had to pack their bags and head home, too.
Bachelor in Paradise’s season 9 finale airs Thursday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
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