Bachelorette Michelle Makes 'Nearly Impossible' Choice to Send 1 Man Home After Fantasy Suites

"I know that it's the right thing to do but I know that as that person's heart breaks, my heart's going to break too," Michelle said about bidding farewell to one of her final three men

Published on December 14, 2021 10:00 PM

This post contains spoilers from Tuesday's episode of The Bachelorette.

Michelle Young took one step closer to finding her forever partner during Tuesday's episode of The Bachelorette.

Down to just three men — Brandon, Joe and Nayte — Michelle, 28, headed to the Conrad Punta de Mita in Mexico for Fantasy Suites.

"I have three incredible men left and I am falling in love," Michelle told the cameras. "I never thought that I'd be able to have those types of feelings with more than one person."

While walking on the beach with co-host Kaitlyn Bristowe, Michelle recounted where her relationship with each man stood. Michelle said she felt no hesitations about Brandon, and of Joe, she noted, "Everything that I've seen about him I've loved."

But Michelle worried she might be falling harder for Nayte, 27, than he was for her.

"Could I end up in a situation where I have fallen more than the other person once again?" she asked Kaitlyn, 36. "Yeah, I could."

The Dancing with the Stars champ advised Michelle to "really pay attention to those fears with Nayte, because I wish I did that a little bit more."

BRANDON'S FANTASY SUITE DATE

Brandon received the first Fantasy Suite date of the week, which started off with some horseback riding.

"This is the closest I've ever been to a horse," Brandon, 27, revealed.

Going into the date, Michelle told the cameras she viewed Brandon as "somebody that I can see being my best friend."

They went for a ride and then settled on the beach with some champagne. "With her, everything is so perfect," Brandon said in an on-camera interview.

The pair reflected on the previous week's hometown date, and Brandon admitted he thought it went "extremely well."

"You are one of a kind," Michelle said to Brandon. "I recognize that."

Later, over dinner, Michelle asked Brandon if he could see himself being ready for an engagement at the end of the show.

"Since Day 1 when I met you, I knew that you were the one," Brandon said. "And when it hit and when I truly knew was when randomly when we were getting ice cream. Michelle, I want you to know that I'm in love with you. I was gonna wait but I don't want to wait anymore."

Michelle responded by saying she didn't want to "take off running — that's a good sign!"

"But I meant what I said after meeting your family, that I'm falling in love with you and that's not something I say lightly," she continued. "It's not something that I feel easily, but I do see a future with you. I just I never met somebody who has made me feel so safe."

In an on-camera interview, Michelle called Brandon "soulmate material."

They decided to go to the Fantasy Suite together and sipped more champagne in the hot tub, where they watched fireworks go off.

"This is what I want to do every day," Brandon said the next morning of waking up next to Michelle.

Then, Brandon brought Michelle breakfast in bed and fed her an empanada. "After last night, Brandon has given me quite a lot to think about," she told the cameras.

JOE'S FANTASY SUITE DATE

Michelle's Fantasy Suite date with Joe began with ziplining.

"I do feel like I'm right there," Michelle told the cameras of being close to falling for Joe.

After they ziplined, Joe and Michelle moved to a bench surrounded by horses and chatted about being each other's slice of home. "I want her to know I'm ready for marriage, I'm ready for partnership, I'm ready for building a life together," Joe, 28, said in an on-camera interview.

Over dinner, Joe spoke to Michelle about how he felt "we'd work well together."

Then, Michelle asked Joe how many kids he wanted, and he said ideally three, but maybe two boys and two girls for a total of four. The former basketball player added that he pursued real estate after sustaining a sports career-ending injury because he wanted to "set the foundation for a family."

From there, he and Michelle headed to the Fantasy Suite and the next morning, they enjoyed breakfast together on the terrace. "I really do appreciate you pushing through your shy side," Michelle said to Joe. "And if it is us standing side by side at the end of this, that relationship's going to be so strong."

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Michelle confessed in an on-camera interview that she could potentially picture being with the fellow Minnesota native forever. "Joe's my slice of home, maybe my soulmate," she said.

Joe's feelings for Michelle deepened after spending the night together, too. "I'm falling more and more in love with Michelle," he told the cameras. "And after last night, I wanted her to know how real it is and how serious I am to potentially be married."

Before they parted ways, Michelle told Joe: "I can see a future with you."

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NAYTE'S FANTASY SUITE DATE

Michelle embarked on her final Fantasy Suite date with Nayte, who thought that going last meant he had the strongest connection with the elementary school teacher.

They headed out on a boat ride during which they took over the captain's seat, raised the sails and basked in the sun. "When I'm with Nayte, I feel how you're supposed to feel when you're with your soulmate, when you're with your favorite person," Michelle told the cameras. "I don't want the day to end."

But Michelle still worried she had stronger feelings for Nayte than he did for her. "Tonight the perfect evening would be if Nayte can truly tell me he is ready for an engagement at the end of this," she added in an on-camera interview.

When Michelle asked Nayte how he felt, he reassured her. "I don't play with emotions," he said. "I don't play with feelings so when it comes to you, I am feeling things for you that I've never felt for anybody before. It's easy for me to close my eyes and picture a genuine life with you."

He continued, "I know I trust myself, I trust you. I trust that I'm literally falling in love with you."

With that, Michelle told the cameras, "Any fears or doubts that I was entering the night with I feel like have been resolved."

So they spent the night in the Fantasy Suite — and woke up in love.

"You're someone I want to hold onto," Nayte said to Michelle. "I'm falling in love with you. I'm in love with you."

Michelle said she felt the same way. "I am definitely in love with you too," she told Nayte.

Nayte and Michelle proceeded to eat breakfast on the balcony and got serenaded by a mariachi band. "This could be my person and that is exciting," Nayte told the cameras.

ROSE CEREMONY

Michelle needed to make what she called "the hardest decision" yet when it came to sending home Brandon, Joe or Nayte. "I know that it's the right thing to do but I know that as that person's heart breaks, my heart's going to break too," Michelle said in an on-camera interview of her impending choice.

Then, she took her spot in front of the three remaining guys to hand out two roses.

"I have three incredible men who are still left here," she told the group. "You opening up your hearts to me and continuing to be vulnerable with me has really allowed our relationship to become so much stronger this week. You three have completely changed my life. You have impacted my heart in a way that I can't even describe and because of that, this decision tonight has my stomach in knots and it seems nearly impossible to make."

Before she could make the call, Brandon asked her to talk.

"Michelle, when I told you I put you first, I put you first," he told her. "When I told you that I love you and when I told you that you were truly becoming my best friend, that I truly mean that I will be here for you regardless of whatever happens tonight."

Nayte called Brandon's move "desperate," telling the cameras: "You only ever Hail Mary when you're losing."

Michelle didn't see it that way, though, and extended a rose to Brandon. She also gave one to Nayte, which meant Joe would go home to Minnesota.