I don't think it's going to work out with anyone long term on #thebachelorette

We're getting close to the end! The three remaining men will meet Rachel's family this week. Normally this is the week of fantasy suite dates followed by two men meeting the parents, but I'm thankful for this change. They'll probably still have them by the time it's all said and done.

Side note: Something I am not thankful is that Bachelor in Paradise was revived after the scandalous start and postponement. I still say I will not blog about it, but you know what I said about this season of The Bachelorette, and here we are. But, I digress.

Tonight we are in Dallas. The men are staying at the Hilton Anatole. I know where that is. Not the point other than it's a place I could actually one day see in opposition to where they normally are. Rachel explains the change in the plan because her sister is 8 months pregnant and cannot fly to a location like the family normally does. This will still put the final two in some far off place.

Peter goes on the first date. Rachel takes Peter to a children's boutique to find a gift for Constance's soon-to-be-born baby and her almost three-year-old nephew. 

Eric and Bryan are talking back at the hotel. Usually after hometowns, the men don't spend time together, so this is different too. Bryan tells Eric that Peter may not propose at the end because he isn't quite there yet. 

Peter thinks Rachel might have some doubt after last week and saying he may not be quite ready to propose. Before they go in the house, Peter wants to clarify or change what he said last week as they parted ways. He wants to tell her he is falling in love with her, and she reciprocates the "falling in love" part.

The family in attendance is her older sister, her brother-in-law, her mom, her uncle and his wife. Her dad is not going to be meeting any of the men.

Peter tells about his parents who had only known each other a month before getting married. They have been married 36 years now, so see, it can work. Peter moves on to talk about their first meeting and their dates. Peter admits it's still a process, and he's not quite to love yet, but realizes he doesn't want to lose her and how much he missed her after being apart a few days.

Constance takes Rachel off to talk. Rachel admits to being caught by surprise by Peter's admission of not wanting to be without her. Rachel says that while she has said, "I'm falling in love," she has not said, "I love you."

Peter talks to the brother-in-law. He asks Peter that since no one is perfect, what might be of concern. Instead of saying anything about her, Peter answers that he has not jumped in with both feet.

Mom asks Rachel about red flags. The possibility of not proposing. Mom then takes Peter outside. "What is it about Rachel that makes you want to propose?" He admits in two weeks he may not have that certainty, so he will not ask permission to ask for her hand in marriage. Mom kind of likes that, but hopes Peter is serious about the dating part.

I think another sister showed up with the nephew by the end of the date. Another woman was in the kitchen by the end.

Next up is Eric. I don't think the family is going to like him. He just doesn't seem a match to me. Eric hasn't ever been in love and done this kind of thing either, so he's nervous. 

Rachel picks him up at the airport, and off they go! Before they head to the house, Rachel takes Eric to Reunion Tower. Also known as the ball in the sky. They go up to the observation deck where she points out landmarks. It's a little high up for him, and he is evidently shaking.

The guys talk back at the hotel. Bryan asks if Peter asked permission to propose. Bryan mumbles about something confidently which Peter finds arrogant. 

Eric and Rachel go up to the revolving restaurant where they talk about the fact he hasn't met a girl's family in 7 years. Once at high school prom and once in college.

Another side note: I don't think about this as a daytime activity. Sure, there's the observation deck where you can view afar during the day, but the ball lights up at night. It's a fancy thing. You don't do it in the morning.

Oh, it was a cousin that was there at the end of last date. The uncle recognizes Eric as one of the men who was introduced at the end of The Bachelor: After the Final Rose. Rachel is impressed. Eric talks about not bringing a girl home before.

Constance watches their body language and given how Rachel reacts, she doesn't think they're on the same plain. Sister takes Eric outside. Cousin and Rachel talk. Her cousin is like, "he's a nice guy..." She must be thinking what I've been thinking. Rachel's red flag is the fact he's never been in love.

Eric tells Constance he is serious and wants marriage and kids. He's more into it than she thought, but still not sure on the compatibility thing.

Eric tries to convince Mom how serious he is. He's tired of the single life. He wants to share a life with someone and have a family. Eric wants what his parents didn't have. He "axks" for permission to ask Rachel to marry him. Her mom says she feels comfortable with that if it is a direction Rachel goes.

Last man up is Bryan. Again, Rachel picks him up at the hotel. Eric points out Bryan is and Rachel are wearing their matching watches from Switzerland. Eric thinks that means something.

When they leave, Peter comments to Eric on all the fake things that come out of Miami.

Before meeting the family, Bryan has to meet her friends-first-co-workers-second who signed her up for the show and have been with her for the whole process. Bryan shares what he does, his age, how serious he is, everything right off. When her friends comment on Bryan's confidence, Rachel admits she thought he was kind of jerky at first. After saying he was falling in love, Bryan thinks he won the friends over.

Bryan tells about his family. He is his mom's only child. That explains the sister - it was a half-sister. Mom asks who comes first given how close he is to his mother. She pushes on priority after he answers the first time. He wasn't 100% confident as he answered the wife.

They have lunch even though they just had brunch with the friends. The family doesn't seem to warm with Bryan. Mom can tell Rachel didn't like the questions from the other room. Uncle starts grilling a little bit. Constance thinks Bryan is a charmer and is on high-alert. When the questions get serious, Bryan has to take a moment to excuse himself. While he is out of the room, Rachel voices her displeasure at the re-asking of the question from earlier. The brother-in-law defends Mom and calls Rachel's reaction emotional.

After lunch, brother-in-law talks to Rachel. He thinks it was a good sign that she showed an emotional response because it gauged how she felt about them.

Constance reveals her skepticism to Bryan. She thinks he has an answer for everything and it's a lot given the amount of time.

Mom asks Rachel about red flags. She had reservations because of how charming he is, but Bryan has also expressed his feelings more. Mom questions the use of the word love. They talk about definitions of the word love. Rachel has to defend herself about Bryan where she didn't with the other guys.

Mom and Bryan talk. He doesn't seem as confident anymore. Bryan does tell Mom that he loves her daughter and plans to propose if she picks him. He does ask for a blessing. Instead of answering that question immediately, she quizzes him about "love." She does give her blessing based on trusting Rachel's judgment.

At the end of the day, Rachel thinks it went well though.

Rachel isn't sending anyone home quite yet. She's going to take the all back overseas first.

It's off to Spain!

Bryan... there's chemistry, but she realizes something didn't seem right to her family.

Peter... he went on the first date and was the one who made her believe the journey might work.

Eric... he needs to prove something today.

He's not so excited about the helicopter ride when she tells them what they're about to do. After flying over a lot of vineyards, they land along the coast. Extremely scenic. Wish I were there.

They sit down and talk about hometown experiences. Then they go ring a bell at a monastery. #random

Over dinner, Rachel is looking for a reason to invite Eric to the fantasy suite. She quizzes them as he talks about how they had a connection in a hot tub. All it took was him saying he was falling in love to get the card. I don't care what he says, I do not see a connection! (Nor does most of the Twittersphere.) They kiss and head off to the suite. I was looking at my computer and not the TV screen, but their kissy noises made me ill.

Of course, the next morning Eric is professing his love for her.

Time for the most logical and realistic man, Peter.

They meant at a vineyard where Peter tells Rachel her ridiculously short dress isn't appropriate wear for a windy day. They had down to the wine cellars where neither understands the story the man is telling them. Rachel picks up something about 51 years. Oh, and that the vineyard was built on love and commitment. He serenades her with a song about the Americano girl.

The cellar keeper gives them a key to get a bunch of wine. Peter goes on about his key. Whatever.

Rachel asks Peter how the conversations went with her family. He tells her what he talked about with her mother and waiting until later to ask for her parents' permission. He asks how she feels about that. Before they can talk, Rachel is distracted by a cute little girl who comes around the corner. The girl and her mother pull them away to go stomp grapes. There's a whole family that then leaves them alone.

Over dinner, Rachel wants to talk about where their conversation earlier left off. But first, Peter shares a family tradition about saving wine corks and writing something special about the occasion on them.

They talk about how she feels about the proposal. She didn't put her life on hold and sacrifice what she did just to have a boyfriend at the end. To her, a proposal isn't getting married tomorrow or next week. It's about working on building a relationship. Peter respects that, but he, like most people, sees a proposal as engagement and marriage. He only wants to propose once just like he wants to get married once. A proposal means a plan for marriage.

Rachel says she takes a proposal seriously, but someone is going to have to bend. He doesn't know where to go with this from here. She doesn't either. She doesn't know what to say.

And that's it for the week.

Next week is the "Men Tell All."

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