Golden Bachelor Mel Owens is on the hunt for The One — and clarity — as he takes on the fantasy suites with his final two women.
The Wednesday, November 5, episode, kicked off with Mel, 66, traveling to Antigua with remaining contestants Peg Munson and Cindy Cullers — and teasing that the tropical location “could be the perfect place to fall in love.”
While gearing for his first overnight date, Mel noted that the fantasy suite is “not just about the physical relationship” and admitted to host Jesse Palmer that it’s a “razor thin” decision between Peg, 62, and Cindy, 60.
With hopes of lowering Peg’s “tough exterior,” Mel began his first overnight date with a drive on a dune buggy. Stopping for a drink at a lookout point, Peg opened up to Mel about continually taking on the role of the “protector” in her relationships and explaining that a romance for her is a “slow burn” — but vows to “go deep” when she allows herself to love.
When asked how he feels their romance is going, Mel simply replied, “Good.” After Mel promptly changed the subject (not a good omen if you ask Us!), Peg admitted in a confessional that she worries whether Mel is “emotionally available.”
The pair then enjoyed a dinner sitting side by side — and she tried to ask Mel, again, his thoughts on their relationship. This time, Mel admitted that he “really” likes Peg (“a lot”, he says!) and she gushes that she feels “the same way.” Mel and Peg ultimately decided to take on the fantasy suite and are greeted with rose petals covering the bed and music playing below their balcony.
As the twosome began kissing, Peg jokingly kicked out the camera crew. “OK, everybody can leave, we are done. Love you, but,” Peg said with a laugh, before placing the “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door.
The next morning, Mel gushed that the night “exceeded” his expectations with a “perfect woman” with whom he’s “quite compatible.” After the twosome debrief opening up about their respective divorces, Peg added in a confessional, “I feel like we understand each other better now. … All of my concerns definitely got answered last night.”
Sealing his and Peg’s overnight date with a kiss on the beach, Mel then took on his fantasy suite with Cindy — which included a boat ride and swimming with stingrays (or, as Mel calls them, “prehistoric-sized monsters”).
“I’ve told him that I’m falling in love with him. I have no idea if he feels the same way that I do,” Cindy said in a confessional, noting that she’s hoping to understand Mel’s “plans” for their hypothetical future.
After a brief swim with the stingrays — Cindy gave Mel the “confidence” for him to stick his hand out, she shared in a confessional that she’s hoping for more reassurance in their relationship. Back on land, Mel admitted in a confessional that he’s “undecided” between the two women — a sentiment he then repeats to Cindy during dinner.
“I’ve never been in the position before so I’m still working it out in my head and in my heart. I know the time is quickly coming to an end, but that’s the truth. But I love spending time with you, I love being with you,” Mel told Cindy, adding that he can’t “sit here and tell you that we’re going to be happily ever after if there’s another person.”
Cindy, meanwhile, shared that she doesn’t want to “push” Mel, but is curious what’s “holding [him] back” (for her, the chemistry is “off the charts!”) In response, Mel noted that he’s not going to “take the leap of faith” — which Cindy retorted is the whole point of the show.
“But I’m smart enough to know that that’s not how my life operates,” Mel said, while Cindy replied, “So you knew when you agreed to be the Golden Bachelor that this ended in a proposal. Is that not a leap of faith for you?”
As they began discussing their past marriages, Mel noted that he took his time to tie the knot with his first wife and is unsure whether he’s ready to get married just yet. In the wake of Mel’s honesty, Cindy began to question whether his hesitations are because of her, a “tighter” relationship with Peg, or “who he is.”
“So what do we do from here?” Cindy asked, while Mel replied, “If there’s a will, there’s a way.” With a cliff-hanger, Cindy concluded, “So that begs the question, is there a will?”
The Golden Bachelor season 2 finale airs on ABC Wednesday, November 12, at 9 p.m. ET.
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