To start with what you're already thinking: Yes, Nayte's Bachelorette hometown date included one major red flag. In fact, it wasn't so much a red flag as it was his stepfather, Charles, straight up saying that Nayte is not ready to be engaged. But, amongst all the conversation about how Nayte has never been in love, has never introduced someone he is dating to his family, and is not ready to propose, he dropped another, less highlighted concern in his confessional. Twice.
During the first part of the hometown date, when Nayte and Michelle go paddle boarding, Nayte says in his confessional that he wanted to give Michelle a "glimpse of what it would be like to be with me in Austin." At this, I thought, "Hmm. I guess that's fine to say for a hometown date, but you know she doesn't want to leave Minnesota, right?" Michelle has said repeatedly how much she loves Minnesota, including being a teacher there, living near her family, and hoping to raise her own kids there. Half of the season has taken place in Minneapolis. I have never heard so much about Minnesota in my life.
So, I would have brushed aside Nayte's comment as just being about the hometown date aspect, but then he brings up in his confessional how he sees Michelle joining him in Austin. "It’s so easy to picture Michelle with me in the city that I consider home right now," he says. Hmm again.
As you may recall, during episode 5, Nayte had a one-on-one date in which he and Michelle visited Lake Minnetonka and drove around on a boat with her friends. During this date, Michelle said in her confessional, "The Minnesota dream for me is to have a house on Lake Minnetonka where the summers are spent out the boat with your family, with kids. It's special. I'm excited to see how he’s going to fit in today." Clearly, Michelle wants to live in Minnesota and thinks that Nayte could join her there. They better talk about living arrangements outside of their confessionals — and soon. I wouldn't be surprised if Nayte ends up getting the boot after fantasy suites when they get into those logistical conversations off camera.
Meanwhile, on the other side of things, there's Joe, who is from Minneapolis like Michelle and also can't stop talking about Minnesota. At the end of his hometown date, he says in his confessional, "I see myself in a year hopefully married to Michelle and working on starting a family, living in Minnesota, probably on Lake Minnetonka. Yeah, I think that’s a good plan." On. Lake. Minnetonka. Hmmmmmm.
It's not clear yet who Michelle is in love with, but she's definitely in love with her hometown. That fact could end up deciding it all.
Image: ABC