“The Bachelor” recap: Why Denver’s Gabby Windey did not accept Clayton’s rose — at least initially

(If you haven’t seen the episode yet, stop reading now to prevent spoilers.)

The end of the 26th season of “The Bachelor” is almost here, and for anyone who has watched Clayton Echard fumble his way through this journey, it likely comes as a relief. However boring most of the season has been up to this point, though, the finale double-header is certainly making up for it.

Host Jesse Palmer accurately prefaced Monday’s episode by introducing viewers to “the rose ceremony from Hell” – a moment that fans have been waiting to see since the show promos began running in 2021.

Quick recap: Echard was down to three women, including our local gal Gabby Windey after her hometown date in Denver, when he had the opportunity to invite them all to overnight dates, a.k.a. Fantasy Suites, in Iceland. Susie Evans, clearly his top choice, declined the invitation after finding out Echard not only slept with the remaining contestants, but also told them he loved or was falling in love with them. (If you’re new here, that is a major faux pas.)

Monday night’s episode picked up after Echard and Evans called it quits, at the rose ceremony where he had to inform Windey and the other finalist Rachel Recchia that Evans was no longer in the picture. But he took it further.

In the interest of “transparency,” Echard divulged that he loved and slept with both women. To their faces. In front of one another. Cue sounds of the women sobbing and echoing throughout the architecturally stunning building where the rose ceremony was held.

Windey, for her part, kept impressively composed. She confronted Clayton about why he would tell three different people he was in love when only one would ultimately feel that reciprocated.

“Whoever is at the end of this I love the most,” he said.

“Wrong (expletive) answer,” Windey, an ICU nurse and former Denver Broncos cheerleader, said later in a confessional interview.

Echard eventually proceeded with the rose ceremony, pleading to each woman individually that what he said and felt towards them was genuine. A tear-streaked Recchia accepted his proposal to continue their relationship. But when Echard asked Windey if she would “accept this rose,” she turned it down.

“I’m going to level with you… I’m not in the business of competing for love,” she said as one of the last two competitors on a reality TV show where the goal is literally to become engaged in roughly 10 weeks.

Still, cheers for Windey, right? Well…

Somehow – and truly, I am still trying to figure out how – Echard talked Windey into staying. Something along the lines of, “I meant what I said… what we have is unique… I don’t have a crystal ball, but I am clearly begging for you not to leave even though I’m in love with two other people.”

Real talk: Bachelor Nation was dying for her to leave him in the dust.

Gabby out here laying out her points with precise perfection #TheBachelor pic.twitter.com/0SqSigI26M

— Brett S. Vergara (@BrettSVergara) March 15, 2022

“Wrong f***ing answer.” ALL HAIL QUEEN GABBY#TheBachelor pic.twitter.com/C800XjTsx0

— Kristen Baldwin (@KristenGBaldwin) March 15, 2022

“I can’t.” Gabby FTMFW!#TheBachelor pic.twitter.com/LOEnKSkfki

— Kristen Baldwin (@KristenGBaldwin) March 15, 2022

So Windey gave Echard another chance, which meant she got to meet his family, who also traveled to Iceland for the occasion. Prior to her arriving – she met them the day before Recchia – Echard filled his family in on the horrifying details of the previous evening. His father was, perhaps unexpectedly, empathetic to the women, saying he understood why Evans would be upset and going as far as to tell Windey that he respected that she walked out on his son.

Unexpected feminist hero #TheBachelor #TheBachelorABC pic.twitter.com/ZhFl43cqQD

— bachyardigans (@bachyardigans) March 15, 2022

Things went well; Echard’s mom complimented Windey as a “caring” and “compassionate” person. His dad admired her sense of humor and level-headedness. Windey even said she stood by her decision to stay. The family meeting went well with Recchia, too. And then Echard opened his mouth again.