On this week’s episode of Ready for Love, Ben surprised us and told us we were going to Las Vegas. I have absolutely no complaints about the amazing house we got to live in for the show – in fact, Rihanna reportedly just bought it! – but being cooped up for so long made it feel like a prison. Plus, the tensions were really high that week, so the timing couldn’t have been more perfect.
Related Link: Ready for Love, Episode 4: Angela Zatopek Recaps Her First Kiss with Ben Patton
When people think of Vegas, most people picture getting all jazzed up for shows, hitting the casinos and enjoying many delicious meals. Instead, we had quite a unique experience that didn’t include any of those things. The date started with us arriving at the MGM Grand, where some of the world’s greatest fighters have stood. It was incredible to think about the history as we entered the arena, but we soon realized that we’d be fighting one another. I’m very into health and fitness, and I have done a lot of kickboxing in the past, so I was looking forward to showing off my skills. My excitement, however, was quickly overshadowed when Tarryn Franco and Kari Krakowski hit the ring. Unfortunately, the fun ended early once it got too heated.
After boxing, we headed to the lounge where the blowout fight between Kari and Allie Wagner took place. It’s important to understand that there were so many factors leading up to this argument. We’re all there competing for Ben, but we can see a clear connection between him and Kari. He saved her from elimination already, so the door was obviously still open. Our feelings weren’t coming from a place of crazy or jealousy but more from frustration. We’re thinking, “It’s great if they get back together, but don’t drag the rest of us through this process.”
Personally, I was in a really awkward position with “The Kari Situation,” which has definitely been a hot topic. Kari and I are both from Texas, so we have a ton of mutual friends. Plus, we were roommates in the house and ironically were in the same sorority, Kappa Kappa Gamma (I went to University of Texas at Austin, and she attended University of Oklahoma). We actually got along great, but it was still a weird dynamic since we both wanted to be with the same guy. I finally put my foot down and asked myself, “Am I here for Ben or to make best friends?” I tried to stay out of the argument and just calm Allie down, but emotions were running high since we had flown to Vegas, only to have such an awesome date cut short.
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Okay, back to Ben. After we had our first kiss at the vineyard, I knew our one-on-one time would be even better when I saw him again. I blocked the fight (which he didn’t know about) from my mind and refused to let it affect my night. The view was incredible, and during our chat, we really started to dig below the surface. There’s so much to cover in such little time – and you have so many things running through your mind related to the tips from the matchmakers. I thought it was best to tell him about my upbringing first: Being the oldest of four siblings, I had a lot of responsibility at a young age. I am a very focused, task-oriented and driven person, which makes me seem stiff or guarded sometimes. I’m actually a very outgoing and fun-loving person, but it’s not my personality to not be an open book so fast, which can play against you in a process like this one.
I had no idea what to expect for this week’s elimination. As the elevator rose and I saw Allie instead of Kari, it made me realize that Ben was looking towards the future and truly trying to embrace this experience. It’s not that we were happy to see Kari gone – it was nothing personal against her, but it was more of a relief that we hadn’t wasted our time on the show.
Since Vegas wasn’t really a success, we’re even more excited to head to Hawaii next week. Until then…aloha!
