Dean Unglert was terrified about meeting Caelynn Miller-Keyes' ex, Connor Saeli, after Bachelor in Paradise wrapped filming. Unglert thought that Saeli might harbor some ill will towards him because of how he swooped in and won back the heart of Miller-Keyes, but Unglert was pleased to learn that the episode was water under the bridge.
When Unglert left Paradise the first time over fear of commitment, Miller-Keyes was visibly rattled by his departure, but recovered almost instantly. When Saeli strutted into the wedding of Krystal Nielson and Chris Randone, Miller-Keyes was shook. The two hit it off, and then went on a date where they rubbed paint on each other's bodies and made out. The romance, however, was short lived. Unglert staged a surprise return to Mexico to ask Miller-Keyes for a second chance. After consideration, Miller-Keyes informed Saeli of her decision and headed off to California to live in a van with Unglert. Once they were out of the picture, Saeli was left alone with no partner. With Chris Harrison playing the role of cupid, women entered Mexico with an eye on courting Saeli. First, there was Revian Chang (who?), a first-night boot on Colton Underwood's season of The Bachelor. She and Saeli exchanged a date and a kiss, but that was about it. Not an hour after Saeli walked out of Paradise a single, unfulfilled man, Whitney Fransway showed up looking for Saeli. The two had connected at the Nielson-Randone wedding. Once Fransway learned Saeli had just left, she completed the shortest stint ever on Paradise to find him in his hotel room to start their love story. Now, all that was left was for Unglert and Saeli to become friends.
On the Viall Files podcast (via: Us Weekly), Ungert detailed his conversation with Saeli post-Paradise. He said that he approached Saeli and said, “Hey, man. It’s nice to meet you. You’re even more handsome in person [than] you are on television and from a distance." Despite questioning Miller-Keyes' decision to leave Paradise for Unglert, Saeli was cordial in his response, saying, "Nice to meet you too, man."
The easing of tensions blossomed into a potential budding bromance. In the past, Saeli had criticized Unglert's van-centric way of life. But once the cameras were turned off, Saeli apparently told Unglert, "I would really love to see the van sometime. I’ve been thinking about doing the van life myself." Unglert at first wasn't sure if Saeli was pulling his leg, but then conceded by saying, “Let’s be van buddies.”
If every contestant on Paradise had held grudges toward one another based on who dated who, there would be an endless amount of fractured friendships. It's encouraging that both Unglert and Saeli were able to put what happened in Paradise in the rearview mirror and move on. It likely can't hurt that both of them appear to have found a lasting relationship - for now - from their time out in Mexico.
The Bachelor in Paradise finale airs September 17 at 8pm on ABC.
Source: Us