by Gina Scarpa

This week's episode of The Bachelor takes Ben and the remaining six women to Coco Beach Resort in Belize. With just a week to go until hometown dates, there will be no roses on the 1 on 1 dates, but there will be one up for grabs on the group date. The first date card of the evening goes to Lindzi, and the two take a helicopter ride (the only way Ben likes to travel) to an amazing location, The Great Blue Hole. The pair jump out of the helicopter into the large sinkhole, which is surrounded by beautiful coral reef. Afterwards, they sit by candlelight on the beach, where she assures him that she wants to take him home to meet her family and is falling for him. They finish things off by writing a message in a bottle, a fairy tale with a promise to always be honest with one another. Well, that'll be awkward if he sends her home at the end of the night.

The next 1 on 1 date goes to Emily, with perhaps the corniest note in Bachelor history: "Do you Belize in love?" She feigned amusement at it and would probably have to step it up more if he was standing right in front of her. The two take a bike ride through a local town, stop for come coconut from a vendor, and play a pickup game of basketball. Over dinner, she expresses that she feels she lost time with Ben because of the whole Courtney thing - a more political way of saying he froze her out because he didn't want to her what she had to say - and says how much she'd love to have him come home with her.

Prior to the next date card magically appearing at the door, Courtney tells Lindzi that she's not ready to bring Ben home to her family unless she gets the next 1 on 1. Surprise, surprise! She gets the card, and she and Ben head to a beautiful, ancient Mayan temple. There, she tells him that she's lost the spark because they haven't had a date since Sonoma and he tells her that he respects her honesty. Man, she really has him whipped, doesn't she? Over dinner, she slams the women in the house, calling them vanilla and saying she would never be friends with them. She even throws down a red flag, saying she has a lot of guy friends and doesn't make mention of close female friendships that she has back in her real life. Still, he doesn't see what Emily has been trying to tell him all along.

The group date kicks off with Ben sneaking into the rooms of Nicki, Rachel, and Kacie to wake them up at 4am. Listen, I'd be all excited for a date but not at 4am... and not if you're taking me shark diving! Rachel is so consumed with fear on the boat that Ben has to spend a lot of time with her, calming her down and reassuring her as best he can that everything will be okay. Nicki and Kacie fearlessly plunge into the water, hoping for some alone time with Ben after the fact. Each one pulls Ben aside afterwards, telling him that they're falling in love with him. Kacie, I understand, but Nicki? Is it me or have the two barely had any time together? Kacie gets the rose for opening up to Ben but before the date is over, the three women warn Ben against Courtney and her intentions in being there.

The night of the rose ceremony, Chris Harrison shows up to let the ladies know that Ben won't be hosting a cocktail party - his mind's already made up. He enters the room and asks to speak to Courtney. What was hyped as some serious showdown between them just ended up with him meekly asking her to reassure him of his feelings. She does and ends up getting a rose, along with Nicki and Lindzi.  Imagine how Emily and Rachel feeling, not only getting eliminated right before hometowns but in favor of Courtney!  

The Bachelor airs Mondays at 8/7c on ABC.

(Image courtesy of ABC)

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