Rachael Kirkconnell and Matt James Courtesy of Rachael Kirkconnell/Instagram
When Rachael Kirkconnell went on trip with out Matt James final month, Bachelor Nation was satisfied the season 25 couple referred to as it quits — and social media sleuths aren’t the one ones who they need to reply to.
“I feel that we’ve been by a lot stuff at this level that nothing actually phases us. I get it — as a result of we’re collectively a lot so every time our schedules don’t line up or every time we’ve our personal issues occurring, I get the place individuals come from,” Kirkconnell solely instructed Us Weekly throughout a joint interview with James about their partnership with Baskin-Robbins on Tuesday, July 18. “I do assume a number of it got here from a spot of affection, like, individuals have been fearful as a result of they like us a lot as a pair. So in a means, it was a bit of flattering. But additionally, on the finish of the day, we’re regular individuals [in a] regular relationship. It’s type of loopy typically if you see, you recognize, simply how invested persons are. In such a fast means, too. You’re like, ‘It’s been every week! I haven’t posted in, like, eight days, loosen up!’”
James subsequently revealed that his mom, Patty, shared the identical issues as their followers.
“I’ll come house and if Rachael’s not with me, my mother’s like, ‘What’s unsuitable? The place’s Rachael?’” he instructed Us. “I’m like, ‘She needed to go house to see her household!’ She has her mother and her dad and brother and sister [in Atlanta].”
Kirkconnell, in the meantime, is flattered by Patty’s worries. “I do love [your mom]. I solely assume your mother is like that as a result of we’ve a lot enjoyable after we’re collectively,” she gushed.
Talking of Patty, there have been reviews final month that she could be a part of The Golden Bachelor, ABC’s senior spinoff set to premiere this fall. Kirkconnell and James performed coy with Us earlier than making it clear they’re a fan of the lead, Gerry Turner.
Gerry Turner ABC/Brian Bowen Smith
“I hold getting that query, like, if somebody is aware of one thing, ‘Let me know!’” James teased.
“We really, really, really don’t know. We don’t know if she’s on it or not,” Kirkconnell insisted. “I’m very excited to see no matter occurs. I’m actually excited for Gerry. I feel he’s going to be an excellent Bachelor. I imply, he looks like absolutely the good candidate, so I’m actually excited to look at. … I’m rooting for love [for Patty] any day, whether or not it’s on TV or off.”
James concluded that he “simply desires [his] mother to be comfortable.”
Whereas the previous Bachelor has admitted to having points with the franchise prior to now, he and Kirkconnell are presently one of many 5 duos nonetheless going robust from the OG present. (The [27th season of The Bachelor aired earlier this year and season 17 of The Bachelorette is on now.)
“Matt really is just my best friend,” Kirkconnell told Us of approaching three years together. “I think at the end of the day, it’s just really fun to live the life that we live together. I don’t think anything that we do would be nearly as fun if I weren’t with him. I love our dynamic, I think that we make each other better people. We bring out the better version of ourselves. I think we have a lot to teach each other.”
James agreed. “I’m dating my best friend. It just makes everything that much better,” he said. “You get to enjoy life with that person. It’s a great come true. We’re always telling ourselves how blessed we are.”
As Kirkconnell joked that the pair often “forget” they met on a reality show, they still field questions from Bachelor Nation about when they will get engaged after James opted not to pick out a Neil Lane diamond during the 2021 finale.
“I don’t get annoyed by any of that stuff. I get it,” James told Us of both breakup and engagement chatter. “We post and share every aspect of our lives. So for people to be curious means that we’re, you know, keeping them in the loop and we want them in the loop.”
Kirkconnell noted that she “get[s] it as a result of they’ve been ready for an engagement because the finale of the present.”
“But additionally, I just do wish to put into perspective for individuals — if we have been in a traditional relationship, met out on the road in New York and we’ve been relationship occurring three years … it’s not that bizarre [to not be engaged]. I really feel like that’s fairly regular,” she continued. “I really feel like we’re doing all the suitable issues to take our relationship to the subsequent step.”
As they probably put together for any new milestones, the twosome instructed Us that dessert was one of many first issues they bonded over whereas filming The Bachelor in 2020, which is why their partnership with Baskin-Robbins is the right match. (For the file, the opposite factor that originally gave Kirkconnell an edge to win James’ affections was her obsession with Marvel.)
James and Kirkconnell mingled with attendees on the model’s first-ever NYC summer time rooftop soiree on Tuesday, sampling Baskin-Robbin’s two latest flavors, OREO MEGA STUF Cone and Cappuccino Blast.
“I’m a Cappuccino gal,” Kirkconnell instructed Us. “I don’t assume you possibly can beat that one as a result of it’s the Oreo ice cream and the chilly brew blended.”
James, for his half, couldn’t include his pleasure over the Oreo waffle cone. “I used to be speaking to Rachael about this earlier. At this level in my life, it’s very uncommon that I expertise firsts until I’m going bungee leaping or one thing,” he stated.
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Kirkconnell briefly interrupted James to make an settlement to not go bungee leaping earlier than he continued: “And after I noticed that there was a waffle cone that had precise Oreo cookies in it, I’m like, ‘OK, I’m offered. I’ve received to attempt it.’ After which having it at present — there’s crunch from the Oreo! There’s crunch from the waffle cone! It’s superb.”