**PHOTO CREDITS | ABC The Bachelorette/Craig Sjodin**

On tonight’s episode of ABC’s The Bachelorette, we are in New Orleans and the guys talk about how important it is this week since Hometowns are next week! The 6 guys chat with one another to talk about how they want more time with her and Aaron lets us know that he has lived in NOLA for the last 7 years. Charity Lawson swings by where they are having drinks and she chats with them and invites Joey on a 1-on-1 date. The guys feel the gravity of the week ahead and want to make sure that it’s nothing but good times ahead so that they can get to know more about her and to generate that spark!

Their date takes them through the city on a horse drawn carriage as well as the sites and the sounds of the city! It’s so easy between the two of them and Joey has always been our front-runner for who would go to Hometowns! As they settle down to dinner, both want to know more before she meets his parents. She lets him know that there are factors and things to navigate as an interracial couple. He explains that he is willing to experience it and won’t know until he goes through it, but he’s there. He also says how his parents would be crazy not to love her. We’re so cheering for these two! Of course, he gets the date night rose! He tells her that he is falling in love with her and is happy to continue down this road with her.

Back at the hotel, the remaining men are about to receive the group date card! Everyone would rather not be on the group card. Sean and Tanner are on a date card for a 2-on-1. They’re heading to the bayou where she can get clarity. We know that one of these guys will be going home. Sean is really upset and is definitely spiraling.

The 2-on-1 has to be the most uncomfortable date that you can be on! Between the two, we’re hoping for Tanner, but both guys seem to be great! She states the obvious that the 2-on-1 is not the most ideal and the bayou captain also says that this is a tough situation. It’s a crazy date experience but it’s nice that both men are being cool as there have been previous versions of this date have been downright hostile. They cruise the bayou and even have a crawfish lunch together. She lets them know that they all need to get ready for their dinner together and Sean makes sure that he lets her know that he is here for her with a few kisses. It’s definitely tough to have 2 different personality types on the same date. It’ll be interesting to see how Tanner will make himself known.

A table for 3 where Charity outlines the importance of clarity at this point. She toasts them and lets Tanner know that she wants to have time with Sean first. He lets her know about his family and how he is going through this journey even if he should get crushed - he’s willing to take risks. Tanner takes time to think about how he will talk with her and to bring himself forward so that he can be seen.

Tanner tells her that he is focused on protecting his peace as he has been hurt before. But he knows it’s important for him to bring those walls down so that he can connect with someone. Tanner is another person that we have liked from the beginning as well!

Back at the hotel, the date card arrives with Dotun getting a 1-on-1 for sunrise. Aaron is upset that he’s not getting a 1-on-1.

Back at the 2-on-1, Charity knows that she needs to make the right decision and she’s not sure which way she will go. She decides that she will not give out a rose. She wants to give more time, but we can see that Sean is upset that a decision wasn’t made.

The next day, Charity is at the Crescent City Classic where she will run with Dotun (and others) for this marathon. She brought outfits so that they could be dressed for the occasion. This is such a cute date as they have a whole race to walk and talk as they run through the city.

Both men from the 2-on-1 date debrief on how it was. The fact that there wasn’t a rose scares both of them. We can definitely understand the pressure of what this means around Hometowns. Sean says that he feels insecure about his place and the fact that there are a number of guys who have had 2 1-on-1 dates when he has never had that opportunity. After the race, they take time to continue to talk (throughout the date, it seems that they enjoyed cocktails and bites - that’s a race that we can get behind for sure). Dotun is another one that we could see being at Hometowns as well. He’s looking forward to having dinner with her so that he can share more about what he feels.

Dotun and Charity continue to the dinner portion of their date. They talk about their needs and he lets her know that he is falling in love with her. Of course, he gets a rose, she’s coming to his Hometown!

The next card arrives and Aaron, Xavier, Tanner and Sean are on the date card for a group date. Sean provides the stats and analyzes what this means. But he’s pretty upset and he didn’t know that Dotun had a rose, and of course he walks in with it on his chest. Clearly Sean is going to be really upset and even Xavier points it out.

Sean decides that he wants to talk with Charity. He lets her know how he felt about not getting a rose. He lets her know that he wants to bring her to his family and that he needs that validation. He lets her know that he is in the process of falling in love with her. She lets him know that he has always shown who he is, but she lets him know that in looking at it all - she has connections that are stronger. He tells her that if he has 1-on-1 time, they can get there. She says that with the time that is available, she doesn’t feel that they can get there and she knows it’s not what he wants to hear. With that, she sends Sean home. We can appreciate that he put it all on the line, but we never saw him going to Hometowns.

Now it’s time for the group date with the remaining men - Tanner, Xavier and Aaron. Two roses will be given on this date and by default, letting them know that they will be going to Hometowns. Everyone is looking at the 2 roses on the table, but she lets them know that she wants to make sure that the decisions are the ones that are best for her. She pulls Aaron aside so that they can chat with one another. She also takes time with Tanner as well as Xavier. Each man shares information that is personal to them as well as making a connection with her. In Xavier’s date, he wants to let her know who he is fully. He tells her that it scares him to think of channeling himself fully committed to one person. He lets her know that he has never done it before and he wants to do it once and to do it right. He wants to get engaged and married, but he’s trying to see if it’s with her and if he can fall in love with her. He thinks that he can get there if she is the one.

After speaking with the men on this group date, she gives one of the roses to Aaron and she walks him out as she makes her final decision between Tanner and Xavier. She chooses again to not give out the last rose and lets the men know that she will see them at the rose ceremony.

Charity swings by Tanner’s room to talk with him as he has been so open with her about what Hometowns will be like. She wants to let him know in person that she is not giving him the rose and she feels awful that they will not be able to continue to their journey. Tanner is a nice guy and it’s a shame that they will not be able to continue. He says that it is hard for him for this to happen to him and he feels that she deserves the world and that he is special.

Xavier arrives and he sees the rose sitting in front of him on the platter. She lets him know that it has been a tough week and that she has been on the fence about a lot of things and has had to trust her gut. She lets him know that she sent Tanner home and that even though there is one more rose, she doesn’t have to give it out. She wants to give it to him and she wants to learn more about him. He accepts the rose and he seems really happy. She wants to meet his family so that she can learn more and she feels that only time can tell. We’re looking forward to Hometowns next week!

Charity’s Hometown Roses | Aaron, Dotun, Joey, and Xavier.

Charity sent home | Sean and Tanner

Each night during this season, we will tweet about The Bachelorette and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!

Each week we will let you know who our faves were from the last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns.

We also suggest a podcast that we’ve become obsessed with over the past few seasons, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour to get their feedback!