Entertainment

Hannah's Fantasy Suites Proved That Not All Conflict Has To Be Toxic (Ahem, Luke)

by Kendall Long
ABC/Courtesy Kendall Long

While competing on Arie Luyendyk Jr.'s Bachelor season and Season 5 of Bachelor in Paradise, Kendall Long experienced love and heartbreak on national television. Now that she's been through it all, she has plenty of words of wisdom for new contestants, and she's dishing all to Bustle. Read what Kendall has to say about the infamous windmill fantasy suite, Luke and Hannah's fight, and more in this week's recap.

Fantasy suite week! For me, this was the week I felt like I blinked and was all of the sudden being offered a key to forego my individual room on my season. You spend most if not all of your time with the Bachelor/Bachelorette in front of a camera, and then suddenly you get one night alone before the potential of a proposal.

It’s a bit daunting. Actually getting to be alone with someone you may see forever with is absolutely necessary. But in the Bachelor bubble, everything is public, so it seems a bit strange to spend a night hidden from view — especially one as built up as fantasy suites.

Peter's Fantasy Suite Date

Peter is the first one to get a night alone. Hannah starts off by saying Peter is a “nice guy,” which is something you never want to hear before spending a night with someone. They begin the day with a Titanic re-enactment, which is classic fantasy suites. As Hannah and Peter snuggle on the boat’s deck, we see Peter struggling to express his unwavering love. “I truly feel like we are meant for each other,” he confesses as he continues skirting around the L-word. Peter finally resorts to his comfort zone, planes. “Flying with you was a whole new experience I’ve never had,” he begins. "It made me realize how in love with you I am."

There you go, Peter! It only took a plane metaphor for him to finally say those three words. Hannah looks into Peter’s eyes with that unwavering eye contact that's Hannah language for “I really really really like you.” She offers him the fantasy suite card, which he accepts, and they take off for a night alone. As they walk to their fantasy suite location I nearly fall out of my seat as I realize they are sleeping in a freaking windmill! Out of all the guys, I’ll admit I never once thought it was going to be Peter who Hannah was referring to in the famous windmill sex confession we repeatedly saw in previews. Inside the famous windmill, Hannah opens a box which reveals some condoms, which again, judging by last week's previews, probably get a little bit of use.

In the morning we see clothes and shoes scattered on the floor, alluding to some sexy time. During my fantasy suite night, I remember specifically packing up all of my clothes very neatly inside of my suitcase the night before to avoid this very shot but alas, actions were made to refute my best efforts. Needless to say, seeing clothes scattered on the floor probably gives the audience a little excitement on a show that is usually pretty PG.

“Last night was the best night of my life,” Peter says in an interview. After being constantly observed behind a lens for two or more months with the person you are dating and never having a night alone, I can imagine why.

Tyler's Fantasy Suite Date

It’s time for the second fantasy suite date with Tyler. I’m sure all of the ladies at home were wishing they were Hannah on this overnight. The two head to a very steamy spa, where Tyler takes over massaging Hannah’s topless bod as the embarrassed masseuses awkwardly shuffle away to give them privacy.

As magical as their physical connection appears to be, Hannah is seen having doubts about their future, saying, “I’m not sure he is my forever.” I would like to note that both Peter and Tyler make the same comment, “I’m on top of the world,” as they are going into the night portion of fantasy suites. But despite that, this night will apparently not go the same as her date with Peter.

Just when it looks like Hannah is about to deny Tyler a fantasy suite — which would be the epitome of self control — she decides that she wants to use her fantasy suite time with Tyler to explore their emotional connection instead of their physical one.

Tyler saves the night by saying fantasy suites have “a connotation of sex,” but that he would never pressure her. Satisfied with his answer, Hannah whisks Tyler away to a boat, where the water surrounding their fantasy suite won’t be the only thing blue that night. In the morning, Tyler explains what happened the night before by saying they “talked and talked.”

As Hannah gushes about how respectful and patient Tyler is, I am left wondering if the two actually “talked and talked.” If so, my hat is off to them both, seeing that the two have had a mountain of sexual tension building between them since day one. He is the “most respectful man that’s ever been with me,” Hannah says during an interview, blown away by Tyler’s self control.

Jed's Fantasy Suite Date

Jed is up next on the fantasy suite roster, and judging by their last conversation at the rose ceremony, Hannah, to quote Ricky from I Love Lucy, has “a lot of 'splaining to do”.

Jed starts off by noting that the last time he saw Hannah, he was angry that he and Luke were both saved during the last rose ceremony. At this point in the game, I don’t blame Jed for feeling insulted. Hannah and Jed, in my eyes, had one of the strongest connections, so I was taken aback by Hannah’s indecisive nature during the hometowns rose ceremony.

After spending the day with a lovely Greek family that didn’t shy away from asking the hard questions about marriage and Hannah’s future choice, Jed pulls Hannah aside for a serious chat.

“I need some clarity,” he probes, in reference to the continued existence of this season's infamous villain Luke. “I want to see you with the best person that you can be with.”

I am left conflicted between thinking Hannah should not have to explain her romantic choices to anybody and understanding Jed’s frustration. “How honest do you want me to be?” Hannah replies, which takes me aback a bit, given that Jed understandably wants nothing but complete honesty in all areas of this experience. Hannah admits that there is a connection, but gives him little explanation other than that.

As the conversation continues during the night portion of their date, Hannah sees Jed’s confusion and concern as a sign that he cares for her, and I agree that Jed’s intentions seem to be in a good place. It is obvious that Jed is very protective of her and has his heart invested in this, despite all of the rumors.

Jed seems to be questioning Hannah’s decisions, saying, “choices have something to do with US,” and judging by how Hannah has been handling the situation, Jed sees that she has a “hard [time] letting go of negative things in [her] life.”

I have to applaud Jed for asking the hard questions of someone who has most of the control in deciding if she will be his future wife. Hannah and Jed’s relationship seems to be at a much deeper level compared to everyone else’s. Despite this, Hannah, upset with the whole ordeal, takes a few moments to walk away in anger.

Everything Jed is bringing up is completely fair. At the same time, I can understand that Hannah is exhausted from having to constantly defend her relationship with Luke. But at the end of the day, her decisions affect everybody involved, so it is not out of place for Jed to ask the hard questions.

When Hannah returns, Jed explains, “I just freakin' care, I really care,” and I believe him. These kinds of questions will make their relationship stronger. Hannah sees Jed’s challenge as an opportunity to grow, saying, “You’re so great for me.” Although Jed presumably almost didn’t get a rose at the last ceremony, to me, this relationship appears to be the strongest of the bunch.

Despite their scuffle during dinner, Jed and Hannah waste no time getting into bed as they make out on top of the covers. In the morning we see clothes scattered on the floor and a confession that they “didn’t sleep a wink.” It’s hard to ignore that Hannah is completely smitten as Jed walks away.

Luke's Long-Awaited Fantasy Suite Date

Now, the fantasy suite we have all been waiting for! Luke walks into frame with the confidence of David on his way to fight Goliath. Given that we had a little peek into their future with some previews, it’s safe to say that there will definitely be a battle taking place tonight and heads will roll.

The two take off in a helicopter, and coming off of their amazing hometown date, it looks like there’s a possibility that all of the sneak peek previews could be wrong and Luke and Hannah may fly into the sunset hand-in-hand after all. As the two explore Santorini and make out on a rooftop, Hannah is impressed by a few of Luke’s attributes. “I don’t know what his church is teaching him but that boy can kiss!” she exclaims.

Regardless of how Luke learned to kiss, it seems to be working on Hannah. I honestly do see the genuine love between them, but as they go into the night portion of their date, I can’t help but anticipate the looming blow-up.

As Luke begins the conversation by saying “let’s talk about sex,” I can see their happily ever after fading further and further into the distance. He starts this sex talk off by saying he feels like Hannah and him share the same morals and that he knows they are both not virgins, BUT if Hannah had slept with any of the men, he “would be wanting to go home 100%.”

We all know Hannah isn’t going to take this well. It starts to rain. “Why do you have the right to do that?” she exclaims.

I think we can all breathe a sigh of relief as Hannah confronts Luke on his judgment and passive aggressive behavior and finally sees the light. I don’t want to believe Luke is all bad, but he has a lot to learn about letting someone be themselves and not controlling them before he is anywhere near ready to propose.

We can hear the thunder approaching in the background as Luke notices the error in his ways and begins to backpedal, taking back everything that he was so confidently stating earlier. He starts by saying, “I don’t want to be misunderstood.” No Luke, we heard you loud and clear. Hannah sees through this and refuses to be fooled again. “You’ve broken my heart,” she confesses. She admits that meeting Luke was the closest thing she has ever come to love at first sight, but there’s more to love than meets the eye.

But Hannah continues, further confronting Luke by saying he is “holding other people to a standard [that he himself doesn’t] live by.” She has finally had enough. The storm continues to build as she works up to the final blow: “I don’t want you to be my husband.”

Luke’s jaw practically hits the floor. This is the Hannah we have been waiting for! A strong woman who refuses to be ordered around by a man who lacks the experience and respect to deserve someone like her.

As Hannah tries to force Luke away from the table and into the limo, Luke continues to try to get himself out of the monstrous hole he has dug himself in. Desperate to get Luke away, Hannah finally delivers the last blow: “I HAVE had sex, and Jesus still loves me”.

Even this doesn’t seem to get rid of Luke, as he asks to pray with her before he leaves. At this point, it's obvious that Luke is grasping at any semblance of a remaining connection, using Hannah‘s religion as a way to keep her with him. But this time it will do him no good, as Hannah salutes him with the bird as he drives off into the night.

Phew...forget about David and Goliath, that was a battle for the books!

But did we really rid ourselves of the infamous villain?? Judging by next week's previews, it appears not.