By Bryn Haffey

The final episode before hometown dates takes place in Belize.  There are 6 girls, but only 4 roses.

Yet again, Courtney is the central villain of the episode, earning her several animal titles from other girls.  Emily equates Courtney to a shark.  Nikki says she is a black widow and “sucks the life out of everything.”  And, in a moment of irony produced by ABC, Courtney is disturbingly calm while playing with a tarantula on her date with Ben.

Date One: Lindzi

Date card: “Lindzi – Two halves make a whole. –Ben”

Upon hearing this, like the child that she is, Emily equates Ben to a piece of cheesecake that she isn’t allowed to have.

Lindzi thinks the two share the same values, but are also fun and quirky.  Ben takes Lindzi to the Blue Hole, a body of water 500 feet deep surrounded by coral reef.  Ben reveals that the two are going to jump from the helicopter into the water.   After they finally overcome Lindzi’s fear of heights, the two share a kiss, and jump in together.  As Lindzi said, “I literally fell for Ben, out of a helicopter.”

I’d like to pause and take note that this is 2012 and Lindzi still wears frosted pink lipstick with matching frosted eyeshadow?  Her bra is fully revealed during her confessional, and she flashes her crotch to the camera Britney Spears style when the two are sitting at the dock. This girl is kind of a hot mess, but she is also wholesome and bubbly, which, alas, Ben desires more than current makeup trends.  The two write a letter describing their fairytale romance, put it into a bottle, and send it out into the ocean.  They key part of the story is that they make an eternal promise to share feelings and be honest.

Date Two: Emily

Date card: “Emily, do you Belize in love? Ben”

Emily appreciates Ben’s spontaneity; he takes her bike riding and diving for lobsters.

Meanwhile, back at the resort, Courtney confesses to Lindzi that she doesn’t think Ben has her back. She says she is not ready to bring Ben home to meet her family.  She confesses to the cameras, “I really liked him,” using the past tense.

Back on her date, Emily tells Ben that she regrets having talked about Courtney to Ben because they lost time connecting with one another.  She welcomes him an invitation to come back to North Carolina and meet her family, and they share some very tongue-y kisses.

Date Three: Courtney

“Courtney, Lets take the next steps in our relationship.–Ben”

“I lost the spark, babe.”  Courtney majorly unloads on Ben and tells him if she didn’t get the one on one date card from him, she was planning on going home.  She expresses that she is unsure about bringing him home to her family, because she doesn’t know where the relationship is.  Ummm didn’t they just go skinny dipping like 2 days ago?

Ben reassures her by telling her that she is weird, just like he is weird, and he appreciates that about her and that the both share that quality.  Note to self: add weird as a personality trait on my online dating profile.

They start making out, and Courtney admits to him that she has “refound the spark.”  Didn’t really take much, eh?  As she air guns down the other girls one by one, ending with a “kill shot,” Courtney said “I don’t want to get cocky though,” as she adjusted one of her hair extensions.

Over dinner, Ben asks Courtney about her relationship with the other girls.  Courtney says she doesn’t like and isn’t impressed with any of the women there.  Ben asks her if she has a lot of women friends at home, and she says she only has guy friends.  Ben tells her he is concerned about her ability to get along with other people, and that she gets defensive when he asks her about the drama with the other girls.  Courtney says that as “the talent” at her job (that job being a model), she has to “please everyone” so she is thus able to get along with people.  Ben confesses that one of his fears is that he would end up with a woman who nobody else likes.

Date Four: Rachel, Nikki, Kacie B.

“Date card: Let’s sea whose family I want to meet. –Ben”

Over champagne on a boat, Ben reveals that they are going shark hunting;  Kacie B. and Nikki rejoice, and Rachel is utterly terrified. Once Ben sees she is so terrified, he devotes 100% of his attention towards her.  Kacie B. gets extremely envious, confessing that she was less scared of the sharks than she was that Rachel is monopolizing Ben. Fear not, Kacie B.!   Ben gave the rose to Kacie B., after a romantic snuggle with her in a hot tub. She has a super cute, genuinely excited reaction.  She is an audience favorite, I’m sure.

After this rose, the four admit that it is extremely awkward.  In that awkwardness, Nikki and Kacie B. decide to tell Ben to be careful of Courtney, and subtly imply that she may not be there for Ben.

When its time for the Rose Ceremony, Ben pulls Courtney aside and seeks reassurance that she is solely there for him.  Courtney mutters some mumbo jumbo about not being there to make friends, and Ben eats it right up.

Rachel and Emily are sent home, with no explanation from Ben.

Kacie B., 24, administrative assistant, Clarksville, TN

Lindzi C., 27, business development manager, Seattle, WA

Nikki, 26, dental hygienist, Hurst, TX

Courtney, 28, model, Santa Monica, CA

Rachel, 27, fashion sales rep., New York City, NY (eliminated)

Emily, 27, PhD student, Chapel Hill, NC (eliminated)

Next week: Hometown Dates!!