AKRON, Ohio — In the latest development in Akron native Michael Allio's quest for love on 'The Bachelorette,' West Coast native Katie Thurston questioned him about whether he'd be open to leaving Ohio.
It wouldn't be fair to say that the single father dodged the question, but if he did respond directly, Bachelor Nation did not get to hear the answer.
Instead, the 37-year-old tells Katie that it was great to hear she was thinking that way.
"I was thinking about, 'I wonder how much Ohio means to him? Is he ready to go anywhere?'" Katie asks, seeming hesitant at first.
In what appears to be a seamless moment without an obvious edit, Michael responds, "Aw, thank you. That’s good, that’s very important, you’re planning."
Katie replies, "It is, and that’s the thing with you. I have to think of these questions with someone who I’m having feelings for."
And then that's it. We never hear an answer to the question. The next words out of Michael's mouth are: "You can’t manufacture a connection. The person you are is exactly the person I have been seeking. I like it."
For a Bachelorette who was quick to call out the problematic Thomas Jacobs in an earlier episode for being evasive, it's hard to imagine she would have let that slide from Michael (let alone how unthinkable it would be that Michael would've refused to answer a direct question), but it's impossible to know at this point how he reacted to the suggestion that he might leave the Buckeye State to join Katie in the Seattle area.
That's not to say Katie wouldn't be open to exploring a life in the Akron area, where Michael has a thriving business, a successful non-profit organization in honor of his late wife, Laura, and the support of family and friends to help care for their son, James.
But she didn't ask about coming to Ohio on camera, and the widower didn't return the question in that way, either.
After all, when asked by another suitor earlier in the season where they might live if they did end up engaged, Katie responded, 'TBD,' with a big smile.
When the two first sat down together before the rose ceremony in Monday's episode, they gushed over the memory of their one-on-date on a dune buggy, with a romantic dinner, and star gazing.
"I miss you like crazy," Michael tells Katie, to which she responds, "I cannot stop thinking about our date."
After agreeing, Michael adds, "It’s comfortable. I like it. I miss it," and goes on to say, "I think I can imagine what it was like outside of this when it didn’t have to end."
There is a lot to be determined, as Michael and Katie's growing romance has the opportunity to continue for at least another week.
Michael was awarded his third rose of the season in episode three on this one-on-date with Katie where he shared with her that he had lost his wife to cancer, so he was already safe from elimination going into this week's rose ceremony.
Including Michael, there are now a total of 15 love interests in the running to win Katie's heart, after she decided to welcome Blake Moynes into the fold, who Bachelor Nation fans know from the drama-filled season where he started out pursuing Bachelorette Clare Crawley but stayed aboard when Clare bowed out and Tayshia Adams took over the role.
In preview clips for next week's episode, we see Michael wiping away tears cut with a montage of Katie and Blake passionately kissing and rolling around, while other contestants express their frustration that a new man is on the scene.
To continue to follow the love story as it unfolds between Michael and Katie, catch our recap here every Tuesday, following the initial airing of new episodes on Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC.