If I'm being sappy, one of the best parts of Bachelor in Paradise is getting to see your eliminated Bachelor and Bachelorette favorites get a second chance at love. (The other best parts are Wells Adams and the dramatic twists that are so chaotic they're basically High Art.) Speaking of the former, though, trailers show that Riley Christian from Tayshia Adams' Bachelorette season is going to hit the Paradise beach after winning tons of fans over last year. Technically, he was cast for Clare Crawley's season, but it wasn't until Tayshia took over as Bachelorette that Riley really started to come out of his shell.
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In one pivotal moment, the attorney opened up about his strained relationship with his family, and how that could complicate his possible Hometown date. He explained to Tayshia that he changed his name when he was 22 so it would less closely resemble his father's — with whom he'd had a falling out. He said he'd also struggled in his relationship with his mother. "All I want is a loving family, and I think I'm on my way to finding it," he said, speaking about his future with Tayshia.
Unfortunately he wasn't able to find that with her. Just a week later, Tayshia sent Riley home in seventh place. She said that while she appreciated him opening up, for her, their relationship just hadn't progressed quickly enough for her to go on a Hometown date with him. "I know how much this means to you," she said. "I don't want to put you in that position if my heart isn't 100 percent matching yours." Riley was clearly upset. "The longer I sit here, the longer I look at you, the longer I hear you talk, see you smile, the more pain I feel," he said. Break my heart too, why don't you.
Ultimately he accepted his fate and graciously left the show, even thanking Tayshia for helping him to feel comfortable enough to open up. Now he'll be popping by Paradise to see if he can't find someone to help him build that loving family he craves. And if he has a legion of fans in his corner when he hits the beach, his time on Tayshia's season is why. She put it best when she told him during in his elimination, "I want you to find that person that makes your heart sing so loud." Bachelor Nation feels the same.