'Golden Bachelor' ends on emotional cliffhanger after multiple 'I love you' moments during hometown dates

In what was one of the most emotional episodes of The Golden Bachelor this season, leading man Gerry Turner visited three different hometowns, said “I love you” to two women and then left everyone hanging at the rose ceremony.

With just Faith, Leslie and Theresa remaining, Gerry’s journey for hometown dates took him from one side of the country to the other with a stop in the middle, where he met kids, grandkids, friends and more. And along the way he felt and expressed a strong connection to all three women.

Here’s a look at how this week’s episode stayed golden.

Golden hometowns

Gerry’s first stop was in Shrewsbury, N.J., to meet Theresa’s older and younger sisters and her daughter and family that includes three sons. And it was those boys — Theresa’s grandsons — who revealed that she likes to make “duck lips” when she takes a selfie, which Gerry found to be “precious.”

The couple also made their way to Seaside Heights, N.J., for a quick ferris wheel ride with a view and a kiss. She told him she was in love with him, he said that made him feel “special.”

“For the first time since 1968 I know that I’ve fallen in love again. This is the love I’m looking for,” Gerry said in a confessional as the hometown date came to a close. “I’m in love with Theresa. She could be the person that completes me and I could be the person that completes her.”

Next was a visit to Benton City, Wash., to meet Faith’s horse Liberty and do some riding — and kissing. He went on to meet Faith’s sister, sons and grandkids at a gathering where the couple shared a sweet “I love you" moment together where they both said it out loud to each other.

“I had to say the words, I couldn’t not,” Gerry said in a confessional wrap-up. “The feeling of love: It’s a lot of confusion for me. And I don’t know how I can reconcile expressing feelings I have for Faith right now, with how I feel about Theresa. I don’t know where I’m gonna go with that, but I love her.”

Finally, Gerry met up with Leslie in Minneapolis to meet her three kids and her “concerned” eldest brother. After adorably admitting to Leslie’s grandkids that he loves her, Gerry was able to convince the older brother to give Gerry his blessing if a proposal were to be on the horizon. Gerry followed that up by sharing an “I love you” with Leslie, too.

“I came here on this journey hoping to find love and I have. But I did not expect to find it in more than one person. And those are hard words to say,” Gerry said in a confessional. “And now I’m just realizing, I don't know how I can reconcile the strong feelings I have for each of these three women, I’m very confused. I am terrified.”

Golden cliffhanger

The rose ceremony began with Leslie getting the first rose, but when it came time for the final one to be handed out, Gerry stalled and then put the rose down and walked out of the room cursing and breathing heavily.

“I feel like I’m gonna throw up. I’m looking at two women who, either one could be my partner for the rest of my life. Having to send someone home is gut-wrenching. I’m dying inside a little bit right at this moment,” Gerry said before the episode ended.

Golden reactions

Some viewers weren’t emotionally prepared for the cliffhanger ending and took to social media with their thoughts on the matter.

Golden future

Given the mysterious and emotionally charged ending on Thursday, next week’s episode looks to include an emotional conclusion to the rose ceremony. That will be followed by a "Women Tell-All" special in which Gerry will sit down with the person he rejected at the rose ceremony earlier in the night.

The Golden Bachelor airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on ABC.