Charity Tells 'Parade' About Her ‘Chemistry’ With Hunk Who Got First Impression Rose
Charity Lawson surprised fans on Monday night’s The Bachelorette when she gave arrogant suitor Brayden her first impression rose—even after her loving brother Nehemiah had slammed his attitude!
In a Season 20 premiere twist, Nehemiah emerged from a limo to support Charity on evening one and later became “undercover brother.” He donned a disguise and pretended to be the mansion’s bartender so he could spy on Charity’s men.
Brayden first made a spectacle of himself by drinking shots with Charity after exiting his limo.
More seriously, he soon told Charity, who had revealed on The Bachelor that a previous beau had been unfaithful, that he, too, had been victimized by infidelity.
Related: See the 6 Guys Who Went Home on The Bachelorette Premiere
Brayden, just 24, also raved to Charity, 27, about the “empathy” he saw in her on Zach Shallcross’ reality show.
They kissed and she noted to the cameras how they “immediately hit it off.”
However, Nehemiah was appalled when he overheard Brayden bragging about his kiss with Charity during the cocktail party.
“Her lips felt amazing,” Brayden boasted to the other guys. “She’s such a good kisser.”
Disgusted Nehemiah told the cameras he thought Brayden was “arrogant” and had “a huge ego.”
Charity’s protective brother fumed, “Don’t get cocky. It’s night one.”
After Nehemiah revealed his ruse, the other men thought Brayden would be eliminated from the show.
Charity confronted Brayden about Nehemiah saying he was “overconfident about being here.”
The hunky travel nurse explained to Charity that he’d just been giddy about their connection.
After taking time to think, Charity came back to Brayden and gave him her first impression rose, meaning he was safe from elimination.
“I love to see you squirm,” she laughed after Brayden had thought he was a goner.
Then they kissed some more!
Charity elaborated to Parade.com in an interview before The Bachelorette premiered, “My brother’s insight was just him being [a] brother and saying what he heard. He definitely did understand, I think, Brayden’s excitement to a certain degree but he was giving me pointers of things potentially to look out for, which I am grateful for, and I definitely stored in my back pocket.”
Charity said, “But when it came to Brayden, I just was initially drawn to him. He has a good personality, very charismatic."
Charity added, "When I sat down with Brayden, it was kind of like a breath of fresh air. I felt like I was relieved. I didn’t have to feel like I was ‘on’ all the time. I was just very relaxed with him and then obviously we shared a kiss so the chemistry was there. It felt right in the moment.”
Charity laughed that with his glasses and square jaw, Brayden reminded her “a little bit” of Superman/Clark Kent.
Which limo entrance left the biggest first impression on your heart? ?? @CharityLaws_ #TheBachelorette pic.twitter.com/u5RbdL2zUA
— The Bachelorette (@BacheloretteABC) June 27, 2023
She also told Parade she couldn’t have been happier about her brother's assistance during the episode: “Having his insight I knew was going to be helpful for me as I continued on my journey.”
Fans loved it. As Twitter user Celeste Michelle Sims wrote, “Charity’s brother is bringing the spice baby.”
Charity's brother is bringing the spice baby #TheBachelorette
— Celeste Michelle Sims (@CelesteS942012) June 27, 2023
Charity, who previously told Parade that most of her hopefuls are "super tall" sent six of the 25 men home on Monday night's show.
Watch the remaining 19 guys as they continue to fight for Charity’s heart, next Monday, July 3, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.