Chock Chapple won Joan Vassos' heart inThe Golden Bachelorettefinale -he proposed, and Joan accepted- but now that their long-distance relationship plans have been revealed, I’m wondering if he might be an egotistical clout chaser. By choosing to keep their respective homes (each will take turns staying with the other), they appear to be stalling on making a real commitment.

They’re not in a hurry to tie the knot, and this is another red flag. Although that kind of caution is often wise, true love’s about throwing caution to the wind, isn’t it? I think it is. It’s about surrendering to something that feels magical and just giving one hundred percent. Are Chock and Joan doing that? It doesn’t seem like it. SinceChock has a nine-year engagementin his history, and never married his late fiancée, it’s possible thathe’s playing mind games with Joan, promising a future wedding that’ll never, ever happen.

jasmine alan cumming

They Should Want To Live Together

Will This Long-Distance Relationship Survive?

A truly passionate romance almost necessitates cohabitation. When passion is there in all of its glorious abundance, neither half wants to sleep alone - they want to be together all the time.So, the fact that they will likely live apart sometimes is concerning.

Maybe there won’t be physical distance - maybe they’ll always be together, in one place or the other, but it’s likely there will be times when they are apart. Maybe Chock’s just likeThe Golden Bachelor’s Gerry Turner, unwilling to really uproot his life for a woman. If so, fame (and the way that it strokes his ego) may be his real reason for being in the relationship. In the final episode of the season, Chock said:

The Golden Bachelorette Official Poster

We’re going to be going back and forth between Kansas to Maryland and to New York.

Joan and Chock’s Big Apple love nestwill also be in the mix. It’ll be a place where they can meet up sometimes, but it’s not going to be their full-time home. This is why there are questions about their relationship. It’s not that common to have this sort of arrangement. It has a lot of practical advantages, allowing both to maintain the lives they’ve built in their respective states, but I’m not sure romance should be so sensible. To me, it seems like most happy couples live together.

Of course, there are exceptions, and it’s actually kind of interesting that they’re creating their own way of being together.

However, I see some potential problems here. The two seemingly adore being together, but both are holding back, refusing to really blend their lives. They don’t intend to even plan their wedding for months - that’s something for the future. It’s not impossible that they never intend to marry at all. Maybe Chock’s ready for another nine-year engagement. Dragging out an engagement that long is not something that most women want.

There are always women who go their own ways. They don’t need cookie-cutter relationships. However, that being said, most engaged women want to marry at some point… not a decade down the road.

Maybe I’m being too hard on Chock. The nine-year engagement may have been a mutual decision. It’s terrible thatChock’s fiancee passed away, and he did appear to love her deeply. Who am I to judge someone who’s been through something so heartbreaking? It’s not my place to say he should have married her. However, based on my own experience, when men put rings on womens' fingers, they want their weddings. They want the bridal gowns and the invitations and the whole nine yards.

20 Best Reality TV Shows Right Now

Reality TV is more popular than ever. With so many to choose from, here are some of the best reality TV shows to stream or watch right now.

Joan and Chock are rebelling in a way that’s low-key, which I find interesting.They are not jumping into a wedding to appease the public.People probably want to see anotherGoldenwedding, wondering if the couple will eventually crash and burn like Gerry and Theresa Nist did. By taking a truly mature approach, they’re not wildly romantic, but they may actually boost their chances of staying together. They’re keeping the pressure down at the start.

Chock May Not Really Want To Marry Joan

Is He Getting Cold Feet?

Despite all of these logical reasons to postpone a wedding and avoid true cohabitation,Chock, who smiles as Joan shows off her ring in the post above, has a history of not getting married. So, it’s possible he’s not in this relationship for the right reason. There isa chance that Chock’s playing Joan, teasing a wedding that’s like a pipe dream. He could keep doing this for years and years. It’s up to her to decide if that’s okay or not.

Joan’s a grown woman, and she’s definitely able to make decisions about her own life. However,The Golden Bachelorettestars' seeming reluctance to marry may be Chock’s choice more than hers. If so, there could be trouble ahead. Chock could be Gerry all over again, promising the moon and stars and then bailing out.

Fans can watchThe Golden Bacheloretteseason 1 on Amazon Prime, YouTube and Apple TV.