“I do regret not wearing more comfortable shoes to rose ceremonies,” the New York native, 32, said. “I remember one time Jordan Kimball wore a robe and I was very jealous of that.”

As for his kissing skills, the former corporate banker has no regrets either, though he said the thought “always makes me blush.”

The reality star joined Bachelor Nation in 2018 when he competed on Becca Kufrin’s season of The Bachelorette. After he was let go, Tartick went to 30-year-old Kufrin’s hotel room to lay his feelings out and give her a scrapbook he’d made about their relationship.

“I don’t regret that for me. It was a way of closing the door, and it was a necessity to move on to the next chapter,” the University of Rochester alum said.

Though Tartick and Kufrin did not end up together, they remain close friends. When the former contestant looks back on his time shedding tears over the Minnesota native, he’s happy his pain allowed him to get to know himself more closely.

“It was all was one of the things that helped me really connect, I guess, more emotionally with myself, which is something that is so important, something I put off for so long,” he said. “It was probably healthy. I think I did come out more connected with myself emotionally than I went in.”

Tartick is currently dating former Bachelorette Kaitlyn Bristowe. The pair confirmed their romance in January 2019 after Tartick appeared on the Canada native’s podcast.

Months after she won Dancing With the Stars in November 2020, it was announced on March 12 that Bristowe, 35, and Tayshia Adams will replace Chris Harrison as the hosts for the upcoming seasons of The Bachelorette.

While some fans were upset about the announcement, Tartick is his girlfriend’s biggest fan.

“She’s got it all. She’s beautiful. She’s fun. She’s easygoing. She has a big heart,” he said. “We’re excited with where we’re at [and excited about] where we’re going.”

This story originally appeared on: US Magazine - Author:Sophia Vilensky