Bachelor Happy Hour - Exclusive: Brayden & Christina Meant to Be — Part 2

Episode Date: January 19, 2024

Today on “Bachelor Happy Hour,” Joe and Serena dive right back in with Brayden and Christina for part two of their exclusive interview! Picking up from the aftermath of Brayden’s accident, the two take us through to their life together in Nashville. And, of course, they cover the highly anticipated story of their engagement! We get all the details on Brayden’s proposal plan, including when he knew that Christina was the one, who from her family he called for their blessing, and what Gerry and Theresa’s reaction was when he called them to ask their permission. Listen now and make sure you’re subscribed so you never miss an episode! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. My boyfriend's professor is way too friendly, and now I'm seriously suspicious. Wait a minute, Sam. Maybe her boyfriend's just looking for extra credit. Well, Dakota, luckily, it's back to school week on the OK Storytime podcast, so we'll find out soon. This person writes, my boyfriend's been hanging out with his young professor a lot. He doesn't think it's a problem, but I don't trust her. Now he's insisting we get to know each other, but I just want her gone.

Now, hold up. Isn't that against school policy? That seems inappropriate. Maybe find out how it ends by listening to the OK Storytime podcast and the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. So in the last month, the Midas Touch Network beat Rogan, Tucker Carlson, Candice Owens, Charlie Kirk, and Ben Shapiro all combined. What happens when three brothers take on right-wing media and start winning? I find out on the latest episode of Next Question with me, Katie Couric. We just want people to live their lives and be happy and be able to enjoy it without some, you know, lunatic.

screaming in their face every three seconds. Listen to next question with me, Katie Couric on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Don't let biased algorithms or degree screens or exclusive professional networks or stereotypes. Don't let anything keep you from discovering the half of the workforce who are stars. Workers skilled through alternative routes rather than a bachelor's degree. it's time to tear the paper ceiling and see the stars beyond it find out how you can make stars part of your talent strategy at tear the paper sealing dot org brought to you by opportunity at work in the ad council hey everyone welcome back to bedtry happy hour i'm joe and i'm serena and we are back for part two with braden and christina

they are both in love in a relationship at this point uh brayden just survived a very near death experience. And here we are. So what is, what's the next move? So after the boat incident, that next day, Christina actually went and she bought a plane ticket and had actually come out. Yeah. I bought a ticket to come up to see me. Wasn't taking no for an answer. Just because it was like, she was like, I want to be here for you. She's like, I know that you're going through a lot. And originally, like I was going to try to go, like, I went to work the next day. Like I was like, I was determined to just go back to life is normal. And then I ended up going back to work and it was just like too much. And so I ended calling off that whole, that rest of the weekend. And she had like, she had been like,

she had come out and like, she was like, originally she said, like, even if you're working, she's like, I'm going to be there when you get off. And she would be coming to spend time with you when you, like, when you get off. And so I ended up calling off because it was just too much. And then we just spent the whole weekend together. And it was like, that was the weekend that she actually got to meet my family too, because my family was wanting to be around me a lot to too that weekend just because they were like, I just almost lost you. And, you know, very emotional weekend for everybody. Because his dad and his uncle were also on the boat. It was like my dad, my uncle and me, we were all in the boat. And it was just like, I don't know,

it was like all like the older men in our family were all going to be gone. And so it was kind of like just like a big deal. So she ended up coming out though that weekend. And then it ended up being amazing. Like she met my mom that weekend and my aunt and who's like a second mom. And like, it was the first time my mom was like come up to me and grab me and like cried and said like Brayden, like I actually absolutely love this girl like she's like she lets you be you she's like I don't feel like you're acting like somebody else when you're like around her and this is like I love this and so it was a really amazing thing for me and it was just like and then she started getting on with my family better than I did and I was like well okay like let's let's let's let's pump the

brakes a little bit here okay but you can you say I'm hanging out with your family yeah my mom literally like yeah can I just trade you for my son and I was like mom I just almost died and now you're already trying to get me off your hands like what's going on here I thought loved me, you know, but it was actually, it was really cool. And so that weekend was actually probably like, it was one of the most special weekends for me, just because it was like, I, I really needed it. And sometimes it's so hard to ask for that help, like, or ask for like someone to, like, rely on when you're feeling down. Like you want to be like strong and strong like bull, you know, but it was really cool that she just offered to do it for me and like be there

for me. Like I tell, even by going to work the next day, I was just like, cut that out. Stop being tough. Like, you don't need that. I'm really tough. let me be tough. Yeah. And she is tough. And so it was like, it was really cool that she did that. And so that was really special. And then it was crazy because like the week following that was actually when Paradise aired. And then it just like that adds a whole new thing for us to now. We're a new relationship. And now we're like we just got done through near death through a near death experience. And now we got to go through Paradise, which is a whole other ballgame. Were you, were you, did you guys have the Paradise conversation like Christina, were you prepped on

what you were about to see. Okay. Yeah, I knew everything. And then also, you know, a lot of the girls that were on there are also my friends. So I kind of knew before even knowing Braden a lot of the things. And so everything was adding up. And like, not that it mattered to me, but it was something that I was like, okay, well, I need to at least listen to it or or watch it or something just so nothing comes up and later that, you know, was something someone forgot about or whatever, just to know, not because it mattered, but just to know what's out there. If you're, you're, going to be publicly on things like we're doing interviews now like I just stuff that I think for me personally I wanted to know and so that I kind of we grounded ourselves on we didn't know

each other at all we had not met each other talked or anything like we whatever so not saying it was easy but it was yeah no it was well the boat thing made it just so much of walking the park honestly I don't know it though yeah it was still a lot he felt I think he felt really guilty it's just it's weird because it's like I know it wasn't cheating but it's like when you're in relationship with someone you're seeing yourself make out with other people while you're with someone else it just does like you feel so bad because you feel like you're putting your partner through that yeah and although i understood it absolutely and never try to make him feel guilt or anything he yeah i think he was struggling with that a little bit it was just it was a it was a weird time

and so it was like uh navigating that was interesting but i feel like we did pretty like she was she was really grace and like gave me a lot of grace to that whole thing and was like uh it was there for me again it was just great it's like the story of our relationship is Christina just being there for me. No, no. But I'm just saying. But it's just, I appreciate it a lot. And so, um, and then we end up going and, uh, she ends up coming out again for her

birthday in October, October 19th. I'm not to say 18 because 918 is our, our, our, when we were officially. Oh, way to save it. Okay. Okay. Okay. Um, so, uh, she comes out. Well, you came out.

You did come out there. Anyways. No, I came out on my birthday with Blakely. So this was like the moment. So they've met on FaceTime and stuff. So my daughter. Because that's a big decision. Yeah, it's a huge decision.

But at the same time, it's like, so I actually haven't had a boyfriend, like an official boyfriend since, you know, Blakely's father when I was 17. So like at the same time, it's a big decision. It's a huge decision. Yes. But at the same time, me deciding to be boyfriend and girlfriend was that kind of makes it to where, okay, we're going to meet her. Right. So that was already decided. That's not something I take lightly either.

Um, so I'm, how do you explain it to her? Like, okay, we're going to San Diego. Well, they brought up in time and she's just, oh my gosh. She is all about him. Oh, he's so handsome. And she, you know, she was six at the time. She's seven now. But she's going on 15, 25, sometimes. I mean, she's ridiculous. And so she like really appreciates him. She's really emotionally mature, I would say, although they've been talked. That's a later time. We'll talk about that later but um it's funny we'll listen to them talk but um so so i'm like okay making the decision and i think let's make it super fun because he's got um my now uh new son river his his dog his huge dog and my daughter is obsessed with all animals especially dogs and she's also been to the beach

one time that she can't really remember she was three and so i'm like okay let's just she's gonna think this is just heaven like a dog beach like you go to the dog beach and i'm like she's gonna be sold no matter what. So I'm thinking, okay, October 19th, we go out there, my birthday. And he was actually working. So Aaron S picks us up from the airport. And then we hang out with him for a bit. We go to the beach and hang out. They're canoeing and whatnot. And yeah. So I got off work that day. And then I had the rest of the weekend off to hang out and stuff. And so we just, we took her to get called in sick a lot to work. Yeah, Brayden, were you, were you worried at all to meet her? because it's a big responsibility for you as well.

Yeah, I mean, I knew like, the biggest thing is, is like knowing that whatever you do is impacting somebody that is very impressionable. And it's like, you have to be like, I know, like on the show and stuff like that, like I've been, you know, people see me as a very like carefree person. It's like I've noticed that I've had a lot more care as far as like, you know, recognizing what I'm saying and to who I'm saying it too. You know what I mean? And so I think it's like it's been kind of a cool like reality check for me in a lot of regards.

just like, you know, like being able to have conversations with her and like be able to make sure that like it's like age appropriate and like she's able to understand what I'm saying and stuff like that. And so it's like it's made me be a lot more intentional with what I'm trying to communicate with her and stuff like that. And so it was, I realized that going into it because I'm like, okay, like this is a big deal. Like, you know, she's at an age right now where she's a sponge and she's just going to like absorb everything around her. And if I like say the wrong thing or do the wrong thing, I could mess this kid up. And I'm like, I don't want to do that. And I was like, I love her mom and it's like and I want to make this work and I want to like be able to be that

person I need to be in order to do that. And so getting to meet her though, it was just like it was surprisingly like way easier than what I thought in my head like it was going to be like. And so it's like she is such a cool kid. Like she is so much fun. And it's like it's like it's so amazing because it's like as an adult it's like you go and you experience things and like you feel like you've seen it all. You know what I mean? It's like you've been to the beach like you know you're living in California. It's like you've been to the beach every, you go to the beach every day. So it's not something new. And it was like the first time she went to the beach. She's like, oh, my God. She's like, she's like digging with river. Like they're digging in the sand. Like it's

like, I'm like, this is like so crazy. Like she's never seen sand like this before. Like what's going on? Like she's like running in the water, running away from the water. And I'm like, this is just like, it was just, it gives you such a new like appreciation for everything because it's like you're seeing it through the eyes of a kid again. And it was like, it was such an amazing thing for me and I was like wow like I actually really really love this in a way that I didn't expect to love this like um like because like I feel like I like you know you start getting like a little bit jaded or a little bit like you know like just we're like oh I've seen the beach before yeah you take it for granted and it's like I just couldn't take it for granted anymore

I was like wow like yeah this is amazing you're right like Lee and so I was like I was digging in the sand too and it was like and it was just so much fun and then um so we had gone to that beach and then understanding like it's funny like when a kid finds something they love they like they don't want to go and do anything besides that one thing. And so trying to teach them that there's other things that are a little bit different but are just as cool is very hard to do. And so like... Leaving the beach was not as fun.

Leaving the beach wasn't fun. As soon as we left the beach, we hated sand and it was the worst thing in the world. And so I'm just like, but just two seconds ago you were loving it and rolling in it. She's like, no, I hate sand. I never want to go. And I'm trying to explain to him like on the sideline here. Like, just wait five minutes. Just wait five minutes.

She'll forget. And then all of a sudden, we'd go to dinner and it's by the beach. And then, like, after dinner, she has, like, asks for a to-go cup and then grabs a to-go cup and scoop sand and bring sand in my car. And I'm like, you love sand again? Like, what's going on? Like, like... It sounds like Joe. Honestly, you're like this.

And I was just tripping out. I was just like, how do you go from loving sand five minutes ago to hating it, to loving it, to hating it? You could have sand in your cup for a long time. Yeah, that sand was in my car for months. It was ridiculous. On the ground or in the cup? No, in a cup. Oh, okay.

I thought she was like, woo, we're at the beach. No, she never know. He had a coffee cup full of sand with like a princess, like a shovel in it. Oh, that's cute. My boyfriend's professor is way too friendly and now I'm seriously suspicious.

Oh, wait a minute, Sam. Maybe her boyfriend's just looking for extra credit. Well, Dakota, it's back to school week on the okay story time podcast. So we'll find out soon. This person writes, my boyfriend has been hanging out with his young professor a lot. He doesn't think it's a problem, but I don't trust her. Now, he's insisting we get to know each other, but I just want her gone.

Now, hold up. Isn't that against school policy? That sounds totally inappropriate. Well, according to this person, this is her boyfriend's former professor, and they're the same age. And it's even more likely that they're cheating. He insists there's nothing between them. I mean, do you believe him? Well, he's certainly trying to get this person to believe him because he now wants them both to meet.

So, do we find out if this person's boyfriend really cheated with his professor or not? To hear the explosive finale, listen to the OK-Stra. Storytime Podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. I'm Jamil Hill, host of the Sports and Politics Podcasts Politics. And on the latest episode of Politics, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries joins me for a candid conversation about the state of the Democratic Party. What do Republicans say to you privately that they won't say publicly? Many of them are in fear of their political lives, and that's been part of the challenge.

But we continue to say to them, you were elected to defend your constituents, to stand up for your constituents. And there's life after Congress. And you should be willing to actually want to be able to look back on your time in the House of Representatives knowing that you can keep your head held high because you did the right thing. Donald Trump is gone in three and a half years. But their legacy or their failure to stand up to the extremism and the unprecedented assault on America as we know it will be with them forever. Make sure to listen to Spolitics on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. I'm Simone Boyce, host of the Brightside Podcast, and on this week's episode, I'm talking to

Olympian, World Cup Champion, and podcast host, Ashlyn Harris. My worth is not wrapped up in how many things I've won, because what I came to realize is I valued winning so much that once it was over, I got the blues, and I was like, This is it. For me, it's the pursuit of greatness. It's the journey. It's the people. It's the failures.

It's the heartache. Listen to the bright side on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Yeah, no, and it was just, it was an amazing trip. And then it was funny because I brought her and introduced her to, like, my family. And it was like, we were all hanging out. And it was like, it's funny how a kid can change a dynamic of a family so much too. Oh, yeah.

My family, like all the kids are kind of grown. We're all like, you know, 16 years and older. And all of a sudden, my uncle and my aunt, like my mom and like my dad, all these people who are like, oh, yeah, like, we're glad we're past that phase. All of a sudden, they're like, you can't find him anywhere because they're playing hide and seek. And like, I opened the door to the closet. My uncle's in the closet. He's like, shh.

And I'm like, okay, like, closing the door. And it's just like, it's such a. it's such an amazing thing like when you get to experience the energy of a kid like reintroduced to a family too and so i mean blakley has been like such a big blessing too and like i've appreciated that aspect of our relationship as well so that's been but um yeah and so we've kind of just been we kind of just kept doing that and it was like you know i would go out to tennessee to go see her and she would come out to california to see me um and it was hard because like you know she's she's working busy with her job and she'd have to travel and stuff like that and you know with my job

I work full time too as a nurse. And so it was like, you know, we would, you know, try to make that time to go and see each other. The contract. Yeah. And then, but the contract was finally coming up and like, you know. Nurse. Nursing contract.

Yeah. He's either going to resign or not. Yeah. Are you a travel nurse, Braden? I am. Yeah. Okay. Yeah.

So, uh, so as my travel nursing contract was kind of coming out, we started talking and I was like, hey, like, you know, if we're doing this, like, I feel like long distance, especially with like our lifestyles, it's like, it's really going to be. be something that I feel like we need to fix. And so I was like, you know, I know that it's going to be a lot harder for you to move out here to California. And I don't think it's realistic with like, you know, a daughter and stuff like that. I don't think it's fair to ask that. So with my travel contract, like, I'll apply for a nurse license in Tennessee and I can move out to Tennessee and like, I can come to you and we can do this, you know, do this day to day together if you want to,

if like that's something you're up for. And originally I was thinking like, I know, I'd go and find apartment and stuff. And she's like, no, she's like, if you're going to do this, she's like, then we'll do it, do it. And it was like, so she invited me to move in. And, like, things just started going really smoothly. Like, I applied for my nurse and license. I got it. And then, like, how many months? How many months are we in at this point from first?

August to, like, the three? You're asking. So we're at, going into December. December was month four. Okay. I mean, yeah, this is a bachelor. This is Bachelor timeline. Like, we've worked literally shorter than this.

So it's not. I find people that come off the show too, like, especially when they're dating other people that come off the show, relationships do just move at a way more accelerated pace. Yeah. With all the traumatic events that we had in such a more short amount of time as well, you have to factor in, I guess, all the hours and hours of phone calls. No, I mean, I think, like, it's felt weird, though, because, like, it hasn't felt rushed. Like, you know what I mean?

Like, and maybe you're right. Maybe it is just, like, the aspect of how the show makes you feel like you're in that, like, you're in a relationship for six to eight weeks, getting. married like and when you have you know months to get to know someone you're like wow like this is going wrong really smoothly and slowly and and so it's like um but yeah also like knowing like too not the pressure but like the like you know in back your head like if this is going to be a thing like people will like it's going to be a thing like people will know it and so like are you serious about it so if we're going to be public anyways like that's already a big decision and honestly i think

I think the show changed, like, the way I went about dating. Like, because of, like, the purpose of the show being marriage and stuff like that, it shifts your intention from dating for just a date and have fun to dating for the intention of marrying someone. And I think that that's, like, something that, like, has made it so that the timelines nowadays are so much longer because people are like, oh, I just want to date to have fun and explore myself and all that stuff. And that's great.

But it's like when you shift the intention of wanting to date to find your person or not, you start asking those questions. and I started out like really like saying like, okay, is this someone I can see myself with? And if it's not, like, and I think that was one of my biggest things when I got off the shows. It was like, I wouldn't go on more than like really one or two dates with people because I was like, okay, like I can see this isn't someone I'm going to work out with long term. You know what I mean? And it was like, but with her, like I didn't have that. I was like, no, I can see this.

You know what I mean? And so it was like, I think that that was one thing that the show did that was so amazing for me is it shifted my mindset of dating to like date for the intention of finding someone you want to marry. yeah and so yeah so go ahead no you go I've been talking a lot all right so I was gonna I was gonna throw it to Christina so what's that you guys now

release publicly you know via Instagram after on the finale the finale yeah so that how was how was that received how were you guys getting a lot of love hate were you nervous yeah so again like at this point

now we kind of went through the timeline, which I so appreciate because, you know, there's been a lot. And it's kind of like weird because it's like, oh, yeah, we haven't like told the world. And that's just kind of like a side note. Like it's just kind of like something that we'll do that, yeah, sure, we're excited about. But also it doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things of like, okay, where people accept us or not? Because we've got this rock and foundation and like that's not going to like alter what we're doing and what our plans are. But like, I'd be lying if I didn't say I thought about, okay, well, what are people going to think? and my overall, like, thinking, overthinking and over-analizing, which I like to do a lot,

I'm thinking, I'm like, okay, well, whether people like us or not, as people, as characters on the show or in real life or whatever, I mean, it'd be hard to say that it doesn't make sense. Like, as far as our energies, like, oh, that's what a lot of people are saying. It's like, well, they're both really annoying, but, you know, they make sense and their energies are just great. I mean, yeah, let them go be them over there. But from the most part, I mean, we've had a lot of love. a lot of support and it's been great and yeah i mean i was actually on a work trip in florida

and uh we knew we were going to be seeing each other the next day and so it just kind of blew up because i didn't know you know i knew that it was going to be announced on the finale uh but i didn't know like in what scheme of things i sent in some videos and photos but it was just you know a few seconds but those few seconds really just kind of took off and my phone starts blowing up and um It was a lot of positive things. So that was really cool and nice to see. And that does help. It does help a lot.

And we met up. And it's like, finally, I can, we met up. I was flying back from that work trip. He flew into Nashville. And he just kind of didn't even leave the concourse. He just kind of fell asleep on the floor. And we see each other. We're just like, finally.

And then people are around. They're like, hey, you guys. We're like, yeah, we're in public. It's amazing. So it's been nice, like just being able to not go in my really obvious disguise out in places. So that's painful. Braden, you're the only success story from your season of paradise. So would you guys count it?

I count it. You know what? They added you at the finale. They added you guys on to the finale. Yeah, it's literally in the episode. So it counts. And I feel like you were a recent season, Christina, Brayden was on it.

They included your love story at the finale. I mean, you had an on-screen engagement. It definitely counts. I think it counts as well. Yep. It counts. I say it counts. I mean...

We're counting it. We need a success. Yeah. We need a win and we're counting it. That season was tough. Like, that was a tough season. It was wild. But it ended off me, so...

Yes. Same. So then you announced it to the world. Have you moved in? When did you move in? No, so I actually moved in just now. Okay. Right now.

Today. Today, no. Today is today. We were just in. just folding his clothes into the clock. Yeah, I'm almost fully... Actually, that's a lot. We were putting the earrings on the display.

Do you like National? I do. I mean, it's hard. Like, I definitely, like, I definitely love the beach. Like, I'm a beach. I'm a beach guy. And I was like, we have beach access. And I take them, like, three minutes down the road.

There's this beach access. There's a couch and the sand. And it's, like, sand that they've, like, brought with a bulldozer. It's going to be negative one degrees next week, man. Yeah, I will... I'll leave the Florida on a work trip again. Yeah, I was like, I was like, babe. I was like, tell me how, like, the one week in Nashville, it's going to be negative

one degrees. I'm going to be home and you're going to Florida? Will it just be you and Blakely at home? Well, so Blakely's going to be going with her mom. I just like, with like, you know, me moving in so quickly and stuff like that, we're going to be like kind of like, you know, easing into like that kind of aspect of like. And I was telling Blakely that last night and she's like, but why? And so, you know, she does want to at least see you and stuff. I also am starting.

Well, I'm going to be going over there quite a bit, but I also start my new job next week. so it's like just balancing a lot of like things have moving parts a lot of moving parts yeah structure and like you know really kind of be consistent but it's just like it's it's been wild because it's like this week's been nice because I haven't had to start work yet and so it's like just been like okay we make breakfast in the morning we like get her ready for school she loves she loves that she's like well what she said she said well one thing's for sure we won't have to make breakfast because we know

that the chef's in town like this is how she talks and it's because like on her birthday he's like had like pink pancakes and all this and so yeah now you've kind of just taken on he's been making her school lunches every day and I'm just sitting back and like this is nice

I don't let that happen yeah I'm making dinner a lot's going on those are you a good cook I made dinner for him the first time when he came here and yeah and you bought him shoes yeah and earings Boy, bullets, areas, you picked them up.

I got to tell you back this meal that she cooked me, though. She cooked me a steak, right? Did you know he plays guitar and sings? Because I didn't. So I'm making, I'm marinating the steak. And I'm thinking, so I'd actually practice, like, with one of my friends earlier in the week. I'm like, we've made the steak.

And I'm like, we're making it. And then, like, he ate it. And he's like, oh, my gosh, he's going to love this. And we're like, high five. And we're like, oh, my gosh, this is it. He's going to love you. And I had it down. And I, like, was doing it.

And then he comes down the stairs after a shower. and he like has he picked up my guitar from upstairs and he's just sinking and playing I'm like I didn't know you could do that and I'm just like being like mesmerized and I'm just I put way too much salt but way too much salt never heard of too much salt on a steak

me either and I tell you I'd be like whatever no no no it didn't taste like steak it tasted like salt and so then I am and then she pulls out she had well stay in your defense steak is easy to fuck up like I just cooked I just cooked a bison the other day and I cooked it well done and it was like pressure. It was a lot of pressure. It's a lot of pressure. So I'm trying to be like fancy and like

you know, I do this. I'm a house life and I'm not. And so then I like, I bought some like oil and vinegar at the store and some bread. I'm like, oh, he's, I'm fancy. And so I, it's actually Texas peat toast in the oven. But so he's sitting down like eat the steak now. Like I know like you want to wait on me, but it's hot. You know, you'd be rude to the chef. He didn't start eating. So he's over here, like, I don't know that the steak tastes like this. So he's trying to eat it. I come over there and I realize that it tastes like, I'm like, oh my gosh, stop. He's like, well, wait, I'm going to make a sandwich with the bread he made, which is Texas Pete once again. And I'm like, no, no, no, that's for my fancy oil and vinegar. So I get it out and he starts

laughing. And I'm, I was pouring Crisco cooking oil into the oil and vinegar. And I was just like, oh, no. I just, I pulled out my phone and I just started recording it. I didn't know why it was funny. I'm just like, I'm like, you are so, so cute, babe. And she's like, what do you mean? I'm like, you don't eat Crisco. Like it says old. You shouldn't even cook with Chrisco. Like, I, no, you shouldn't.

You should like, honestly, like, you really shouldn't cook with any oils at this point. I shouldn't cook. Yeah, let Brayden cook or you can, you could order DoorDash. I do so good at that. Yeah, there you go. That's your thing. That's your thing. Put at that.

My boyfriend's professor is way too friendly, and now I'm seriously suspicious. Oh, wait a minute, Sam. Maybe her boyfriend's just looking for extra credit. Well, Dakota, it's back to school week on the OK Storytime podcast, so we'll find out soon. This person writes, my boyfriend has been hanging out with his young professor a lot. He doesn't think it's a problem, but I don't trust her. Now, he's insisting we get to know each other, but I just want her gone. Now, hold up.

Isn't that against school policy? That sounds totally inappropriate. Well, according to this person, this is her boyfriend's former professor, and they're the same age. And it's even more likely that they're cheating. He insists there's nothing between them. I mean, do you believe him? Well, he's certainly trying to get this person to believe him because he now wants them both to meet.

So, do we find out if this person's boyfriend really cheated with his professor or not? To hear the explosive finale, listen to the OK Storytime podcast on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. I'm Jamil Hill, host of the Sports and Politics Podcasts Politics. And on the latest episode of Politics, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries joins me for a candid conversation about the state of the Democratic Party. What do Republicans say to you privately that they won't say publicly? Many of them are in fear of their political lives, and that's been part of the challenge.

But we continue to say to them, you were elected to defend your constituents, to stand up for your constituents. And there's life after Congress. And you should be willing to actually want to be able to look back on your time in the House of Representatives, knowing that you can keep your head held high because you did the right thing. Donald Trump is gone in three and a half years. But their legacy or their failure to stand up to the extremism and the unprecedented assault on America as we know it will be with them forever.

Make sure to listen to Spolitics on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. How serious is youth vaping? Irreversible lung damage serious. One in 10 kids vape serious, which warrants a serious conversation from a serious parental figure, like yourself. Not the seriously know-at-all sports dad or the seriously smart podcaster.

It requires a serious conversation that is best had by you. No, seriously. The best person to talk to your child about vaping is you. To start the conversation, visit talk about vaping.org. Brought to you by the American Lung Association and the Ad Council. let's let's cut to the golden wedding um big decision power move braden you get down on one knee um real quick let's just talk about that you know that decision what made you do it why how did that decision come to be yeah question so i had actually been i mean i had talked to her sister

literally like a couple days prior and i was telling her how like my goal was like oh jo's gonna hate this. Oh, you are. No, he doesn't. I mean, I don't, I don't, I don't hate it, though. I respect it. Okay. So anyway, you don't need it, but he'll respect it. I respect people's. I had told her sister a couple days that I was saving that money because I wanted to go. And the way I originally was thinking about proposing to her was I wanted to, um, she had this dream on one of our first FaceTime call, she was talking about wanting to put pineapple on pizza in Italy and like see people's reactions. and she brought a can of pineapple out and put it on pizza.

And so my plan was is to take pineapples out of the can of pineapples and put a ring in there. And then like I figured like we'd record it and then like, you know, that's how I was originally going to propose. Well,

I'd actually heard on their podcast that you like pineapple. And so, and so, yeah. And so, yeah. It's actually my favorite, it's actually my favorite fruit, pineapple.

You do love pineapple. I love pineapple. You need to give it another shot, man. I mean, so we're going to carry a day, we're going to have a party with pineapple pizza. I'm down for that.

I mean, if I'm going to have pineapple on pizza, there needs to be, there needs to be jalapeno and ham as well. That's fine. Oh, yeah. All Hawaiian. I'm not just going to have, I'm not just going to have cheese. No, that's pure. And red sauce and pineapple.

That's true. But yeah, anyway, so, so originally, like, I had been talking to her sister like two days prior and then I was like, I was talking to my sister, like, literally the day, like, on the drive out there. And I was like, yeah, like, you know, I'm wanting to save my money and like, you know, be able to do this and do this the right way. But it's like, it's also hard because it's like, I know that I'm ready to do this. And it's like, you know. know, but, like, right now, with the way, like, you know, making this move out, I just had to buy a new truck. I was, like, buying a ring right now on top of all that is, like, not, like, I would propose to right now if I could, but, like, it's not cars. And I had told you, like, you could propose

with a pebble, we could go on a hike and find a rock, but, you know, he's, he had a bear. And so, anyway, so, like, it was, it was kind of a crazy situation because I was literally just talking my sister about it on the road, we're on the ride up. So I get to the, I get to the hotel, and I'm in there, and, like, everyone comes in visits, and we come and chat, and And as we're chatting, like, they, like, I get told, like, okay, me and Christina are going to have this six-minute long segment where we just get to talk and tell everybody about how we met. And so I'm like, okay, that's awesome. So Christina's flight ended up getting delayed and they ended up staying and we were hanging out and they're talking and, like, you know, hey, like, are you excited about making this move to Nashville and stuff? And I'm like, I'm stoked.

Like, you know, I was like, honestly, like, you know, I wish that I could go out there and like being a place where I could be, you know, already engaged and proposed to her and like, I've done all that. But, like, you know, I'm needing, like, you know, yeah, especially with Blakely. wanting to make sure that I set an example to her daughter because it's like in my head it's like Blakely's going to be my daughter and it's like with my kid of mine like I want them to be treated by somebody the way like that way and if I want some if I want my daughter to be treated by a man that way then I would want to treat their mom in that same manner you know and so it was like so for me it was like you know I wish I could do this and I wish it was like something that was feasible for me at this time and I was like and you know if it was I would love to do that and I was like but right now

like this is my plan and um and i started talking and like um as i started talking producers and telling them like you know where i was at and like what i was wanting to do um we actually started figuring some things out and um they had actually said that like you know we could talk to neil lane and like you know see what we could do um and we ended up like making it all like kind of come together and um i you know they were like yeah like you know Neil lane said he would love to support this and like you know love to make this happen and so um you know we called him and we got permission on that end. And then they said, you know, and I was like, well, let me call.

I need to make sure I talk to her mom and dad and make sure I get permission there. And I want to talk to Gary and Teresa before I go and propose because I want to make sure that I have their permission because, you know, although I know, like, although I know, it's the Bachelor franchise and it's like, you know, it's a, you know, produced wedding, it's still wedding. And I never like, you know, my intention is not to like steal the attention from them at all because, I mean, what they've done with their relationship and like their whole story has been absolutely amazing. And I don't want to take any light away from how amazing that's been and how

inspiration that's been. And so I reached out to Gary and I'm like, hey, Gary. Like, you know, I know, I don't want to, I don't want to do this. I was like, you know, we're doing a, I don't want to do this in a way that's going to be disrespectful or take away from you. And I wouldn't want to do it without your blessing. I was like, you know, I really love Christina and I'm going to do this eventually, regardless of whether I do it today. Awesome. Yeah, me and Gary, like, Gary was actually one of the first people in Bachelor Nation, though, that I had like been, that Christina was my girlfriend. Because like, He did say he did say he's good friends with you. Yeah.

He did. He talks and Facebook texts. Even like at the Blakely's birthday party, we called him and they were talking. He's awesome. And I met him briefly as well. And his family's all awesome too. Like we're actually going to, we're going to be going to his granddaughter's volleyball game up in.

They're having a volleyball tournament in Louisville. So we'll be going to that this year too. I mean, I actually like me and Gary. They talk a lot. Yeah. Me and Gary here. Me and Gary, he's just such a great guy. Like I really I really do like love him a lot. He's a cool guy. And so I'd reach out to him now. And he said, well, yeah, he's like, you know, he's like, I know. And it was all kind of late. I mean, it was like a kind of a last minute thing. And he was like, let me talk to Teresa and see how she feels about this. And I was like, okay. And so you talked to Teresa and he said, I'm okay with it. And Teresa thinks that this is an absolutely wonderful idea. And she loves it. And so. Yeah. When she was on a weird time about it, she was like, yes, yes. Like I was so excited. Like she really is like.

a more the merrier kind of person. And so I had both their blessing and then I was like, okay. So once I had their blessing, I ended up going and I called her mom and it was funny. This is funny. Because when I went to go call her mom, her mom's name is Erlene. And I have a contact in my phone. That's Irene. And so here I go and I call Irene.

And as I'm calling Irene, I am going and I am expressing my absolute love for her daughter. that is not actually her daughter for about three minutes and asking, and I go and I ask her for permission to marry her daughter. It's like 11 p.m. at this point. Yeah. And so there's like, there's a big wrong pause. And I'm sitting there for that big long pause. And she's like, hey, Braden, like, you know, I think you might have called the wrong person.

And my heart just goes and it drops. And I'm like, this is like, it was the worst. It was a bad sign. Were you like, was your first thought like, oh my God, who am I on the phone with? That was literally, I looked at my phone and I was like, my heart was just like, I'm such an idiot. Like, I can't believe that. I just did that.

And so, yeah, it was definitely a who am I on the phone with moment. But it was funny. You wasted a good surprise on you, Adam Sandler. But so I ended up calling her mom after that. And then the con row with her mom ended up going a lot better. So, I mean, I guess I'm grateful for that one. You know, you had a good, like, practice run. You know, you ironed out the kinks.

You got out the nerves. And then you did the official asking. Exactly. And so I called her mom, and then her mom loved it. And, like, I was super excited. and then called her dad and her dad loved it and he was excited and so um all things were in place I called my mom and dad and it told them it kind of worked out that your flight was delayed really it did I know how did you pulled that off yeah you know I called some I called uh

the flight airlines hey don't take off I'm busy there people yeah yeah Christina what were you expecting when were you expecting an engagement or where were you even thinking about one um I knew so like whenever he said that he talked to my sister so we were on face time and like I I was surprised then that he had like even an idea of how to do it in play. But he was very much like, all right, go away, go away. Let me talk to your sister. And I respected that. I actually did walk away.

I didn't eavesdrop or anything. And so I knew that like it was in the works and we've talked about it. We've talked about marriage. And I knew that kind of in the same respect of like me being or us being boyfriend and girlfriend and meeting Blakely in the same respect, him moving here and moving in. Like we knew that that's in the cards. And it's just a matter of logistics and making it happen. and how to, you know, the ends and outs of it of making it happen to make it happen,

not because of us holding that up. So I really had no clue, and I am hard to surprise. I really am. I ruined surprises. And so I didn't want to know. Okay. So I didn't want to know. I didn't want to like, because I'll figure it out.

And that's what I don't want to do. And I was going to be surprised. And, yeah. So I did almost ruin it on accident. So she. So we get to the park. before, okay, so I know, no, you go for you. You're such a better storyteller.

But we get to the, before even worth the, what would you call it, like the cocktail party before the ceremony. And it's even before the proposal happened and we're all hanging out. I'm excited. And, you know, I see Neil Lane. And I've been a fan of this show for a long time. I know Neil Lane. So I see him.

I'm like, babe, Neil Lane. And I said, I said, babe. I'm getting Neil Lane drunk tonight and we're getting I go over there and I start making friends with him and he's the best he's actually like amazing I feel like we're hitting off

we're being best friends and I can see that he's getting stressed oh wait the nails it's fine okay the nails so so we're like I could see that he's getting stressed and I'm like babe

and I go over to the side and I'm like do you think I'm being annoying or something because I feel like me and Neil are being best friends do you not feel like and I straight up as well am I being annoying?

And so he was like like no because you know that's kind of a setup if he had said yes i would have been really upset and so he's like no i'm like well then leave me alone i'm talking to neil and so then i'm talking to him i'm like neil let's do something crazy would you make a pair of earrings so i could propose to braiden and so i'm trying to chat him up about this and we're talking about these earrings and we're talking about this and this and that and i could just see he's just like visibly stressed in the corner but he knows that he knows and Neil is such a homie though he did not not give it away at all.

He really is, but I was so worried. Like, I just, I didn't want to be around because, like, I knew that I was either going to slip or, like, and I didn't know if it would slip and so I was like, so I'm just trying to be there and, like, be quiet because, like, I don't want to lock me. I was being Tadie and Neil, we're just talking and we're best friends. And I'm like, go away. I'm talking to Neil. And I'm not a good liar.

So it's like, if I was in the situation where I would have had to lie, like, oh, like, a wedding ring. You can see that you were stressed. So, I mean, yeah, you can't know. I had one in my pocket. And I was like, I had one in my breast pocket. And I was like, I was, oh, I thought you're just happy to see me. The other pocket.

No, no. I had one in my breast pocket. And I was like, literally. You're like, I'm literally holding a Neil Lane diamond on my chest right now. Let's please leave this conversation. I would have gone along with a lot of things. Like, he had to drag me to the nail song. So I'm like, I'm not getting my nails done.

No, no, no. And he had a drag, like, all these things, I had absolutely zero clue. So she shows up to the wedding missing like three nails. And it was like. A girl, like. like yeah and like she's like she's like oh just I'll just color them I brought my LED light and I'm like babe no like let's go get your nails done it'll be some cute couple stuff I'm not bougie I'm just gonna file it'll be did you say that during the proposal I feel like you said something we were like oh my god is that like that way we had to get our nails done no because like this thing it was really like now in hindsight oh my gosh like I'm like I'm so annoying I yes the way that he was like they had to like be like I'm you're going to go to the wedding like that. And I'm like, what? Like so confused because he doesn't talk to me like that. I'm like, but you love that I'm not bougie. Like I'm just going to file it out. I can do it. He's like,

you don't know how to do nails. And so like I go there and I still have the same nails on now and they're long. I never get nails like longer than my nail. I'm just like, you pick it out, like this is important to you. And I had to get my nails done too. And although I wanted to get, I wanted to really get his nails done. I'm like, I need to support that. He's moving to Tennessee. He's like trying to test me, make sure a Cali boy can hang, you know, like if I'm going to judge him for it. And I'm like, no, no, no. We can go. We can go. We'll do this for you. You're like, fine. I'll get my nails done for you. For you. Exactly. Although I might seem like a guy who likes to go get my nails done and stuff like that. He was like, really not. Like, it's not really

my thing. Like, and so I ended up having to go and pay for my nails to get done too, which was it was a nice experience. It would have been, it would have been dead giveaway. So you had to. So then, yeah, with the proposal I did say this is what we got a nail sign because I had no idea and then he goes I said the most romantic thing ever was like you're such a pain in my butt I was like when I saw that back

I was like wow that's an interesting thing to throw in no one thing like for people with no context which is fine it's very us I feel like watching it I was like he definitely had to drag her ass to the nail salon the way you got you said it I was like he definitely was putting my shoes on in the hotel

And I, like, kicked them off. I'm like, no, I'm not going to get my nails done. I was being a little, I was being a little brat about it. That's one of my best friends got engaged a year and a half ago. And she was like, guys, do I get, like, neutral or should I go find to get like a green color? And we knew she was getting engaged that week. And I was like, I think neutrals. And the green ended up being like a, it was really cute.

It was like a mint kind of color. She loved it. But I was like, we were like texting on the side. I was like, tell her neutral. Tell her neutral. She always gets neutral. She's going to go for some crazy color this time. And she's not going to like it.

But it's a little. If you go there and you take the time, you spend the money to do it and you do something you don't like. It's a lot. It is. Nails. There's a lot of tie to the heart with the nails. Just the boys are going to get their nails done. I'll go get a manicure with you.

All right. We are out of time before we let you guys go. Wedding plans this year, next year, three years, anything? We're talking like we're looking at within this year. Sooner than later. But maybe with them either this year or the beginning of next year, I think, is what we're going with. I planned a lot of weddings. I can do it fast.

We wanted to be in San Diego. Nice. Yeah. So I've got to figure out, I don't know, that's not my turf. So I've got to figure out what's going on over there. But sooner rather than later, for sure. We already, like, it was cool. Like, I talked to my pastor from church, and it was actually really cool.

We're starting premarital counseling, hopefully, with him this next week. And then he said he also, him and his wife said that they kind of have. help also like with like you know come together on like how to plan and how to go about the dates and stuff like that because it's like it can all be really stressful and like with the move and stuff like that there's just been a lot that we've had to like talk about and go over and so we definitely want to do it to it we don't want a really long engagement like we didn't get engaged just to get engaged and it's like I'm I don't know I love this girl and it's like I'm going to make her my wife and so I'm enjoying her as my fiancee now but I can't wait for

the day that she gets me my wife so that's amazing All right. Well, thank you guys so much for coming on Bachelor Happy Hour. And to all of our listeners, thank you guys for tuning in and make sure you stay tuned because we have new episodes coming out every week. And we have a whole new season to break down. Joey's season of The Bachelor is coming out. Yeah. Thanks for listening. Thanks for Brandon and Christina. And we'll see you guys next week. Awesome. Thanks. See you. Bye. Bye. I'm seriously suspicious.

Wait a minute, Sam. Maybe her boyfriend's just looking for extra credit. Well, Dakota, luckily, it's back to school week on the OK Storytime podcast, so we'll find out soon. This person writes, my boyfriend's been hanging out with his young professor a lot. He doesn't think it's a problem, but I don't trust her. Now he's insisting we get to know each other, but I just want her gone. Hold up. Isn't that against school policy?

That seems inappropriate. Maybe find out how it ends by listening to the OK Storytime podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your performance. So in the last month, the Midas Touch Network beat Rogan, Tucker Carlson, Candice Owens, Charlie Kirk, and Ben Shapiro all combined. What happens when three brothers take on right-wing media and start winning? I find out on the latest episode of Next Question with me, Katie Couric. We just want people to live their lives and be happy and be able to enjoy it without some, you know, lunatic screaming in their face every three seconds. Listen to next question with me, Katie Couric on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

When your car is making a strange noise, no matter what it is, you can't just pretend it's not happening. That's an interesting sound. It's like your mental health. If you're struggling and feeling overwhelmed, it's important to do something about it. It can be as simple as talking to someone, or just taking a deep, calming breath to ground yourself. Because once you start to address the problem, You can go so much further. The Huntsman Mental Health Institute and the Ad Council

have resources available for you at loveyourmind today.org. This is an IHeart podcast.