Matt James Reveals 'Ultimatum' Rachael Kirkconnell Gave Him

Even if you're not binge watching ABC's "The Bachelor," it's hard to miss the headlines of season 25 stars Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell's whirlwind romance. The two publicly announced their split on "The Bachelor: After the Final Rose" after photos resurfaced of Kirkconnell attending a racist, antebellum-themed sorority party back in college. The lovebirds have reconciled their relationship since the season's conclusion (yes, we can't believe it either). The duo was spotted city-to-city in New York and Los Angeles before James confirmed their renewed relationship to People in April 2021.

The "Bachelor" star is opening up about his journey of reconnecting with his ex. During an interview with Pomp Podcast, James revealed how exactly things went down. "It was honestly a commitment that we had made to each other that we were going to work on the relationship," he said. "There came a point in time where it was evident that my working on the relationship looked different than Rachael's because I wasn't really honoring that commitment that I made to working on our relationship."

James confessed that he was hanging out with another girl while trying to fix things with Kirkconnell. However, she had an ultimatum for him: "'If you're gonna make this work, then let's do it, but if you're not gonna make it work then I'm gonna let you do your own thing.' And that's really all I needed." The couple seems to be in a better place, as they are making major steps in their relationship. Here's what we know.

Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell's relationship has been filled with ups and downs, but the two just can't seem to get enough of each other. Although their reconciled relationship is relatively fresh, the two are in talks of escalating their relationship to a more serious level. Given the fact that James is based in New York City and Kirkconnell is from outside of Atlanta, Ga., the two are considering closing the gap by moving in together.

A source told E! News in May 2021 that the relationship is definitely progressing into something deeper, "Matt and Rachael are in a really good place right now and are getting serious. They are inseparable and talk all day, every day. They have been making many plans to see each other so not a huge chunk of time passes before their next visit."

Kirkconnell is reportedly considering moving to New York, since she loves visiting the city. "They are both taking it slow, but have talked about moving in together," the source revealed. "It is an option they are considering, but waiting to see how the next couple of months progress." There's finally a "happily ever after" moment for James and Kirkconnell, and it seems that the "Bachelor" stars have the not-so-perfect love story after all.