For more than two monthsRachel Lindsay has had
to refer to her new fiancé as Jerome, a sweet alias inspired by a charac-
ter on one of their favorite TV shows,Martin. Now Lindsay, 32, says she
can’t wait to refer openly to her new husband-to-be as Bryan Abasolo.
“We are so happy to be together,” she says of the man she calls her “best
friend and soulmate.” Abasolo agrees: “We are over-the-top in love.”After a first attempt at finding love on Nick Viall’s season of ABC’sThe
Bachelordidn’t work out,the attorney from Dallas was given a second
chance at happily-ever-after when cast as the first African-American
Bachelorette in the franchise’s history. “I’m very proud and honored to
be the first,” she says. “And I’m so happy I did this whole thing. Because
as hard as it was, it led me to him.”
Considering the criticism Lindsay faced throughout her journey,
to say it was “hard” is an understatement. As 31 men vied for her love,
Lindsay admits, she developed emotions for several of them. “I had
feelings for the last four,” she says. But at the end of the day she says it
became apparent Abasolo was her perfect match. “I just really followed
my heart and gut, which was Bryan,” she says. “I knew what I wanted
with him, and I knew what we could have. But I didn’t know how great
it was going to be, because it’s actually so much better off-camera. It
was great before, but it’s fantastic now.”
As Lindsay and the 37-year-old Miami-based chiropractor prepare
for life away from microphones and camera crews, their focus is sim-
ple: “We just want to be together,” says Abasolo. “I can’t wait to spend
the rest of my life with her.”All Aboutthe Ring
has always been confident in what she wants in a man—and an
e g gement ring. When Abasolo proposed, Lindsay squealed when
s w the sparkler he offered. “It was even prettier than I could’ve
i g d,” she says of the 3-carat ring designed by Neil Lane. The pear-
s p one is set within a halo of smaller diamonds and further accented
w ound diamonds. “This was her fantasy ring,” Lane tellsPeople. So
basolo know it would be perfect? “Our song is Beyoncé’s ‘Halo,’”
he says. “When Neil said ‘halo,’ I knew that was the one.”Rachel, we knew you were engaged
before the season began airing.
How hard was it to keep this a secret?
RACHEL Hard! I’ve been so excited
about the fact that I’m engaged and
who I’m engaged to that I wanted
everyone to share in my happiness.
Or maybe I just want to brag about it!
What was it about Bryan that caught
your attention? And Bryan, what was it
about Rachel?
RACHEL When I talked about what I
wanted in a partner, I said I wanted
someone who is secure and confident
and knows who he is, what he wants
and where he’s going. That was Bryan.
BRYAN Overall I think she’s just the
perfect woman for me. She’s so sweet,
so affectionate. But at the same time
she has a sassiness that definitely
turns me on and keeps me on my toes.
I need that. I can’t have a pushover.
Bryan, you’ve been labeled as a
“charmer.” What do you say to people
who think you’re too good to be true?
BRYANHonestly I was just being
myself. I was 100 percent genuine.
I didn’t know how great it would be
until I got there. It just got better and
still does. I keep falling in love with this
woman more and more every single day.Lindsay
engage
she saw
imagined
shaped sto
with 80 ro
how did A
hAugust 21, 2017 PEOPLE 57“I couldn’t
do anything but
scream,” Lindsay says
of their proposal at
a castle in Spain. “It
was amazing.” Adds
Abasolo: “It was
a fairy tale.”HAIR: RANDY STODGHILL/NUMBER 4 HAIR CARE/OPUS BEAUTY; MAKEUP: AMY CHANCE/IT COSMETICS/CELESTINE AGENCY; PROP STYLIST: JUSTIN RO
CHELEAU/WANTED PD; STYLIST: SIMONA
SABO/THE REX AGENCY; PREVIOUS SPREAD: (RACHEL) DRESS: ALICE AND OLIVIA; NECKLACES: SHEISME & MINTED JEWELRY; EARRINGS: WWAKE; (BRYAN) SHIRT: J.CREW; OPPOSITE PAGE: (RACHEL)ROMPER: THE REFORMATION; NECKLACE & EARRINGS: WWAKE; (BRYAN) SHIRT: PICKY JANE VINTAGE; THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: ABC(2); COURTESY NEIL LANE JEWELRY