The Golden Bachelor season 2 finale aired on ABC on Wednesday, Nov. 12.
During the finale, Mel Owens gave The Golden Bachelor winner Peg Munson a promise ring instead of a proposal.
The former NFL player revealed where his relationship with Peg stands after the show wrapped filming in August.
The second season of ABC’s The Golden Bachelor has officially come to a close, which means Mel Owens has locked in on love with a new woman. During the November 12 episode, Mel opted out of the franchise’s longstanding tradition of a season finale proposal, presenting his winner, Peg Munson, with a promise ring instead.
While it isn’t the first time an engagement ring was swapped for a promise ring in Bachelor history—Bob Guiney pulled the move with his winner, Estella Gardinier, in 2003—this does mark the first time it’s happened in The Golden Bachelor spin-off. Of course, the decision has fans wondering where Mel and Peg’s relationship stands after season 2 wrapped filming back in August.
Thankfully, Mel and Peg got candid about their relationship status during the “After the Final Rose” special that aired following the finale. It seems like the golden couple is still going strong, having doubled down on their commitment to each other despite not being engaged.
“I saw our love grow all the way through, and it’s special when it’s the right person,” Mel gushed. “We’ve spent some time together, and we had moments together. We had some time and one thing that I love about her is the energy and the get up and go [attitude].”
Peg echoed his sentiment, sharing that she and Mel are “in love” and planning to take things slow. “You know what’s nice about being in your 60s and going through life, you get to write your own love story—and we’re on the same page,” she explained. “That’s a love story the way that we get to do it.”
She added, “And to continue to grow our love…continue to spend time with our families and that’s the nice part about being in our 60s in your golden years is being able to do what you want to with that connection you have with someone.”
“It’s exciting,” Peg said of going public with Mel after keeping her win a secret until the finale aired. “We get to be out and we get to share this.”
And if their recent IG posts are any indication, they’re going to be sharing a lot!
