Teddi Wright was given the first impression rose from Clayton Echard on the season 26 premiere of The Bachelor. The show was back at the Bachelor mansion for the first time in two years during the Jan. 3 premiere. After casted contestant Salley Carson decided not to come on the show due to heartbreak over a recently called-off engagement, Clayton met 30 women on night one. It was Teddi who caught his eye the most, though.
“I love my job, it’s really rewarding,” Teddi said of her work as a nurse. “My family life, my friend life is going well, and now I feel like what’s missing is my person.” During her opening package, Teddi opened up about being a virgin. “I made the decision at a young age,” she said. “I would say probably too young, looking back. But I’m a lot more open now. I definitely want to wait until I’m in love to have sex because I have waited this long. I think Clayton could be my person.”
Teddi stepped out of the limo looking absolutely stunning in a sheer dress and Clayton was instantly smitten. “I don’t even have words for her,” he gushed. “Teddi, you make me feel some type of way! I’m gonna be way over my head on this journey.”
Once inside the cocktail party, Teddi and Clayton got some one-on-one time. “Let me tell you why I was happy it was you,” Teddi said. “I was really nervous because I really believe this could work and I wanted to know the guy before I came. So me and my sister were looking at all of Michelle [Young]’s guys and I go to one guy and I’m like, ‘If this is the guy, I’ll be really happy. I think he’s really cute and he has a kind smile. But there’s no way out of all these guys that it’s gonna be the one guy I want it to be. I’m not that lucky.’ And a couple of days later, it was the guy I showed her — it was you.”
Clayton was entranced by Teddi and could barely form words around her. “I don’t know what it is, but there’s something about you,” he told her. Teddi felt the same way. “I didn’t know what you were going to be like, and then [we met] and I was like, ‘He’s such a flirt!’ and I felt like we instantly had a good connection,” she gushed. “That was the one thing I was worried about. I was like, ‘I already know I’m attracted to him, but what is it going to be like when I actually talk to him?’ But I felt like the spark was there.”
Clayton agreed and it led to the two totally making out with all of the other girls watching. The PDA session left Clayton confident that this process would work for him. “Kissing Teddi, I feel on cloud nine,” he admitted. “Cloud ten, if you can get there. I felt that spark right away. It’s wild. It’s going so much better than I expected. I know the one is in here. I know she is. I’m going to be getting down on one knee at the end of this. It’s going to happen. I’m speaking it into existence right now.”
Clayton kissed multiple women on that first night, but Teddi stuck out to him. Later, he pulled her aside to give her the first impression rose. “This one particular person just really kind of stopped me in my tracks,” he revealed. “From the moment you stepped out of the limo, I just couldn’t get you off my mind,” Clayton added to Teddi. “I don’t even know how to explain it. I just wanted to talk. There’s a clear connection. With that being said, Teddi, will you accept this rose?”
Of course, Teddi did accept the rose, and they sealed the deal with another kiss. “Kissing Teddi, I feel complete,” Clayton admitted. “She’s got me feeling a little some type of way. It just feels right. I’m going to be thinking about that kiss for a while.”