‘Bachelorette’ Week 7 recap: What the heck, Xavier? Here’s what happened this week

Xavier Bonner, the UNC Ph.D. candidate on Season 20 of “The Bachelorette,” took Georgia native Charity Lawson home to meet his family last week.

Things went well (read the full recap here) and at the end of the night, Xavier told Charity he’s falling in love with her. And at the end of the episode, Charity picked Xavier — along with Dotun and Joey — to continue on the journey toward everlasting love. Or something like that.

This week’s episode is the infamous Fantasy Date episode, when all three men get another one-on-one date with Charity plus the option to spend the night together (and as Zach demonstrated earlier this year on “The Bachelor,” those dates can absolutely be sans-hanky-panky. Or they can be hanky-panky-filled).

So let’s get to Fiji and see what happened with Xavier and Charity. Buckle up.

Xavier’s date with Charity

Daytime date: Xavier’s date came up first on the show and the two were on a private island called Nanuku on Fiji. They were treated to a special song and dance performance by native Fijians, and then dressed in traditional Fijian garb. For Xavier, that meant being shirtless in a grass skirt, and Charity was carried back out to the beach like a queen. The two learned the Fijian traditions and dances connected to weddings there.

Xavier said it was all fun, but intense, and admitted to “a bit of fear, because marriage is a huge responsibility.” Xavier got poetic, calling Charity “a delicate flower” that he doesn’t want to “crush” when he picks up. Charity recognizes there are two ways to take that.

Charity says she’s falling in love with Xavier and wants a flat yes or no about his readiness to get married.

At dinner: Xavier tells Charity that his heart is with her but the logical part of his brain still has doubts and fears.

Then came the bombshell: He confesses to Charity that he was unfaithful with his ex, and says he knows that’s “very triggering” for her, but says he’s not that man now.

Charity is rightfully upset that Xavier waited till now, a couple weeks away from a potential proposal, to drop this bomb — she’s been saying all season that infidelity is a deal-breaker — and she says he “completely derailed” the date.

She asks him for more details and it doesn’t get better. He basically tells her that he will not cheat on her — but it will be hard to not cheat.

Then it gets worse. Xavier tells Charity that he still has doubts, and he needs “more” from her that night if he’s going to get to a place where he’s 100% in. In other words, he needs the overnight date. He needs to spend the night with her. He needs ... the hanky-panky??? He needs that to know if he would be able to not cheat on her?? Ummm.

Charity gives him a piece of her mind, and Xavier says he guesses he should have thought more before answering. Yeah.

So Charity doesn’t offer him the overnight card — and she sends him home.

The next morning Charity gives us maybe the greatest quote in “Bachelorette” history. She said she sent Xavier home because he wasn’t ready and she isn’t here to “build” a man.

“This isn’t Build-A-Man Workshop,” she said.

Joey’s fantasy/overnight date

Joey and Charity had the patented “Bachelor”/”Bachelorette” ATV date, except the ATV broke down and it cut the date short.

At the night portion of the date, the two managed to get through the conversation without any confessions of cheating or deep ruminations about the possibility of cheating down the road. Joey didn’t talk about having doubts and fears in his head.

So Charity did offer Joey the overnight date card and they retired to their fantasy suite.

Charity woke up “blissful” with Joey and says her love for him “feels eternal.” She confirms she is “in love with Joey.” Joey says this all “feels right” and he has “zero doubts we’re on the same page.” But he knows she still has other guys (or guy, singular) in the picture.

What does this mean for Dotun?

Dotun’s fantasy/overnight date

Dotun and Charity got the patented “Bachelor”/”Bachelorette” jet-ski date in Fiji, which came with a picnic on a sandbar. Charity told Dotun how much she loved meeting his family.

Dotun tells Charity that he is unfamiliar with the show and didn’t know until a few weeks ago that you’re kinda sorta supposed to get engaged at the end. We hold our breath until Dotun says, “I’m fine with that.”

At the evening portion of the ate, Dotun says he’s “smitten and in love” and tells Charity he feels “at peace and at home.” Charity tells Dotun that she loves him, and says being in love with him feels good.

Charity gives Dotun the fantasy/overnight date card and Dotun is 100% on board — “tonight and every night for the rest of our lives,” he says.

The next morning, Charity says she’s on cloud nine. Dotun says if he doesn’t end up with Charity at the end of this, he’ll be heartbroken.

Other drama

Aaron, who got eliminated last week, went back to Fiji to try to convince Charity to take him back.

People, please. Have some self-respect.

But you know what, she’s not upset that he’s there and she seems to be considering letting him back into the competition. And judging from the previews for the finale, he’s back in it?

And with that, the episode ends! (And with Xavier out, so do our recaps.)

How to watch ‘The Bachelorette’

“The Bachelorette” airs at 8 p.m. Mondays on ABC. You can also stream on Hulu.

Next week’s episode is the “Men Tell All” episode, which is a reunion show. The finale — during which the men meet Charity’s family — will happen the following week.