And it wasn't just Jason who felt that way about the 34-year-old widow from Huntsville, AL. She won the hearts of both her competition and the audience at home.
"That was to my surprise," she tells ET. "I went into it just being myself. People had told me it was going to be tough being in the home with so many other girls. I didn't seem to think it was difficult at all. I love getting to know people and what makes them tick. I can appreciate the positive as well as the negative in people."
Despite the fact that she isn't the one who won Jason's heart, Stephanie still feels that their friendship will endure.
"I had such a bond with Jason," she continues. "I think that he is an incredible man. Even though we didn't have that physical connection, that chemistry, I still think our friendship will remain strong. Who knows? There are so many avenues we connect on, especially being single parents with kids the same age."
Since she has returned home, Stephanie says she is focusing on her four-year-old daughter Sophia and her career as a medical marketing representative, so she hasn't gotten back into the dating pool. That could leave the door open for her to be the next Bachelorette.
"First of all, I think it would be a few months until they asked me. Nobody has said anything about that. I would evaluate that and see where I am in my life. I hope to have some good fellows come out of this. I could be dating someone at that time and, if it was serious, I would want to honor his wishes and not do it. If I were single, I would probably do it."
"The Bachelor" is down to the final four: Jillian, 29, an interior designer from Peace River, Alberta, Canada; Melissa, 25, a sales representative from Dallas, TX; Molly, 24, a department store buyer from Grand Rapids, MI; and Naomi, 24, a flight attendant from Carlsbad, CA. So who is Stephanie rooting for?
"I think I am going to have to watch the hometown dates and see how he connects," she says. "I did say one thing to Jason: You do marry the family. He did ask for one piece of advice off camera. He was putting me in the limousine and he said, 'What is one piece of advice? I trust you and I value your opinion.' I said, 'Just remember you have your hometown dates coming up and you do marry into the family. Just see where you fit in in all of that.'"
"The Bachelor" airs Monday nights at 8 p.m. on ABC.
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Comments (12)
I would like to see her as the next Bachlorett, it would be a refreshing change.
Scharlee