Kaitlyn Bristowe Hoped Nick Viall Would ‘Surprise Her On The Show’ – Was His Mid-Season Bachelorette Return Planned?

So much for just texting! Kaitlyn Bristowe fell for Nick Viall fast when he joined The Bachelorette mid-season. But Kaitlyn’s feelings for the reality star began way before she became the star of the show!

"Kaitlyn and Nick initially started talking as friends," a source told E! News. "They had both been on the show and they bonded over that mutual experience. But it soon took a romantic turn. They never met in person before the show, but they were talking, texting and Facetiming for hours at a time from late February to early March. It would sometimes go on until the middle of the night."

Although Kaitlyn and Nick, who were “explicit about their feelings,” didn’t sext, they did send each other “intimate photos.”

Even though Kaitlyn was shocked when Nick showed up on one of the group dates, the insider revealed that they actually discussed Nick joining the running for her heart. “She told him she was hoping he’d surprise her on the show,” the source said. “She said it in a joking way, but I think she was serious. She told her friends she was hoping he’d do it.”