In it for the Fame & Fortune
BACHELORETTE'S RACHEL & BRYAN: Rachel Lindsay and Bryan Abasolo’s relationship is crumbling, but they’re not ready to stop cashing in
Something was off. On Aug. 9, Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay and her new fiancé, Bryan Abasolo, took part in a question-and-answer session with fans at the Reality Check event at Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun casino. “There was very little PDA. At one point the host asked them to kiss, and they refused,” says an eyewitness, adding that the meet-and-greet that followed was equally awkward. “They sat next to each other like colleagues and signed autographs. They did smile when a photographer took their picture. But the second the pictures stopped, they went right back to being distant. They hardly looked like a newly engaged couple.”
The fairy tale faded quickly. Since Bryan proposed to Rachel on the show’s Aug. 7 finale, their relation- ship has been in a free fall — especially since Bryan, 37, saw on the finale how strongly Rachel, 32, felt about runner-up Peter Kraus, 31. But the couple don’t want anyone to know the bloom is off the rose. “Rachel knows that if she sticks it out with Bryan, they can both walk away from this with fame and fortune,” a source tells In Touch. “So the plan is to act like a couple in public for as long as they can. And make as much money as they can.” When asked what he thinks of the couple promoting products and staying in the spotlight, Peter — who In Touch caught up with at the Worth Personal Training Boot Camp and VIP Brunch to benefit Boys & Girls Club of Dane County in Madison, Wis. — replied, “It’s what they want to do. Whatever they do in their life, I’m no longer part of it, so it’s what they want to do with it.”
Rachel isn’t wasting any time cashing in. Hours after The Bachelorette finale aired, she posted an Instagram video promoting Dunkin’ Donuts coffee (see inset). “She will hawk just about anything,” saysthe source. And her payout could be huge. Season 11 Bachelorette Kaitlyn Bristowe, 32, and her fiancé, Shawn Booth, 30, accumulated a reported net worth of around $3 million after their season aired. “Right now, Rachel is making from $8,000 to $15,000 per social media post,” an insider tells In Touch exclusively. “She has lots of different people coming to her with their products because she’s so big right now.”
Rachel’s hoping to parlay all the interest into more than just money. The Dallas attorney has “always dreamed of pursuing a career in sports broadcasting and is hoping her newfound fame can help make that happen,” says the source, adding that Rachel really enjoys being on TV and says that being a celebrity is her calling. Bryan has his own plans. “He has a chiropractic practice in Miami and knows this will only help him become more successful,” adds the source. “Plus, he loves all of the attention.”
Rachel seems to have chosen fame and fortune over true love. “She thinks she has this all mapped out,” says the source. “But it’s only a matter of time before it all comes crashing down.” ◼