While 29 ladies had to build up the nerves to meet Peter Weber for the first time on The Bachelor's Season 24 premiere, one lucky contestant had already gotten some of her first-impression jitters out of the way. Kelley Flanagan, a 27-year-old attorney from Chicago, had a bit of a head start in getting to know Pete, since she met him at a hotel lobby in California a month prior to filming. Fans might want to get to know Kelley, since The Bachelor contestant with a history with Peter might end up having a future with him, as well.
Before filming, Kelley had been cast in Peter's season of The Bachelor, but was still unsure about committing to the show... until fate stepped in. While she attended a wedding in Malibu, California, she met the upcoming Bachelor, who just happened to be at the same hotel for his 10-year high school reunion. Kelley obviously knew Peter, but he didn't know her, so she introduced herself that evening, and credits that encounter to being the reason she ultimately said yes to the show.
"I didn't want to do this [The Bachelor] at first, and I kept saying there would be a sign from God that would tell me if I should do this," she told Peter during the show's premiere, adding that meeting Peter was the exact sign she needed.
Their meet-cute must've been a memorable one for Peter too, because he immediately greeted her by name when she stepped out of the limo. "You look familiar, Kelley," Peter grinned. The pair warmly embraced before hopping into a choreographed dance they made up that fateful night in the hotel lobby.
Although some of the contestants weren't thrilled to hear Kelley had a head start in developing a relationship with Peter (some even called it a "one-up"), it ultimately played to her advantage. She connected with Peter in a tender conversation about their first encounter that secured a rose in the first ceremony. She also went on to win the relay race in the first group date, which involved giant fans and a slimy runway (and looked pretty difficult, TBH). As her prize, she got to spend even more one-on-one time with Peter, joining him as he flew over the Malibu coast.
Based on what Chris Harrison had to say about Kelley in ABC's 'Meet the Women' video, it seems like this lady could have at least a few more rose ceremonies in store. Harrison called Kelley "smart" and said she "knows how to work the game," indicating there's a lot of interesting moments to come for her.
To learn more about this rumored frontrunner, take a look at the promo video, or read a snippet of her ABC profile below:
Kelley is a modern woman who doesn't need a man to take care of her. She has incredibly high standards and is looking for a man to push her forward instead of holding her back. Her most recent relationship was an international long-distance affair where she was traveling to Jordan once or twice a month, but finally got to the point where she couldn't see herself moving to the Middle East. Now that Kelley is single, she is focused on her career as an attorney. Kelley comes from generations of lawyers and currently works in her dad's law firm. It's going to take a lot more than a handsome face and solid resume, though, to impress Kelley, because this lawyer won't settle for anything less than she deserves.
Season 24 of The Bachelor continues on Monday, Jan. 13, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
