Go On, Andi, Choo-choo-choose Josh

Did anyone else ever even stand a chance on this season of The Bachelorette? When Josh Murray — former pro-baseball player, former University of Georgia football player, and present day stud — swaggered out as last bro out of the limos on The Bachelorette premiere, looking a little like a male version of Andi, our firl seemed to make her mind up about two things: she needed to be careful around this guy... and he was the most remarkable one in the bunch. The chemistry was instant — you could cut the flirt-fighting tension with a knife in their first sit down chat, and they were only talking about Atlanta sushi at that point. So once the kisses started flying, The Bachelorette added on a romantic Marseilles boat ride and a few dozen glasses of wine, and these two Georgia kids found themselves full-on smitten with each other.

But some people are nervous about Josh. Andi, while a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, is one of the more charming Bachelorettes we've had in a while, and people want the best for her. Her flirting may go a little heavy on the exclamatory phrases — St aaaaaaah p — but she's fun and she really seems to care about showing her 17 boyfriends a good time. She's a smart, self-sufficient woman on an ABC pilgrimage for love, so why do people think she might be getting duped by Josh? I have a theory that the combination of his perfectly sun-kissed complexion and blindingly white teeth make him seem untrustworthy. How does one get so tan while maintaining a career in finance? Does he get his toothpaste on the black market?

These are all reasonable questions, but I challenge the idea that this guy is a jerk, or hanging around for the wrong reasons (drink) just because he's protective and competitive. (I will not argue that Josh looks like a douche in a scarf, though... that is highly accurate.) Josh seems a little high-strung, and while that may not be my type (correction: that is definitely not my type), that is most definitely Andi's type. Or in her words: "Josh M. is my type — nailed it, pegged it, damn.”

Josh takes this seriously

Josh seems like a total Cool Guy, and yet he's willing to get really into things like silly group dates — activities any human not interested in dating Andi would deem "awfully, devastatingly, soul-crushingly lame." And as we saw with Nick V. last week, even if they're not into it, Andi values her gentlemen callers taking this process seriously and trying hard. And no one tries harder than Josh. Sometimes that could come off as competitive, but I think it just shows that Andi means a lot to him.

He's gonna get that rose.

Andi is totally into him

Andi has always been attracted to Josh, but she's been hesitant about him, as well. He's the only guy that she's actually kept her guard up with, as opposed to the other way around, and Josh called her out on it. He doesn't want to be judged just for being her "normal type," because he's Not Your Average Athlete. He's been cheated on, he's lost trust; he says he hasn't dated in years, and Andi believes him. She seems genuinely shocked that she could have met someone so right for her on this show, and that's healthy. There's always some fear in finding something worthwhile, and I think what's most exciting to Andi is that Josh seems to need her in his life as much as she needs him.

They’re simply compatible

Josh is not Marquel — he is not the perfect man. But he is the perfect man for Andi. Josh is able to banter back and forth with her in a way that only a lawyer could love. He's masculine and in touch with his emotions. He's always willing to let her know how he feels about her. He calls her on her bullshit. And then there's that something that seems like it should be so much less important than it is: He's from her hometown and it means a lot to both of them.

It's not impossible to fall in love with someone from a totally different background, but coming from similar backgrounds clears up a lot of space for other baggage, like not being able to get over being a professional athlete 10 years ago, for both of them. Of course, it probably doesn't hurt that Andi's hard-ass father Hy is a die hard fan of University of Georgia, the team both Josh and his brother Aaron Murray played on (Aaron to a bit more fanfare as the team's dependable quarterback). I have a feeling the impending hometown visit is going to seal this deal right up.

Ultimately, He’s a good guy

This guy is exactly Andi's brand of teasing, flirty fun. Josh might not be right for everyone, but he's right for Andi. I dare you not to love this moment:

Staaaaaahp.

Images: ABC (9)