Gabby's Dad Channeled Love Actually During Her Emotional Bachelor Hometown Date

During the Feb. 28 Bachelor hometown dates episode, Gabby Windey wasn’t able to introduce Clayton Echard to her dad — at least, not in the traditional sense. Her dad’s longtime girlfriend is immunocompromised, so Gabby understood that he wouldn’t be able to show up for hometowns. But while Clayton met with other members of her family (including an iconic Grandpa John), a car horn alerted Gabby to a surprise visitor outside. Yep, it was her dad — complete with a set of Love Actually-esque flash cards to share his feelings on Clayton and support for his daughter.

“Hi Gabby Girl, it’s me... Dad,” read the first few cards. “You are the most beautiful, intelligent, loving, and caring daughter. Thank you for being the glue of our family. You deserve the very best. And I hope that’s Clayton.”

Gabby (a lot like most viewers) cried through the whole thing. “Tell Clayton hello and that I hope to meet him soon,” the cards concluded, before Gabby’s dad hopped back into his car. Clayton arrived outside during the final moments of the socially distanced exchange — so he got a glimpse of his potential father-in-law, but didn’t get to meet the man just yet.

Even before the episode aired, viewers knew that Gabby and her dad were super close. The ICU nurse referred to him as her “favorite man” on Instagram, and told The Athletic that it was “getting harder and harder” to go without seeing him in person during COVID — so naturally, his hometown gesture meant a lot.

While there’s still a chance Gabby’s dad meets Clayton down the line (she received a coveted post-hometown rose), the Bachelor did seem to make a positive impression with the rest of her family in the meantime — particularly her grandpa, who had a heart-to-heart with Clayton and advised the pair to take things slow. “So far, I like what I see,” he said. “Of course, it’s early, so I may change my mind about you.” Grandpa John also loved Gabby’s limo arrival joke about sitting on Clayton’s face (really, a hilarious pillow with his visage on it), so you know he’s a pretty good sport about these things.