“THE LOVE TRUTH EXPLODES”: Tense Finale Moment as Peg Questions Mel Owens’ Emotional Availability, Igniting Fan Debates About Whether the Bachelor Really Loved Anyone on the Show

Parade has your exclusive first look at The Golden Bachelor season 2 finale — and it seems things are getting bumpy for star Mel Owens and finalist Peg Munson in more ways than one.

In the clip, Peg and Mel head out on an ATV dune buggy ride for their final date together, with Peg taking the wheel. She’s all smiles as she revs the engine and speeds off, shouting, “Rock ’n roll!” as Mel laughs beside her.

“Today’s date is just gonna be really important to have that one-on-one time with Mel,” Peg says in a talking-head interview. “It takes me time to trust somebody. I need somebody that can show how they’re feeling and what they want and what they need.”

After the joyride, the two sit overlooking the ocean with champagne in hand, reflecting on their Golden Bachelor journey.

“Vegas was fun, meeting the family — they really liked you. They really had a lot of fun,” Peg tells Mel.

“I passed the test?” Mel asks, smiling.

“You did,” Peg replies. “My family’s very, very protective. They know I have a hard time opening my heart ’cause when I love, I go deep. I do.”

“Likewise,” Mel says.

But when Peg asks directly, “So how’s this thing going with us? Good? How you feelin’ about it?” Mel’s brief response — “Good. Good.” — seems to leave her uneasy.

The exchange gets more awkward when Mel follows up by asking, “How was the dune buggy?”

Peg hesitates, clearly puzzled. “…It was fun,” she says, unsure how to respond since he was sitting beside her the entire time.

In a later interview, Peg voices her concern about Mel’s guarded demeanor.

“He deflects,” she says. “I have a little bit of a concern. Is it something where he’s not emotionally available? Or he’s just being guarded?”

It’s a tense moment in what has otherwise been a lighthearted connection between the retired firefighter and the former NFL linebacker. And with the finale now split into two parts, airing Tuesday, Nov. 5 and Tuesday, Nov. 12 on ABC, fans won’t have to wait long to see how — or if — Mel opens up before handing out his final rose.

The Golden Bachelor season 2 finale airs in two parts on Tuesday, Nov. 5 at 9 p.m. ET/PT and Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC, and streams the next day on Hulu.