Dave Bettenburg has definitely been painted as the villain of the season, but I understand why he was upset withLauren O’Brien over her friends with benefits situationonLove Is Blindseason 8. Lauren fought for Dave in the pods after discovering his connection with Molly Mullaney, forcing him to make a choice. While Dave seemed interested in both women, he painted a picture of Lauren as the perfect wife because of her caring and nurturing nature and ultimately chose her, thinking she would be a choice his family would support.
Unfortunately for Dave, his engagement to Lauren came with drama he couldn’t anticipate. As soon as theLove Is Blindseason 8couple returned from Honduras, Dave’s phone was blowing up with friends who alleged to have connections to the former teacher. The biggest concern was rumors of a man who happened to live in the same building wherethe couples lived claiming to have been dating Lauren right up until the show started. While Lauren asserted it was simply a friends with benefits situation that she ended before going onLove Is Blind, Dave wasn’t wrong to be uncertain.
Lauren Wasn’t Forthcoming About Details
Her Story Kept Changing
Lauren wasn’t very forthcoming about the details surrounding the friends with benefits situation, which I’m certain led to Dave’s doubt and insecurity.Minneapolis-based lawyer Daniel Nideswas allegedly telling mutual friends that he and Lauren were hooking up the weekend before she left to film the show, but Lauren said that wasn’t true. However, she later switched up her story, changing the timeline of when the last time she saw Daniel.I thought the fight could have ended if Lauren proved her story with texts between her and Daniel, but instead, she asked Dave to take her at her word.
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If Dave really loved Lauren, I believe he wouldn’t care that she was casually hooking up with someone before the show. It was clear to me from Lauren’s words and actions that she was dedicated to her engagement to Dave, giving him the benefit of the doubt for nearly every red flag he exhibited. However, I found it bizarre that Lauren wasn’t able or was unwilling to provide exact details regarding the situation. Her account also directly contradicted what Daniel was saying. While I initially thought Dave should’ve believed Lauren, I now understand why he had questions.
Lauren Wasn’t In The Right Mindset For Marriage
She Was Stuck In A Cycle Of Casual Relationships
Dave probably thinks that Lauren wasn’t in the right mindset for marriage if she was casually hooking up with someone right before appearing inLove Is Blindseason 8, and I understand that take. Lauren probably had a few weeks before the show where she knew she would be leaving for filming, and continuing to see a friend with benefits must seem alarming to a new fiancé. That being said, Dave should have listened to his fiancée, who seemed earnest and sincere, rather than his pot-stirring friends and sister, who clearly disapproved of the entire experience.
Dave wasn’t wrong to question Lauren’s readiness for marriage, but I think he still should have listened to her and trusted her.
It’s also worth analyzing if the public’s perception of Dave’s reaction would have been different if the tables were turned. Trevor Sova was heavily criticized when his relationship with his ex-girlfriend was revealed afterLove Is Blindseason 6 aired. However, there I saw some major differences. Lauren claimed she was never in a relationship with her friend with benefits, and Trevor’s girlfriend had texts from him professing his love and loyalty upon his return.
Dave liked Lauren, but not enough to marry her. I surmise the friends with benefits situation allowed him to lay the foundation for his breakup without making him look like the bad guy. Unfortunately for Dave, he was still painted as the villain. They could have worked through things if Dave really loved Lauren and wanted to marry her, but at the end of the day,Dave couldn’t handle the fact that Lauren had slept with someone else, ruining the virginal portrait of her he had painted in his mind.
Will Lauren And Dave Get Back Together?
It’s Unlikely But Possible
Dave drunkenly approached Lauren at the season 8 cast party, seemingly wanting to get back together. I saw it was too much for Lauren, who wanted to end the relationship after so much back and forth. However,Lauren has been kindly supportive of Dave asLove Is Blindseason 8 unfolds, meaning they might have given their relationship a second chance. While unlikely, theLove Is Blindseason 8 reunioncould reveal a new relationship status for Dave and Lauren.
Love Is Blindseason 8’s reunion airs on Sunday, March 9 at 9 p.m. ET on Netflix.
