By People.com
One of four final contestants, 25-year-old Ali Fedotowsky abandoned her quest for Dallas pilot Jake Pavelka’s love on The Bachelor because she had to go back to her job at Facebook. A week later she changed her mind and asked to return. But Pavelka had moved on, and now so has she. Fedotowsky was announced as the new star of The Bachelorette Monday night during the After The Final Rose special. PEOPLE talked with Fedotowsky about falling for Jake, why he chose Vienna and her upcoming adventure in love. –Monica Rizzo
Why do you want to be the Bachelorette?
[On The Bachelor] I had real feelings that I didn’t expect to have. I thought this will be a fun experience and I might meet someone great. But I wasn’t banking on that. I believe in it and I believe I can find someone. I’m just a romantic.
You left your job to be on The Bachelor, then you left the show because you didn’t want to lose your job. But now that you’re the Bachelorette, what’s up with your job?
I had to leave my job. [Monday] was my last day. It was a really tough decision. At the end of the day, I don’t want to look back on my life and say there was this opportunity to meet a great guy and take that risk and I didn’t take it because I was scared, which is the same reason I didn’t take the risk with Jake and I don’t want to make that mistake again. So I’m just going to go for it. I hope it works out.
Do you regret leaving Jake?
Sometimes I think that was the right choice and I think I came back to this career I really care about and if it was love he’d come back to me. And then when I see that he ended up with someone, I think I made the right choice. I’m happy for him. He’s engaged and happy and I hope it works out for him because I want to have faith in my own journey.
You saw the finale before it aired Monday night. Why?
I did. I asked to watch it. I said before I go do this and start this new chapter, I really need to close the first one. The only way to really close that was to see how it plays out and be happy for them. It was a definitive closure moment for me after that episode was over.
A lot of fans are shocked Jake proposed to Vienna. What do you think?
I understand why he picked Vienna. He has a lot of fun with her. [On the show] I saw him act more with her like he acted with me — relaxed, laid back, having fun. I believed the whole season long it was Vienna.
Have you talked to Jake since leaving the show?
I talked to him at the Women Tell All taping briefly. That’s it.
There were rumors that you and Jake had secret rendezvous after the show.
No, those are all false.
How do you feel about being the subject of tabloid gossip?
It affects me. I’m only human. I have really great friends and support. When my mind starts to veer off in the wrong direction, I have people here reminding me I’m better than that and I don’t need to listen to what people are saying about me. I know who I am. And it’s kind of funny because I used to read some of these magazines and think it was all true! Now I look at them and I’m like, huh? That’s not true at all! Now I wonder what other stuff I’ve been reading is false.
Fans really liked seeing you and Jake together.
I think it’s cute that people are holding onto the hope that Jake and I might get back together. If anything, I’m almost flattered by that rumor. I’m glad that people saw what I saw in our relationship.
Have you been dating since you left the show?
Before I was actually [picked to be] the Bachelorette I was like, I wish I was dating, then I wouldn’t be alone right now. No, I have not been dating, seeing anyone. I have a lot of guy friends so maybe someone mistakenly saw me out with a friend.
We heard your hometown deli, Pappa Charlie’s, will name a sandwich after you?
My sister joked with me — she said what makes you more special in my eyes is Pappa Charlie’s is naming a sandwich after you. We’re all excited.
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