Love is in the air! Bachelor alum Katrina Badowski has found her perfect match while in quarantine amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“I found love on a beach this summer, but not in Paradise,” the dancer, 29, joked while exclusively telling Us Weekly all about her new man, Robert Freeman, after sharing a cheeky photo on Instagram with him on Sunday, August 30. “Robert and I first met two years ago when we were in the same bridal party at a wedding. We crossed paths again in Florida this summer through mutual friends and have been going out ever since.”
Badowski reconnected with the mortgage banker, 28, in June while visiting St. Petersburg, Florida, with friends. Freeman “coincidentally had just moved” to the coastal city “the week before.” Despite having to keep up a long-distance relationship between Chicago and Florida, the pair have been able to make the most of their time together in quarantine.
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“We have been visiting each other a lot and also have trips planned to meet in other cities for some getaway weekends,” Badowski told Us. “During quarantine, we have been able to spend two to three weekends a month together by flying to each other.”
Earlier this year, Badowski, who competed on Peter Weber‘s season of The Bachelor, sparked dating rumors with fellow Bachelor Nation member Chris Bukowski. The pair were spotted together on a Valentine’s Day date in Chicago in February, shortly after Bukowski, 33, split from Katie Morton. One month later, the reality stars made their Instagram debut as “The Owskis” at JJ Lane‘s wedding to Kayla Hughes.
Her fling with the Bachelor in Paradise alum didn’t last long, but Badowski couldn’t be happier with her “calm, confident and kind” new man.
“From the beginning, I felt safe with him,” she gushed. “As we got to know each other, I became attracted to his heart, his openness and his consistency. His actions always match his words and I’ve never had to wonder about his feelings toward me.”
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As their budding romance continues to bloom, the new couple has been “making a ton of memories” together and “enjoy planning for more” special moments. While apart, they enjoy watching the same movies or TV shows that they can “chat about throughout the week,” and rely on FaceTime to “stay connected.”
“What makes us compatible is that we share the same philosophy on relationships. We don’t feel like we own each other or tied down by rules. Instead, we respect each other as the individuals that we are and strive to help each other grow and fulfill our own dreams and destinies,” she explained. “We are loyal and supportive of each other because we genuinely enjoy it. … It’s been a fun aspect of our relationship to share our experiences and learn new things from one another.”