We honestly can’t tell if we’re watching Season 5 of Bachelor in Paradise, or Season 2 of The Colton and Tia Show. Love them or hate them, Tia Booth and Colton Underwood have been the main focus of nearly all of BIP, but after last night it looks like we’ve finally heard the last of them. But what exactly happened in Paradise? And is there any hope for something else after? Fans are wondering if the couple secretly still had feelings after the show. We did a deep dive, and here’s what we’ve found! 

Things started off pretty bumpy.

After Colton gave Tia the date card on the first episode of Paradise, the pair spent the day on a yacht, kissing, cuddling, and reminiscing about the “weekend” they spent together before Colton was officially cast on The Bachelorette. Tia let him know she had feelings for him, but he wanted to keep his options open (which pissed off literally everyone else).

Not only were people on the show mad at Colton and urging Tia to get away from him, but the rest of Bachelor Nation seemed to agree. Even Dean Unglert, who had a similar issue with keeping his options open last year, tweeted “run, Tia, run!” 

Finally, Tia demanded a solid answer before the rose ceremony, and Colton couldn’t deliver. He told her he’s still not sure, and insisted it didn’t bother him to know she kissed Chris or to see her pursue him. This was enough for her to tell him she wasn’t keeping him around. Tia really seemed to realize that Colton would never make her his first choice, and chose to demand better for herself… for the time being.

But then Becca came and helped him start healing and get over her. Then Tia’s rebound Chris screwed her over and Colton was the one to tell her, which seemed to be the impetus for their reunion.

Eventually, BIP brought the couple together.

After a very rocky fourth episode of Bachelor in Paradise on Aug. 21, Colton and Tia finally decided to commit to one another, and things seemed to be going well. After Colton told Tia that Chris kissed Krystal (proving his trustworthiness), Colton turned Jacqueline down for a date, Tia told Colton that she doesn’t want anyone else, and Bibiana gave Colton a stern talking to, the former footballer finally told his admirer that he was ready to “see where this goes.” 

Tia was over the moon to finally give their relationship “an honest shot,” and he gave her his rose. 

But Tia’s bestie Raven didn’t approve.

On the fifth episode, Colton got a second date card (so unfair) and once again he chose Tia. They competed in a musical chairs competition, and her best friend Raven Gates showed up with her man Adam Gottschalk. After winning the competition, Tia sat down for a serious chat with Raven.

While Tia was all excited and giggly, Raven admitted that she wanted to be supportive, but didn’t trust Colton’s intentions. Still, Tia insisted he was a good guy, and after the chat, Colton asked her to be his girlfriend. That’s sounding pretty serious! 

Fans (finally!) started shipping the couple.

For weeks, members of Bachelor Nation have been annoyed by just how much we’ve had to see of Tia and Colton. But suddenly, once they actually got together, everyone was rooting for them! There seemed to be some genuine interest and compatibility between the two, and fans picked up on it. On the Aug. 29 episode, the duo teamed up for a couples workout, and seeing how sweet they are together was impossible to be bitter about! 

“Me two weeks ago: omg MORE Colton and Tia drama??? I’ve had enough!!!!! Too much!!!!! Me now: oh wow I guess I’d die for Tia and Colton now ¯\_(ツ)_/¯,” wrote one hilarious fan. Another said, “Ok it’s cute that Colton and Tia wake up and work out on the beach together.” A third agreed, writing, “Wtf. Why do I kinda like Colton and Tia now?”

Even Ashley I was rooting for them.

Many people have compared Tia and Colton’s romance to Ashley I. and Jared Haibon’s. While Jared didn’t share Ashley’s feelings in Paradise, they built a strong friendship and Jared fell for her two years later… and now they’re engaged! We even saw the proposal for ourselves in a special three-hour episode of BIP. And when it comes to an epic love story, Ashley wants the same for Tia and Colton. 

“Yes, I’ve given Colton Underwood and Tia Booth a couple’s nickname even though they’re not technically together in Paradise right now,” she wrote in her Cosmo recap a few weeks ago. “I ship it!

“Anyone who is ganging up on Colton for being confused and wanting to keep his options open is being ridiculous—most cast members will agree that’s the point!” she continued. “And anyone who is saying that Tia is being pathetic for not moving on past Colton has never been in unreciprocated love. Oh, and anyone who’s encouraging Tia to move on from Colton with Chris is a dumbass!”

But then things all fell apart.

After officially being boyfriend-girlfriend for all of five minutes — okay, about two weeks of Bachelor in Paradise airing time, which is really only a few days of filming time — Colton decided to call it quits. Though they shared a special moment when they bonded over hot dogs and talking about how Colton loves to go commando, ultimately the former football player decided that they just didn’t have that illusive special connection. 

He didn’t see a future with Tia — and felt like he just couldn’t keep pretending. “I don’t think my heart’s in it right now with Tia,” he explained to the cameras. “I want her to be so happy and I want to be the one to make her happy but I’m not happy with it. I’m not feeling with it. It’s not right. I can’t continue to do this to her anymore.”

Just a few minutes into the Labor Day episode, the ship that had been sailing in paradise officially sunk. Tia, unfortunately, didn’t see it coming, but once he pulled her aside, she knew something was wrong. “I think you’d know part of me’s been struggling in this whole time,” Colton started. “And I think part of me wanted this to work so bad… I wanted us to work so bad and it’s just not — It’s not there.”

The Southern beauty searched for a deeper explanation, but Colton just wasn’t feeling it, and he couldn’t say much more than that. “You deserve somebody who’s gonna be crazy about you every single day,” he tried. “But can you, like, honestly say that you, like, tried?” she asked, prompting him to respond, “I can look at you with 100% certainty and say that I tried here… I gave it my all.”

The two cried and comforted each other as Colton reassured Tia that he’d only come to Paradise for her (even though he spent several episodes explaining that he wanted to keep his options open), and that, now that they were broken up, he’d be heading home. Without him, Tia decided she didn’t want to stay in Paradise either, and they both ended up leaving the beach. 

Since leaving Paradise, the two had been doing some serious Insta-flirting.

Since ParadiseThey have may have already broken up after allegedly giving it “their all,” but that doesn’t mean the one-time couple was ready to cease all contact. In fact, Tia and Colton have had quite a lot of contact — at least over social media. Right before the Bachelorette finale, Tia posted a photo of Becca with the caption, “Let’s get our girl engaged! Who do y’all think it’ll be?” To which Colton responded, “Not me.” Tia clapped back saying, “Get off my page, troll.” When a fan blamed her for “ruining it” for Colton, she said, “Look at him…wouldn’t you?” 

As soon as Paradise aired, Colton shared a photo from the first episode with Tia and the caption, “Fancy seeing you here.” Tia responded, “I’m just truly honored I made it on Colton Underwood’s IG. I’m unworthy.” Colton responded to that with a princess emoji and a winking kissy face emoji. Even more interesting, Tia’s backup guy Chris commented, “I’ll clean the yacht and get dinner prepared, let me know when you guys need towels and fresh drinks.” Fans weren’t sure what to make of this, except they all seem to be cool now. 

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(Credit: Instagram)

After the fifth episode of the show, they were back at it. Colton posted a photo of just himself holding the trophy from their date, calling himself a “musical chairs champion.” Tia hopped in the comments to tease him, saying, “Oh you won by yourself?” He responded, “I tagged you! Here we go again…” with a winky face. Mhm, we see y’all. 

They seemed to be constantly commenting on each other’s posts, especially about the ones about Paradise, and more than a few have them have been plenty flirty. Whether they were just keeping up appearances for the storyline on the show, keeping fans talking, or just, you know, being actually friends with each other, it’s kind of hard to say. 

Then again, it wasn’t all sunshine and roses and playful flirting. There were also some more, uh, pointed barbs — though we suspect it was still all in good fun. “I hope your grey sleeveless hoodie falls into the nearest fire,” Tia tweeted at Colton while their breakup was airing on TV. “Done,” Colton responded.

They did have sweet parting messages for each other, though. “Never ever regret following your heart,” Tia wrote on Instagram, sharing a picture of her and Colton from their weekend together. “Things may not always work out as you planned, but they always work out as they should. Thankful that this chapter of our lives has ended so new chapters can begin. I truly wish you the best, C. #peaceoutparadise #hotdogsforever#thankseleven.”

“Thank you for teaching me even more about myself, and most importantly, for your friendship that I know will continue far beyond Paradise,” Colton wrote in kind. “Don’t settle for anything less than the world, because that’s what you deserve. Can’t wait to see what the future has in store for you and catch up on life some day, preferably over a hot dog dinner.”

But they were recently spotted partying together.

Over the last weekend in August, Tia took to her Instagram story to share snaps from her night out with some friends. But her fellow Bachelor Nation alum Blake Horstmann also went out for a night out with his pal Colton, and in both Blake and Tia’s video clips from that night, it looked like they were both in the same place at the same time…maybe even there together as a group! It doesn’t necessarily mean they were there together-together — and it wouldn’t be the first time two Bachelor nation exes were awkwardly at the same event — but it definitely had fans wondering what exactly was going on.

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Instagram Story

Are things over between them now that Colton is the Bachelor?

The announcement was made on Good Morning America, and the answer to who will be the long-awaited next star of The Bachelor was Colton himself. After breaking up with Becca Kufrin and now Tia, he’s getting a third shot at love from the Bachelor franchise. “The moment we’ve been waiting for… Meet your new Bachelor!” ABC shared on Instagram. 

Don’t worry, though — while The Colton Show is just beginning, at least The Tia and Colton Show has had its series finale. The Southern babe has no plans on going on his season to try and win his heart again. That ship has definitely sailed. She does, however, wish her ex the best when it comes to finding his person. “Congratulations,” she told Colton on Twitter. “I hope your season is full of protain powder, puppies, and naps!” And just for the record, yes, she followed it up with, “And NO I will NOT be a contestant on Colton’s season. Lord bless.”

It looks like that may really be the end for these two. Although, who knows? If all doesn’t go well on The Bachelor, we just may get a Tia and Colton Show reunion in paradise next year.