Matt James Promises 'Special' Proposal for Rachael Kirkconnell 3 Years Post-“Bachelor” (Exclusive)

The former Bachelor told PEOPLE at Samsung 837 he and Kirkconnell "wouldn't be together" if they didn't share "the same goal" of getting engaged

Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell have had an unconventional path to love.

They met on The Bachelor season 25 and while they didn’t leave the show engaged, James and Kirkconnell decided to embark on a relationship when the cameras stopped rolling. They called things off by the time After the Final Rose aired in March 2021, only to get back together weeks later.

“It's about doing whatever you're doing at your own pace, whether that's the relationship, your job, exercise,” James told PEOPLE on Wednesday at Samsung 837 while promoting the brand’s upcoming Discover Samsung Spring sale. “If you do things that other people want you to do and you don't consider y'all's feelings, then I think that is a recipe for disaster.”

Even though James, 32, didn’t pop the question on The Bachelor, the former college football player assures he and Kirkconnell, 27, see an engagement in their future.

“We wouldn't be together if that wasn't the same goal,” he said. “I'm definitely excited for what the future looks like with us.”

Related: Matt James Finally Shaves His Beard with Help from Girlfriend Rachael Kirkconnell: Watch the Clip!

James and Kirkconnell have traveled the world together and tried countless cuisines, so when it comes to a proposal, the one-time Bachelor knows he’ll have to deliver.

“It is going to be something special because Rachael's very special,” James gushed.

The reality star hopes another woman in his life finds love: his mom Patty, who appeared on The Golden Bachelor last year.

“There's no age limit on love,” James said. “And I know that she wants to find somebody.”

ABC announced earlier this month that they’ll be doing a season of The Golden Bachelorette this fall, with a senior lady taking the lead at looking for love. As for whether James thinks his 70-year-old mom could step into that lead role, “I just want everyone to be happy, so whatever gets her to that end goal, I'm fair game for,” he said. “If there's any single guys out there, my mom's looking!”

Some of James’s fellow Bachelor Nation stars have recently appeared on other reality shows, such as Arie Luyendyk Jr. and Peter Weber on The Traitors and Corinne Olympios on House of Villains. Before hosting a Samsung Health workout on Wednesday, James joked that participants may recognize him from Survivor. But, “I don't think I could do it,” James confessed. “I am so regimented in what and how I eat. But as a spectator, I love it. It's something that I've been watching since I was in elementary school.”

James has an idea of which show might be more his speed. “Maybe a cooking show, like a reality cooking show,” said the Dancing with the Stars alum. “But I'd have to have Rachael on there because I can't cook.”

James called Kirkconnell his “favorite cook.”

“She makes the best everything,” he gushed. “I love to eat out, but there's nothing more I love than a home-cooked meal. A lot of the times I'm eating leftovers.”

Related: Matt James Reveals the One Meal Rachael Kirkconnell Cooks That He'll Eat 'Over Anything' (Exclusive)

He especially loves when she whips up breakfast for dinner.

“That's my omakase,” James quipped. “I'll take that over anything. She knows I like the waffle crispy with the butter on there and the syrup warmed up. It's that touch that you don't get going out.”

Still, when it comes to a possibly popping the question, James suggests they won’t be doing that at home: “It's a little more than getting engaged on the couch!”

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