Season 28 of "The Bachelor," starring Collegeville's Joey Graziadei, is speeding to a close. Monday's episode saw the number of eligible bachelorettes narrow from 6 to 4, as hometown dates loom just over the horizon.

But before Graziadei traverses the country to meet the contestants' families and see where they grew up, he had some major decisions to make during Episode 7. Graziadei and the gals spent some time in scenic Jasper, Canada, where there were two one-on-one dates and a group date.

RELATED: Joey Graziadei opens up about his fears as 'The Bachelor' travels to Montreal

The episode begins with Graziadei zooming on his motorcycle through the scenic roads of Jasper, an Alberta town located amid the Canadian Rockies. He says he is still feeling apprehensive about last week's surprise exit by contestant Lexi Young, who felt that she and Graziadei had different timelines for marriage and kids. Then, while playing a game of tennis with host Jesse Palmer, he expresses his intentions for the important week ahead.

"I'm really excited about each of these six women," Graziadei says. "But this is a very purposeful week. I'm not taking hometowns lightly in any way. So I'm just trying to do everything in my power to make sure that I feel very confident in the connection, the relationship, before I possibly meet someone's family. And the crazy part is, I can see it with each of these six women. It's just a question of which ones are stronger."

Here are some more highlights from the latest episode:

(Spoilers ahead)

Dating Daisy

The first one-on-one of the episode goes to Daisy Kent, a 25-year-old account executive from Minnesota. Kent had the first one-on-one of the entire season, and now becomes the first woman to have a second one-on-one. 

Graziadei says that he and Kent shared the "first real connection." But while Graziadei tells the camera he is falling for Kent, he knows that she is the only contestant left who hasn't expressed her feelings for him. Meanwhile, Kent tells producers that she still has questions and is trying to understand how she's feeling about Graziadei, and has yet to determine whether she can get there with him.

On their date, the couple go horseback riding through mountain trails, admiring the stunning views along the way. Then, as is customary in Bachelor Nation, a hot tub appears out of nowhere and the pair strip down to bathing suits and climb in. While submerged, they discuss what they're looking for in life partners.

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"I want unconditional love," Kent tells Graziadei. "And I want someone, even on the days that they hate you, they still love you. And they will, like, do anything to try to make it work, you know? That's what I'm looking for, and that's what I want."

"I want the type of love that you can't see a life without them," Graziadei replies. "That's the truth of it. Regardless of anything you're going through, the idea of them not being there, even through the bad times ... Still need to be with them, still can't see it without them. So, yeah. It's exactly what I want."

Despite the pair's ideas of love aligning, Kent admits to the cameras that her feelings are "really, really strong," but she isn't in love with Graziadei yet and won't pretend so — even if it potentially is the difference between getting a rose or not.

"I think honesty in a relationship is the most important thing," Kent tells cameras. "And so I definitely want to just let him know how I'm feeling. But, like, I'm not gonna sit here and be like, 'I'm in love with you,' when I'm not. ... My biggest fear is that I tell him exactly how I'm feeling, he doesn't give me a rose and then I go home."

Later, during the evening portion of the date, Kent voices her feelings to Graziadei. She tells him that while she really, really likes him, she's not "there" yet in terms of being in love. But, she can see herself falling in love with him. Graziadei's face visibly falls when he hears that she isn't in love, but Kent explains that some of her hesitations may come from her family, who are the "most important people to me in the whole world."

Kent says her family members were the ones who took care of her through her ongoing health struggles, which include a Lyme disease diagnosis and hearing loss. She worries that her family may have some hard questions for Graziadei about whether he can step into the role of being there for her through sickness and health.

"If it is us at the end, it doesn't matter what it is, I'm accepting all sides of you," Graziadei tells her. "I know this is a part of you and you've had issues in the past. And I know they can come back again, in some shape or form in the future. But I don't want you to doubt that, like, I can be that person fully. And I can sit in front of your family and confidently explain that I can be that person if it was us."

Graziadei appreciates Kent's honesty and realness in expressing her emotions and gives her a rose. Kent gets emotional realizing Graziadei will be coming to meet her family in Minnesota, and tells producers that she may be falling in love with him after all.

The final group date

For the group date – the last group date of the season – Graziadei takes four ladies to meet a "Lumberjill Champion." She teaches the contestants — who are mostly in good spirits but somewhat disgruntled to not have been chosen for either of the one-on-one dates — how to chop wood and throw an ax. 

After a fair amount of training, the contestants put on some flannels and partake in "Joey's Ultimate Lumberjill Competition." The obstacles include the log roll, the single buck cut and an elk-milk chug. The latter causes self-proclaimed lactose-intolerant contestant Rachel Nance to walk off and gag a bit.

Kelsey Toussant wins the lumberjill tournament, but it's Jenn Tran who stirs the pot by sneaking a kiss with Graziadei while he speaks with producers. The smooch is not-so-clandestine, as Maria Georgas — who earlier expressed her distaste for the outdoors, stating, "I don't camp, I glamp." — unwillingly watches it unfold and is rattled by the jealousy she feels.

"Did they forget that I have an ax?," Georgas jokes.

During the evening portion of the date, Graziadei discusses the impending hometown dates and learns more about the women's families.

Tran opens up about this week being "one of the hardest" on the journey, due to her disappointment with not being chosen for a one-on-one date. While Tran says she would be excited to take Graziadei home, she also expresses some stress at the prospect.

"With hometowns, it's like a comparison," Tran tells Graziadei. "It's like, who are you gonna feel most comfortable with? And it's not gonna be my family. Like, having, like American culture and then, like, Vietnamese culture, and then my mom not really understanding fully the American culture part of it and everything. ... There are sides of me and parts of me that she will never really fully understand."

Tran says she has never brought anyone she's been dating home, so she's not sure what to expect. Graziadei assuages Tran's worries, at least somewhat, by saying that none of this scares him or changes how he feels about her.

Meanwhile, Georgas has allowed the jealousy of the week to send her into a downward spiral. In her conversation with Graziadei, she floats the idea of leaving the show and their relationship altogether after seeing how affectionate he is with some of the other contestants.

"Bringing you to meet my family, knowing you are that way with these other women, it just doesn't sit right with me," Georgas tells him. "My biggest fear would be, like, doing all this and not ending up with you. ... It's gotten the best of me, and I don't know. I just, I don't know if I can do this anymore."

Graziadei is taken aback by Georgas sudden decision to possibly depart, especially since they shared a special one-on-one last week.

"I want someone to choose me," Graziadei tells her. "Logically, my brain can understand. But if I'm being honest, my heart's kind of, like, doesn't get it, because I thought we were going somewhere."

After walking off to clear her head for a bit, Georgas returns and apologizes, saying that the strength of her feelings for Graziadei made her scared. But she wants to stay and continue the journey. Despite Georgas' decision to stay, Graziadei — who previously expressed his debilitating fear of choosing a woman at the end of this, only to have her change her mind about him — feels conflicted about Georgas' actions as well as the reassurances of the other women.

"I know Maria gets in her head sometimes," Graziadei says in an interview. "I know she just spews it out and talks it out. I just, it's making me question if I can trust that she'll ever get there. There's so many great women here that have given me a lot of confidence that they would never do that, but maybe that's not real. Maybe what Maria is saying is more real, because I get it."

Graziadei leaves the four women on the group date in shock when he chooses not to hand out a rose, explaining that he needs more time to think about it.

Taking the plunge with Kelsey

For the third and final date of the episode, Graziadei goes on a one-on-one with Kelsey Anderson, a 25-year-old junior project manager from New Orleans. 

The pair check out some local hangouts, including a shop, a hot cocoa stand and a pub. While shooting pool at the pub, they're invited by a "typical Canadian" named Paul to join a polar plunge event. Graziadei is terrified to enter the chilly water, while Anderson is "ecstatic" to take part in the event.

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The couple put on bathing suits and viking hats and join the crowd to charge into the water. Unlike most of the participants who hightail out of there, Graziadei and Anderson linger in the cold water and share a passionate kiss. 

"She's making everything better," Graziadei says of Anderson during the polar plunge.

Once the pair have braved the chill for long enough, they enjoy some quality time in a nearby sauna. Graziadei admits that his feelings for Anderson have grown so much. 

Later, during the evening portion of the date, Anderson and Graziadei both open up to each other.

"You know, the polar plunge was scary, but telling you that I'm starting to fall for you is even scarier," Anderson tells Graziadei. "And, like, my heart's racing just saying it again. ... I didn't expect to feel this way through this process."

Anderson tells Graziadei about her four siblings and father, who he would hopefully meet during hometown dates. Anderson says she's gotten super close with her dad since her mom died from cancer. Graziadei says he hopes he can meet Anderson's dad, and he also opens up about his own father.

"He was always my biggest fan and super supportive of doing 'The Bachelorette,'" Graziadei says. "But he just really wanted me to stay confident and to be myself and to not get in my head, because he's seen me in a lot of ways where there's just been times that I doubt myself. And I want someone that chooses me over anything else, and I choose them over anything else."

Following the conversation, which Graziadei says is the best they've ever shared, he gives Anderson a rose, feeling that they have connected at a deeper level. They then make out by a tree, where they are joined by a curious animal onlooker. 

Cocktail party canceled

Since the contestants are expecting a cocktail party before the rose ceremony, some of them are shocked and hurt to find out that Graziadei has decided to cancel it. So, there will be no time for the ladies to talk with Graziadei before he makes his final decisions on who's going home.

That is besides Georgas, who Graziadei requests to share a final word before handing out roses. Graziadei feels doubts after Georgas' near-exit earlier in the episode, and wants to feel confident in her desire to be there.

"I like you a lot, to the point where I don't like seeing you with any of these girls, you know?" Georgas tells Graziadei. "My insecurities got the best of me, and that's where that stemmed from. But I'm here, and I want to be here. And I want to prove to you that I'm not running."

This answer seems to alleviate some of Graziadei's fears, though he still expresses some unease at Georgas' flight risk.

Who went home this episode?

At the rose ceremony, Tran and Toussant are sent home. That leaves just four women remaining: Anderson, Georgas, Kent and Nance. Next week, Graziadei will travel to each of their hometowns to meet their loved ones.

By the looks of the trailer, it seems that some of the women's parents are less-than-impressed with Graziadei and are skeptical of his intentions, which are common themes during hometown dates in the "Bachelor" franchise.

"The Bachelor" airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC.