Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell are putting those not-so-rosy rumors to rest.
The Bachelor alums recently shut down speculation that they'd broken up and offered an explanation to fans who felt like they had been M.I.A. from each other's social media pages. Ultimately, Matt suggested they sometimes want to unplug for the right reasons.
"I think everybody needs to take a break from social media," he exclusively told E! News at a July 18 event in New York to promote their partnership with Baskin-Robbins. "Our lives are lived so much in front of our phones that when anybody steps out of being on their phone 24/7, people think it's the end of the world. But it's honestly the best time for people to rejuvenate and to enjoy summer."
It also just comes down to something as simple as quality alone time.
"I think that we do a lot of things together, and it's important for us to also be able to do things separately as well," Rachael added. "I hope that people can love us both as a couple but also individually and support things that we do together and also things that we do on our own. 'Cause I think that's where a lot of people freak out about is that they're not seeing us together 24/7."
Still, Matt understands why followers were concerned.
"I think it was just a natural reaction that people had to us—to two people who spend every second together," the former Bachelor admitted. "So when we're not together, it's like, 'Oh my gosh! What happened?' It's like Rachael was back home with her family. I had an intramural basketball game. There's gonna be times where you don't want to go out of your way to explain life."
And while fans have been following their journey on reality TV and social media for more than two years now, Rachael noted there are some aspects of their relationship they still like to keep private.
"At the end of the day, there are things that should just be kept between us two. It's what makes it really special," the season 25 contestant told E!. "I love sharing everything that we can with everyone who supports us, any kind of fans out there. But you know at the end of the day, it is just us two in this relationship, and I think we just want to keep that as special as we can."
This includes taking time for just the two of them to stop and smell the roses.
"I think people forget that we're just these normal people trying to live their relationship as normal as we can," she continued. "And sometimes it's hard to do. And I think that's why it's important to just keep it—not private, but just keep it as, I don't know, private as we can with certain aspects of it just because that's what every person would do in their relationship."
And Rachael doesn't feel the need to get into the weeds when publicly discussing their romance.
"I just don't think we really have anything to prove to anyone at the end of the day," she said. "Because at the end of the day, it's our relationship and it's no one else's."
In addition to giving the scoop on where they stand, Matt and Rachael offered insight on their partnership with Baskin-Robbins.
"It's very on-brand," he told E! News. "Rachael and I are huge foodies. And it's appropriate because it is National Ice Cream Month—but every day is National Ice Cream Day for us."
As for their thoughts on the brand's new treats Oreo Mega Stuf Cone and Cappuccino Blast?
"Rachael's a coffee girl," Matt continued. "I'm a cookie guy. So, it just made sense."
- Reporting by Tijana Jokanovic