After he was eliminated for a second time, Bachelor Nation wants to know if Ben Smith is dating anyone after The Bachelorette 2020? (Is he single? Cause we’re asking for a friend…)

Ben, a 29-year-old army ranger veteran from Venice, California, was named the runner-up on Tayshia Adams’ season of The Bachelorette on Tuesday, December 22, when the season 16 Bachelorette chose Zac Clark over him. As viewers know, that wasn’t the first time Ben was sent home on The Bachelorette. He was eliminated the week before after Hometown Dates when he couldn’t tell Tayshia that he loves her. He returned the week of the finale during Fantasy Suites, where he confessed his love for Tayshia and was invited back to the competition. In the end, though, Tayshia still wasn’t confident enough in her relationship with Ben and eliminated him before the final rose ceremony.

The bad news: Ben and Tayshia are not together. The good news: Ben is back on the market. So is Ben Smith from The Bachelorette dating anyone…or is he still single? Well, it’s unclear, but our research leads toward yes. In an interview with Rachel Lindsay and Becca Kufrin on the “Bachelor Happy Hour” podcast in December, Ben responded to Rachel telling that he has the “makings of a good bachelor.” Though he didn’t confirm or deny whether he would want to be the Bachelor, Ben had this to say:

“I don’t know what that means, but I appreciate it,” Ben said, joking “It’s my hair!” He continued, “For me, the only thing that matters is what mattered before going on the show. So the community that I live in, the people that I love here, that’s what matters now. And ultimately, there will be opportunities and things that come of this experience. New friends, things like that. But I care deeply about what I do. So I don’t think I’m going to lose whatever I’ve got going here.”

Source: Instagram

After his elimination, Ben took to his Instagram to thank fans for their support and expressed what he learned from The Bachelorette for his next relationship, which makes us believe that he isn’t dating anyone and taking the lessons he learned from Tayshia for next time.

“Thank you. Thank you for your patience. Thank you for seeing me, for always listening and for trying your best to know me on the deepest level,” he wrote. “I struggle. I struggle to be the person you need and I still struggle knowing what’s enough. You’re beautiful, inside and out and I’m so incredibly grateful for your heart.”

He continued, “What’s meant for you will find you. And what’s meant for me? I’m ready to receive. To a deeper connection to self and an ever increasing opportunity to give love.”

Sounds like a guy who’s single and ready for love to us.

The Bachelorette is available to stream on Hulu.