Matt James, Rachael Kirkconnell Don’t Feel ‘Pressure’ Over Relationship Comments: It’s ‘Easy for Us Now’ (Exclusive)

Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell aren’t worried about what outsiders have to say about their relationship.

Since their time on The Bachelor, the couple has had to navigate public opinion surrounding their love. From breakup rumors to engagement speculation, the pair have managed to helm criticism — both positive and negative — with grace.

“I don’t think we go out of our way to look at anything. And I think that we try to focus more on the positive of everything,” Kirkconnell, 26, told PEOPLE in a joint interview with James, 31, at Baskin-Robbins’ first-ever NYC summer rooftop soiree Tuesday. “I think we’re really used to noise, and we’re really used to being able to tune it out after just our relationship beginning.”

And according to the Georgia native, “It’s just easy for us now.”

“I think at the end of the day, we just really love and appreciate anyone who loves and supports us. And for anyone who doesn’t, that’s okay too,” she added. “We know it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter. At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is each other.”

James, for his part, noted that it’s “all love,” regardless of what feedback comes their way.

“We do things in our relationship for each other. We like to share that with people because they’ve come along on our long journey together,” he said. “There’s no pressure. Everything that we do is for one another, and that, I think, is what makes our relationship work so well.”

James and Kirkconnell met on his season of The Bachelor, airing in 2020. While Kirkconnell wasn’t his first impression rose recipient, she ended the season as the North Carolina native’s girlfriend.
The Bachelor Nation couple has weathered many a storm since then. Following Kirkconnell’s racism allegations pegged to her past actions resurfacing, James broke up with Kirkconnell — who apologized for her former associations — in hopes that she would learn from her mistakes.

They eventually reconciled, and have remained stronger than ever, becoming one of the ABC franchise’s most successful couples.

“I think that he’s just made me a less anxious person. I think I am a little more go-with-the-flow, and I think when things don’t go my way, it’s like, ‘It’s okay,'” Kirkconnell said. “I feel like he’s made me an all-around more positive, easygoing person, which I really like.”

“But I think it’s been good for the both of us,” she continued. “Being in a relationship is, at the end of the day, it’s work and it’s a choice that you get to make every day, but it’s fun at the end of the day, and I feel like it does make you a better person.”

One thing James and Kirkconnell “definitely” bond over is their shared love of food, making their joint partnership with Baskin-Robbins ideal. The ice cream company is launching its new OREO® MEGA STUF™ Cone and Cappuccino Blast — and the couple, whose favorite dessert is ice cream, thinks the collaboration “couldn’t be more perfect” for them.

“We are food fanatics. We’re big foodies. And I think our favorite dessert is ice cream, especially Cookies N’ Cream and the Oreo Mega Stuf Cone. It’s right up our alleys,” Kirkconnel said. “I’m also a big coffee drinker, so the idea of having a Cappuccino Blast and mixing Oreo ice cream into frozen coffee, that’s right up my alley. That is for me. And then, the Oreo Mega Stuf Cone is definitely for Matt. So I would say it’s the perfect collab.”

Chiming in, James noted how he loves that Baskin-Robbins managed to take his “favorite cookie and combine it with my favorite ice cream.”

“I think it’s crazy how whenever I see a first in my life at this point. So this is the first time I’ve ever seen a waffle cone that’s made out of Oreo cookie,” he added. “It’s kind of wild!”