‘The Bachelorette’: Clare Crawley and Dale Moss ‘Taking Time Apart’ Amid Split Speculation

Clare Crawley and Dale Moss are taking a step back after their whirlwind engagement. The Bachelorette couple, who met and got engaged this summer just weeks after meeting, have decided to “take some time apart” for now, a source close to the pair told E! News Tuesday after their social media behavior sparked speculation.

“Clare and Dale have been fighting a lot recently,” the insider explained. “They are mainly in disagreement over lifestyle preferences. Dale wants to be in a lively city and focus on his career, and Clare is rooted in Sacramento to help care for her mom. It’s been very tense recently between them.” They added that while Moss cares deeply about the former Bachelorette, he “feels like he’s rushing into something he’s unsure about.”

Bachelor Nation has speculated over the last week there was trouble in paradise after the two revealed they were spending time on opposite coasts on Instagram. Crawley also hinted that she was going through a tough time, writing on Jan. 14 that she “couldn’t hide [her] hard day” while visiting with her mother, who lives in a care facility. “They are both still getting to know each other and figuring it all out,” E! News‘ source continued of the couple’s alleged problems. “They’ve decided to take some time apart for now… They are still figuring out the logistics of their relationship and if they will stay together.”

The former hairstylist and pro football player met during Crawley’s season of The Bachelorette, but their romance broke the mold when just weeks into filming, Crawley decided she had found the only man for her. Moss popped the question, much to the surprise of longtime host Chris Harrison, and the couple left the show engaged, necessitating a second Bachelorette, Tayshia Adams, to be brought in for the remainder of the season.

Following their unconventional exit from the show, Crawley and Moss had been showcasing their lives together on Instagram until recently and had discussed moving to Sacramento to be close to Crawley’s mom and starting a family. “Everything since the show has been reaffirming of why I chose Dale,” Crawley told PEOPLE after their engagement episode aired. “He’s even better off-camera, in person, one-on-one at home. Dale is the yin to my yang. And this is the happiest I’ve ever been.” Moss added at the time that there was “no explanation needed” for their speedy romance timeline. “I’ve never been afraid of commitment. And when I met Clare, I knew I was all in. She lights a fire in me that I was missing for so long,” he said.