Are Rachael Kirkconnell and Zane Hijazi Dating? This Subtle Clue Could Be the Answer

Internet personality and former Bachelor contestant Rachael Kirkconnell, who appeared on Season 25 of The Bachelor, which premiered in January 2021, appears to be living life in a major way, even after her breakup with Season 25 lead Matt James.

The two shared a long-term relationship filled with ups and downs, including a brief breakup, before ultimately calling it quits for good in January 2025.

Matt announced the news in an Instagram post, which has since been deleted, writing, "Father God, give Rachael and I strength to mend our broken hearts. Give us a peace about this decision to end our relationship that transcends worldly understanding," per People.

Fast forward to May 2025, and the rumor mill started churning, suggesting Rachael and content creator Zane Hijazi are now dating. Here's how the speculation began, and whether there's any truth behind it.

Rachael Kirkconnell and Zane Hijazi haven’t been officially linked romantically, but they were seated next to each other during a mid-2025 trip to Miami.

In an Instagram Story shared by Caleb Garrett (@calebslife) and later reposted to the Reddit thread r/NYCinfluencersnark, the camera pans across a dinner table as restaurant staff bring out sparklers. Among the group, Rachael and Zane are spotted seated side by side. Zane does appear to lean slightly into Rachael’s space, though it could just be a casual moment among friends.

Neither has posted anything that confirms they're dating, but Zane did share something interesting on May 6: a photo on his Instagram Story showing his legs and a woman’s legs intertwined while sitting in the back seat of a car. The two had swapped one of their shoes, his for hers and vice versa.

We decided to go full detective on this one to see if we could piece together who this might be and low and behold, we may have found a match! The nail polish color (which is barely visible) seems to match the color she was sporting in a recent photo.

What's more, the shoes Zane is squeezing into are the exact same pair Rachael wore during her South Carolina trip for her friend’s wedding. And the woman in his Story is also wearing an anklet that looks nearly identical to one Rachael’s been spotted in before.

So, while Zane and Rachael haven’t confirmed anything, it's safe to say the speculation is definitely plausible. However, there's more to consider here.

Rachael may have been spotted hanging out with Zane, and his Instagram Story does show a woman wearing the same shoes and a nearly identical anklet as Rachael. But if the two are dating, one detail feels a little off: She still had a photo of Matt on her Instagram.

And not just any photo, it's a pretty intimate shot from June 22, 2024, with Rachael clinging to Matt in a pool as he nuzzles into her ear. Whether she simply overlooked it, isn’t quite ready to put the past in the past, or just doesn’t care, the post is definitely raising eyebrows now that she might be spending time with someone new.