Ashley Darby and Luke Gulbranson’s brief romance was way more than a fling — at least for the “Real Housewives of Potomac” star.
During Sunday’s Season 7 reunion premiere, Darby admits to moderator Andy Cohen and her castmates that she “started falling in love” with the “Summer House” and “Winter House” star.
“Do you think there’s a chance for the two of you in the future? You and Luke?” Cohen, 54, asks Darby, 34, in @cici.loves.you’s sneak peek of the episode.
“Um, I don’t know,” she replies. “I started falling in love with the guy.”
Just as taken aback as the “Housewives,” the Bravo executive producer lets out a “You did?!”
“I did,” Darby double downs. “I did, yeah.”
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The “Coffee & Love” singer goes on to praise Gulbranson, 39, for the “really wise words” he offered amid her almost-finalized divorce from Michael Darby, including advice “to reinforce stricter boundaries.”
Ashley also reveals that Gulbranson never met her and the Australian businessman’s sons — Dean, 4, and Dylan, almost 2 — “out of respect for Michael and [her] kids.”
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The “Housewife” and the hockey instructor-turned-jeweler began dating after hitting it off at BravoCon in October 2022.
Though she predicted at the time that Gulbranson would be someone for her to have “fun with,” Ashley later told Page Six she knew the entrepreneur was “special” and that their fling was “a little more than what [she] thought it was going to be.”
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The pair made their relationship Instagram-official just before the holidays following a trip to Gulbranson’s native Minnesota to meet his family and closest friends.
But after Ashley deleted the snap, fans began to speculate that the Bravo duo might be donezo.
She confirmed they were “not romantically involved anymore” on Jan. 8, less than two weeks before filming her show’s forthcoming reunion.
During an appearance on “Watch What Happens Live” at the time, the reality star explained that her life was “very complicated” amid her “very difficult” split from Michael, who is 29 years her senior and not “too fond” of Gulbranson.
“It’s not really about Luke, but [Michael and I] just have a hard time, period, with co-parenting and separating,” she told Cohen.
“It’s my situation with Michael that affected Luke and I,” she elaborated, adding that although Gulbranson had been a “trooper,” it just wasn’t the right time.
But Ashley’s co-star Gizelle Bryant still carries a torch for the former flames, as she recently told Page Six she doesn’t believe the two are “done” just yet.