An unexpected Bravo love story? After Luke Gulbranson revealed his interest in newly single Ashley Darby at the Summer House BravoCon 2022 panel, it seems there may be a spark brewing.
“Well, we did exchange numbers. So we’re texting and we’re just chatting it up,” the Real Housewives of Potomac star, 34, exclusively told Us Weekly at BravoCon on Saturday, October 15. “But you know, we’ll see. He’s a really nice guy and he’s very cute. That helps a lot.”
While Ashley played coy about a prospective romance with the 38-year-old Bravo personality, she has been single since April when she and estranged husband Michael Darby announced their separation.
“I just barely touched the surface,” the Maryland native told Us about entering the dating pool amid her breakup. “I haven’t really ventured into it yet and I have gone on a date or two, but it’s still really foreign to me, especially dating with texting and all of that because when I started dating Michael 11 or 12 years ago now, it was just such a different time.”
She added: “The way that people interacted with each other was so different. So I had to learn a lot. You know, I gotta learn and, like, if someone asks me to put them on Snapchat or if I have a Snap, I’m just like, ‘Get outta my face.’”
Ashley and the 62-year-old businessman share two sons, who they plan to amicably coparent amid their divorce.
“It’s certainly not easy and it takes a lot of just a reminder of the good times that we had so that I don’t focus on what we are now and that way we can coparent because that’s really what we’re doing. The focus is always my kids,” the Zengem by Ashley founder explained to Us while attending the New York City convention. “I was really surprised with the ease that we were able to put our kids first even if we have a disagreement and we have some words or exchange that are really rough, it’s like we instantly flip the switch and we turn into the parents of Dean and Dylan. So that makes me actually respect him even more.”
While it’s been “a while” since Ashley was in the dating game, her potential connection with Luke has continued to heat up BravoCon.
“Well, we have to go on a date or something first,” the Summer House personality joked to Us on Saturday during a joint interview with costar Andrea Denver. “We had [a] friendly conversation on our way leaving [the convention] last night. We just chatted.”
While the twosome may have downplayed any romantic spark, the 31-year-old Italy native said their exchange was “actually really cute.”
Luke — who has previously been linked to Summer House castmates Hannah Berner, Danielle Olivera and Ciara Miller — even met up with Ashley at the TV network’s After Dark party on Saturday, where they posed for an Instagram photo together. “What in the bravo verse and why am I so here for this!!!!!!” an Instagram user replied, as another proclaimed they were already composing a wedding speech.
While Ashley and Luke are open to seeing how things go, her RHOP costar Gizelle Bryant is not on the same page.
“No! I’m not here for that,” Gizelle, 52, told Us at BravoCon. “Just for the record, Luke: I’m not here for that. [Because] didn’t he date Hannah? [She’s] my girl … and I love Hannah. The end.”
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi
