Boy, bye! Ciara Miller revealed where she and Austen Kroll stand following season 2 of Winter House — and why she is saying “hi and bye” to him.
“I will rate the trip [as] a whole, like, a nine out of 10,” Ciara, 26, exclusively told Us Weekly on Thursday, December 15, while promoting Winter House. “I will rate me and Austen, like, a one out of 10.”
The former nurse explained that she is “glad that he thinks so highly of us,” referring to Austen scoring the Vermont getaway with her “a 10 out of 10.”
Ciara started a vacation romance with the Southern Charm star, 35, during season 1 of Winter House, which filmed in early 2021. When Austen visited the Hamptons on season 6 of Summer House later that year, their dynamic shifted.
The “Pillows and Beer” podcast cohost made out with Lindsay Hubbard on the show after flirting with Ciara and leading her to believe that they were still an item. During season 2 of Winter House, which premiered in October, Austen apologized for his past actions, but the New York resident made it clear that she was done letting him take up space in her world.
“The distance is still there. I am very much still ‘hi and bye,’ and I think that that’s the extent of our relationship,” Ciara told Us of the pair’s current status. “I don’t really feel like we’ll probably ever really have a relationship. Personally, for me, I don’t trust him.”
The influencer added: “I do think he’s a good guy and he’s great for someone and, like, I truly do wish him the best. I just … I don’t need it in my life. And you know, unfortunately, I feel like the bridge has already been burned.”
Amanda Batula weighed in on Ciara and Austen’s drama, telling Us on Thursday that she thought her friend was “great” when she spoke her truth to the beermaker on the show.
“I wish I had that, like, just confidence and ability to communicate the way she did and really just lay it out there and set those boundaries,” the Loverboy creative director, 31, explained. “I think she was right in everything that she said. Austen just needs to grow up. He’s capable, but just not right now.”
Ciara agreed with Amanda’s assessment of the Kings Calling Brewing Co. founder, adding that Austen “has great moments” but they are few and far between.
“When we are really getting along, he’s great,” she revealed. “But the flip side of it isn’t pretty and I won’t be around for it.”
The TV personality noted that she did see Austen at BravoCon in October and it was “no problem,” but that doesn’t mean they will ever be close again.
“We had the Winter House premiere party [before] BravoCon [and then I] saw him a couple weeks ago in the city [at], like, a restaurant opening and we can be around each other,” Ciara told Us. “I personally don’t need to do a catch up [at events], but that’s kind of [when we interact]. And I think that that’s OK. It’s evolved in that way and I don’t hate him. I don’t have [a] distaste for him. I just, you know, I like myself a lot more.”
Following his split from Ciara, Austen began seeing Olivia Flowers in late 2021. The twosome’s romance was shown on season 8 of Southern Charm, which ended in fall 2022. During the October reunion special, Olivia, 30, confirmed that she and Austen had called it quits.
Winter House airs on Bravo Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET.
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi
