Is there a reality TV crossover romance brewing?
The Bachelorette’s Robby Hayes and Are You The One?’s Kathryn Palmer sparked dating rumors earlier this month after the MTV star posted an April 7 Instagram shot of them with their arms around each other. Nearly a week later, she shared another picture of at Florida’s Jacksonville Zoo, writing, “Should we talk about the elephant in the room…?”
Yes, we should. “We enjoy getting to know each other and have fun hanging out,” Hayes, 28, exclusively tells Us Weekly. “She’s a super sweet girl, but there’s nothing too serious going on. We’re definitely not dating.”
After all, Hayes, originally from Jacksonville, Florida, is still in contention for ABC’s Bachelor in Paradise this summer. “She knows that’s in the cards for me,” explains the model, who considers himself single. “If that happens, we don’t want any drama between us.”
The Florida State alums — he graduated in 2011; she started in 2012 — were introduced by her mom and a mutual friend who knows Hayes’ sister. While in Fort Lauderdale for an event, he invited her to hang out. “We have a mutual knowledge of reality TV, so it’s fun to talk to her about that and share our experiences,” he says. “We’re Florida born and raised, so we have a lot in common.”
![Kathryn Palmer and Robby Hayes](/wp-content/uploads/robby-hayes-kathryn-palme-zoom-f9fcdea5-ea93-4159-b4e7-8263d69ec9c0.jpg?w=1000&quality=40&strip=all)
But long distance isn’t appealing to either of them. Hayes recently moved into Bachelorette alum Jef Holm’s Venice Beach pad with best friend Chase McNary while Palmer, who recently competed on AYTO season five, is in Tallahassee — for now, at least. “She wants to move out to L.A. and that was something she wanted to do before I met her,” the former competitive swimmer tells Us. “She wants to get a house out here with Shannon [Duffy] and Carolina [Duarte] from her show, which I encouraged. I’d love to hang out with her here. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t.”