Southern Charm's Venita Aspen Says Her Heart Was 'Shattered' After JT Thomas Rejected Her, Never Disclosed Girlfriend

Mar. 15, 2025

‘Southern Charm’ stars Venita Aspen (left) and Jarrett “JT” Thomas.Photo:Rich Polk/Bravo via Getty; Charles Sykes/Bravo via Getty

Rich Polk/Bravo via Getty; Charles Sykes/Bravo via Getty

Things haven’t quite gone as planned in the love department forVenita Aspenon this season ofSouthern Charm.

On the Feb. 6 episode of the Bravo series, Venita, 31, caught up withLeva Bonaparteover the phone about how it went when she laid out her feelings forJarrett “JT” Thomasduring dinner at her apartment the previous night. The confession came after Venita’srelationship with Manny Houston endedmonths earlier due to him moving to New York City.

“He said he has a girlfriend,” Venita informed Leva, 45, of JT.

That outraged Leva. “What?” the restaurant owner said. “But wait, he said you were cute while he had a girlfriend? Jerk! I’m so mad at this loser.”

Leva also didn’t quite believe JT. “JT can’t possibly have a girlfriend,” she said in a confessional interview. “We’re around him all the time. You would think of all this time we’ve spent together he would be like, ‘So I started dating somebody.’ But like, he’s never said he has a girlfriend.”

‘Southern Charm’ star Leva Bonaparte at BravoCon 2022’s Legends Ball on Oct. 14, 2022 in New York City.Santiago Felipe/Getty

Santiago Felipe/Getty

Venita explained that she wouldn’t have confessed her feelings to JT, who has since resigned from theSouthern Charmcast, had she known about his girlfriend. “I would have never leaned in like that,” the fashion influencer said to Leva. “I could’ve kept my feelings to myself. You did not have to know I felt that way.”

Venita told Leva she felt “annoyed” but ultimately “fine.”

“I definitely feel like a little piece of my heart’s kind of like, shattered,” Venita admitted to the cameras. “It’s just like, oh you know, I thought that, okay, JT actually likes me. But like, okay, we’re not crossing lines. We’re going to be friends. Like, this is where were the best at is being friends.”

Jarrett “JT” Thomas and his girlfriend Ally.JT Thomas/Instagram

JT Thomas/Instagram

Later in the episode, another relationship seemed to take a hit, too. WhenCraig ConoverandPaige DeSorbowent to a bee farm to pick out bees to start a hive in his yard, the conversation turned to having kids.

“I definitely feel a little pressure,” Paige said to Craig. “I’m only 31. Sometimes, I’m not gonna lie, sometimes you make me feel like I’m 75.”

Presley Ann/Getty

But Craig didn’t feel like he’d issued an ultimatum. “I don’t put any pressure on you,” he said. “I just want to be like, lovey-dovey and talk about our family.”

The topic of Craig and Paige’s future came up again when the Sewing Down South founder attended a dinner atPatricia Altschul’s house with her sonWhitney Sudler-Smith, Ryan Albert,Austen KrollandShep Rose. Patricia, 83, told Craig “it would be interesting if you propose” to Paige.

“We’re going to get married,” he assured. “Whenever we want, it’s not set. Everyone forgets I haven’t asked her yet."

The guys kept pushing Craig to propose, but Craig said, “We’re not really letting the ceremonial stuff keep us from living our lives.” ThePillow Talkauthor also revealed that he and Paige started picking out engagement rings.

Pat asked what Paige selected, and he shared that she went for “an emerald cut and an elongated cushion.”

Then Whitney, 56, wondered if Craig would want Paige to move from New York City to South Carolina after they got engaged.

“We don’t know where we’re going to end up,” Craig said. “But we’re not going to let that ruin the happiness of today.”

In December, Paige announced on herGiggly Squadpodcastthat she and Craig ended their relationshipafter three years together.

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Southern Charmairs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo.

source: people.com