Austen Kroll could foresee the optics of him romancing Salley Carson so soon after his and Audrey Pratt’s breakup on Southern Charm.
That’s not to say the temptation wasn’t there, however. Salley made her romantic interests clear from the moment she found out that Austen was officially single, and she appeared to be more determined than ever to act on them when the cast traveled to Mexico during Season 11, Episode 12.
“I mean, I have no intention of doing anything with Salley,” Austen insisted in a confessional. “But at the same time, it’s kind of endearing to have someone who’s just, like, hitting on you and laying it on thick.”
RELATED:Â Are Salley Carson and Austen Kroll Dating? She Reveals Surprising New Intel
Once they arrived south of the border, Austen further unpacked his reasoning in a conversation with Craig Conover at a swim-up bar.
“Am I insane that it, like, does weigh on me a little bit that Audrey didn’t like Salley because Salley was so overly aggressive telling people whatever she felt about me?” Austen asked. “Talk about the ultimate slap in the face of a breakup to, like, go and, like, do something with the one person…”
That’s when Craig interjected, “You only do it once, so…”
Inside Salley Carson’s “plan” for Austen Kroll in Mexico
While touring her accommodations with de facto suitemate Charley Manley, Salley revealed that she was about to turn up the heat on her pursuit of Austen.
“I’m not planning on sleeping here,” Salley told Charley, before doubling down. “If things go according to plan, no, I’m not gonna sleep here.”
Later, while speaking to more of her castmates poolside, Salley justified her pursuit of Austen, even though his and Audrey’s breakup was still fresh.
RELATED:Â Salley Carson Clarifies Her “Giddy” Reaction to Austen and Audrey’s Split (EXCLUSIVE)
“All I’ve ever heard in this friend group is talking about how they’re not for each other, and, like, how they don’t want to be with each other,” she explained. “I was told she would be, like, nonchalant and totally fine if they broke up.”
Molly O’Connell, meanwhile, questioned why Audrey would be “nonchalant and fine” about their split after spending well over a year in a committed relationship. According to Salley, she “was told” that “their relationship was immature,” leading Rodrigo Reyes to infer that she had received that piece of false intel from Craig.
Either way, Austen more or less dodged Salley’s flirty advances during the beginning portion of the trip — including when Molly encouraged them to “make out” during dinner — but previews have already teased that the two will at least kiss before the end of the Mexican getaway.
Why Austen Kroll broke up with Audrey Pratt
Though Austen initiated the breakup with Audrey, he’s stated on multiple occasions that he didn’t take the decision lightly. While the roughly 200 miles of distance between their respective cities certainly factored into their split, Austen also couldn’t get on board with the commitment of Audrey relocating from Charlotte to Charleston.
According to the explanation he previously gave on the Southern Charm After Show, Audrey had told him during a pivotal conversation that she deserved someone “who knows what they want” and whom she could “move in with,” after a year-and-a-half of dating
Austen, meanwhile, worried that Audrey moving to South Carolina only to be with him would relegate her to being known primarily as “Austen’s girlfriend,” rather than as her own person.
“This is the first time I think that I’ve initiated a breakup with someone that I really love,” Austen shared during an Episode 10 confessional. “It’s heartbreaking because she didn’t do anything wrong. But, for me, there’s something there that is missing, at no fault of her own.”
As you wait to see what else goes down in Mexico on Southern Charm, don’t miss the latest update on Austen and Salley’s relationship today.
