Ben Higgins has been making his share of controversial calls of late.
First, as acknowledged by both Ben and Lauren Bushnell, the former Bachelor star called off the couple’s engagement last month.
On an episode of their ridiculously boring Freeform reality show, Higgins fought off (fake?) tears while telling Bushnell:
“You’re the woman of my dreams. The last thing I want to do is for us to rush that.”
That doesn’t really make any sense, but a content and happily married couple doesn’t make for riveting reality television, either.
But did Higgins really slow things down with Bushnell out of hope that Freeform would renew his program for a second season?
Or did he have an even more sinister motive?
According to Life & Style, Higgins is still in touch with ex-lover JoJo Fletcher. Still in a lot of touch, if this report is to be believed.
“Ben has been secretly calling JoJo ever since Lauren moved in with him in April,” a source tells this tabloid, adding mysteriously:
“They talked every three or four weeks at first, but it’s become more frequent since the wedding was was canceled.”
Higgins narrowed down his 25 suitors on his season of The Bachelor to Fletcher and Bushnell.
He made series history at the time when he actually told both women that he loved them, prior to choosing Bushnell as his bride-to-be.
On their reality show, though, Higgins and Bushnell each admitted that Ben telling both Lauren and JoJo that he loved them had led to “arguments” and “resentment” during their relationship.
Which is pretty easy to imagine.
Therefore, we somehow doubt Lauren is too happy about this Life & Style allegation.
Fletcher, meanwhile, is busy with her own love life. She’s engaged to Jordan Rodgers, despite constant talk that the two are nearing a break-up.
(“We don’t let [those rumors] bother us,” Rodgers recently said.)
Life & Style claims that Rodgers has no idea Fletcher remains in contact with Higgins.
“She’s not happy in her relationship with him,” the source tells the rarely-reliable magazine. “Jordan is absolutely clueless about the calls.”
Where is all this headed for the quartet of reality stars? It’s hard to say.
But Jordan, JoJo, Lauren and Ben actually all sat down for the world’s most awkward lunch during an episode of Ben & Lauren: Happily Ever After?.
Bushnell admitted soon afterward that the whole “JoJo situation” was pretty “frustrating,” but emphasized that she didn’t place any blame for it at the pretty feet of Fletcher herself.
“I did carry some resentment towards him, not with JoJo,” Bushell said on camera, referring to the way Ben’s Bachelor finale went down and adding:
“I had such a hard time trying to understand and put myself in his shoes and finally was like, ‘I will never understand. I will never be the Bachelor."”
Profound stuff.
“I’m truly glad that we all sat down and went to lunch together,” Bushnell concluded. “I really am – I wish we would’ve done it months earlier.”
But is she glad that Higgins may want to have a naked meal with Fletcher once again at some point in the future? If she knows what we mean?
Probably not. She probably isn’t glad about that.