Real Housewives' Gretchen Rossi Pays the Piper

Reality star finally forks over $22,000 in attorneys fees owed to self-proclaimed former lover

Gretchen Rossi was in a check-writing mood today.

The Real Housewives of Orange County star finally forked over $22,375 in attorneys fees owed to self-described former lover Jay Photoglou.

Rossi, 32, appeared in court today, even though she wasn't required to, checkbook in hand, and took care of the bill.

The reality TV personality originally was ordered to pay $18,000, but that was upped by an additional $4,000 after she skipped out on several court dates.

Rossi's attorney, Gregory Brown, told reporters that she wanted to donate the cash to a children's charity instead of paying the 40-year-old Photoglou, but the offer was declined.  

"The reason he did not want to donate to that charity is because we learned that Rossi's attorney was on the board of directors there," said Photoglou's attorney, Orlando Castaño. "It seemed very shady."

Photoglou was not present for today's proceeding. And Rossi's not out of the woods yet.

They have filed dueling defamation suits against each other, which are still pending and which will lead to even bigger legal bills.