Ashley Darby is back on the market.
The Real Housewives of Potomac star is sharing an update on her separation from ex-husband Michael Darby after they announced their breakup in April.
"I thought it would get easier, but it's been about six months now and it's still so hard," said Ashley—who shares sons Dean, 3, and Dylan, 13 months, with Michael—during an exclusive interview with E! News. "There's some moments of missing our relationship and when I see him being a really good dad it's like, 'Oh man, could I? Should I?' because he is still a great dad and a hands-on parent and that's what I find so attractive about him."
RHOP fans will get an intimate look at Ashley's decision to separate when season seven of the Bravo series premieres Oct. 9.
"I never knew how many conflicting emotions a person has during this," she said of the split. "Going through this process now and sharing it with the whole world, it made me really nervous. It made me nervous to be vulnerable and share my feelings. I was like, 'Am I going to look weak?' So I was really apprehensive about it but ultimately it was therapeutic to share my feelings and to have the support of my friends."
Citing co-star Gizelle Bryant, who briefly got back together with her ex-husband Jamal in 2020, Ashley said "never say never" to a reconciliation, adding, "Who knows what could happen in a decade, but at this junction, no. I really do think that it's a better decision for both of us."
As for her dating life today, Ashley said she's not rushing into anything. "When I was dating before Michael, there was no online dating—the whole landscape looked so different and honestly it's petrifying now," the mother of two admitted. "The stories I hear and all these wolves in sheeps' clothing. I'm definitely going very, very snail-paced slow. I'm a little scared."
The RHOP trailer revealed Ashley and Michael were buying a house amid their separation, a decision she said was "easier" to do together rather than by herself.
"Home buying is a very complicated process," she explained. "He's one of the most successful real estate developers in the nation's capital. Why wouldn't I follow the advice of him?"
Hear more scoop from Ashley in the E! interview above. And scroll down for more info on the new season of RHOP.
The Real Housewives of Potomac returns Sunday, Oct. 9, at 8 p.m. on Bravo.
(E! and Bravo are both part of the NBCUniversal family)
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