Ciara From ‘Summer House’ Was Blindsided by Lindsay and Austen’s Relationship (Exclusive)

Ciara Miller thought she and Austen Kroll would pick up where they left off when he arrived at the Summer House. So she was surprised when Lindsay Hubbard insisted that Kroll stay in her room.

“I definitely thought that we would just pick up where we left off,” Miller told Showbiz Cheat Sheet. “We’re definitely the type that if we are around each other the chemistry is there. So, yeah I definitely thought that it would be one way. And it was for a minute. But, you know, things kind of took a turn.”

Ciara didn’t know how close Austen and Lindsay were until ‘Summer House’

Months earlier, Kroll and Miller had an instant connection when they vacationed in Vermont together on Bravo’s Winter House. Hubbard joined the group but arrived late. She anticipated that she and Kroll were going to hook up and was surprised that Kroll and Miller were together when she finally made it to the house.

While Hubbard was taken aback, she quickly moved on and had a romance with Jason Cameron. But by the time summer hit, Hubbard seemingly set her sights on Kroll – but that was news to Miller. Miller also didn’t know the extent of their friendship.

“Honestly, no, I didn’t know that they were best friends until we got into the house,” Miller said. “I mean, Austen told me a little bit about the relationship, but I felt like he sold it a little bit differently. And so I didn’t know that it was to the extent that it was. So I just continued on with my relationship, obviously. But yeah, just finding out the details of just like how close they were was kind of like …”

She thought Austen and Lindsay had an understanding

So when Hubbard insisted that Kroll sleep in her room, Miller admitted that she was pretty confused. “Like, if you all have things that you needed to continue to work out like be my guest,” she said about Kroll and Hubbard. “And I said that and I made that very clear at Winter House. Like, if you guys feel like you need to be together, work things out. Give it a shot. Go for it. Absolutely. I’ll definitely take a step back.”

“But when I asked both parties, Austen made it clear he kind of made his boundaries clear [with Hubbard],” Miller remarked. “And then Lindsay never said that she had an issue with it, so I mean, there was plenty of time for her to speak up at the house and that’s never happened, so I assumed that it wasn’t an issue.”

“Me and Lindsay did not have any issue after Vermont and going into the summer,” Miller added. “There was no vocalized issue, at least. Until … I don’t know, somewhere something changed. But there was never a vocalized issue whether she had a problem and it was never expressed to me at any point in time.”

Ciara didn’t understand why Lindsay was so mad about ‘WWHL’

Months after Summer House finished filming, Kroll and Hubbard’s friendship came to a screeching halt during Kroll’s appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. Winter House was currently airing on Bravo and he was a guest. Kroll was asked to choose between Miller and Hubbard and he continued to choose Miller. Hubbard was in the audience and was furious.

Miller didn’t understand why Hubbard was angry. “I didn’t feel like it was that big of a deal,” she said. “I didn’t think it was that serious. It’s a game. I don’t feel like my feelings would’ve been hurt like if he would have picked Lindsay. I just felt like it was a game. And if you choose to sit in the audience, then you’re kind of subjected to whatever crazy stuff that Andy’s [Cohen] going to ask that night.”

Have Ciara and Austen mended their friendship since ‘Summer House’?

Miller and Kroll have worked out any tension in their relationship since summer. “I’ve been in Charleston a few times. The first time was after Winter House and we actually did have a great time in Charleston,” she said. “Just like kind of getting to see each other like outside of that Vermont element.”

She and Paige DeSorbo returned to Charleston after Summer House was filmed. Miller admitted she and Kroll weren’t on the best terms at that point. “And then I went to Charleston for Paige’s birthday. Like, at that point, the relationship was very rocky,” she recalled.

“So we actually were able to have a productive conversation about some of the events that happened over the summer and like feelings were hurt and there needed to be an exchange of apologies. And so we were actually able to have a productive conversation,” she said.

As for her relationship with Hubbard, Miller said they haven’t really spoken.

Summer House is on Monday at 9/8c on Bravo.