The Bachelorette alum Zac Clark is tight-lipped about his alleged romance with Kaitlyn Bristowe and acts "awkward" when the subject comes up, according to his close friend Blake Moynes.
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The two men had competed against each other for Clare Crawley and Tayshia Adams' hearts on The Bachelorette's sixteenth season in 2020, and they've remained friends ever since.
On a recent episode of "The Ben & Ashley I: Almost Famous Podcast," Blake was therefore put in the hot seat and asked to comment on Zac's alleged relationship with Kaitlyn, who starred on Season 11 of The Bachelorette and also co-hosted two The Bachelorette seasons alongside Zac's ex-fiancee, Tayshia.
"Why did I feel like you were going to go there? I knew it! I just knew it," Blake quipped to the podcast's co-hosts Ben Higgins and Ashley Iaconetti.
When Ashley asked Blake if Zac had discussed his dating life during their adventure in South Africa together, Blake replied, "Yes and no."
"To be honest," Blake continued, "you probably see the rumors and all of those things. It probably plays into, you know, you see hat Zac doesn't comment on any of those things. He's very nonchalant."
Blake admitted that when he brought up dating to Zac, it seemed like Zac didn't want to tell him anything in fear Blake would get "wrapped up" in the whirlwind and gossip.
"People know we're close, so they're going to know that I potentially know stuff," Blake said.
"And so when I asked, because I went to the New Year's [party] and all that stuff, like, do I know that they're hanging out and have [hung out]? Yes.
Blake was referring to the New Year's Eve party Kaitlyn had hosted in her Nashville, TN, home on December 31. Several members of Bachelor Nation had attended the bash, including Blake and Zac.
On January 1, @BachelorNation.scoop posted a video of Kaitlyn and Zac looking cozy as they counted down to midnight together. Kaitlyn had her arm around Zac's neck while he had his hand on her back.
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While Blake certainly has some knowledge about Zac's dating life, he confessed, "But [Zac] does not give me the guts, because when I have asked, he makes it awkward."
Blake said Zac's reluctance to share and talk about his current love interest makes Blake want to shut the conversation down.
"I'm just like, 'Okay, I'm not going to go there again with you.' He just doesn't want to feed and play into that," Blake shared.
"And he's just all business. He's just not a very emotional guy with me in that sense. But I think he's also, in some sense, protecting me from whatever is going on with that. He doesn't want me wrapped up in it because everyone knows we're tight."
Blake therefore reiterated of his pal, "And so he makes it awkward to talk about, so we just don't really talk about it."
Ben acknowledged how Zac's lack of interest in creating a headline about his love life shows his authenticity and the genuineness of whatever connection he currently has blossoming.
"Zac really cares, like, 'Hey, if I'm really going to do this thing, it's not because it's going to make me more money or it's going to keep my name out there,'" Ben declared.
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"He moves with so much poise and calmness, and he's so happy in his own life and so wrapped up in trying to continue to help people through his recovery foundation and all his work that there's no money aspect to this at all."
Blake insisted Zac has "no ulterior motive" for dating someone in the public eye or from The Bachelor franchise.
"It's just par the course with that guy. He's just easy to be around, in that sense, because there's no other noise or any sh-t. You just get an actual true friend and the show stuff -- and the public stuff -- is just so to the side," Blake explained of Zac.
"It's nice, because when I'm with him... we never talk about the show. It's always about what he's doing, what I'm doing, and work. It's never show-based conversation, which is a really nice disconnect."
Because Blake admitted that often times, when he's in group settings, he's asked about and talks about the show.
"There's none of that with him, which is such a breath of fresh air," Blake concluded.
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When footage circulated of Kaitlyn and Zac partying together on New Year's, rumors began to swirl that Kaitlyn had possibly cheated on her now ex-fiance Jason Tartick before they officially announced their split in August 2023.
"Here to say that there was never an ounce of cheating happening and I will not stand for this rumor. Y'all are NASTY in here. Anywho. Swear on my dogs lives," Kaitlyn clarified in an Instagram comment on January 1.
"No cheating went on. So we can just put that to rest. Thank you!! Happy new year everyone. Go donate some blood or somethin!"
Kaitlyn also slammed trolls for acting like she had "murdered someone" by just spending time with Zac.
The former Dancing with the Stars winner vented on social media of the backlash, which included allegations she had broken "girl code" with Tayshia, "You would think by now I'd be used to the hate. I'm not. Your words hurt. Your shaming hurts."
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The Bachelor alum also appeared to address her rumored romance with Zac by writing, "I wish I could just share my truth and tell you my side. It's hard to bite my dang tongue sometimes."
Kaitlyn was not only disappointed in fans' reactions, but she was also "disappointed" in how Jason handled the news of her new rumored romance with Zac.
And then in late January, Kaitlyn and Zac were spotted hand-in-hand dancing at a bar in New York City together, right around Zac's 40th birthday.
At the end of a video that circulated online, Kaitlyn pulled Zac in for a tight hug, wrapping her arms around his neck.
Zac got engaged to Tayshia on The Bachelorette's sixteenth season finale in 2020, but they announced their breakup in November 2021.
The addiction specialist and New Yorker recently recalled of proposing marriage to The Bachelorette alum on "The Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast" that in the moment, "it felt real" and "it felt right."
Zac insisted, "I wouldn't change anything. I don't live in regret. It's a very special moment in time and in my life regardless of what happened."
Tayshia is currently dating former Summer House star Luke Gulbranson.
For Blake's part, he is still single after having a fling with Jess Girod on Bachelor in Paradise last year.
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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
