Vicki Gunvalson is no stranger to having to defend her partners on The Real Housewives of Orange County.
So it should come as no surprise that the O.G. of the O.C. spent Monday’s episode defending her new-boyfriend Steve Lodge against the claim that he is only dating her for her money.
The allegation came from Gunvalson’s estranged friend Kelly Dodd, who had a bit of a chip on her shoulder when it came to Lodge. After all, she had confronted him earlier for staying so close to her ex-husband Michael Dodd, and talking negatively about her to the press.
“Do you think that guy is hitting it and quitting it?” Kelly asked, of Steve. “My friend was dating the girl that Steve was dating. He told the girlfriend that he’s only using Vicki for money. Swear to God. Dinero! Money talks and bulls— walks.”
“In my book, Steve’s a bad guy,” she added. “He’s hiding something. And everyone should know what kind of a person he is.”
Dodd didn’t tell that to Gunvalson directly. But Tamra Judge, who heard Dodd’s claim, passed it along to Gunvalson the next day.
“Of course Kelly says that,” Gunvalson said, defending her man and denying Dodd’s claim.
“He has money,” she screamed. “Shame on [Kelly] for talking about my relationship. It’s bulls— that everybody’s after what I have! And by the way, I don’t have that much money!”
So why did Dodd say it? According to Gunvalson, she was just looking to be hurtful. “I think Kelly’s just trying to figure out a way to hurt me,” Gunvalson said. “She said last year she was jealous of our relationship. So?”
“She doesn’t give a rats ass about Steve and I guarantee you she wants to see our relationship fold because she doesn’t want anybody happy,” Gunvalson continued. “Miserable people like miserable people.”
While Gunvalson was shooting down that rumor about Lodge, there was another one that was on the way.
During a group dinner without her, Judge mentioned that Gunvalson isn’t in love with Lodge. “She doesn’t love him,” Judge said. “I’m sorry, she does not love that man.”
As proof, Judge pointed to comments Gunvalson made when they were talking to Shannon Beador’s matchmaker. “When I was talking with the matchmaker with her, she was like ‘Maybe I should go to him too?’” Judge recalled.
Later, on Twitter, Judge apologized for her claim — saying “I take it back, @vgunvalson loves Steve.”
RELATED VIDEO: RHOC Star Vicki Gunvalson Reveals the Exception to Her No Plastic Surgery Rule
Gunvalson certainly looked like she loved Lodge as the two celebrated her birthday with their families. She even talked about wanted to marry him and take his last name.
“You better not let me down,” she told Lodge. “I feel great at 56. It’s been a bumpy couple last three years but now that Steve’s in my life, I finally feel like I’m at peace.”
Asked about money, Gunvalson said, “I don’t need a man for money and he doesn’t need me for money.”
“I don’t care about stuff. I care about the person,” she said. “I would date a trash collector if that’s who I fell in love with.”
Lodge seemed to agree. “I think in her mind she feels, ‘I’m successful I don’t need another man’s money, so I’m going to fall in love not because he has money,’ ” he said. “Unlike some other people we know.”
The Real Housewives of Orange County airs Mondays (9 p.m. ET) on Bravo.
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