Carl Radke was rusty when it came to dating during season 9 of Summer House — but that didn’t keep him from telling housemate Ciara Miller about his romantic feelings for her.
“Ciara’s become a really good friend,” Carl, 40, exclusively told Luxury Handbag Shopping at Us + Maidenform’s Reality Star Style Awards party on Tuesday, April 22, at The Highlight Room in NYC, noting that when he lost his brother during season 5, she was one of the people who “rallied around” him and picked him up.
He recalled connecting with Ciara, 29, on a “deeper level,” revealing, “I felt just really safe with her.”
Four seasons later — and a failed engagement to their housemate Lindsay Hubbard — Carl found himself catching romantic feelings for Ciara. (Carl previously flirted with Ciara when she made her Summer House debut during season 5 in 2021. He was later engaged to Lindsay for a year before they broke up in August 2023.)
“This past summer, I was just enjoying her friendship and having fun. Of course, she’s beautiful, you know that,” Carl told Us on Tuesday. “I couldn’t help myself but express [that] in a fun way.”
Fans learned during the Summer House extended preview, which dropped in March, that Carl told Ciara that he “kinda” has a “crush” on her during an upcoming episode.
The Soft Bar founder called the moment a little “cringey” but something he doesn’t regret. “I had to let her know. I was just like, ‘I think you’re awesome. I really appreciate you. I do have a crush,’” Carl recalled. “I knew she was going to be like, ‘OK.’”
Viewers won’t see the conclusion of Carl and Ciara’s love bomb conversation for a few weeks — part 1 of the chat plays out on the Wednesday, April 23, episode — but both stars hinted it doesn’t ruin their friendship.
“I love Carl, but I was not expecting that, but I get it. “No, I’m just kidding,” Ciara exclusively told Us with a laugh on Tuesday.
The model explained that she and Carl have a “special relationship” that grew even more during the summer of 2024. “We did have a lot of quality time this summer, and it was so great to get to know him in a different light,” Ciara shared.
Carl played coy about how Ciara reacted to his crush confession, but told Us on Tuesday that they were “laughing and having fun” at the Luxury Handbag Shopping party months after filming wrapped.
“I’m sure people are going to be like, ‘Damn, Carl, you got to get back to working on your game.’ But there’s some good flirting,” he teased. “It’s cute. I think. It’s real. And that’s what’s so fun about my bond with her is we actually have just a really good connection and friendship that you never know.”
Ciara, meanwhile, told Us that after dating housemate West Wilson during season 8 and getting pulled in drama with Jesse Solomon this season she’s not thinking about shared house romances.
“Obviously, I’ve had my fair share of house romances, and I am recovering, so I am on the road to recovery, and I have to stick through that,” she concluded.
Summer House airs on Bravo Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET.
