Ashley Iaconetti is the one who broke up with boyfriend Kevin Wendt less than one month after The Bachelor Winter Games finale aired, and now she's explaining why.

ADVERTISEMENT

On The Ben and Ashley I: Almost Famous Podcast, Ashley revealed she pulled the plug on her romance with the Toronto firefighter after he missed her 30th birthday party.

While long distance also made it difficult for the couple to see each other and commit, there was apparently a larger reason why things didn't work out between Ashley and Kevin.

"It sounds a little harsh, but it's just that lack of magic. We get along very well, it's just there's a little something missing and you can't really pinpoint what it is. That's just how I feel," Ashley told Ben Higgins on Wednesday's episode of their podcast.

Kevin also joined Ben and Ashley to share his side of the story so there would be no confusion or rumors about what happened.

"I feel like that's normal," Kevin said in response to Ashley's "lack of magic" explanation, "and I feel like you get those connections all the time where if you take away our outside world and just put Ashley and me on an island together, we'd probably get along really well. And that's what Vermont was."

Kevin continued, "There's just lifestyles where two people can go in different directions. It doesn't mean that they still don't love and respect each other. It just means if it doesn't line up."

When Ben asked Kevin if he was "feeling the lack of spark" as well with Ashley, he said, "I'm very hard at giving up on things. And I'm not saying that we gave up on it... I'm saying I was still ready to come there again."

Missing Ashley's birthday seemed to be the final straw for Ashley, who left Winter Games absolutely smitten with her man.

"I know her birthday, I wanted to be there when I had to work and I was planning on coming out as of that week or she was going to come here," Kevin noted. "I knew we definitely had an uphill battle. I wasn't 100 percent in yet, but I also knew I wanted to see her again."

But after a few days passed, Kevin said they both "collected" their "thoughts and emotions" and determined it was best to part ways.

"I know she made the right call and I know this is the way it should be," Kevin said on the podcast. "I feel like I got friend-zoned. Ashley, you friend-zoned me."

After letting out a laugh, Kevin assured listeners he's "okay" and doing well.

"I think the more I process it and the more -- I mean, I've kept it kind of to myself. I didn't want any comments getting out there without us doing [the podcast]. I want the best things for Ashley," Kevin said.

"I just don't think the spark was fully ignited by the time we had the conversations, but I respect her for at least doing it earlier on. We could have done two or three more trips and then it just would kind of dragged out, so it's all good. It makes sense."

The pair insisted they are on "friendly terms" now and decided to open up about their failed relationship on Ashley's podcast to prevent "everybody's personal interpretations" and haters picking their breakup apart on social media.

"I just didn't want people to make assumptions," Ashley said, adding that she "didn't want people villainizing [Kevin]."

Ashley and Kevin did seem to give the romance their best effort after The Bachelor Winter Games wrapped. They visited each other multiple times, talked on the phone, and FaceTimed often.

Late last month, Ashley told Us Weekly that Kevin was actually considering a move to the United States to be with her -- given she works in Los Angeles -- and had been "eyeballing fire stations down by the beach."

And when Ashley celebrated her 30th birthday, Kevin shared a sweet Instagram photo of her on March 6 with the following caption: "She has so many incredible qualities I'm learning about each day. There is a reason she has so many friends and people around her that love her."

"She's the most driven, motivating, and supportive person I know," he added. "She motivates me to be more. Smart, sweet, sexy and it's her birthday tomorrow!! So go say happy birthday to her!!! #30looksgood #campfireandwine."

Ashley found fame when she first competed for Chris Soules' heart on The Bachelor's nineteenth season. She then looked for love again on Bachelor in Paradise's second and third editions but came up short.

As for Kevin, he first appeared on The Bachelorette Canada's first season. Kevin got engaged to the show's star, Jasmine Lorimer, but they broke up shortly afterward.

Interested in more The Bachelor news? Join our The Bachelor Facebook Group!


About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON GOOGLE NEWS