'The Real Housewives of Orange County' star says she's 'cautious' following her bad breakup, though.
Real Housewives of Orange County star Vicki Gunvalson’s love tank is full once again.
“You get to know a little more of Steve [Lodge] this year [on the show],” Vicki teases ET. “We're now 14 months into this incredible relationship, so he's really good for me.”
Despite being with Steve for more than a year, fans and Vicki’s castmates continue to talk about her ex-boyfriend, Brooks Ayers, and that so-called “cancer scam.” Vicki is adamant that she never helped Brooks fake having cancer, and Brooks has denied ever doing so.
WATCH: Vicki Gunvalson Says She’ll Always Love Brooks Ayers
“I really don't want to talk about him,” she says, never referring to Brooks by name. “He's moved on. He lives in another state. He's in a relationship, so it's over. We weren't married. We weren't engaged. He was my boyfriend. It went bad, so why is everybody so obsessed about him? It's weird.”
“We broke up, actually, Aug. 4 of 2015,” Vicki recalls. “Last year was not a good year. I did not speak to him at all, and I haven't spoken to him … We have common friendships with people, but they pretty much know not to say his name. We’re done. I’ve moved on.”
“[My] new relationship doesn’t want to talk about my past relationship,” she notes, referencing her 14-month-long romance with retired detective Steve.
WATCH: Vicki Gunvalson Reveals When She Would Leave RHOC
The OG of RHOC admits she’s being cautious with Steve, taking things slow and not forcing anything.
“Me, with relationships, I’m all in,” she confesses. “I think I'm a little more guarded now, and a little bit more scared of another failure. I don't want to ever go through the heartache I've gone through. It hurts, physically hurts to have breakups. So, I'm hopeful, you know?”
Still, Vicki shares that she and Steve have talked seriously about marriage.
WATCH: Vicki Gunvalson Has Family Date Night With Boyfriend Steve Lodge
“I laid it out there and said, 'I am not dating just to pass time,'” she says. “I am dating to mate. That's my truth, you know? I'm 55. If I live to 85, I could have 30 years with him, you know? So, I think he's a little more cautious, because he's also been divorced, and he doesn't really understand this whole balancing act I do of [my company], Coto Financial, and reality TV, and where does he fit in?”
“His love language is quality time, which I don't have a lot of,” Vicki adds. “So, I think there's still some areas we need to get more at peace with, but he's just a great guy. Just a great guy.”
The Real Housewives of Orange County airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo. For more from this season, check out more of our chat with Vicki below.