Scheana Shay shared an intriguing insight regarding her affair with the then-married actor Eddie Cibrian, shedding light on the complexities of their relationship.
The star of “Vanderpump Rules” reminisced about how she became infatuated with Cibrian, who was married to Brandi Glanville, a star from “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” during her time at a private members-only cigar lounge and restaurant located in Beverly Hills, California, in 2006.
In a revealing excerpt from her upcoming memoir titled “My Good Side,” Shay vividly describes the first moment she saw Eddie Cibrian: “I first laid eyes on him a couple of months later when he stepped off the elevator at the cigar lounge, where he played poker on Tuesday nights,” as reported by Entertainment Weekly.
“If you had asked me while I was growing up what my exact type was, it would have been Eddie—tall, dark, and handsome, with charming dimples. The moment our eyes met, he smiled at me with those dimples, and I completely melted,” she recalls.
The reality television personality, now 40 years old, revealed that her “relationship” with Cibrian, currently 52, “wasn’t romantic from the start, although the signs were apparent from day one.”
“Eddie was the sweetest, funniest, most charismatic, consummate gentleman I had ever encountered. He always made me feel like I was the only woman in the room when I was working,” she enthusiastically described in her book.
“While most of the other patrons at the cigar lounge merely wanted me to serve them drinks and then return to their poker games, Eddie made a deliberate effort to engage with me through eye contact,” she noted, emphasizing the special connection they shared.
Shay later mentioned that she “didn’t realize” the Sundown Beach actor was married because he allegedly “never wore a wedding ring” and their affair occurred during a time that was “pre-social media.”
“It wasn’t like he was posting pictures of his family in matching pajamas in front of a Christmas tree,” she explained, providing context about their discreet romance.
Shay clarified that Cibrian “wasn’t my boyfriend (at least not entirely),” but they did initiate a physical relationship by the end of 2006, which she described as “a weekly booty call” at her residence after his poker games.
However, the “Valley” actress recounted that her seemingly perfect romance with Cibrian began to unravel when one of the cigar lounge members informed her that the LeAnn Rimes alum was married.
“I didn’t believe it (or perhaps I didn’t want to believe it) because I was infatuated with Eddie,” she shared. “And, again, we were out together in public all the time, so I didn’t feel like a secret mistress! However, I was freaking out inside and felt a huge pit in my stomach.”
Shay then confronted Cibrian about his double life at the cigar lounge, seeking clarity on their situation.
“As anticipated, Eddie arrived, and immediately, he could sense that my energy was off. He asked me what was wrong, and I told him to check his phone. I had sent him a message saying, ‘I need to ask, before we hang out tonight, does something belong on your ring finger?’” she recalled.
“I didn’t want to come across as aggressive or have him think I was acting irrationally, since I didn’t know if it was true. My inherent people-pleasing tendencies were in full effect,” Shay added, reflecting on her emotions.
She detailed that she directly asked Cibrian if he was married, to which he responded, “No, that’s crazy. Why would you ask me that?”
“It was gaslighting at its most basic form. Yet, I trusted him, so we continued spending time together,” she wrote, illustrating the confusion and turmoil of their relationship.
Page Six has reached out to both Glanville and Cibrian for comment but has not yet received a response.
Her recent comments about their affair appear to contradict what she stated during an interview with “Access Hollywood” back in 2009, when their affair was brought to light.
At that time, she claimed that it was her mother who informed her that Cibrian was married after seeing in a newspaper that he and Glanville were expecting their second child in 2007.
Despite the alleged cessation of their relationship at that time, they rekindled their romance months later when Cibrian told her that he and Glanville had separated.
“I just wanted to believe what he was saying,” she told the outlet back then. “I was kind of like, ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell.’ Whatever, let’s have a great summer. If you’re with me, you’re with me. If you’re not, we’ll just do our own thing.”
However, she also acknowledged that Cibrian always returned home to Glanville and the children at the end of the night.
“I always wanted him to be just mine. But I knew there was something else happening,” she admitted during that interview, revealing the emotional struggle she faced.
Cibrian was married to Glanville, who is also 52, from 2001 to 2010. The former couple has two sons, Mason, 22, and Jake, 18.
Shay was not the only woman with whom the “Third Watch” actor had a romantic involvement during his marriage to the former Bravo star.
He also began dating LeAnn Rimes while still married to Glanville. Following their divorce, Cibrian and the Blue singer, now 42, tied the knot in 2011.
“My Good Side” is scheduled for release on July 22.
