Only two episodes into "Southern Charm" Season Nine, the tea is already piping hot.
After the fallout from Shep Rose and Taylor Ann Green's breakup consumed much of the Season Nine premiere, Episode Two introduces a new caveat in the already messy situation: the discourse around Taylor's relationship with Shep's close pal, Austen Kroll.
Season Nine stars Shep, Austen and Taylor alongside fellow returning cast members Craig Conover, Madison LeCroy, Venita Aspen, Olivia Flowers and Leva Bonaparte. Newcomers Jarrett "JT" Thomas, Rodrigo Reyes and Rod Razavi join the crew for the new season, which airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo and streams the next day on Peacock.
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TODAY.com can exclusively reveal a preview for Episode Two of “Southern Charm" Season Nine, where JT vocalizes his suspicions about Austen and Taylor to Shep.
The clip shows Shep, Craig, Austen and JT at a bar, where JT says to Shep, "You had the best girl in the world. I mean, look, Taylor's a catch. I'm just trying to understand why you'd let her go. Like, why?"
A puzzled Austen asks JT, "What is going on?"
"JT's in love with the girl," Craig adds.
"Craig, I’m not in love with her," JT clarifies.
"When she walks in, you light up," Craig says to JT.
"I light up, too, when Taylor walks in. Does that mean I'm in love with her?" Austen replies.
Shep, offering context to Taylor and Austen's closeness, says, "You spent a lot of time with her."
Austen adds, "Yeah, Taylor and I, we're like super close. We just got so close because I was so concerned about Olivia (Flowers). She was always calling me about you."
Austen previously dated Olivia, and in this season's premiere, fans saw Olivia and Taylor had become closer friends following their splits from Austen and Shep. Shep and Taylor dated for two years, and the aftermath of their split played out during a feisty Season Eight reunion.
JT asks, "Hold on, look, you guys are boys. Do you care that he's calling your ex?"
Shep says, "I don't care."
A puzzled JT responds with, "Huh?"
"It’s for Taylor to decide who she wants to hang out with," Shep says.
"Even with one of your best friends?" JT inquires.
"Yeah," Shep exclaims.
JT pushes back, saying, "No, no, there's bro code."
In a confessional, Shep explains his perspective on Austen and Taylor's relationship: "I sort of see Austen as a life raft between me and Taylor, and I get information. I ask how she is, what she’s up to, is she happy, how was she last week, was she — you know, because I care."
JT says to Austen, "With Taylor, you've got to be careful with that relationship. You’re talking to his ex," while Austen puts his hands in the air.
Shep says, "It's complicated."
JT then drops a bomb on Shep about Austen and Taylor.
"I get what you’re saying, but like, when you have a sleepover with a girl that is your friend’s ex. I mean ..." he says, which results in a confused facial expression from Shep and Austen quickly looking down at the floor.
Shep asks, "What are you talking about?"
"The other night we were all at the bar, and then (Taylor) was like, 'I'm tired,' and then we all went back to your (house)," JT says about crashing at Austen's place.
"You let me leave, and it was just the two of you," he continues. "And the next morning, I was like, 'Do you want to get coffee?' She's like, 'I'm leaving Austen's now.' I go, 'Ok, like, this is weird.' Wow."
