Southern Charm’s Austen Kroll really misses hanging out with his bro Craig Conover.
In Bravo’s sneak peek of the Thursday, January 2, episode, Austen, 37, sits down with his longtime friend to figure out why things seem distant between the pair.
“I miss my buddy and that’s where I’m coming to you from,” Austen shares in the preview. “We talk and do this but if I’m going to lunch, you’re not on my phone call list. If I’m going to get a beer, you’re not on my phone call list because your answer is normally ‘because I’m gardening.’”
Visibly surprised by the conversation, Craig, 35, quickly tries to defend himself and questions Austen on the last time he picked up the phone to schedule a lunch date.
“That’s a you thing,” Craig replies. “I’m not a f—ing mind reader. I didn’t know this s— was going on. I thought we were good. Why don’t we set up a weekly tee time?”
From Austen’s perspective, it may not be the best time for some sarcasm. After all, Craig didn’t score an invite to Patricia Altschul’s birthday dinner because of his absence from the group.
As an example, Austen details a weekend when he was scheduled to play golf with Craig on a Sunday. The night before, however, his friend canceled so he could tend to his garden.
“Yah, because I don’t want to waste five hours playing golf when I have stuff to do,” Craig replies. “It was work. … That’s what makes me happy now is working and making money.”
Austen first joined Southern Charm in 2017 for season 4. Since then, he has maintained a friendship with Craig with the pair opening up a new bar titled By The Way. At the same time, he wishes his coworker and friend had more “balance.”
“I wish that Craig would have more of a balance in his life,” Austen exclusively told Us Weekly earlier this month. “I wish that Craig would want to go out to dinner with me and [my girlfriend] Audrey. Craig is like a hermit.”
While Austen is thrilled for Craig’s success in the business world with Sewing Down South, Spritz Society and more businesses, he hopes to not be forgotten.
“It’s gonna make me look like a child maybe,” Austen joked when teasing future friendship conversations with Craig on Southern Charm. “The message is there.”
Southern Charm airs on Bravo Thursday nights at 8 p.m. ET. Stream old episodes anytime on Peacock.
