The flexible and petite Royce Reed of “Basketball Wives” may have fallen prey to the love bug with her co-star’s husband. Not so lucky at love in three seasons on air, Royce may be seeking romance in the out-of-bounds zone.
A writer who has crafted the intriguing novel, College Girl, Royce seems to have a hard time reading between the lines of her own romantic tendencies, as shown this week in the Season Three reunion. She has been perilously tweeting, texting and doing business with former NBA star, Eric Williams.
Eric is the estranged husband of Royce’s co-star, Jennifer Williams. Their stormy separation and pending divorce have been further spiced by Royce’s tweetfest with the retired athlete.
The former basketball cheerleader, dancer and shock blogger voluntarily ejected from the Circle- a power group of ladies featured on the VH1 series- after Season Two, when key Circle members failed to attend her fashion show, and seemed to be undermining her on camera.
Rather than seeing behind-the-scenes behavior as a harmless need for best friends Jennifer and Evelyn Lozada to maintain their bond, Royce took it ultra-personally, wanting 100 percent acceptance or none at all.
Here are five clues that Royce’s feelings for Eric may be developing into questionable fondness:
1. Lack of Witty Retorts
When Jennifer asked, “Why are you on Twitter tweeting my soon-to-be ex-husband?” the articulate author could not come up with a detailed or catty response, except to say there was nothing wrong with her tweeting Eric.
2. Inability to See Things Clearly
She claims to correspond with Eric because he tells her to “keep her head up” and not let the other ladies get to her. Rather than seeing it as a thinly-veiled attempt for the clever Eric to get back at Jennifer, Royce is sopping up his attention like it’s all hers.
3. Defensiveness
When Jennifer implies that you just don’t do that to friends, Royce is defensive of her communications with Eric and steadfastly refuses to let go of it.
4. Justifying it with Excuses
She has gone from defending it as friendship to defending it as business, since Eric offered her a part in his upcoming movie. Although warned by Suzie Ketcham that the script features nudity, Royce continues to make excuses for why she must get an acting job with Eric.
5. Unjustified Anger
On the recent Basketball Wives’ Reunion when comments were flying about Eric, her look was pretty stern. Usually overtaken by giggles and glee at her friends’ mishaps (such as when Suzie’s apology was rebuffed by Evelyn, or when hearing aboutTami Roman landing a left on basketball wife Meeka Claxton), Royce’s look is somewhat angry when it comes to flippant talk about Eric.
Royce is ignoring the possibility that the retired 6’8″ NBA star may not see her as a rebound subject, but as a (possibly naked) object for his upcoming film. He’s not saying they are gold diggers, but Eric’s filmwork hints at a plot about racy female con artists who deprive men of their riches.
If Eric was to humble himself and make a real pitch for his wife’s waning affection, the person most hurt could possibly be Royce.