Ava Dash, 26, has offered a glimpse into her current dynamic with “Summer House” star Kyle Cooke, 43, following their public appearance together. The pair were observed kissing at the Palm Tree Music Festival over the weekend, fueling speculation about their relationship status.
“We were having a good time,” Dash told Page Six’s “Virtual Reali-Tea” in a new interview. When pressed about the possibility of further engagement with Cooke, she remained coy, stating, “I’m open to having a really great summer, and I’m having a really great summer. I just want to have fun.”
This recent public display comes after Cooke had previously denied a relationship with Dash in March. Dash noted that while her friends are supportive of the developing connection, her father, Damon Dash, expressed surprise and disapproval upon seeing news of their public kiss.
“The one person who I don’t know is shipping it that hard is my dad,” Dash shared, recalling her father’s reaction. “So, that was something he just saw. He sent [the article] to me and he said, ‘Are you kidding me?'” She explained that her father took issue with “kissing in public,” but she clarified that he did not know the full context.
Dash elaborated on her growing closeness with Cooke and the “Summer House” cast, describing them as part of her extended friend group. “Honestly, me and Kyle and a lot of the ‘Summer House’ people are in the same friend group now. We’ve all gotten so close,” she said. “It’s not something I was expecting, but a lot of my best friends are friends with him and friends with Jesse [Solomon]. Like, I went to Coachella with Jesse and Mia [Calabrese], so I got to really know her there. I love their friend group so much.” Dash also noted a comfort with friendships involving people older than herself.
Previously, reports emerged in March linking Cooke and Dash after they were seen holding hands at dinner. At the time, Cooke addressed the rumors on “Watch What Happens Live” with Andy Cohen, explaining it was a family dinner for a blessing where holding hands was customary.
Sources at the Palm Tree Music Festival described Cooke and Dash as being affectionate in the VIP section. An eyewitness told Page Six that they were observed at a table for sponsor Celsius, noting, “It seemed like something romantic was going on from the way they looked at each other. There was definitely a vibe that they were into each other.” Another source confirmed the two reality stars were “kissing openly.”
While some insiders described the pair as being in the early stages of “talking and hanging out,” others close to Cooke, who recently ended his marriage to Amanda Batula, emphasized that they are not dating.