Scheana Shay is getting candid about her past affair with actor Eddie Cibrian in her upcoming memoir My Good Side. The 40-year-old Vanderpump Rules alum is sharing new details about how she fell for the actor and how she remained unaware of the warning signs during their relationship.
In an excerpt shared with Entertainment Weekly on July 2, Shay reflects on her first encounter with Cibrian and how their relationship developed over time.
How Scheana Shay Met Eddie Cibrian
Shay was 21 years old and newly graduated from Azusa Pacific University in 2006 when she moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the entertainment industry.
She soon found work at a private cigar lounge and restaurant, a hotspot for A-list celebrities, including Cibrian. The actor, who was married to Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Brandi Glanville at the time, began frequenting the venue to play poker on Tuesday nights.
Shay remembers the exact moment they met: “If you were to ask me when I was growing up what my exact type was, to a tee it was Eddie—tall, dark, and handsome, with dimples. The second we made eye contact, he smiled at me with those dimples, and I melted,” Shay wrote in her memoir.
A Relationship Built on Charm and Charisma
Although Cibrian was married to Glanville, Shay never thought much about it, explaining that this was a time before social media was a regular part of life. He never posted pictures of his family, and he allegedly didn’t wear his wedding ring around her.
Their relationship began as a casual fling, and according to Shay, Cibrian was the perfect gentleman.
She described him as “the sweetest, funniest, most charismatic, consummate gentleman I’d ever met,” adding that he always made her feel special, unlike the other patrons at the restaurant.
While she knew they weren’t exclusive, the relationship quickly became physical, with the pair meeting up every Tuesday night after Shay’s work shift and Cibrian’s poker game.
Noticing the Signs and Moving On
Despite their growing connection, Shay was young and not looking for anything too serious at the time. During their fling, she also started seeing actor Jesse Metcalfe, best known for his role on Desperate Housewives.
She called Metcalfe “an awesome guy” and enjoyed a lighter, more fun relationship with him. However, as often happens in relationships, they eventually grew apart, and Shay reconnected with Cibrian.
What she didn’t realize at the time was that Cibrian’s marriage to Glanville was on the brink of falling apart, and he was also seeing country singer LeAnn Rimes while still married. Cibrian and Glanville divorced in 2010, and he married Rimes in 2011.
The Revelation of the Affair
It wasn’t until someone at her job tipped her off that Cibrian was married that Shay began questioning the situation. When she confronted him about his marital status, Cibrian denied it.
Shay also admitted that she never visited Cibrian’s house, which she now looks back on as an odd detail she never thought twice about at the time. She was more focused on the convenience of their hangouts in Beverly Hills and Hollywood, given her financial situation at the time.
Shay now reflects on her naivety, admitting that she never saw any red flags despite the circumstances. “It really felt like we were building something. Did I think it was weird that I never went to his house? No!” she writes. “I didn’t see a single red flag, especially since we weren’t exclusive.”
Moving Forward
While the affair eventually ended, and Cibrian’s relationship with both Rimes and Glanville unfolded in the public eye, Shay has since made peace with the entire situation. Glanville, Rimes, and Shay have all publicly reconciled with one another in recent years.
Shay’s memoir, My Good Side, delves deeper into this chapter of her life and offers readers a glimpse into her personal experiences. The book is set for release on July 22 and is available for preorder now.
