‘Southern Hospitality’: Mikel Simmons Wonders Why Grace Lilly ‘Sat There’ at Her Party ‘While These People Were Attacking Me’ [Exclusive]

Grace Lilly and Mikel Simmons from Bravo‘s Southern Hospitality never addressed why Lilly didn’t follow Simmons after he made an emotional exit from her birthday tea party – until now.

After feeling ganged up on at the party he helped Lilly plan, Simmons made a hasty exit after launching a drink at TJ Dinch, who was the main source of his frustration. Maddi Reese, not Lilly, followed Simmons in an attempt to calm him. Meanwhile, Lilly was seen seated at the table with the rest of their friends, laughing and enjoying the party.

Simmons and Lilly are supposed to be best friends, so why didn’t she check on him? “I’m really glad you asked me that question,” Lilly told Showbiz Cheat Sheet when asked why she didn’t follow Simmons.

“I’m curious too,” Simmons pipped in during the interview.

Grace Lilly apologizes to Mikel Simmons from ‘Southern Hospitality’

Lilly said she was really enjoying her day and wanted to make it clear she never laughed at Simmons when he made his big exit from the party.

“I was in my own world that day. I was drinking a little bit,” she recalled. “And I came in with the intention of not fighting with anyone on my birthday. Because that’s just not the energy that I wanted to put out on my big day. And it was wrong of me not to stick up for Mikel. And I never laughed at him, so I just want to make that clear. There was no me laughing at him. I mean, I was lit, I will admit that. So I might have been a little giggly, but if I ever did laugh, it was never towards Mikel or to hurt his feelings.”

“I did try to run after him, but Maddi was like, ‘I got this. it’s OK.’ So, you know, she stepped up and she was the one with Mikel,” Lilly shared. “And I agreed that I could’ve done more. And our friendship means a lot to me, Mikel. So I do apologize.”

Does Mikel accept Grace’s apology?

Simmons owned the fact he blew up the party with the drink toss and conflict. “At the end of the day, my actions are not excusable whatsoever,” he admitted. “I think on my end of it, even during the entire process, even Maddi having my back the entire time and still stood up for me the entire time.”

“So as I was rewatching, I was like, damn, I got this girl’s back 24/7 and while these people were attacking me and you kind of sat there,” Simmons said about Lilly. “Which is, I told you, it is your birthday, it’s your day. But it kinda seemed like, ‘Oh, he’s upset. I’m enjoying my day.’ Which is rightfully so. But I’m like, damn girl, like I got your back!”

Simmons teased that more drama is ahead for the duo. “And you’ll see in further clips throughout the season I’ve had her back in so many situations. So, while I was rewatching, I’m like, does she really have my back?” he wondered. “But me and Grace are fine right now but that was a moment of like, OK I’m still kind of upset by this. It was weird to me. It was very weird to see my friend not have my back during that time.”

Grace Lilly and Mikel tease more ‘Southern Hospitality’ conflict between the besties

Simmons and Lilly hadn’t addressed the party exit until the interview with Showbiz Cheat Sheet. But they had cleared the air about another situation. “We’ve talked about another situation similar to this that happens in Charlotte,” Simmons said.

“So it’s a recurring act!” he laughed. “But we overcame it.”

So what happened in Charlotte? “A lot went down in Charlotte. I’m not gonna say too much,” Lilly dished. “You just got to tune it. But there was a lot that went down. And I’m thankful for Mikel and he has my back. He really does. And I owe him.”

Southern Hospitality is on Monday night at 9 pm ET on Bravo.