Pixabay A DWTS champ has opened up about her new relationship.
Season 20 “Dancing With the Stars” champ Rumer Willis has been dating boyfriend Derek Richard Thomas for several months, though their exact relationship timeline is unclear.
They kept their romance fairly quiet at the beginning, only sharing casual posts on social media, until Willis announced that she and Thomas are expecting a baby together.
In the time since, Willis has opened up about her relationship with Thomas, sharing some details about when they first met, their first date, and their future plans in an interview on the “Bathroom Chronicles” podcast.
Here’s what you need to know:
Rumer Willis Says Derek Richard Thomas Had a Girlfriend When She First Met Him
On the February 9, 2023, episode of the “Bathroom Chronicles” podcast, Willis spoke out about her new boyfriend for the first time.
“His name is Derek and he’s an unbelievable musician,” Willis said, adding that the first time she heard him sing, she fell in love with him. “The way that he was singing. The, like, heartbreak and passion. I was like ‘I want to know this person,'” Willis recalled. However, Thomas was in a relationship at the time, so the two didn’t connect on a deeper level.
A few months went by and Willis decided to reach out to him on Instagram — and she found out that he was single. The two ended up going on a date and really bonded. Willis said that Thomas was very playful and joked around with her and really made her laugh.
“There was just a part of it where I was like, ‘this is my best friend,'” Willis said. She called him “amazing,” and said that the two have made music together. Willis admits that it’s been a “whirlwind” but she feels like it was a sign from the universe that she and Thomas were destined to be together.
Willis and Thomas will welcome their first child in a few months. They are planning on moving in together before the baby’s arrival.
Rumer Willis & Derek Richard Thomas Share Sweet Messages to One Another on Valentine’s Day
Both Willis and Thomas shared tributes to one another on Valentine’s Day, both expressing their feelings for each other publicly for the first time.
“My sweet sweet man @derekrichardthomas I didn’t know that love could feel like this. I have never been so happy in my life,” Willis captioned her post. She included some photos of her and Thomas taken over the past year or so that they’ve been together.
“You make everything more fun and goofy and joyful. You take such good care of my [heart]. Your silliness and laughter is something I am so deeply grateful for and truly what made me fall in love with you. Thank you for being my partner in crime, my confidant, my best friend and always saying yes to adventure and challenging me to be the best version of myself,” she continued, adding, “Thank you for making me a mama, and being my partner in this wild ride into parenthood, you take such good care of me and our little one already. We are so lucky to love you.”
Willis signed the post “Rue and Little,” referring to the couple’s unborn child.
Meanwhile, Thomas wrote a similar post, revealing the nickname he has for Willis; “Roobie Rue.”
“You’re the best partner I could ever ask for, I love being around you. Thanks for believing in my dreams, for laughing at my jokes and always playing along. I’m so glad you are who you are. You’re genuinely so kind, funny, talented, intelligent, sexy and wise. You’ve changed my life forever, and for the better. I’m beyond grateful that we get to make a family together. Thank you for growing our child from scratch, I have so much reverence and respect for this journey you’re on. We’re on it together, but you’re doing all the heavy lifting and I get to just cheer you on, feed you tacos and appreciate you. I can’t wait to dance around the kitchen with our baby,” his post read.
“I want to thank you…for letting me….be myself…again… @rumerwillis I love the s*** out of you. All of it, the good s***, the real s***, the bull s*** AND the bat s***,” his post concluded. Thomas also included some memories from his first year with Willis. The last slide in his post was a video of Willis showing off her baby bump.
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