Galey Alix Describes Her Breakup With Dale Moss: ‘Something Was Missing’ (Exclusive)

• PEOPLE spoke with Galey Alix, in her first interview since ending her romance with her The bachelorette breakout Dale Moss.
• She describes what went wrong in their romance, noting that “something was missing” between them.
• Since then, romance rumors have arisen between Moss and Remi Bader, although neither has confirmed that they are dating.

Galey Alex gets real about what led to her divorce Dale Mossand where the two stand now.

In a candid conversation with PEOPLE, the designer and social media star opens up about the end of her relationship with Moss, whom she dated for two and a half years before breaking up with her.

“No one was unfaithful, no one said anything nasty, offensive or caustic. We were two people who really respected and cared about each other and were sad to say goodbye,” says Alix. “And we both, after all these years of being best friends and each other’s confidants, supporters and cheerleaders, still truly love each other. It’s just not meant to be.’

“I hope we can be friends in the long run, I would love to be. I just don’t know what that’s going to look like,” she adds. “I will say that we have a lot of friends in common, and it’s hard to see him on social media, commenting on other people’s things, or seeing pictures with him pop up in friends’ stories and things like that. I was just being kind. I have to protect my heart a little bit there and temporarily remove some people I follow so I don’t get sad. But I think everyone would understand that.’

Alix first revealed that she had broken up with Moss during the October 9 episode Congratulations to Kendall and Galeythe podcast she shares with Kendall Toole. She previously opened up about their romance during a June 2023 interview with PEOPLE.

The two first met when she stumbled into his DMs after hearing him on an old episode of the Girls Must To eat podcast from 2018. Although Bachelor Nation fans know Moss from his time on season 16 of The bachelorettewhere he won the heart of Clare Crawley, Alix did not, as the episode was shot two years earlier when he was working as a model and entrepreneur after ending a short-lived NFL career.

Intrigued by his voice, Alix shot her shot and within days of her message, the two were on their first date and bonded over their shared experiences of failed engagements, both in 2021.

Their romance developed quickly from there, with Moss regularly commuting from his home base in New York to see Alix between his various work commitments. He even put some money into the renovation projects for her former HGTV series, Home in a heartbeat.

But the combination, Alix now tells PEOPLE, wasn’t perfect.

“The best way I can describe the relationship is that good is the enemy of great,” she says. “I work very, very hard at everything I do: being a dog mom, being a homeowner, being a designer, renovator, podcaster, and social media content creator. In everything I do, I try to be great. I do my very best, but when something is good, I feel like I didn’t do enough. And when I look at that relationship, I think we would both say it was good, but not great.

“Something was missing,” Alix continues. “And I can’t quite put my finger on what it was, but if you’ve been with someone enough seasons and it’s still not there, you kind of know it will never be there.”

The distance cannot have been easy, although Alix praises Moss for being “extremely kind and wonderful” during most of the journey. “I give him kudos for flying almost every week, if not every few weeks, to be with me. I had a sick dog, was filming and had been the one flying all the time in my last long distance relationship So I really stuck to my guns and said, “I don’t want to be the one traveling all the time.” It was completely up to Dale to fly back and forth, and he certainly carried that burden.”

However, she notes that one of the signs that it wasn’t working was that she imagined what would happen if he asked to break up with her. “I kind of realized that if he had come and told me he wanted to leave tomorrow, I wouldn’t have fought his decision. And he deserves someone who will fight for him.”

Still, breaking up wasn’t something Alix decided to do lightly.

“It was a very, very difficult decision – and I was the one who made the decision – but I know it was the right decision for both of us, and not just for me,” says Alix. “I think deep down he’ll be happy that it ended when it did and that we didn’t drag it on any longer if he finds a love that’s amazing. And I want that for him, I really do; just like I want it. ” That’s for me one day.”

“I love him so much,” she continues. “I know he deserves someone to look at him in a way that makes him feel great. And it’s sad, but when I really thought about it, I knew that wasn’t me.”

Even today, she is still dealing with the grief. “Being in a relationship with a really good person who you care about and respect, and who you know deep down, is solid and great, but not good for you, and who you know will be hurt by your choice to break up? That’s a very sad and difficult pill to swallow,” says Alix.

It also goes against her instincts as a self-proclaimed people pleaser.

“Oh, I’m the kind of person who will cut off my own foot if it avoids confrontation or hurts someone else. That’s why I literally destroy my body for 72 hours in an attempt to please a stranger I may never see again.” their home,” says Alix, referring to her thriving interior design and home renovation business. “That’s how much joy I get from making people happy. It’s my drug of choice. But I think I take comfort in knowing that one day this will please him because he will end up with the right person.”

Moss has recently been linked to influencer Remi Bader as the couple has done shared some flirty interactions onlinealthough they have not confirmed their relationship status.

Since their split, Alix and Moss have not seen each other, but they have spoken.

“I called him before the podcast came out, and I told him everything I was going to say,” Alix recalls. “I was very honest, clear and transparent with him, because that’s how much I respect him. And he said, ‘You don’t have to tell me anymore. I trust you. I’m not going to listen, but I know.’ that you will speak highly of me.” And I will always speak highly of him.”

“So again, I’m hopeful that we’ll stay friends and stay in touch. We both said that’s what we want to do. And we’re going to meet for lunch sometime before the end of this year when he’s in Florida. , just to talk,” Alix continues. “But we wanted to do it when things weren’t so emotionally charged right after the breakup.”

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Until then, Alix is ​​staying busy with her design business and has some big product launches in the pipeline. On November 8, she will launch Galey Alix x Livabliss, a beautiful 34-piece rug collection she designed that will be sold online at Amazon, Wayfair, Home Depot, Lowe’s and Bed Bath & Beyond. More lighting, furniture and decor collaborations with the brand are coming in January. She also has a wallpaper line, through Galey Alix Design, coming out the week of November 11th.

“It’s good to focus on things like this and take my mind off the pain,” she says. “And also the podcast has been a great, great outlet. Even if it doesn’t help other people, it certainly helps me.”