Cheryl Cole is rumoured to be giving her marriage to Ashley Cole another chance. So her ex-husband may be surprised that the singer shared an intimate dinner with an ex-boyfriend in Los Angeles on Friday night.
The 28-year-old is on her first trip to the States since her humiliating sacking from the X Factor USA judging panel two months ago. And while footballer Ashley, 30, remained in Britain for pre-season training with Chelsea, Cole met up with former boyfriend Derek Hough, the man she described as her "rock" during her divorce.
She was laughing as she arrived at the Sushi Roku restaurant in Hollywood at around 10pm. With her for moral support was Girls Aloud bandmate Kimberley Walsh, 29.
Professional dancer Hough, who dated Cole for over a year, arrived 10 minutes later and the group spent more than an hour at a corner table talking intimately.
Onlookers described Cole, who is on a six-month break from showbusiness, as looking "very cosy" with Hough — who became close with her after she split from her former husband in February 2010.
"They were locked in conversation," a source said.
"It is a romantic restaurant and they were having an intimate chat by candlelight. She was smiling and laughing and they looked very cosy.
"Everyone has been speculating about her getting back together with Ashley, but you wouldn't think so if you saw how she was with Derek."
The source continued: "Derek looked like the cat who got the cream when he was sitting with her.
"Of course, they could just be good friends, but if I was Ashley Cole I'd be worried."
The 28-year-old is on her first trip to the States since her humiliating sacking from the X Factor USA judging panel two months ago. And while footballer Ashley, 30, remained in Britain for pre-season training with Chelsea, Cole met up with former boyfriend Derek Hough, the man she described as her "rock" during her divorce.
She was laughing as she arrived at the Sushi Roku restaurant in Hollywood at around 10pm. With her for moral support was Girls Aloud bandmate Kimberley Walsh, 29.
Professional dancer Hough, who dated Cole for over a year, arrived 10 minutes later and the group spent more than an hour at a corner table talking intimately.
Onlookers described Cole, who is on a six-month break from showbusiness, as looking "very cosy" with Hough — who became close with her after she split from her former husband in February 2010.
"They were locked in conversation," a source said.
"It is a romantic restaurant and they were having an intimate chat by candlelight. She was smiling and laughing and they looked very cosy.
"Everyone has been speculating about her getting back together with Ashley, but you wouldn't think so if you saw how she was with Derek."
The source continued: "Derek looked like the cat who got the cream when he was sitting with her.
"Of course, they could just be good friends, but if I was Ashley Cole I'd be worried."
