Once upon a time, Ashlee Simpson was all Ryan Cabrera wanted, all he needed. These days she’s engaged to Evan Ross, but her spiked-haired ex certainly isn’t out of her life. In fact, on July 13, Simpson and Ross attended Cabrera’s 32nd birthday bash at the Kia Motors Malibu Estate, a source tells Us Weekly.
“They were both super cute with one another, very affectionate and very touchy feely,” the source said of the bride and groom-to-be. “At one point Ashlee even had Evan sitting on her lap as they conversed with their friends.”
Don’t worry, the “On the Way Down” crooner has clearly moved on since dating Simpson back in 2004, working hard on new music. Cabrera, who is no longer managed by Ashlee’s father, Joe Simpson, is planning to release a new album this fall with Dynamite Music.
At the birthday bash, the insider tells, Simpson encouraged Ross, the son of recording legend Diana Ross, to listen to her ex’s new work, “urging Ryan to play his new record for Evan so he could listen to it and maybe give him some insight on some lyrics that Ryan was struggling with. Evan and Ryan talked about collaborating and getting in the studio together. Both of them sounded super stoked on the idea and will be making it happen sooner than later.”
This wasn’t the first interaction between the three pals. On July 9, Simpson and Ross visited State Social House’s Wednesday Night Laugh Attic Comedy Show on the same night that Cabrera happened to be there. The couple joined his table, chatting for the rest of the night.
Simpson and Cabrera were close pals before dating on the reality series The Ashlee Simpson Show. Her song “Pieces of Me” was written for him, and his single “Photo” was an ode to Jessica Simpson’s little sis.