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Austin, Tex., resident Laurel Kagay was just minding her own business and watching The Bachelorette Monday. Then suddenly, her name was mentioned.

In a hilariously staged return, ousted suitor Jake Pavelka came back to tell Jillian Harris that Wes Hayden, a remaining contender, had a girlfriend.

Her name is Laurel, Jake told Jillian and millions of viewers. Wes denied he is dating her. Jake ratted him out anyway. Laurel Kagay sat in shock at home.

“I was like, ‘What?’” Laurel told People in an interview today. “There was this pause before he said my name – and then he said it quite a few times.”

Michelle Young, Pre-Rose Ceremony
(ABC)

Laurel Kagay, owner of Peach Body Boutique in Austin, would like to clear the air on this topic, which has dominated the contrived Bachelorette for weeks.

She dated Wes Hayden for three years, but they are broken up, and have been for quite a while now. The two became strictly friends a year ago, she said.

“I’m absolutely not with Wes, nor would I be with Wes if he were going on a show to be with another girl,” she says. “That’s absolutely crazy.”

So how did Jake Pavelka get things mixed up?

“I think he was paid by the producers to come on the show and confront Wes definitely upset about not being on the show anymore,” Laurel theorized.

Laurel Kagay insists that she and Wes Hayden – who has caught considerable flak for romancing Jillian Harris while supposedly dating Laurel – are not an item.

“And I think Wes did say something about his ex-girlfriend. Maybe he said he still cares about me or whatever. Maybe Jake blew that into something else.”

However, Laurel Kagay admits, “We are really good friends and we do go out to lunch together, so I could see how people could think we’re together.”

Oddly enough, Laurel is also linked to another famous name in The Bachelor franchise – Brad Womack, the Texan who chose no one on his season finale.

Laurel Kagay has also dated Collin Evans, who was briefly a contender on The Bachelorette’s third season with Jen Schefft. Sounds like she has a type!

As for Wes Hayden, who The Bachelorette has presented as the ultimate bad boy, Laurel says, “They have not shown Wes’ real personality at all. He’s so funny. When we were together, we were always laughing and having fun.”

“I never worried about him cheating on me.”

“She seems to have fun and has a good personality,” Laurel says of Jillian Harris, “and he’s really fun and funny. Too bad all this craziness had to go down.”