90 Day Fiance’s Tim Is ‘Shocked’ That Veronica and Jamal’s Relationship Is Exclusive

90 Day Fiancé star Tim Malcolm admitted he was surprised when his friend Veronica Rodriguez made her relationship with Jamal Menzies official.

After seeing each other casually for “about nine months ago,” Veronica, 38, revealed to Tim, 42, that she and Jamal, 28, agreed to start dating exclusively during the Monday, January 8 episode of 90 Day: The Single Life. Tim admitted he was “shocked” by the decision, adding that he had concerns because Jamal doesn’t have a job or his own place.

Tim may be skeptical of Veronica’s new romance because he was previously engaged to the Miami native. Despite not being able to make it as a couple, the pair have remained close friends since they called off their engagement in 2015.

“Veronica and I were together [for] eight years and just never, you know, tied the knot. We were starting to take different paths in life and we just changed,” Tim revealed during his 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days debut in 2019.

The TLC personality revealed that their separation turned nasty when they began to fight over their cars, their house and their furniture. “But we finally got to a good place and now, she’s my best friend,” Tim said. “We’re just two close friends that used to be engaged.”

Veronica seemed happy to put a label on her romance with Jamal, though she said that her boyfriend is “not a great communicator.”

“You suck at communication,” she told him earlier in the episode. “You don’t text back at all.”

Veronica went on to state that Jamal’s lack of communication had a negative impact on their relationship. However, Jamal argued that it wasn’t necessary for them to “talk 24/7.”

“I’m more of a face to face person, that’s always been my vibe,” Jamal, who is the son of franchise alum Kim Menzies, explained in a confessional. “Like, when we’re here, we’re here. But Veronica takes it personally when I’m not available to her and I can see maybe an insecurity of her thinking like, ‘Oh, he just doesn’t care to talk to me,’ but that’s never been the case.”

Veronica made it clear that she didn’t agree and explained that it was important for them to take their relationship seriously. “I want to settle down, like, forever-ever with someone and I just want things to keep going well for Jamal and I’s relationship,” she said. “I think it’s worth the risk but if he hurts me, it, you know, could crush me.”

In Touch previously confirmed the couple was seeing each other in December 2022 after Veronica split from Justin Foster. A source added that the romance wasn’t serious and they were “having fun.”

She later confirmed that they were dating during the 90 Day: The Single Life season 3 tell-all. Veronica explained that they met after she reached out to Jamal to ask him for recommendations for her getaway to his hometown of San Diego.

While she said they “really hit it off,” Jamal suggested that they be in an open relationship. Veronica said she was “open” to the idea of dating other people, though said she was too “lazy” to pursue anyone else.