Matthew Lawrence and Chilli.Photo:Randy Shropshire/Getty
Randy Shropshire/Getty
When it comes toRozonda “Chilli” ThomasandMatthew Lawrence’s relationship, love has been both patient and kind.
The TLC singer, 52, opens up to PEOPLE about her life and new love in this week’s issue, ahead of Lifetime’snew documentaryTLC Forever. Chilli says that she and the actor, 43, are still on cloud nine, nearing a year into their relationship.
“I never thought the name ‘Matthew’ would make me blush so much,” says Chilli with a laugh. Though she wasn’t a bigBoy Meets Worldfan, she’d seen him in other projects and “I always thought he was cute.”
Matthew Lawrence then and now.ABC Photo Archives/ABC/Getty; Jim Smeal/REX/Shutterstock
“To this day we have not had one argument,” she says. “I’m like ‘Matthew, it’s gonna happen one day, cause we’re going to be together forever.'”
Chilli and Matthew Lawrence.backgrid
Even as they navigate a long-distance relationship — with her in Atlanta and Lawrence in Los Angeles — “we know how to communicate very well with each other,” she tells PEOPLE. “And I didn’t want a relationship that I had to work so hard in.”
In their conversations, the two have reflected on finding love when they did. “Obviously we both are like, ‘Man if we had met years ago’ and all that.” But, says Chilli, “there’s our time and then there’s God’s time. When you go through more stuff you really appreciate that person so much more. You cherish the relationship in a different way. I’ve never experienced anything like this.”
For more on Chilli’s TLC journey and happy life with boyfriend Matthew Lawrence, pick up this week’s issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands everywhere Friday.
TLC Foreverairs June 3 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Lifetime.
source: people.com
