The Amazon Prime Video host is certainly no rookie when it comes to long-distance romance. Charissa Thompson and her long-time boyfriend Steve are managing a bi-coastal boot camp while balancing time zones, jobs, and a real farm. Even if he’s off being a productive adult somewhere else and she’s controlling herself in California, they manage to make romance seem like a Nicholas Sparks reboot. But let’s be clear—this isn’t love letters and love songs. It’s sweatpants, bad Wi-Fi, and a man in a blazer next to a wine glass and candles to impress her girl.

But while Steve is away, where precisely is Charissa posting? Not a luxury suite, not some Malibu mansion—nope.

It turns out Charissa’s ranching. And it’s 75 acres of farmland—not with another man. Yes, Charissa Thompson is living the good life at the ranch in California that she purchased two years ago. The only danger she faces is a chicken that tries to peck her boots. But even out in the sticks, love finds a way—and long-distance love? That one requires effort. On a recent episode of their Calm Down podcast, Charissa opened up about making long-distance work—something she’s been navigating with her boyfriend Steve.

A listener asked the million-dollar question: “My GF and I have been together for two and a half years, long distance from LA to NYC. Any tips to make long-distance work?” Charissa? She had stories. “Steve and I did this the other day, actually,” she began. “I was at the ranch, he was here. I wasn’t able to come back and see him before he left again. So we did a date night over FaceTime.”

And fasten your seatbelt—because Steve knew what he was supposed to do. Charissa continued, “I take a shower, throw on some sweats, hair in a slicked-back ponytail, call him… and he goes, ‘Oh shoot, I’m not ready.’ I’m like, what does he have to get ready for?” Hold on for a moment. Two minutes later, with a suit jacket, a wine glass, candles on the table, and a collared shirt, Steve calls back with all the rom-com excitement. Yes, candles. Plural. “Okay, now I’m ready for our date night,” he said.

Charissa melted. Erin swooned loudly. And for a moment, America contemplated putting Steve forward as the nominee for boyfriend of the year. Charissa told him, “You’re just a real national treasure,” Steve’s response? “I wanted to look nice for our date.” But Charissa admitted, “I looked insane,” she said. And Steve goes, “I just wanted you to know that I care.”

Here comes the collective AWW. Erin’s response was the only obvious one: “Aww…I love that.” And to be honest, the same. Amid blown-up schedules, offseason chaos, and an NFL life that’s anything but normal, this little FaceTime dinner with suit jackets and wine glasses was a touchdown. If Charissa’s dating life is the playbook, Steve just ran a perfect route.

But while Charissa was out here winning hearts over FaceTime, Erin was stuck with a different kind of heartbreak—the bestie kind. And when you’re used to daily check-ins and suddenly get radio silence from your podcast partner-in-crime? Let’s just say Erin didn’t hold back.

Erin Andrews misses her podcast partner-in-crime: Charissa Thompson

Abandonment is the only reasonable conclusion when your best buddy substitutes barn chores for brunch dates and fails to text you back for days. Or at least that’s how Erin Andrews presented it on their podcast Calm Down with Erin and Charissa—dramatically, hilariously, and in front of a large audience.

“She’s having an affair with a ranch, and it’s really pissing me off,” Erin declared, certain that she had been dumped for a chicken coop. You see, she wasn’t mistaken. Charissa Thompson has been hiding away on her ranch in California as if she were trying out for a Yellowstone remake. But in place of Kevin Costner, she has dogs, hens, and, if the wind is blowing right, a satellite dish.

And Charissa doubled down, refusing to deny the distance. “And he’s a great lover,” she retorted, speaking about her land as though it were the new man in her life. But despite the laughs, this was a serious case of bestie withdrawal rather than a scandal. The final words that Erin said to her were, “Hi, how are you? I’ve missed you.” And that wasn’t sarcasm—that was a friendship flare gun. Charissa, meanwhile, attempted to justify the lack of communication with a flimsy “there’s no service in some parts” defence. A cute attempt. But Erin didn’t accept it.

But then both of them quickly changed the subject and spiraled into confessing that they were both unable to finish a self-help book by Mel Robbins. Erin remarked, “I only got the introduction.” Charissa? “Same.” The accountability? Zero. The relatability? Off the charts. The secret, though, is that their friendship transcends all ranch dirt, regardless of how many texts are ignored or how many chickens stand in their way. Erin may throw a passive-aggressive jab here and there, but underneath it? Real-deal loyalty.

So yes, long-distance love can work—with candlelit FaceTimes, collared shirts, and someone who actually gets ready for online dates. And even better? Long-distance bestie-ships can survive too… as long as you’re willing to fake-accuse your co-host of cheating with livestock to bring her back to civilization. Charissa might have found peace in the pasture, but Erin? She’s not letting her off the hook that easily. Because at the end of the day, this duo is still the NFL’s best off-field storyline—and no ranch, rooster, or romantic getaway is going to change that.