Roughly three weeks after Love Island stars Iris Kendall and Pepe Garcia-Gonzalez broke up, it seems like our queen’s moving on with — you guessed it — TJ Palma. On September 15, the Love Island USA stars were spotted holding hands at New York Fashion Week, and they also casually went Instagram official with a carousel of stunning couple photos. In the pics, Iris and TJ hold hands, cuddle, and flash “I’m in love” smiles. I have to agree with their fellow Love Island star, Hannah Fields, who commented: “BEEN WAITING FOR THIS ONE.”

When TJ was dumped from the island, Iris couldn’t stop sobbing, and she even tried to leave with him. And in July, TMZ caught Iris and TJ hugging it out when she got back to Los Angeles after the show. The vibes seem couple-y, for sure, but Iris later claimed that it was just a “closure” chat. Mhmmm.

It’s been obvious to me all along that these two had a special connection. Thank goodness they appear to be exploring it outside the villa (finally)! Here’s everything to know about Iris and TJ’s relationship.

Are Iris And TJ Dating After Love Island? All About Their Relationship

Iris Spotted With TJ After Pepe Breakup

In their joint IG post, Iris looks gorgeous in a red satin dress, and TJ’s wearing a sharp black suit. They captioned the photos with just a love letter emoji. Obsessed! That same day, they were photographed holding hands before attending the Luar fashion show in NYC. Hey, as Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line once said: “If it’s meant to beee, it’ll beee.” And I really think these two are meant to be. (I never really trusted Pepe, TBH.)

When Pepe and Iris split in August, she shared with E! News, “I’m so grateful for all of the love and support I’ve received since leaving the villa, and I wanted to share an update. The connection that I formed has ended, and while it isn’t how I would have imagined, I will always value the unique experience that we shared.”

Regarding the breakup, Pepe told TMZ that it’s “a tough thing when there’s a lot of eyes on you 24/7. It’s stressful. Being in the limelight isn’t always the best thing in the world.”

Iris And TJ Reconnected After Love Island Wrapped

#LoveIslandUSA contestants #IrisKendall and #TJPalma look like they may be giving things another shot back home on the mainland … because she’s hanging out with him, and not #PepeGarcia.#Exclusive story at the 🔗 HERE: https://t.co/ggTP2mSA4J pic.twitter.com/jzNsT8vJD0

— TMZ (@TMZ) July 15, 2025

Although Iris made it to the final four with Pepe, she seemed more than happy to reunite with TJ in July. In the TMZ clip, Iris and TJ can be seen smiling, hugging, chatting, and flirting. According to the outlet, they went on a walk and talked for two hours before heading to his place, where fellow season 7 islander Austin met them. Mind you, they were never even exclusive in the villa.

TJ was super supportive of Iris’ decision to stay in Fiji after he got dumped. “She was super upset and everything,” he recalled to Us Weekly. “She’s like, ‘There’s nothing here for me anymore. I wanna leave. I wanna leave.” He explained that the girls convinced her to stay, so she decided to “just feel it out.” At the time, TJ told her, “Hey, listen, this is your experience. That’s just what you’re here for. I don’t want you to regret it. You only have a week left, you might as well continue.” He emphasized that Love Island is a “once in a lifetime opportunity” and he didn’t wanna take that away from her.

This man’s always been a walking green flag. Happy for them!