All for love or all for show? Big Brother’s Paulie Calafiore claims in a new interview with Us Weekly that his former housemate Natalie Negrotti is just using James Huling to get ahead in the game.

“After Natalie has said multiple times that she will only be friends with James outside of the house, I think it is pretty obvious,” Paulie, 27, who was evicted during the August 18 episode, tells Us. “I think their relationship in the game is purely strategy. They do have genuine feelings, but as far as a relationship she has stated multiple times that she has no interest in dating him and will only be friends.”

Paulie’s distrust of the former NFL cheerleader, 26, is nothing new. The two got into a heated argument when Natalie told Paulie’s own love interest, Zakiyah Everette, that his flirting made her uncomfortable. The DJ would go on to make waves when he told Natalie that she was “as fake as the things” on her chest.

“My relationship with Zakiyah in the house was pretty up and down. It was good when she wasn’t getting jealous and territorial,” Paulie tells Us. “I will stay in touch with her outside of the house, for sure. You never know what life is going to throw your way and where you will end up. She is definitely a special person in my life.”

Like their showmance, Paulie’s game unraveled at the tail end of his BB stay. He went from being one of the most charming contestants to a cutthroat butterfly-hater who momentarily ditched Zakiyah and refused to play by the rules. (Cough, apple pie baking, cough.)

His gameplay most mimicked that of his younger brother, Cody Calafiore (who was the season 16 runner-up) and that year’s winner Derrick Levasseur.

“I think I tried to be a pleasant mix of both. However, coming into this game I was trying to have as many of my own tactics as well as tactics of all the great players of the past,” Paulie explains. “I tried to take things from Mike Boogie, Dr. Will, Rachel [Reilly], even Vanessa [Rousso] … In terms of social game mixed with strategy and manipulation.”

For more with Paulie, read the rest of his Q&A below:

US WEEKLY: Was it strategy when you cut your hair and dressed similar to Paul Abrahamian?

PAUL CALAFIORE: It was a little bit of both. I am the type of guy that likes to change up his looks every now and then because I think looks come secondary to personality. It was part strategy in the sense that I knew his personality type and the things that mattered to him most. Doing a stunt like that fit in with something that he would consider friendship.

US: What’s your biggest regret in the house?

PC: I never live life with regrets so I would say that I have no regrets in the house. When it comes to a strategy perspective, the only thing I would have done differently is make sure that mine and Michelle [Meyer‘s] friendship was mended the week that she was on the block. My mistake was that I trusted my alliance’s loyalty to not be swayed by any type of tactic that was being used that week.

US: What was your favorite and least favorite competition?

PC: To be honest I loved all of them. The only competitions that I didn’t like were the crapshoot competitions. One of which I didn’t have to compete in because I was the returning HOH. Those competitions do not appeal to the strengths that I have mentally and physically. It only appeals to luck.

US: How would you describe your time in the Big Brother house in three words?

PC: Best!! Time!! Ever!!

US: Would you return for another season?

PC: I would definitely return for another season. I feel like I have a lot of unfinished business; however, we never know where life will take us. If there are opportunities in my life that keep me from doing it, that would be the only factor keeping me from doing it. I’m a gamer and anytime there is an opportunity for competition, your boy is always down.

US: Will you be baking apple pies anytime soon?

PC: I will be baking pies once I find a girlfriend that I decide to have a serious relationship with.

The next Big Brother airs on CBS Wednesday, August 24, at 8 p.m. ET.

Relive Paulie’s eviction in the video above!