Owner of a lonely heart

Yes, sadly, Gov. Charlie Crist and his beard girlfriend, Kelly Heyniger, 37, have split up. Apparently Kelly's outspokenness about their, um, relationship was just a little too much for the Guv.

"We're both busy people," Heyniger said. "Charlie's a great guy. I love what he stands for."

As soon as the two meet in February at an American Red Cross function at the Jupiter Island home of developer Paul Hanna and his wife, Carrie, Crist and Heyniger were attached at the hip whether at mundane early-evening events or in late-night restaurants here.

Says Carrie Hanna: "Things have cooled off, but they enjoyed each other's company while it lasted."

[...]

The governor's handlers didn't comment. But a source close to the administration said Crist was annoyed when Heyniger appeared on a West Palm TV station in May and confirmed publicly that their relationship was more than just a friendship and that they hung out every other weekend.

Word is the governor and his image-makers believed Kelly's interview got a little too personal and self-promoting.

"I didn't hear any complaints about that," Kelly said.

Rumors about Gov. Crist have been flying around Palm Beach for months. Was Kelly just a front? Were they truly an "item?" I guess we'll never know now ...

But, Kelly? -- I'm still available. ;)