Friends Say Jessica Simpson's New Guy Is a Keeper

After a string of romances that left her heart broken, Jessica Simpson has finally found love with ex-NFL player Eric Johnson -- according to her brother-in-law, rocker Pete Wentz.

"He's a really smart guy, and Jessica really loves him," Wentz, who is married to Simpson's younger sister, Ashlee, toldPEOPLE at Monday night's VH1 Save the Music Gala in New York. "I think that's the most important thing, seeing her happy."

A source close to Simpson agreed, telling PopEater, "She is really happy. Eric is such a good guy ... they are great together."

Simpson and Johnson, who graduated from Yale University and played pro football for several years, were recently spotted out together at P.O.V., the rooftop bar at the W Hotel in Washington, D.C., PEOPLE reported. At first, they sat across from each other but later, "he came over and sat next to her."

While Simpson is enjoying her romance with Johnson, she was upset when she learned that her ex-husband, Nick Lachey had gotten engaged to longtime girlfriend Vanessa Minnillo, PopEater's Naughty But Nice columnist Rob Shuter reported on Nov. 5. "Even though Jessica wants to be happy for Nick, this is a very difficult time for her," a friend of Simpson told Shuter. "Nick was the love of her life then, man, and he was her first, so she will always have a very special place in her heart for him. She's deeply saddened."

On Nov. 4, reps for Lachey and Minnillo told Us Weekly that Lachey had proposed to the former Entertainment Tonight correspondent, whom he started dating in 2006, not long after his divorce to Simpson. "We're excited and incredibly happy about our engagement and we look forward to a wonderful future together," the couple said in a statement.