Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz want desperately to get back together, despite Ashlee’s divorce filing back in February. HollywoodLife.com spoke exclusively to a source close to Pete who tells us the couple is practically inseparable these days, but there’s a major wedge preventing them from fully getting back together.

Unbelievably enough, that wedge is, according to our source, none other than Ashlee’s dad Joe Simpson.

“Joe is trying to shop around a reality show about Ashlee’s single life, and he’s already taken meetings with Oxygen and VH1 but so far they haven’t gone anywhere cause Ashlee wasn’t present. Before the ink on the divorce papers was even dry, Joe was booking Ashlee for studio time and filling up her schedule. She told her father she wasn’t feeling up to it, but Joe hired someone to film her when she chopped off her hair. They’ve also filmed her during a guitar lesson,” our source said. “They haven’t really filmed anything at all with Bronx especially because that would require Pete’s consent.”

As for Ash and Pete, they’re more “back together” than “separated” — much more. “Ashlee is always with Pete, even when he’s taking business meetings. Just yesterday they were doing something for Mother’s Day together,” we’re told.

(Ashlee filed for divorce Feb. 9 — and Pete filed a response asking for joint custody of their 2-year-old son Bronx.)

Pete doesn’t have ill will towards Joe, says our source, but he’s definitely troubled by the fact that he’s standing in the way. “Pete would love to just concentrate on a life with Ashlee and Bronx. When they got married he was at the height of his career, he was a big bassist, and he feels like the couple never had a real chance together,” our source said.

“It’s hard to pitch a show about Ashlee’s single life when she’s in the midst of reconciling with her ex-husband,” our source said.

Ashlee and Pete’s reps have no comment as yet.

Joe is pushing his daughter hard to do the show, our source says: “Joe is really working hard to make the reality show happen. He wants to have a pilot put together by August, just in time for the MTV Movie Awards so she could walk the carpet and start doing press.”

We contacted Joe about the show, and his response was: “Not correct. Sorry.”

Even though Pete has a lot of business to tend to this summer, including a project with Fuse in NYC and going out on the road with Cobra Starship, he’s putting everything on hold and is waiting for Ashlee. “He wants to know where he stands with her. He feels like they’re at a standstill and he can’t commit to any work until he hears from Ashlee,” our source said.

Joe may be working to prevent a reconciliation, but the rest of her family would be thrilled to see the couple officially back together! “Tina and Jess love Pete, they see him as Bronx’s father and they would definitely be for it,” our source said.

Source: Hollywoodlife.com

What do you guys think? Are the rumors real?