By MICHAEL GLYNN

"Scrubs" star Zach Braff has enlisted Jessica Simpson's help in winning back his ex-love, Mandy Moore. "Just because Zach seemed to be following Jess around a Hollywood nightclub recently, and then appeared to engage her in an intense conversation, everyone assumed he was hitting on her," said a source close to Zach, who plays Dr. John "J.D." Dorian on the NBC comedy.

But the two were actually talking about Mandy!

"Zach misses Mandy terribly and he'd do anything if she'd give him another chance," revealed the source.

"He insists that all those rumors about Mandy giving him the boot after she caught him cheating on her are hogwash.

"Zach said that Mandy told him that she simply thought they needed a break from one another.

"He believes that Mandy thinks there's too much of an age difference between them, and she wants to start seeing younger guys."

Zach, 31, has been "inconsolable" since his two-year relationship with Mandy, 22, ended in June, said the source.

"Since then, he's been doing everything he can to get Mandy back — even using Jessica Simpson as a go-between!"

Zach is hoping that Jessica can help convince Mandy to give their relationship another shot.

"If anyone knows how much it can hurt to go through a very public split, it's Jess," added the source.