I’m in a great relationship with my girlfriend of three years. Lately though, I’ve been hanging out with her friend who now works for the same company I do. My girlfriend is OK with it, and nothing’s going on, but her friend’s a little flirtatious. Is it still OK to hang out as long as no moves are made?
Want to Do the Right Thing.
Claire: Tick tock…tick tock. That’s the sound of a bomb waiting to blow, my friend. If you’re uncomfortable enough to ask whether or not a line’s being crossed, then maybe you should back off.
First step is to avoid those intimate one-on-ones. Go out for lunch in groups, avoid her when drunk at the office Christmas party. Every now and then, talk about how great your girlfriend is. Mention how you speak to her in weird baby voices, and what your next vacation together will be like. Keep the venting strictly for boys and beer.
Andrea: Andrea may be my half sister, but we are in full agreement on this one. The fact that you’d even write this is a sign that you’ve thought about it going further (which is normal, but dangerous). It’s that stereotypical slippery slope that starts with her stopping by your desk to borrow a Post-It, and ends with you imagining her on your desk, doing things that have nothing to do with Post-Its. So, since you asked, the rules are: group lunches only, burp often and loudly, scratch often and blatantly, and swear like a rabid trucker.
