I didn’t mean for this to happen. Honestly, if you asked me a year ago, I would’ve said dating someone at work especially your boss is a terrible idea. Messy, risky, all the things people warn you about.
But here I am.
She’s not just my boss in the “gives me tasks and signs off on things” kind of way. She actually listens. Like, really listens. The kind of person who remembers small details you casually mentioned weeks ago. The kind who checks in when you’ve been quiet, not to micromanage, but because she cares.
At first, I admired her. Then I respected her. Somewhere along the way… that turned into something else.
It’s in the little moments. The way she smiles when she’s explaining something she’s passionate about. The way she says my name when she’s trying to get my attention it shouldn’t mean anything, but it does. And those brief conversations after everyone else leaves the office? They stick with me way longer than they should.
I’ve caught myself looking forward to work, not because of the job, but because of her. That’s when I knew I was in trouble.
The worst part is, I don’t even know if there’s anything there on her side. She’s kind to everyone, so maybe I’m just another employee she treats well. Maybe I’ve read way too much into basic human decency.
And even if there was something… what then?
She’s my boss. If I say something and it goes wrong, I don’t just risk rejection I risk my job. I risk making things awkward every single day. I risk losing something stable over a feeling I can’t even prove is real.
So I’ve been keeping it to myself. Acting normal. Pretending that my heart doesn’t do that stupid thing every time she walks into the room.
But it’s getting harder.
I don’t know if this is something I should bury and move on from, or if I’ll regret never saying anything. Has anyone else ever been in this kind of situation? What did you do?
Because right now, I feel stuck between protecting my life… and being honest about how I feel.