In Love With a Teen Co-worker

Hi Mona,

I worked for a few years with another guy. He was young and wanted to learn, so I taught him as much as I could. The more time I spent with him the more I liked him. I started inviting him out to party and hang out and grew closer and closer to him. Technically, since I was his boss I thought for sure it wouldn't be right to say anything about this to him, plus he was 17 and I, 21.... I wrote him a long email saying that I missed him and that I wanted to be with him. He responded by saying that he missed me too. Do you think I should pursue this?

So Ennis,

You and your love interest met on the job and now you find yourself distanced, longing for each others' embrace. It sounds like you've got your own personal Brokeback story in play, sans the tent scene and the wives. (OK, maybe that's a stretch, but I can honor the late Heath Ledger in my own way, right?).

Back to you 'mo. Are you a bad person for falling for a 17-year-old? Bad, no. Inappropriate, yes! Since he is so young and you were in a power position as his boss, Mona has to throw some caution in the fan: Keep it appropriate!

I say, trust your gut and keep a friendship for now (better yet, a few years). His attraction may be limited to your nurturing nature and your true attraction may lie in the need to nurture him. Squash the self-guilt and take a step back. Something tells me you know what boundaries to keep until the age thing and the person of authority thing subsides... read more

_{Image © Benjamin Earwicker.}