[Rivière]

My assistant manager did suggest that she could speak with her on my behalf, or I could speak to her directly. However, she did say that if I were to speak with her (co-worker), it could destroy the friendship that has already been so quickly built, and would make working together a bit awkward. I agree with her on both accounts.

Normally I wouldn't beat it around the bush and ask her up front what's going on. However, again, I work with her. I do not wish to place myself, or her, in an uncomfortable/awkward position due to my misinterpretation of her behaviour. I know, and have known, deep down that she has only been joking with me. Even my assistant manager makes jokes with some of her female friends but they are genuinely just jokes and nothing more.

I was genuinely taking her flirtatious jokes as just that, a joke. I was perfectly ok until the male co-worker made comments. I thought maybe I'd missed something in the situation between my female co-worker and I that he had noticed.

She has spoken to me privately about her boyfriend and they both seem to have a good relationship, however he dislikes the fact she goes to the gym a lot (not that it matters now with the lockdown and whatnot) when he wants to spend time with her. Though she stated that they've got things out in the open, she's made a compromise and all seems well. My assistant manager is confident that my co-worker does genuinely love her boyfriend.

I feel like I'm looking for cracks in a relationship when there aren't any, trying to give myself false hope. I know that I could talk to her, but again, I work with her.