Dear Prudence,
I’m 22 and have been working at my dream job for eight months. My supervisor, Mitch, in his mid-40s, has been an amazing mentor. He personally oversaw my training and has been incredibly generous with his time. I trusted him completely and held him in very high regard. Then Mitch learned about my long-term boyfriend and now seems angry with me. I asked for two days off to care for my boyfriend after he undergoes minor surgery, and when Mitch asked what the time off was for, I thought nothing of telling him. Mitch became very formal and asked me if this was a new relationship. When I told him we’d been together for years, he sent me away. Later Mitch called me into his office and said it was both unprofessional to tell him about caring for my boyfriend and misleading to have not mentioned my boyfriend before. He used the word misleading several times. Mitch denied my PTO request and has since been terse with me. The only thing that makes sense is that Mitch is attracted to me—but I feel sick when I think of that, because it’s such a heavy accusation. I’m not sure what to do.
—Boss Mad About Boyfriend