She told me, "My work husband and I cuddle sometimes. It's platonic. If you don't get it, that's your issue."
I said, "You're right."
The next morning, I canceled every reservation and gift for her birthday weekend. That night, she arrived with her friends and found out the table was canceled under: Reason: no longer needed. She broke down crying in front of everyone.
If you looked at my Google Calendar two weeks ago, you would have seen an entry titled "Operation 30." It was my girlfriend Maya's 30th birthday weekend, and I had spent three months curating it with the precision of a military strike. I'm a project manager by trade, and I treat my relationships with the same level of dedication I give my career. I don't do half measures.
Maya had been hinting for months that she wanted a princess-treatment birthday—something that would look good on Instagram and feel expensive in real life. I delivered. The itinerary was locked: Friday night at The Vain, the hardest reservation to get in the city. I had to call in a favor with a client just to get a table for six. Saturday was a full-day spa package for her and her best friend, Sarah, followed by a surprise overnight stay at a boutique hotel downtown. Sunday was brunch. Total cost: somewhere north of $4,000.
I didn't care about the money. I loved her. I wanted her to feel valued. But while I was securing reservations, Maya was securing an emotional connection with Gavin.
Gavin was the work husband. It started subtly, as these things always do. Six months ago, he was just "the new guy in marketing who doesn't know how to use Excel." Then he became "Gavin who brings me coffee." Then "Gavin who really understands the pressure of this industry."
I'm not a jealous man by nature. I have female friends. I understand workplace camaraderie. But the boundaries started eroding in ways that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
Texts started coming in at 10:30 p.m.
"Work emergency?" I'd ask, glancing at her phone lighting up the nightstand.
"No," she'd say, not looking up, her thumbs flying across the screen. "Gavin's just sending me memes. He's going through a rough patch with his girlfriend. He needs support."