in thinking it's so hard to know when someone likes you back?

[DIONORA]

I feel like a teenage girl in high school again. I've come out of an awful abusive relationship and now feel like I'm ready to start dating again.

I like someone. He's wonderful. I don't know him well and know him through a mutual friend. We get on well, and I would love to ask him on a date. I'm not going to do that as I have no idea if he even fancies me. Probably not. I also have a young son (still a baby) and presume that this will send most men running.

Is it usually easy to tell when someone would say yes to a date? My confidence is through the floor and I'm thinking it would be easy to just forget about this guy and get on with life as I don't think I can handle the rejection!

Could you not get your mutual friend to drop a hint?
"My friend fancies you, worked with I was 13 or so."

Drop a hint...oh I'd love to see such and such film or I haven't had a night out in ages, or I'd love to try that new bar that's opened. See what he says.

If you're not up to asking him yourself then I'd get your mutual friend to do some digging for you :) Good luck!

Oh god, I wasn't expecting you to say use the mutual friend. The mutual friend is my brother (don't judge me!). I absolutely cannot do that! It would be mortifying.

I know this seems really stupid, but when considering I was in a relationship with someone who told me I was fat, ugly, worthless etc for years, I am so not good at this. I have little self esteem and I am working on it. I'm just terrified of embarrassing myself.

Oi... I'd speak to your brother about that first anyway, to be honest. Siblings can be awfully funny about their sibling dating their friend. My brother actually married one of my school friends and it was mightily weird, my other brother even explicitly asked me to never go after one of his close friends (so I didn't) because of how weird it was with the other brother.

You're not stupid to feel this way after years of systematic abuse from an absolute wankstain. Work on yourself, and when you're brave enough then take the risks. You don't need to push yourself if you're not ready love, it'll come.

My brother won't care. I know that. He's married to my best friend but in all seriousness, I know he wouldn't mind. He'd be happy for me.

Wouldn't that just be the perfect set up if this new guy is interested! :D I am crossing ALL the fingers for you!

Try this

Drop the guy a couple of hints as a pp said. See if he bites.

Oh god @ThatssomebadhatHarry 🙈

I think I just feel like my son is going to put him off. Who really wants to date a woman who's still breastfeeding a baby?

I like the idea of, "have you seen such and such yet, it looks really good and I want to see it" open the conversation up and go from there.

Also good luck lovely you sound like you deserve a nice time and a good man 🙂

I was going to suggest going to the local art gallery (I practically live there!) but just googled and it's a sex exhibition that's on 🤣 oh god. Glad I didn't suggest that!

Your baby comes first, and if he doesn't like you because you are still breastfeeding, is he even worth the bother?

Dont change you, your life just to please a man. Any man who loves and respects you will love you for you x

And yes, even when all the "signs" are there, it's extremely difficult to tell if they actually like you.

if your baby puts him off he isn't the right person for you anyway.