DEAR HARRIETTE: My husband has an old college friend who has come back into the picture. She is very nice, but I also find her a bit clingy. She is single, and she is constantly asking him to fix her up on dates.
My husband is in his 60s, and we’ve been married for many years. He is hardly on the dating scene. Sometimes I wonder if she is trying to steal his attention. She makes me uncomfortable. At the same time, my husband seems to be happy checking in on her from time to time. They go out for drinks and have gone to a museum. I went with them once, but it wasn’t fun for me. What can I do to ensure that this woman doesn’t try to muscle in on my man? -- Jealous
DEAR JEALOUS: There’s a saying about keeping your enemies close. While she may not really be an enemy, she is a lonely woman. Rather than encouraging or even condoning drinks with her, invite her to join you guys at home for dinner and drinks. Create comfortable opportunities for all three of you to be together. You can get to know her. You can welcome her into your home and make it clear what your life is like while also creating space for your husband to enjoy time with his old friend without too much space for her to make a move, if she is so inclined.
(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)