Close friends or is there something else there?

[steelgator]

Background- Me and this girl knew each other from high school but didn't really talk a whole lot. We had seen each other a couple times at after college at bars and said hey and what not. Fast forward now to our early 30's. Became social media friends and then she introduced me to her travel nursing agency. We are both travel nurses. We are now in the same city but she's moving in a couple days. The first time we hung out at her place we were Netflix and chilling and she just randomly said "hey I'm just looking for friends just to let you know, I'm just really happy to finally have a friend nearby and I'm not emotionally available" I said "okay that's fine I know and I feel the same way." Well fast forward 2 months later and we are hanging out multiple times a week. She will randomly say stuff like "my friends are asking who is that good looking guy you are hanging out with and I just say we're friends, also "You are such a nice guy you're gonna make a wonderful husband some day." But she doesn't ever dress up nicely when we go out. The other night we went to a comedy improv show and got singled out by the comedian and he asked if we were dating. She took the reigns and said "yes" . and then he made a joke about popping the question and I said "probably never". We laughed but I felt kind of shocked she would openly say that. Then we went back to her place and were watching a movie. Mind you she ALWAYS goes to sleep no later than 11 and it was 1230 and she was fighting sleep and I asked why doesn't she go to bed. She said "because I wanna hangout with you I'm having fun". I told her to get rest and we'd hang out the next day. So we hang out yesterday and she tells me really private past traumas that she has supposedly never told anyone and that if I hadn't come to the city she would be depressed as she doesn't really have any friends here and that she appreciates me spending time with her and how close we've grown. I told her I'm appreciative of her too. She's playfully touched my shoulder before and whenever we hug its really tight. But we haven't kissed or anything like that. I am moving to Louisville soon and she to North Carolina and she said she is already looking at flights to Louisville to come visit and wants me to stop in North Carolina to see her and meet her best friend before I move. She also said she wants to come to a music festival next year with me and to meet in Denver as I told her I want to move there permanently soon. This past week I have started to have strong feelings for her and don't know if she feels the same as she told me 2 months ago she only wanted to be friends but she seems to want to see me ALOT. I value this friendship strongly but I also need to be fair to myself and her. I'm afraid if I do then things will be different and she won't want to visit me and vice versa.

 

Edited November 3, 2021 by steelgator

[Wiseman2]

3 minutes ago, steelgator said:

This past week I have started to have strong feelings for her and don't know if she feels the same as she told me she just wanted to be friends but she seems to want to see me ALOT. I value this friendship strongly but I also need to be fair to myself and her.

Unfortunately yeah, seems like the friendzone. That's Ok. When you move, start dating new women and keep her as a collogue/friend.

[glows]

Two months isn't a very long time. And two days is in a VERY short time. Both of you will be distanced again. Let this cool off and meet again some other time as friends. Use the cooling off period to rethink everything. And do meet local ladies where you are or when you move.