I’ve been dating my girlfriend since May. We were former co-workers for many years (we no longer work together) quite a while back. We always had attraction for each other while we worked together, but we could never act on our impulses (I was married to a toxic and abusive woman at the time). I was divorced in 2014 and we ended up being in contact again. (After 17 years together, my ex-wife chose to have an affair with a younger “man” she met at a bar, and took me for everything I had in the process.)

Since May, things have been great. I enjoy everything about my girlfriend. She’s brought a happiness to my life that I’ve never experienced. She is finally going to get her belongings from her ex after eight months away from him. She tried before, but he refused to give them to her. Also, she has not told him that she is with anyone else because she said it would “hurt his feelings.” She still texts him often, and shows me all of the silly texts where they jokingly insult each other and make fun of each other. Does she still have feelings for him or is she just being “nice,” which is her nature? Should I be concerned about all of the back and forth?

– Mr. Finally Happy but Scared