I am 38. I met a guy during a work assignment who is 23. I had never considered a younger man, but he was so cute and so intelligent. He did not ask me out but we chatted and friended each other on Facebook.

He left town the next day but told me in a Facebook message that I could text him on his cell phone anytime. A week later I texted him once and he replied. When he returned to town he liked a few of my Facebook photos. After that we began to text each other every day. We only had small talk and only in texts, but he would tell me all of the time everything that he did that day.

I asked him if he wanted to hang out one evening and have dinner somewhere. He said yes. We met there and went Dutch like friends would. He was really wonderful at dinner, asking me many questions about myself and seeming very interested in the answers. When the restaurant closed he didn’t want the evening to end, so we went to get coffee. At the end of coffee he started to say things about a girl he knows in another city — how they’re only friends but he thinks one day it could turn into more. I didn’t know why he said that, so I just replied that he should tell her how he feels. Then he changed the subject very fast.

Also during dinner he asked me if his blue eyes were nice. I said yes. I started to think maybe he likes me, which would be great. Then, at the end of the evening, he gave me a hug, like an awkward hug barely pressing against me, and no kiss. We texted again every day for three more weeks. He would never ask me out, so I asked if he’d like to hang out again. He said yes and we made plans for that Thursday. The night before, he cancelled with a lame excuse.

After that, three days later, and he said he didn’t think that we should be part of each other’s personal lives since we had to work together again soon (two months later). I respected his wishes, but a week later he texted me and started the texting and telling me everything about his life thing again.

I do not understand this guy. He seemed to like me, then didn’t, then did again, then didn’t. I have never run across a guy who gives such mixed signals. Was I wrong to even think that he was ever interested? I told my friend that he was probably never into this because I am older. Did he ever like me? And if so, what did I do wrong?

– Younger Man