Hey everyone, I need some advice on a situation at my new job. For context, I’m 22F and I’ve only been working at this local bar for about a month. I genuinely really like the job so far, but I’m struggling to navigate a weird dynamic with one of my older coworkers.
A bit of quick backstory on me: I dated a guy named Aiden (23M) for 4 years. We broke up this past summer and he moved away, I started this new bartending job. Through the breakup and everything, I am completely NOT looking for a relationship, marriage, or kids. I’ve been VERY open multiple times about being 22, young, and not wanting anything with ANYONE.
At my new job, there are two main guys I work with: Nathan (21M) and Aiden (32M, yes, same name as my ex).
At first, 32M Aiden and I got along really well and he was super welcoming. One night after work, we hung out and I opened up to him about my ex, my neurodivergence, family stuff, and explicitly told him that even if the perfect guy walked into the bar, I wouldn’t go for him because I’m just not in the right headspace. He told me about his ex, and it felt like a normal, friendly conversation.
After that, things got weird fast. He got my phone number without my consent by going behind my back to another coworker. Then he started texting me every single day to hang out and sent me around 8 Instagram Reels a day. It felt very needy, which triggered my anxieties from my past relationship, so I stopped replying to the Reels and turned down hangouts. At work, he would confront me and ask why I won't answer his messages or if I hate him. I kept reiterating that I’m an extremely busy person and just not on social media much.
He also brought up that he knows where I live. We live in the same general neighborhood, and he told me he drove past my house on his way to his uncle's house, who allegedly lives a few doors down from me, and mentioned that he saw me getting into my car.
Eventually, he backed off on the texting. Around that time, I noticed how he interacted with our other younger coworkers (Emma 23, Landon 17, Nathan 21, Freddy 20, Emily 20). He treated everyone with the same exact intense energy. Seeing that made me relax a bit. I figured I was just being paranoid and that he was just a naturally intense guy rather than targeting me.
Fast forward to recently. This past Saturday, Emma and Freddy (who are siblings) hosted a hangout with Emily, Nathan, Aiden, and me. It went great with no weird vibes at all, which made me feel even more comfortable around him.
Then on Monday night, Aiden asked if I wanted to grab a drink at our work bar. Since I felt comfortable again, and because I've seen him go out 1 on 1 with Nathan or Emma, I said sure. But because I prefer groups over 1 on 1, I invited Nathan and a 23M regular from the bar as well.
At the bar, Aiden kept teasingly saying he wanted to fight me. It was off putting, but I brushed it off.
Later that night, I got too drunk to drive, so we all decided to head to a second bar. Everything felt safe and normal, and I felt like one of the bros. Afterward, Aiden drove us back. He dropped Nathan off first, and was supposed to take me back to my car, which was parked at our work bar right next to his apartment.
This is where it turned completely inappropriate. While driving back, instead of going straight to the bar, Aiden suddenly turned into his apartment neighborhood. I was in the passenger seat dancing to the music and pumping my fist back and forth, not realizing how it looked.
As soon as he turned into his complex, I immediately asked what he was doing. He turned to me, mimicked my hand movement by jerking his hand back and forth like a handjob motion, and asked what that meant.
I was so disgusted and shocked and said, "What? I was dancing. Why are we at your house?"
He replied, "I thought we were having a good time?"
I told him, "We are, but it's 3 AM and I have work at 8 AM. Please take me to my car."
He ended up dropping me off at my car, and I went straight home.
For context on a previous situation: a couple of weeks ago, a very attractive 27M customer named Carson came in while Aiden and Nathan were working. Carson was super into me, and after my shift, a group of us went to another bar. Carson got very drunk and started hitting on me and trying to make moves, but I shut it down because I wasn't ready for anything. Later, Aiden brought it up and said he noticed Carson was trying stuff and wanted to make sure I wasn't uncomfortable. I told Aiden directly that I thought Carson was super cute, but I was not in a place to do anything, and honestly 27 was too old for me anyway. So Aiden knew 100 percent where my boundaries were regarding hookups and age gaps.
Anyway, after he dropped me off last night, we exchanged some texts which I will post in the comments.
As a woman, I’m genuinely worried. I’m very upset with myself for over sharing with him so much and i’m very upset he got my number and knows where I live. I don’t know what to do I’m scared and I don’t want to provoke him.