I have been friends, maybe more like pen pals, with this girl I met in Montreal at a hockey fan fest back in 2007 (I live in Ottawa by the way). We've kept in touch ever since.

She seemed to be going through a rough time a few weeks ago, as she said she was taking a break from Facebook. She popped up recently and I sent her a wave. I asked her if everything was alright, and she said she broke up with her long-time boyfriend, and father of her 3 kids, 5 months earlier. She was then dealing with guys messaging/harassing her to date them and it got to the point where she had to block them. Hell, even some of her employees were trying to ask her out! Talk about awkward! She said she was able to deal with it.

I cheered her up by telling her an embarrassing moment I experienced once (one that I will share with you in the future).

I felt the moment I met her I felt a connection. We seemed to have a lot in common. She was kind of on-again off-again with the father of her kids, but the relationship seems to be finished. I don’t know what the relationship is like with the kids.

I always thought she was cute, and she's definitely grown into becoming a beautiful, mature young woman (I'm a sucker for blue eyes). We've always been there for each other as friends.

I honestly felt I could see myself in a relationship with her. She lives 3 ½ hours away and long distance relationships typically don't pan out (although she told me distance is nothing versus love). After what she's been through, in addition to looking after 3 kids, I doubt she's interested in dating,especially me, and I don't blame her. I always thought she was cute, and I have felt different about her since I found out she was single.

I can't really move up there, and I definitely don't want her to uproot her family to be closer. They're living their own lives and I don't want to intrude. I’m sure she would want to focus her time and energy on them, since I would do the same thing.

I wish I could establish a closer friendship with her. I always thought I didn't want kids, but step children seem different. People always say that if you like someone, you should tell them. I like her as a friend, and I don't want to jeopardize that and lose her all together. I don't want her to think that she's safe with me, only to think I've been trying to make a move on her. I have pretty much made up my mind that I won’t pursue a relationship (since I’m sure she doesn’t feel the same about me), but what do I do about my feelings for her? I’m vulnerable and I don’t want to say the wrong thing. I've

I'm so easily smitten. I feel confused. What do I do? (And really..............having employees hit on you?)