My husband noticed how long Ryan held my hand

I am 34 and have been going to the same nail salon in Scottsdale for about a year. My husband never cared who did my nails until I started booking with Ryan.

Ryan was 27, handsome, and very good at manicures. He was also more attentive than most nail techs I had used before. He remembered my preferred shape, noticed small changes in my nails, and always asked about things I had mentioned during my previous appointment.

The first few times, I considered it good customer service. Then he began complimenting my hands almost every time I came in. He said they were elegant and that I had the nicest hands he had ever worked on.

I enjoyed hearing it. I am not going to pretend I did not.

Nothing inappropriate happened between us, but Ryan had a habit of holding my hand after he had finished checking a nail. Sometimes he would keep talking while my hand was still resting in his. I knew he did not need to hold it that long, but I never pulled away or asked him to stop.

My husband saw it one Saturday when he came to pick me up.

He arrived early and sat near the front while Ryan was finishing my manicure. Ryan was holding my hand and talking about how good a light pink color looked against my skin. I could tell from my husband’s face that he was watching closely.

He did not say anything inside the salon. As soon as we got into the car, he asked if Ryan always touched me like that.

I became defensive because I felt accused of doing something wrong. I told him Ryan was a nail tech and holding hands was part of the service. My husband said he understood the job, but he had watched the service end several minutes before Ryan finally let go.

The argument followed us home.

My husband believed Ryan was flirting with me. I said Ryan was simply friendly and probably complimented many customers. The uncomfortable part was that I could not honestly say my husband had imagined everything. Ryan did give me more attention than necessary, and I had allowed it because the attention felt good.

At my next appointment, I watched Ryan more carefully. Once my polish was finished, he held my hand again and told me I was his favorite customer to work with. Then he asked if my husband was always so serious.

That question changed the way I saw the situation. Ryan had noticed my husband’s reaction, yet instead of creating more distance, he brought it up in a personal way.

I pulled my hand back and told him that comments about my husband were not appropriate. I also said I wanted our appointments to remain professional.

Ryan apologized immediately. He seemed embarrassed and kept the rest of the conversation focused on my nails. I did not feel threatened, but I finally understood why my husband had been uncomfortable.

When I got home, I told my husband what happened. I did not claim that Ryan had tried to start an affair, because he had not. I admitted that the attention had crossed a small boundary and that I should have recognized it sooner.

I still use the same salon, but I no longer request Ryan. My husband did not demand that I switch technicians. It was my decision.

The hardest part was accepting that jealousy was not the whole problem. My husband had seen something I was enjoying too much to question.