In all our years together, my husband has never given me flowers -- not for Valentine’s Day, our anniversary or any other special occasion. Gifts, in general, don’t seem to be on his radar. Instead, he prefers for us to split the cost of a nice dinner or a getaway, which I do appreciate.

Dear Annie: I’m struggling with a challenging dynamic in my five-year relationship with my boyfriend, “Tom.” While our relationship has been rocky, we’ve made progress recently, and I’ve felt hopeful—until this issue with his close friend “Mary.”

My husband has never given me flowers, not for Valentine’s Day, our anniversary or any other special occasion.

They greet and say goodbye with kisses on the mouth, long embraces, and affectionate words of love and admiration.

It feels more like an unhealthy, overly close mother-son dynamic that prevents Tom from fully committing to our relationship -- which he claims he wants. Honestly, it’s also a huge turn-off. Thanks to therapy,

In today's Dear Annie column, Annie Lane offers advice to a reader who does not like the dynamic her boyfriend has with another woman.