DEAR AMY: I was in a relationship with "Steve" for about a year. Then one day, while we were still together, he showed up at work with another woman. They both had hickeys on their necks, and they were holding hands. One of my friends/co-workers confronted them, asking if they were dating, and the woman said, "Of course!" I was devastated. Several months passed, and then I finally got the courage to talk to him about it. He told me he was stupid to do it, that he had messed up badly and that he would like another chance. I gave him that chance, and a couple of months later, his ex-girlfriend got out of jail. He broke up with me again - this time for her. She has a bad reputation for messing with people, so I told him, "If she breaks up with you again, don't bother coming back." Now he's acting really sweet and saying that I'm the only girl on his mind and that he wants the two of us to work things out. He says he has messed up but he wants to change. Amy, my feelings for him burn like the heat of 1,000 suns. I feel as if I'm completely lost in a forest of love. I want him back, but I don't want to be hurt again by the man I love. What should I do?Lost in the Forest

DEAR LOST: "Steve" certainly has brought out the poet in you. And because you can't see the love forest through the trees, I will supply the next act of your romance for you.

You will take him back. After a honeymoon period ranging from a couple of hours to a couple of weeks, Steve will walk into a bar holding hands with another woman and they will be sporting matching hickeys. You will be devastated, and the next time he is between girlfriends he'll beg your forgiveness.

You will cycle through this relationship with him until you wise up. Envision this: You could save yourself the inevitable devastation and skip it altogether.

NewsdayTV has you covered Credit: Newsday

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