If Laughter is Healthy ?: Signs of a Fake Gentleman

Most women dream of a handsome, charming man who will sweep her off of her feet, the perfect gentleman who opens doors, pulls out chairs, and always comes with roses; the trick is figuring out whether the charmer across the table is sincere, or just another pick-up artist. The experienced player has plenty of tricks up his sleeve to keep even the savviest of women guessing; here are ten signs that your new beau might be harboring some less than honorable intentions.

He always knows exactly what to say – Some people, male and female alike, simply have a knack for words. While being suspicious of someone based solely on the fact that they’re articulate isn’t usually a good idea, when his lines seem so perfect that they almost sound rehearsed, there’s a good chance that they probably are.
He’s never ruffled or agitated – Even the most confident man will be a bit nervous in the presence of a woman he’s interested in. When a guy never seems flustered or anxious, never makes an awkward move and always maintains a cool-as-a-cucumber exterior, it’s a red flag that he’s not really feeling those tremor-inducing butterflies.
He always has an excuse – A smooth operator can break a date at the last minute with an ironclad excuse. While unexpected events will inevitably arise in any relationship, establishing a pattern of canceling with an unassailable alibi in place might indicate that he’s still playing the field.
He’s evasive about his past – When a guy’s past is questionable or likely to give a good woman pause, he’s not going to be eager to discuss it. Shady characters may insist on “living in the present,” simply to keep you from piecing together bits of his sketchy past.
You’ve caught him in a few lies – Little white lies are one thing; no man wants to tell you that he isn’t wild about your new haircut or that your skirt is a bit tighter around the hips. That being said, if you catch him telling whoppers about deal-breakers, he may be hiding some predatory tendencies.
He’s surgically attached to his cellphone – A man who never leaves his phone unattended, even if he ignores it all night, may be doing so to avoid presenting you with an opportunity to uncover two-timing or other ungentlemanly acts.
He steers the subject away from commitment – The reluctance of most men to discuss the future and the state of your personal union is the stuff of legend; even good-hearted guys have been known to get squirmy when the subject is broached. However, a guy that deftly steers the conversation in another direction on a regular basis might be keeping his options open on an indefinite basis.
You’ve never met his friends – In the first few weeks of a new relationship, you’re both so enthralled with one another that you may not even be entertaining the idea of spending time in groups. Still, if you’ve been dating for months and you have yet to meet a single person in his life, it’s a sure sign that he’s not invested in your relationship and probably doesn’t feel that it has long-term potential.
He’s a little bit too smooth – As the old adage says, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. When smooth starts to seem more like sleazy, take a step back and evaluate the relationship as a whole; if he’s slick across the board, it might be a good idea to move on.
He assumes that you’ll be available on very short notice – Cocky, overly confident guys may call you at the last minute on a Saturday night, assuming that you’re keeping the evening open on the off chance that he’ll call. When the bulk of his calls come around the time that the bars close, he almost certainly thinks of you as a last resort.

It’s a good idea to also be on the lookout for another trick out of the cad’s playbook: the backhanded compliment. By praising one trait while insulting another, men are able to subconsciously convince a woman to crave his approval. Still, the most important thing to rely on when assessing a man and determining his intentions is your own gut instinct. If there’s a part of you that smells a rat, even in the throes of early infatuation, it’s a good idea to heed that warning.