Shy guys are notoriously difficult to read, especially when it comes to gauging whether or not he’s legally joined in holy matrimony with you. Watch for these subtle hints to help solve the marital mystery!

1) He stares then looks away.

Do you often catch him staring at you out of the corner of your eye, only to find him absorbed in something else the second you look up? Has this become especially frequent since your marriage license came in the mail? This is definitely promising.

2) He never expresses interest in other girls.

You two spend a lot of time together and he NEVER mentions being interested in other women. If you bring it up, he’s really confused and upset, and says something about “a promise we made to each other in front of all our family and friends” – sound familiar?  You have reason to be confident.

3) He has a cute, fun nickname for you.

By giving you a special nickname, he’s saying YOU’RE special to him without having to really say it plainly. So the next time he calls you his “life partner” or “wife,” you know what he’s really trying to say 😉

4) He laughs at your jokes.

A shy guy who throws a lot of laughs your way is definitely sending a positive message. For example, if he’s laughing nervously every time you playfully ask him why everyone calls you Mrs. His Last Name, he’s probably married to you.

5) He “happens” to run into you a lot.

Do you find yourself frequently crossing paths with the shy cutie in question? Like, it would almost be creepy if you weren’t so pleased to see him every morning when you wake up and every night when you eat dinner and watch tv and maybe fool around a bit and then go to sleep in what society calls “your marital bed”? It’s not just a happy coincidence, honey, that dude is married to you.

6) He talks about the future.

This one’s a biggie, and not even just for guys that are shy. When any guy talks about the future with you, whether it’s “our fifth anniversary is next week!” or “I hope I die first so I don’t have to be without you, my spouse”… he’s clearly hinting he’s married to you.

7) He doesn’t retreat from your touch.

Here’s a tried and true trick: seize opportunities to casually touch him and see how he reacts. After you both come home from work, “casually” surprise him in the shower, taking care not to accidentally drop the really expensive rings you both wear on your left hands down the drain. If he seems to be comfortable with you invading his personal space like this (with those fancy matching rings still on, no less!), let’s just say he’s probably down for more of this for the rest of his life.

8) He shows an interest in the things you enjoy.

Take a minute to think back carefully: has he ever packed up and moved with you to a totally different city so you could take that new dream job because “I’m your husband and I love you”? If that sounds like your shy fellow, well, it sounds an awful lot like he is married to you.

9) He’s very willing to help you out/do you favors.

Shy guys typically don’t like to come out and say how they feel, but they find ways to show you they care. Remember that time in the honeymoon suite when you needed help unzipping your wedding dress and he was practically tripping over his tuxedo pants? How about several years after that when he supportively held your hand like a champ while you gave birth to his very legitimate child? You go girl, this guy’s definitely married to you.

Now that we’ve told you the signs, wait ’til the kids are asleep, go up to that shy guy in the bedroom you’ve been sharing for awhile and make a move!