I'm looking for an idiom or expression that mean "someone is showing a feign reluctance to do/ have something" or "someone pretends to be less interested in something or someone than they really are."
For example:
1-Mary claims that he doesn't like issues related to marriage at all, but follows her colleagues' wedding news eagerly.
2- John claims that he doesn't like his classmate,Jane, but it is obvious that he gets jealous of seeing her walking with other boys.
3- Joe asks his GF, Susan, to end their relationship; but calls her again in the evening!(and this is a repeatative story in their relationship, so Susan doesn't know if he really loves her or not, his behaviors are equivocal).
I want to describe such equivocal behaviors that indicate a feign reluctance.
Susan: I'm fed up with Joe's equivocal behaviors, sometimes I get confused and don't know what he is looking for in this relationship, I think he ___."
I have found "to play hard to get" but I'm not sure if it is used for non-romantic relationships (including political ones) or for issues other than relationships too (like my first example).
PS:
In Persian we use this expression:
"Somone pushes it aside with their hand, (but) draws it nearer with their foot." (Here, 'It' refers to the given issue.)
Best Answer
Disingenuous — Cambridge
Put on an act — TFD
Playing dumb — TFD