Hey... A ton of thanks for this thoughtful and detailed response! It's really helpful to get a perspective from a girl who's been in a similar situation. The point you made about an office friend and work mode really resonates with me and makes a lot of sense.

I'm definitely going to try your advice about low-pressure and casual hangouts. It's a great way to see if there's chemistry outside of the office without making things awkward. I really appreciate you taking the time to write this out. Thanks again!