Advice on how to proceed with this girl that I like?

Not really sure how to word this but see how it goes. Interesting to know people’s thoughts.

Anyway, there’s this girl that I like which I haven’t known for too long. We work in the same profession but different places. I first met her at kind of a network meeting (both our places of work fall under the same trust) didn’t really talk to her at all but did communicate briefly through email.

Last week as part of a wider network meeting she was there (I wasn’t aware she was gonna be there) there were like 4 different locations you could be at. Anyway coincidentally I ended up sitting next to her for this thing, ended up talking to her for the 2 and a half hours mainly about work. Towards the end I asked her if she wanted to grab a coffee, she initially said no. A few minutes later she turns around and changes her mind. We leave this thing, she mentions that she only has 20 minutes before her bus. We grab a coffee and were there longer than 20 minutes probably around 40 ish. It was genuinely one of the best conversations I’ve had in a long time. I ended up asking for number which she said she had recently changed it and couldn’t remember it off the top of her head. But then she gave me her phone to put my number in (didn’t ask her to do that).

But she never texted me… I also never asked her too (I should’ve have). Quite disappointed by that because I could tell we were quite similar and just how we got on.

I emailed her the next morning which she mentioned she totally forgot (Not sure if it was genuine) but even replies to that were vague. I will add that she seems very work driven and professional in that sense.

We have another network meeting in just over a week - I don’t know if she is gonna be there. I’m hoping to just be straight up with her and tell her that I like her? (That’s worded poorly but too that affect). But if she isn’t then what can I do? There’s a chance that I wouldn’t see her again and if I do it won’t be for a while.

For context, a couple of my friends who are female can’t work this out. One thinks she’s not interested and another thinks that she’s just oblivious and doesn’t realise I’m trying to get to know her. My gut tells me she’s not interested but I don’t know that was the first time I’ve properly spoken to her.