Should I be patient in building this connection with Ashley?

My name is Matthew (April 28, 1992), and I am a young adult trying to navigate life’s mysteries. The past six years have been tumultuous for me in love due to past unfaithfulness and dishonesty.
Ashley (June 6, 1989) has been my coworker at the United States Postal Service for the last two years. When she first started, she never really interacted with me. I didn’t think much of it because most people at work keep to themselves and don't make an effort to build rapport anyway.
On November 8, 2025, I received a Facebook friend request from Ashley. I thought it was odd, but I accepted it. After that, our interactions started gaining traction, which encouraged me because I didn’t want to dwell on past disappointments. Naturally, I am attracted to Ashley, and I feel drawn to her in a way that makes me want to build a deeper connection. She is mysterious, but she is also a very sweet-hearted person.
Sometimes when I cross paths with her at work or see her from a distance, she will stare at me intently, almost waiting for me to lock eyes with her. It is as if she gleams with excitement when she sees me, and the feeling is mutual. She doesn’t know this, but I always look for her at work, hoping our paths cross so we can interact.
Even though my connection with Ashley is still new, I am open to exploring my feelings for her. I hope she feels the same way or at least that she is curious about me. I don’t know if she is shy or afraid of rejection, but there is a timidness about her that might be slowing our progression. Our conversations at work are limited due to the environment, but I always try to optimize my opportunities to interact with her.
Several weeks ago, I waved to Ashley from a distance. I thought she saw me, but she didn't wave back. I didn't think much of it, but shortly after, she saw me sitting at my case and came over to say, "I wanted you to know that I saw you, and I wanted to come over here, wave back, and say hello!" My smile was uncontainable, and I thanked her. It meant the world to me that she went out of her way to do that. Honestly, who does that?
Ashley also mentioned that she bought a Nintendo Switch 2 and suggested I get one so she can add me as a friend and play games together with her friend Emily. I definitely want to do that to build our bond outside of work.
The thing that frustrates me about Ashley is when she leaves my messages on "read" on Facebook Messenger. I dont message her often, but when the conversation has potential to gain traction, the conversation will dissipate. She has poor social media etiquette, which makes me feel unimportant. It might seem petty, but it triggers a negative reaction in me for some reason. I could just be overthinking this area.
Either way, I am excited about the possibility of building something real with Ashley because she seems like a quality woman with genuine intentions.