I (32M) have known this girl (31F) for over 10 years, since we were teenagers. We see each other maybe five or six times a year. She recently got out of a long relationship. She's warm with me, occasionally compliments my appearance, and initiates contact more than most friends do. Nothing has ever happened, but it's never felt completely platonic either.
I'm not someone who can't meet people — I live alone, have a good job, and date regularly. This is about one specific person I've known a long time and genuinely want to explore something with.
My gut says she might see me as an option, but I've never stepped outside the friend frame so I can't blame her for staying in it. We have plans alone next week. What's the best way to signal interest to someone like this without making it a whole conversation? Has anyone shifted a long friendship with quiet tension — and how?