What to say when she wants to meet once she's less busy

When she says she's busy and wants to meet later, read the sentence for what's actually in it. She used the word 'love,' she gave a reason, and she made a promise. That's someone signalling interest and asking for patience. It's not the same as a brush-off like 'maybe sometime,' which has no reason attached and no warmth.

The thing to check is the rest of the conversation. If she's been replying within a reasonable window, asking you questions, and sharing little details about her life, the busy week is probably exactly what she says it is. If she's been slow and thin all along, the same sentence means less. Let the existing pattern count for more than one line.

Your reply should make saying yes cheap. A busy person often can't see a free evening until she's already in it, so a plan that needs three decisions from her is harder to agree to than one that needs one. Offer a loose window, like a weekend afternoon or a weeknight after the deadline, and let her pick.

Keep the ask light enough that she can decline without it being a thing. You're not proposing an itinerary. You're opening a door and telling her it's there when she has room. That keeps her in control of the timing, which is what she's already told you she needs.

After you send a reply that names a window, give her real time to answer. A busy week can easily mean a day or two of silence, and that silence says almost nothing about how she feels about you. If nothing comes back, one gentle check-in a few days later is fair. Anything more often starts to read as pressure.

If she comes back with a specific day, confirm it and make the plan concrete. If she goes quiet for a long stretch after you've checked in once, stop chasing and let her come back to it. You've reached the stop point when the conversation has been quiet on both sides for a couple of weeks, or after two unanswered attempts. At that stage you've learned what her timing is, and it's not yours to force.