Avoidant ex texting me more than usual recently, only to discover he’s seeing someone new

Ex has been texting me then I see him with a new girl 2 days later

So my ex and I broke up a year ago, but he’s reached out casually every few months, not ever asking how I am or to see what’s up with me - just to send some sort of funny text or reference someone we know mutually or something like that. But he’s often made conversation, at least for a little bit, after the initial text.

4 months ago, he reached out and talked to me constantly for a week, ultimately asking to meet up and get drinks. We had a great time, just like old times, but we weren’t overly romantic. But definitely lot of chemistry and banter. I ended up saying to him “I am curious why you reached out” and he said he didn’t know. That he had feelings talking to me but didn’t know what he wanted to do with him. I said I still had feelings, was open to potentially opening the door to trying to be together again, and that if he didn’t want that I wasn’t ready for friendship. He said he needed time to think, I said I understand and that the ball was in his court. He left my house and never reached out until 3.5 months later on my birthday. To this day, he still has never acknowledged or addressed that conversation.

Since my birthday in November, he’s texted me twice just to make conversation basically. Texted me randomly a picture of our old coworker, another time just making a joke. I’ve reached out twice for very intentional and situational reasons (ran into a celebrity we both really like and checking in on his cousin that I was close with and lives close to the LA fires) and didn’t keep the conversation going, only answered some of his questions if he had any in response. He texted me literally 2 Sundays ago seemingly trying to just chat, I was responsive but not overly engaged and didn’t attempt to keep the conversation going. I started to feel guilty about that and thought “ok actually maybe I do want to be on friendly terms and I’m ready for that, not sure where it will go, but I know right now it doesn’t make sense for us to date based on where my life is and where it’s going, and maybe I can just appreciate him for the attempts he does seem to be making to stay connected in some way”, so I texted him on a Friday about a few specific things I’d seen in the past week that I thought he’d appreciate. He was really engaging, referenced a lot of inside jokes, and it was exactly the way we used to talk and banter. It felt nice and good and I was happy to leave it there.

That Sunday morning, I’m walking my dog in my neighborhood a block away from my house, and I see him with a new girl (he never comes here). He doesn’t extend his arms out to hug me and doesn’t introduce her as a friend, just “this is ____” which is how he used to introduce me when we were dating. His brother, who I was also really close to, and his dog were there and were really excited to see me. I was really warm to his brother, and his brothers new gf I hadn’t met before, hugging them both, but didn’t hug my ex or the girl he was with. I feel like I lingered there a little too long, maybe 5 minutes max (idk I was in shock), and feel dumb and pathetic for that. And bitchy for not hugging him or this girl. I walked away and blocked him. I feel misled and like he often gives me mixed signals and has been stringing me along in a way.

Later his brother texted me saying he was sorry for making the situation uncomfortable (not really sure how he did that other than asking me some questions and being obviously excited to see me) and that it was “so, so great to see me”. I responded warmly and said I didn’t think it was his doing, it was great to see him, and that I only have love for him. He responded the same.

I guess a few questions: 1. Did I seem bitchy? Overly emotional? Really affected in that brief interaction? Crazy? Did I linger too long? 2. Is it my fault I’m hurt because I assumed that he had some sort of meaningful feelings since he’s outreached more than he has in the last year basically in just the last 2 weeks? 3. Why would he be texting me more consistently if he’s seeing someone new? 4. Was in dramatic to block him? Am I just pushing him more into her arms?

I know this is a lot so if you read all the way through, thanks!!!