I (26M) started seeing this girl (29F) through a mutual hiking group. At the beginning, I was simply getting to know her as a friend. This was over a period of 3 weeks, of seeing her once a week.

As I started liking her, I began showing it more and more. I asked her out on a date and she was very enthusiastic. She gave me her number out of her own volition and we proceeded to go on two other dates and they were good. She mentioned how I was a good communicator because other men would flake on their dates with her.

During the first time we went out, I asked her where she stands emotionally, and she said that it's complicated. I asked what she meant by that and she said that she was with someone who hurt her and so she is now ready to meet and see other people. I took that as an indication that she's ready to date again.

I dip out of the hiking group for a month due to heavy workload, and I come back to find her less enthusiastic to go on dates again. Now, I begin to see a new dynamic play out in the group. A man in that group was treating her as though they were in a relationship, and they were kind of flirting in front of everyone. As I began to ask around, it turns out that that man was the person she has been with for over 2 years and that they have known each other for even longer than that since school.

I decided to finally ask her where she stands, and she said that she's only interested in being friends right now because she's still working on some stuff with the guy that she's been on and off with for 2 years, and that I'm a great guy and that she really enjoyed the times we've hung out and that it has nothing to do with me. I feel really hurt however because I feel like she was not very clear with me from the beginning and she kept me straddling on without telling me that she's no longer interested. I can't help but feel disgusted. Am I justified in this feeling?