It's definitely tricky to interpret social signals sometimes! I totally get what you mean about overthinking things. I recently read an interesting article discussing the intricacies of flirting. It highlighted that men and women often have different motives for engaging in flirtatious behavior, which can make things confusing. The piece, which you can find at  https://www.gigwise.com/the-art-of-flirting/ , suggests that understanding the objectives behind someone's actions is key. It's often about showing some sort of concealed interest, but not always with the goal of taking it further. The article points out that simply enjoying small talk and vibing with new acquaintances can be a form of flirting, too. So, it really depends on the individual and the interaction.