How to reply when he likes you but isn't over his ex

He's doing something rare and difficult: he's telling you the truth instead of pretending it away. That's honest. It's also a clear statement that his emotional bandwidth is spoken for right now. When someone tells you they're not over their ex, they're not being self-aware and wise about personal growth. They're telling you they can't show up fully for someone new.

This isn't about whether you're good enough. He literally said you're great. It's that his capacity to invest emotionally is already occupied. Believing him matters more than hoping he meant something softer than what he said.

First, acknowledge that his honesty was the right move. Don't make him regret telling you. Second, name the actual problem: you want someone whose head and heart are both available, and right now his aren't. Third, make a choice about what happens next. That choice can be 'I need to move on,' or 'I'm open to reconnecting if things shift,' or 'Let's pause for now.' Any of those is fine. What doesn't work is leaving it ambiguous, because then you both just wait and hope he figures it out on his own.

Your first instinct after hearing that might be to reply immediately. Don't. You need to sit with it for at least 24 hours so your reply comes from what you actually want, not from the sting of the moment. Once you know what you're doing, send it during the day when he can read it clearly.

If he doesn't reply within 48 hours, that's your answer. He said something heavy, you responded thoughtfully, and silence after that means he doesn't know what to do either. That's when you decide if you're open to him reaching back out later, or if you're closing the door. Don't check in again.