May have been exposed to hsv2 3 years ago. what is the more likely/more common time frame for an outbreak?

Could be any time: If you were infected, you probably would have had symptoms within a few days to 2 weeks. However, some infections cause no symptoms, or only mild ones that are not noticed or are misdiagnosed. Recurrent HSV2 outbreaks typically occur 3-8 times a year, but could happen at any time. Blood tests are available to check whether you might be infected. Maybe post new question w/ details of exposure.