Page 40 of In Love With Mr. Wrong

Mason grins. “I like him already.”

“I assume you’ve both reviewed the intake framework and preference tiers?”

“I marked everything I didn’t hate,” Alexandra says, deadpan.

“I did mine after two bourbons and a yacht party,” Mason says. “So if it doesn’t make sense, just assume I was optimistic.”

“Perfect,” I reply. “Then let’s begin.”

I tap the screen on my tablet, pulling up their onboarding profiles. Olivia quietly hands each of them a sleek printout, client summary, personal goals, compatibility markers. Mason flips his like it’s a menu. Alexandra barely glances at hers.

“Let’s talk hobbies,” I say. “Real ones. Not the aspirational things people list to sound interesting. Actual ways you spend your time.”

Mason is first to answer. “Travel. Poker. Chess. Building race cars and businesses. Also, recently: flying planes I probably shouldn’t own.”

Alexandra doesn’t look impressed. “You sound like a middle-aged Bond villain.”

“I get that a lot,” he says cheerfully. “Want to play chess sometime? I’ll lose on purpose if it makes you feel better.”

“Please. I don’t play games I don’t intend to win.”

I glance between them, amused. “Excellent. Mutual competitive streaks noted. Alexandra, your turn.”

She smooths an imaginary wrinkle from her sleeve. “I design. I build fashion that doesn’t destroy the planet. I read philosophy, write letters I don’t send, and I spend my weekends hiking alone so no one can ask me for feedback.”

Mason nods like he’s impressed. “That actually sounds way cooler than my list.”

“It is,” she replies. Then adds, “Except maybe the plane. That’s mildly intriguing.”

“I’ll take that as flirtation,” Mason says.

“It wasn’t,” she replies.

I clear my throat. “What do you value most in a partner? Beyond the obvious. Give me something specific.”

Alexandra’s answer is immediate. “Intellect. Integrity. Someone who isn’t afraid of my ambition or my silence.”

Mason follows with, “Playfulness. Loyalty. A woman who can challenge me and laugh at me, preferably in the same sentence.”

“And you’re both looking for a long-term connection?” I ask.

Alexandra nods. “I don’t do placeholders.”

Mason grins. “I don’t mind the occasional placeholder, but I’ve done enough of those. I’m ready to lose on purpose, just once.”

Alexandra actually smirks. “Now that sounded almost genuine.”

“I try to be, at least once a meeting.”

“You both have wildly different energies,” I observe.

Alexandra shrugs. “We’re in very different markets. I run a sustainability empire. He probably sells watches on Instagram.”

Mason grins. “Only the ones that survive my lap times. Besides, opposites attract. Everyone knows that.”

“Until they don’t,” she replies dryly.

I interject before the banter turns into a duel. “Alright, let’s talk values again. Rapid fire. You get one word per answer.”

---