“Ah, yes, I am.” Hailey hastily tucked her black curls behind her ears. “Sorry, I forgot.”
“Seriously, you’re a couples therapist?” He raised a cool eyebrow. “Was the unicorn caretaker position filled?”
“No, but the working conditions were terrible. The stables were overflowing with all the crap you talk.”
He smiled mockingly. “Couples therapist. So, in a way, you’re my competition.”
“Why? Are you also a psychologist?”
“No, I’m a divorce lawyer.”
She gritted her teeth. “Right.”
“Yeah, where you fail, I excel!”
“I’m damn good at my job.” At least, she used to be back when she still recognized patterns!
“That doesn’t change the fact that one in two couples gets divorced.”
“Because people choose the wrong partners.”
“And you’re looking for the right one, right?”
“Yes. The perfect one.”
He snorted. “There’s no such thing as a perfect partner.”
“Probably not for you becauseyou are already so imperfect. But for everyone else…?”
“Oh, please.” The tip of his shoes tapped hers, annoying her immensely. She hated that he towered over her by almost a whole head. Although at five-foot-eight, she really wasn’t short. “No questions or algorithm can determine if someone has body chemistry, let alone that they will be happy together forever.”
“But it can increase the likelihood of long-term happiness.”
“Nonsense. No one can guarantee long-term happiness. You’re using the placebo effect. People are so desperate to fall in love that theybelieveit works. Christ, evenIwould be better than your damn algorithm at finding a woman to fall in love with and be happy with forever, if only I put in a little effort. And my taste in women is crap. Ask everyone.”
“I have no doubts,” Rachel snorted. “But you’ll never find a better match thanMatch Me!would for anyone else!”
His expression darkened…suddenly, there was a challenge in it. “Oh really? Want to bet?”
“Bet?”
“Yes. You’re single, aren’t you?”
She blinked. “Um, what makes you…”
“Your man-repelling vibe was a clue. So let’s make this interesting. You use your agency to find someone who will fall in love with you, and I’ll use my usual methods. The first person to find a steady partner who claims to be in love wins.”
For a few seconds, she stared at him in disbelief, her mouth gaping. “What?”
“You heard me.”
He looked frighteningly serious. “Yourusualmethods?”
“Yes.”
“What are yourusualmethods?”
He slowly leaned down to her and whispered, “I exist. That’s usually enough to attract women.”
